Sustainability Influencers: SRP Honors Valley Businesses for Outstanding Efforts in Energy Efficiency and Being Green Leaders

For the ninth consecutive year, Salt River Project honors local ‘Champions of Sustainability.’ From San Tan Valley to Tolleson — to cities in between — the 2022 awards recognize SRP commercial customers who participate in Business Solutions programs and lead the charge in sustainability and innovation. 

On Tuesday, Salt River Project recognized 19 Valley businesses and organizations who received awards in seven categories during the midday awards ceremony at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort. The municipalities, companies and organizations are standouts for their commitment to sustainability and innovation as they serve their customers and the community. The event underscores SRP’s 2035 Sustainability Goals related to energy efficiency, demand response, transportation electrification and electric technologies initiatives.  

“Since 2014, we have come together as a corporate community to celebrate the achievements of our commercial customers who, regardless of the size of their business or organization, are saving energy, reducing costs and taking advantage of SRP’s many different rebate programs,” said Jim Pratt, SRP’s Associate General Manager of Customer Operations & Chief Customer Executive. “We are thankful to the winners for being valued partners. Their strong commitment to energy efficiency and sustainability is driving meaningful change and demonstrates what’s possible when we work together to keep the Valley and all of Arizona growing and thriving for generations to come.”

During fiscal year 2022, with the help of its business customers, SRP exceeded its energy efficiency goals for the ninth consecutive year by generating nearly 590 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of incremental energy savings — which is enough energy to power more than 35,000 homes for one year. 

To learn how to make businesses of all sizes more energy efficient and sustainable to conserve precious resources and save money, visit savewithsrpbiz.com. 

2022 Champions of Sustainability Award Winners:
Growing Sustainable Communities:
This category honors state, local, schools and tribal governments who make their communities more energy efficient and provide infrastructure to champion electric-vehicle adoption and business electrification.

Cartwright School District #83  
Located in the heart of Maryvale in Phoenix, the Cartwright School District is proud to provide the educational needs for more than 15,000 students, exposing them to athletics, music, STEM, gifted and special education. The next two years will be busy inside and outside of the classroom as Cartwright has more than 30 energy-efficiency projects planned.
In this fiscal year alone, the district completed 11 projects including district-wide light-emitting diode (LED) lighting upgrades in all its schools and support buildings. At several campuses, high-efficiency heat pumps were installed, and some schools now have new variable frequency drives, which improve heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) efficiency. It’s simply another way, Cartwright is proving to be “a premier school district.”

City of Mesa  
The City of Mesa will go down in SRP history as the utility’s first municipality to max out SRP energy-efficiency (EE) rebates. SRP launched its Business Solutions programs in 2009 and this year the City of Mesa earned a total of $300,000 in rebates, which is the maximum available to a business customer in a single program year. Mesa is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country and with a population exceeding a half million people, the second-largest city in the Phoenix-metropolitan area. Here’s a breakdown of its recent sustainability success:
Ø  Total energy savings: 2.9 million kilowatt hours, which is enough to power more than 175 homes.
Ø  Environmental benefits: 2,073 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions reduced, which is the equivalent to the carbon sequestered by 2,454 acres of U.S. forests in one year.

“We are all excited about this huge achievement because it brings Mesa closer to our goal of becoming a carbon neutral community by 2050. A key pathway to achieve carbon neutrality is to reduce energy use as much as possible and use clean renewable energy,” said Laura Hyneman, City of Mesa deputy director of Environmental and Sustainability, “It’s been a mutually beneficial partnership because it supports SRP’s Sustainability Goals and the City of Mesa’s Climate Action Plan. In addition, our Energy Resources department and SRP continue to add significant amounts of clean, renewable energy to our residents.” 

Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community (SRPMIC)
The Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community is a sovereign tribe located in the metropolitan Phoenix area. The tribe is going green with 17 new Level 2 Electric Vehicle Chargers and through the electrification of many of its vehicle assets. It’s a move that offers both fiscal and environmental savings. The SRPMIC completed an SRP Electric Vehicle Charging and Fleet Assessment that helped identify almost 700 vehicles to be converted to electric in the coming years. Tribe leaders even rescued a van destined for the landfill and converted it from a combustion engine to electric powered. Throughout the community, electric charging infrastructure has been installed to ensure the fleet of electric golf carts, forklifts, trucks and even a school bus remain charged. In addition to electric transportation endeavors, the tribe also undertook several standard and custom efficiency projects including installing new insulation, high-efficiency glass, and interior and exterior lighting projects. All of this underscores that the SRPMIC has a deep commitment to sustainability.

