Wright-Ryan Construction Achieves 66% Reduction in Carbon Emissions
Wright-Ryan Construction, Inc., a participant in the Governor’s Carbon Challenge, has achieved a 66% reduction in carbon emissions. They have far surpassed their initial goal to reduce carbon 10% by 2010, and two years ahead of time. Wright-Ryan is a participant in two of the Department of Environmental Protection’s Environmental Leader programs—the Governor’s Carbon Challenge and the Smart Production sustainability program.
Based in Portland on Danforth Street, Wright-Ryan’s institutional, commercial, and residential construction and restoration projects across Maine demonstrate their company-wide commitment to sustainability. Their projects include Maine’s first home awarded a Platinum designation in the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) standard. Founded in 1984, Wright-Ryan is also a founding member of the Maine Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council. One of their most recent projects is the Wishcamper Center in Portland, a building for the University of Southern Maine that will house the Muskie School and Osher Lifelong Learning Center, and is on track to achieve LEED Gold Certification. The Wishcamper Center includes a “garden roof” viewable to patrons, geothermal heating and cooling system, rain gardens to manage stormwater and low-flow toilets flushed with stored rainwater.
Wright-Ryan’s practices that contribute to carbon emissions reductions and sustainability include:
- Purchasing 100% Maine-generated renewable energy for their offices and millwork shop;
- Diverted more than 50% of job site construction debris (by weight) at all sites, 75% of office debris, and 12% of millwork debris from landfills. This has resulted in a savings of more than $120,000 in three years;
- Implementing an Environmental Management System to communicate policies to subcontractors and employees;
- Increasing jobsite heating efficiency by requiring a temporary heating plan during winter months;
- Eliminating use of space heaters;
- Switching to rechargeable batteries;
- Purchasing more efficient cars as an alternative to jobsite trucks;
- Restricting vehicle and site equipment idling times;
- Shutting off jobsite lighting when not occupied;
- Coordinating meeting and traveling to allow for increased carpooling;
- Accessing locally produced and harvested materials; and,
- Updating main office with more efficient features including new windows.
Wright-Ryan’s Marketing Manager, Allison Stoddard, says about her company’s accomplishment, “We have been fortunate that our employees have embraced our commitment to the Governor's Carbon Challenge. From our jobsite superintendents that enforce our "no idling" policy or that the building lights are off at night to our office staff eliminating their space heaters, we are all responsible for our success as a company. This kind of enthusiasm made it easier for our organization to reduce our carbon footprint again this year.”
The Governor’s Carbon Challenge is operated from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Office of Innovation and Assistance. Nearly 80 businesses, municipalities and institutions participate in the program. For more information about this and other Environmental Leader programs, contact DEP’s Office of Innovation & Assistance toll-free at 1-800-789-9802 or by visiting MaineDEP.com and clicking on the Environmental Leader logo.
October, 2008
