Sustainability is More Than Just a Timely Topic

Organizations today are being called upon not only to be more conscious of their energy utilization but also of their impact on the wider environment. This applies to more than an organization’s direct impact — it also applies to the impact made by working with certain suppliers or partners. It’s all part of a greater focus on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives that has been accelerating over the past few years.

With organizations seeking to make a positive impact on people and the planet while also looking to improve bottom lines, there’s never been a better time to evaluate how yours is approaching sustainable facilities management. Unfortunately, many facility management teams today are still dealing with labor shortages — meaning capacity is often restricted to dealing with what’s in front of teams on a given day and not for forward-thinking initiatives.

Working with a facility management aggregator can help in these situations. Rather than managing facility assets internally and by location whenever situations arise, partnering with an aggregator puts proactive preventive maintenance, asset replacements, program management, work orders and estimates, measurement and reporting, and more in the hands of the aggregator, who works with proven vendors to execute scopes of work.

Whether you choose to partner with an aggregator or tackle sustainable facilities management internally, here are a few key ways your organization can make a meaningful, measurable difference on your bottom line — and the health of the world we all share.

Three Sustainable Facilities Management Solutions to Consider

1. LED Retrofits

LED retrofits are nothing new when it comes to sustainable facilities management, but you’d be surprised how many facilities still utilize outdated lighting systems. These assets not only use more power but also produce greater heat — leading to higher HVAC costs to keep spaces cool. Additionally, outdated lighting assets often end up in landfills instead of being properly recycled, leading to higher levels of landfill waste. Replacing these systems with high-efficiency LED alternatives reduces power utilization, operating temperatures, landfill waste, and carbon emissions.

2. EV Charger Installation

Electric vehicles (EVs) and the infrastructure needed to support them are growing in demand nationwide. With 70% of the country incentivizing EV charger installation, organizations looking for sustainable facilities management solutions should strongly consider this avenue. Numerous rebate programs are available, both locally and federally, to make installation more accessible for businesses. EV chargers are also known to help increase sales and customer loyalty, helping to offset their upfront costs.

3. Cloud-Based Energy Management Systems

Intelligently managing how assets are used in your locations has been an effective strategy for some time, and cloud-based energy management systems (EMS) add further sophistication. Managing energy at multiple locations is all but impossible without a centralized, interconnected control system, and there are far too many variables involved for one person or even a small team to handle. With cloud-based energy management systems, control over energy-consuming assets such as lighting, signage, and HVAC/R is all control based on key inputs and data. Lighting controls, occupancy sensors, daylight harvesting, automated dimming, and more are all possible with a cloud-based EMS.

Partner with CLS Facility Services to Enhance Your Sustainability Initiatives

With more than 50 years of experience in helping organizations implement solutions that make more effective use of energy, CLS Facility Services is the team you need to drive greater sustainability. Whether it’s part of your organization’s push toward a stronger ESG strategy, or you’re simply looking to enhance your control over your footprint, we’re ready to work with you on any of the above solutions.

We partner with companies with anywhere from 50 to 500 locations across the U.S. and Canada. As an aggregator, we have built a reliable, high-performing network of vendors in lighting, HVAC/R, energy management, signage, and more — enabling us to serve your locations wherever they are. Our highly experienced team prioritizes service and communication above all else, and thanks to our helpful client portal and flexibility in working with nearly 20 different work order management systems, we can seamlessly fit into your facility management program while helping to take it to the next level.

Connect with us today, or book a meeting with our team at a time that works for you.