Efficiency in Community Service: 
The recognition honors local non-profit agencies who go green and reduce electric and fuel bills by upgrading to their facilities or fleets, which in turn saves money to further serve the community.

Boys and Girls Clubs of the East Valley
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Valley empowers young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible members of the community. In support of their mission to empower our community, the nonprofit reduced is carbon footprint by adding air economizers on 62 of its air conditioner (AC) units and heat pumps. Also, an energy management system to control more than 59,000 square-feet was installed as well as 54 advanced rooftop controls and carbon dioxide (CO2) sensors for a dozen HVAC units. SRP believes these measures exude “care and responsibility for the community.”

Feed the Children
For more than 40 years, Feed the Children has focused on alleviating childhood hunger. They “dare to envision a world where no child goes to bed hungry.” When the nonprofit selected Chandler as the newest location for another distribution and volunteer center, SRP lent a hand through its New Construction Solutions Program. Along with interior- and exterior-LED fixtures, Feed the Children also installed 10 direct evaporative coolers, two high-volume, low-speed fans and variable frequency drive exhaust fans to consume less energy while keeping its facilities comfortable for its healthy staple of volunteers. The great news: saving money on energy bills means more funds for food and community assistance.

Building Communities for Electric Vehicles: 
The award is given to homebuilders and multifamily developers who build homes or communities to be electric vehicle (EV) ready — complete with pre-wired electrical outlets to support Level 2 chargers or on-property charging stations for residents.

Optima Sonoran Village  
Optima is a design-driven real estate development firm rooted in the modernist tradition. For more than four decades, Optima has been developing, designing, building and managing striking urban and suburban luxury residential communities. Forging ahead on its reputation, Optima was the first, multi-family property to install EV chargers through SRP’s program. Guaranteed, residents are much happier with 38 new chargers to choose from.

Acero  
Acero is an IDM Companies apartment brand that offers an amenity-rich community, concierge-style management and a resort-style living experience. Acero worked with SRP to install 24 level two, EV chargers across multiple properties. Additionally, Acero participated in SRP’s Multifamily Solutions Program, where residents across four properties received about 1300 energy- savings kits. Each kit contained four, 9-watt LED light bulbs, an LED night light and a tip sheet to help multifamily-residents lower energy use and costs. In total, Acero’s residents are expected to save nearly 300,000 kilowatt-hours per year. Acero also went the extra mile by adding 20 battery-powered golf carts to provide zero-carbon property tours to future residents. Who wouldn’t want to live there? 

Lennar  
Since 1954, Lennar has built over 1 million new homes for families across America. Lennar builds in some of the nation’s most popular cities, with communities that cater to all lifestyles and family dynamics, whether you are a first-time or move-up buyer, multigenerational family or active adult. As a demonstration to its dedication to sustainability, Lennar committed that all the new homes they build will be pre-wired to be EV ready, which makes that much easier for future homeowners to make the switch to an electric vehicle. Vroom. Vroom.  

Decarbonizing Industry:  
This category honors industrial companies that make energy-efficiency upgrades to lighting, HVAC or electrify their work environment to include electric forklifts, boom lifts, sweepers and move towards EV fleet trucks to reduce their carbon footprint.

CyrusOne  
CyrusOne competes at the forefront of the data center industry as a respected leader and innovator. CyrusOne’s portfolio now includes more than 40 enterprise-class facilities across three continents and more than 4 million square feet of total net rentable square footage. The company enrolled in SRP’s Standard Business Program to help construct a new data center and installed a high-efficiency chiller to cool servers. They got rebates and will save in the future by installing LED lighting fixtures. With 21 years in the data center biz, moves like this will help ensure continued success.

Dexcom Inc. 
Dexcom empowers people to take control of diabetes through innovative continuous glucose monitoring systems. The innovative glucose-monitoring company received SRP’s maximum yearly energy-efficiency rebate of $300,000 by participating in the SRP Standard Business Solutions Program with its new building’s efficient measures. Dexcom installed a high-efficiency chiller for servers, LED lighting and an air-handling unit in its new 670,000 square foot distribution center. Not only are they leaders in diabetes care technology, but also blazing trails in the world of sustainability.

Niagara Bottling, LLC 
Andrew Peykoff Sr. started bottling high-quality, low-cost Niagara water in five-gallon glass containers for home and office delivery in 1963. Niagara’s significant developments in vertical integration, innovative bottle design and high-speed manufacturing positioned the company as the industry-leading private-label bottled water supplier in the western United States. Recently, the bottling company installed new blow- molding technology equipment that included two energy-efficient machines. Together, the new machines melt and form water bottles by blowing the plastic mold from the injection molding. The new tools are expected to conserve up to 2.8 million kilowatt-hours of energy per year, which is enough to power 170 homes annually.

