These opportunities may be obscured where the nature of tasks and tools have changed over the years, while work methods are inherited. 

Optimizing Operations

Here are several approaches to optimizing operations towards business and energy efficiency.

Simplified Operations Review:  This works best when a group of people from across the organization brain storm together.

Cross-Functional Teams:  Members come from different functional areas of a company/organization to consider a common goal (energy saving opportunities) from multiple perspectives and levels of an organization.  Teams are often self-directed and may include suppliers, customers and/or consultants.  

Functionally Driven:  planning for improving energy efficiency would be led by those overseeing each business area with energy expenses.  

Reengineering Approach:  Examines work in terms of outcomes, not tasks or unit functions, and aims for dramatic improvements in work processes, reduced cost, product quality and time management. 

Sustainability as core mission:  The strongest company initiatives are those in which sustainability is a core value of the organization.  Contrary to fears that environmental initiatives might compromise profitability, companies with strong environmental ethics are among the world’s most successful.  Improving energy efficiency becomes the responsibility of the entire organization, as a means of delivering quality customer service.

These companies have efficiency and environmental design as core values.  Their web sites reflect maturing examples of applying these approaches over a number of years.

• Interface (commercial interiors/floor covering) is a world leader in its market and in environmentally sustainable business practices.  Interface now maintains a website documenting their approach to sustainability and reference resources.

• Toyota Motor Manufacturing in Georgetown has been a zero landfill facility since 2005 and describes its environmental practices on its website,including ISO 14001, environment management systems, state of the art emissions prevention systems, on-site composting, water recycling, gardening, steel recycling and an environmental education center.

• Haworth

Facilitation and Consulting Resources

Many companies use facilitators to guide them through changing core business practices.  The companies below offer international training in green practices.

The Natural Step - Consulting resources used by Interface and other companies in developing internal sustainability programs.

Rocky Mountain Institute - Has a twenty-five year track record in facilitating energy efficiency breakthroughs in numerous industries - including industrial design, built environment, automotive and fleet management.

(Local resources - coming soon.)

Sector Specific Resources

AIA Green Guide for Health Care