Energy Management Articles | Page 347

Doing what’s right for the future of our planet means making major change. That’s why Walmart has committed to becoming a regenerative company powered by 100% renewable energy in its operations by 2035. In this column, Mark Vanderhelm, VP of Energy and Facilities Management, explains how Walmart is setting an example for what one company can do to move toward a cleaner future.

The University of Michigan’s Office of Sustainability has announced that local renewable energy companies will soon provide the university with half its electricity needs. By the end of 2021, the university is projected to reduce its GHG emissions by 25% since 2011 - achieving its 2025 goal four years early. 

Whirlpool Corporation’s goal of net zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030 has been approved by the SBTi. This commitment includes emissions from Whirlpool’s manufacturing and distribution centers across the globe, spanning over 30 sites.

Iron Mountain Incorporated, a storage and information management services company, on May 6 announced new corporate responsibility (CR) goals as part of its eighth annual CR Report. As part of the company’s long-term strategy, “Securing a Sustainable Future,” plans include targets for net zero emissions, 100% clean electricity in its data centers, and transitioning to electric vehicles.

Georgetown University has announced that its 55 H Street Residence hall will be the first major construction project in Washington D.C. to use ECOpact low-carbon concrete. This concrete mix will decrease the hall’s embodied carbon by 40%, helping it to achieve its goal of surpassing LEED V4 Platinum status.

By the end of May, the University of Arizona will receive all its grid-based energy from renewable sources. This process began on April 30, when the university first received power from the Wilmot Energy Center, a solar + storage system.

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. achieved a reduction in total energy consumption of 6% in 2020 vs. 2019 and a 25% reduction since 2017. These results, along with other energy and emissions-related successes, as well as long-term goals, were shared with the release of the company’s 2020 ESG Progress Report.

In its 2020 Sustainability Report, mining company Alcoa Corporation shared progress towards its goals to reduce emissions in alignment with the Paris Climate Accord.