Commercial – Case Study

BlueHornet

Challenge: Implement an office wide sustainability initiative

BlueHornet Networks, Inc. provides innovative permission-based email marketing and loyalty programs to today’s top brands. Headquartered in San Diego, CA, BlueHornet’s offices at the time had no formalized sustainability initiative beyond a few recycling bins. Employees and management were extremely interested in creating a green office, but were faced with the all too common challenges of a leased building, tight budget, and little expertise in “going green”.

Solution: GreenHornet Initiative

Consultants from Live & Work Green developed and assisted in the implementation of a sustainability plan. With the help of a team of passionate employees dedicated to sustainability, Live & Work Green worked with BlueHornet to identify goals to achieve in their plan.

The overall goals of the “GreenHornet” initiative were to significantly reduce operating costs over time, educate employees on environmental issues and empower them to take action when appropriate. The ultimate goal was a healthier environment for current and future “Hornets”, as BlueHornet employees are often referred to.

Live & Work Green then helped identify key areas where significant progress could be made in reducing BlueHornet’s carbon footprint.

First, we examined the energy use of the office and created a program focusing on energy efficiency. We switched the existing lighting to Energy Star qualified products, adjusted the temperature to a reasonable and consistent standard, established guidelines for computer sleeping and hibernation, and created a reward system to encourage employees to follow these practices.

Next, we focused on eliminating physical waste by implementing an extensive recycling program, established a composting bin, and discontinued the use of disposable products (ie paper plates and cups). We also created guidelines for the smart purchase of supplies, incorporating recycled office products, fair trade coffee, and the purchase of products with minimal amounts of packaging into the procurement plan.

Finally, additional areas of concentration included new commuting incentives for employees, use of a water purification system in lieu of delivered purified drinking water, workshops to educate staff on best practices, and participation in local environmental events. Future considerations were also identified for longer term implementation as budget and time permitted.

Results: Reduced carbon footprint & increased cost savings

  • Electricity demand from lighting was cut by over 65% with the installation of Energy Star qualified lighting.
  • A comprehensive recycling plan now ensures everything that can be recycled is recycled appropriately and diverted from the landfill, as was the case prior to the initiative.
  • By replacing bottled water delivery with a water purification system, costs were cut by over 60% while providing even higher quality water and reducing emissions from water delivery.
  • Employees now benefit from a variety of commuting options including mass transit reimbursement and rewards for carpooling and biking to work.
  • Effective labeling and posting of educational materials, as well as periodic workshops have increased employee awareness and facilitated adoption of new practices company wide.
  • The commitment to the GreenHornet initiative has created a more attractive and healthy work environment for employees and customers who value these efforts.