These Valley businesses lead the way in energy efficiency, sustainability

Daily Independent
Oct. 24, 2023

SRP honors 2023 Champions of Sustainability

SRP has named 14 local businesses Champions of Sustainability for achievements in electrification, energy efficiency and clean energy through participation in its Business Solutions Program.

Those earning awards were recognized at the 10th Annual Champions of Sustainability Awards luncheon held at the Arizona Biltmore.

SRP’s Business Solutions Program provides business of all sizes with technical expertise and thousands of dollars in incentives to make facility improvements, upgrade equipment, and install tools and systems that help reduce energy use and increase energy savings.

“These sustainability efforts not only benefit the business, but their customers and the greater Phoenix community as well,” Rudy Navarro, SRP interim associate general manager and chief customer executive, shared in a press release.

In total, SRP commercial energy efficiency programs have saved customers nearly 1.3 million megawatt hours of electricity, which is enough energy to power more than 78,000 single-family homes for a year.

Those honored:

Arizona Biltmore
The Biltmore is among the first Valley area hospitality companies to participate in the SRP Business Demand Response Program and recently completed an upgrade of 12,000 fixtures to LED lighting throughout the historic property. The resort is also adding electric vehicle charging to customer parking areas.

AZ Emergency Products
Formed in 2009, American Emergency Products completed a lighting project for police and emergency responder vehicles that included the installation of re-lamps along with new LED fixtures.

City of Glendale
Home to 250,784 residents, the city partnered with builders to improve sustainable home development, including prewiring homes in StoneHaven, an SRP Energy Star Homes community in Glendale for electric vehicles, as well as other smart home and energy efficiency upgrades making their home some of the most efficient in the region.

EVgo
EVgo is a public networks of fast chargers, all powered by 100% renewable energy. EVgo currently has more than 850 fast charging stations in more than 60 metropolitan areas. The company has added 12 direct current fast charging stations in shopping centers throughout Phoenix and powered more than 400 million electric miles since 2018, reducing the U.S. carbon footprint by 180,000 metric tons.

Evoque Data Center Solutions
The company implemented retro-commissioning projects such as managed energy programs, HVAC management and lighting, resulting in 1,057,472 kW of energy savings.

Ferguson Enterprises LLC
The largest U.S. distributor of plumbing supplies, PVF, waterworks and fire and fabrication products, Ferguson Enterprises is also a major distributor of HVAC equipment and industrial products and services. They opened a new energy efficient distribution center in Chandler that also has nearly one megawatt of solar.

Harrison Properties
Harrison Properties LLC owns, leases and manages over 12 million square feet of industrial properties in southwest Phoenix; over 2 million square feet in Salt Lake City, Utah; and more than 500,000 square feet in Albuquerque. The company’s milk processing plant features its third solar project, a 979-kW system.

Hospice of the Valley
The nonprofit made energy efficiency upgrades, including lighting and HVAC with the construction of their new facility, resulting in 129,984 kWh of annual energy savings.

Lennar
Founded in 1954, Lennar is the first Valley builder to make all new construction homes electric vehicle-ready.

Maricopa Community Colleges
Headquartered in Tempe, it’s among the largest community college districts in the U.S., serving more than 100,000 students each year in the Phoenix metro area. MCC made chiller upgrades at its Scottsdale and Mesa locations, leading to a total of 733,018 kWh savings.

Queen Creek School District 95
Queen Creek School District 95 serves approximately 14,000 pre-school through 12th-grade students at 15 schools. The school district joined the SRP Business Demand Response Program and achieved a 1,786-kW reduction in energy use.

Rotor X Aircraft Manufacturing
For more than 50 years, Rotor X Aircraft Manufacturing Co. has produced two-seat personal kit-built helicopters. The company undertook a comprehensive energy efficiency upgrade at their west Chandler manufacturing facility – implementing LED fixtures and smart thermostats.

Safari Drive Condominiums
The Safari Drive Condominiums have been certified by the city of Scottsdale’s green building program for multifamily dwellings. The community features make-ready and 75 Level 2 chargers and the large underground tenant-only parking features electric vehicle charging stations.

Sun Communities
Since 1975, Sun Communities has acquired, operated, developed, and expanded manufactured home and RV communities. Their 18 solar carport systems for RVs have generated 1,633.7 kW of power.