UPS, DHL and FedEx revolutionise green credentials

Whether genuinely concerned about the dangers of global warming or simply out to impress consumers with their green credentials, the biggest names operating within the logistics industry are upping their game in the energy performance stakes. FedEx seeks to diversify its energy supply by relying on energy sources such as wind and solar power, and the means to cut electricity usage starts at the company’s facilities, including offices and retail locations. For instance, FedEx Freight has developed a custom-facility lighting solution that reduces energy consumption by up to 93 percent.

The company has installed these progressive lighting solutions at 114 service centres throughout the US. In addition, 11,000 traditional bulbs have been replaced with energy-efficient compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs, and has also launched a companywide conservation program called “Be a Watt Watcher.” The conservation efforts are boosted by generating renewable power on site when possible- solar installations have been introduced at facilities in California, New Jersey and Cologne, Germany.  In Geneva, meanwhile, the FedEx station uses a system of pipes running deep into the ground to regulate the indoor temperature.

Attempting to make as much of a mark, DHL proudly announced in the summer of 2011 that its Global Forwarding building in Miami had received a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Commercial Interiors Gold certification- an internationally recognized green building certification validating that the structure has been designed and built using environmentally friendly features.

DHL’s building scored particularly high in the area of energy conservation; its lighting systems are 46 percent more efficient and contain reduced levels of mercury; over 95 percent of the building was equipped with occupancy sensors; and only Energy Star equipment and appliances were installed.

Among UPS many measures to rely as much as possible on renewable energy, the company recently installed a rooftop solar array on its Lakewood, NJ, facility, which will provide a significant portion of the building’s peak energy needs. The installation marks the initial launch in a series of investments planned to increase the company’s reliance on renewable energy.