Delivering a Sustainable Supply Chain:
The award recipients are key cogs in the supply chain who make impactful upgrades to their facilities, fleets and retail outlets to consume less energy and reduce their carbon footprint by moving toward electric vehicles.

Estes Express Lines also known as G.I. Trucking
Estes, the largest privately held freight transportation company in North America, offers a comprehensive suite of freight shipping services to get shipments where they need to go, when they need to get there. The longtime transport company worked through SRP Business Solutions to convert 50 liquified petroleum (LP) forklifts to electric forklifts and installed 26 high-frequency forklift battery chargers. The upgrades will help lower operating costs and position the company to save money and energy in future SRP demand response events. Estes will also save some green in lower energy bills by participating in SRP’s Business Time-of-Use Price Plan. 

Quaker Sales & Distribution Inc. 
Quaker has been a household name in the oats, granola bar and snack space for more than 140 years. The snack leader teamed up with nation’s third-largest not-for-profit utility by participating in SRP’s Standard Business program. Quaker constructed a new 750,000 square-foot building complete with interior- and exterior-LED lighting, high-efficiency heat pumps, and high-efficiency insulation and windows. Those delectable upgrades will help the community for years to come.

Safeway/Albertsons 
Albertsons Companies is one of the largest food and drug retailers in the United States. The grocery conglomerate made a substantial investment in sustainability by upgrading all local store locations to LED lighting. In addition, several electronically commutated motors were installed on refrigeration units to reduce energy waste. In total, the company completed 18 projects with SRP in the fiscal year, which saved an impressive 5.8 million kilowatt-hours. That’s enough to power 350 homes for their loyal shoppers. Celebration on aisle 9.

WHOA QC, Inc.  
From extracts to concentrates to edibles, WHOA QC’s products provide targeted relief for its patients across six locations in Nevada and Arizona. The company saved almost $260,000 through upgraded and energy-efficient lighting rebates. Whoa! Way to go, WHOA, QC.

Sustainable Small Businesses:
Hats off to small, local businesses making changes to be more efficient, reduce their energy usage and impact on the environment. The winners made upgrades to their facilities just like large national and multi-nation companies are doing. Bravo. It’s one more reminder that SRP has specific programs to that are the right fit for small businesses too.

Aracruz RE  
Aracruz RE’s vision is to be the preferred choice for materials for the kitchen and bath industry. As one of the Valley’s preferred suppliers, the company made a choice move to participant in program. Aracruz RE upgraded to LED lighting in their warehouse and showroom, installed smart thermostats and had HVAC condenser coils cleaned for optimum performance.  

KC Kitchen and Bath, LLC  
Phoenix-based, KC Kitchen and Bath works closely with its customers to help design and get the right cabinets for a home or office. The company’s 100,000-square-foot warehouse is brighter and more energy efficient thanks to the recent installation of smart thermostats and LED lighting through SRP’s Small Business Program. Customers will no doubt get a better look at all the options for elegant wood cabinetry.

Partner in Grid Reliability:
The honorees really helped in a pinch. During peak energy demand on SRP’s system, these winners reduced energy their consumption to help keep the Valley’s grid stable and energy reliable for others. SRP truly appreciates businesses who enroll and actively participate in the Business Demand Response Program. The upside: companies also save big by curtailing energy use when power is needed most. To learn more, company leaders are invited to visit srpnet.com/BDR or enelx.com. Customers also can contact their SRP Strategic Energy Managers at bizcenter@srpnet.com.

Matheson  
With more than 300 locations in the U.S. and more than 4,500 employees nationwide, Matheson supplies industrial, specialty, medical and bulk supply gases for numerous commercial uses. The company enrolled in SRP’s Business Demand Response Program and reduced their power demands by an average of 7,400 kilowatts during summer Demand Response events when curtailment was needed most. SRP honors the company for being a reliable and regular partner in grid reliability.

Western Container Corporation 
Western Container Corporation is a PET (polyethylene terephthalate) preform and bottle manufacturing company established in 1979 by a group of Coca-Cola bottlers who acted on the long-term need for a reliable source of high-quality, low-cost PET bottles.  As a way to demonstrate its longstanding commitment to sustainability and the community, Western Container reduced its power demands by an average of 1,500 kilowatts during peak energy reduction events in SRP’s Business Demand Response Program. The company also added seven laser-guided vehicles through SRP’s Electric Technologies program. The automated machines deliver increased safety and energy efficiency to Western Container’s day-to-day operations.