Insight on Business

June 2015

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30 | I NSIGH T • J u n e 2 0 15 w w w . i n s i g h t o n b u s i n e s s . c o m materials without these qualities. "As a result, more of our clients are saying, 'Well, that's a no-brainer. Why would I intentionally not select materials that are healthy for my people at the same price as materials that are not healthy?'" Lehman says. Overall, the cost of many LEED- certified projects with more sustainable features can be completed at the same or better cost of traditional construction, Hanson says. "We're working with a large client right now that wants to shrink their carbon footprint per person dramatically," Hanson says. "at was their request right out of the box. at's both fun and it's unusual, but we're maybe starting to see even more of our clients starting to look at that." Clients also are seeking more natural lighting as a way to help build productivity and make attractive interior environments. Even some manufacturers are building in more natural light. LED lighting is quickly replacing fluorescents as the preferred lighting choice, proving to be more cost effective. Some companies want to incorporate sustainability into their business so they can show both employees and customers that they take sustainability seriously, Boldt says. "e thing that's really neat about the industry is they've responded to the demand, so their basic products would be considered 'green' now, which is great," Boldt says. "We've got so many more choices now." Waupaca Foundry is among manufacturers that have focused attention on improving efficiency, recently being accepted into the Wisconsin Green Tier program, which recognizes businesses that go above and beyond to meet or exceed environmental standards. (See "Waupaca Foundry wins accolades for green efforts," page 13.) "e foundry industry is pretty competitive, and there's a lot of international competition and pressure as well," says Bryant Esch, sustainability officer for the foundry. "I think forward-thinking foundries know that energy use is one of their primary costs, and if they want to be lean and mean, they have to figure out how to use the energy more efficiently." In 2010, the company joined the Department of Energy's voluntary program to save 25 percent of their energy within 10 years, one of a few in the nation. e foundry also hired a dedicated energy manager for the sole purpose of overseeing projects related to the program, Esch says. About 70 percent of foundry sand by-products are now reused in local projects. It also reduced water use ENERGY O N T H E W E B » Theboldtcompany.com » Hoffman.net » Miron-construction.com » Waupacafoundry.com Public transit is an integral part of economic development in the Fox Cities. It helps to retain jobs, provide access to healthcare and education, and support a high quality of life. Valley Transit Connecting the Fox Cities Photo: Michael Leschisin - Image Studios www.myvalleytransit.com 920-832-5800 We provided more than 1.2 million rides with our services last year. 50% of those rides were for employment purposes.

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