Home > Buildings & Plants > Small Business > Success Stories & Awards > The Environmental Law and Policy Center

Success Story: The Environmental Law and Policy Center

Partner Information

Located in Chicago, Illinois
7,000 sq. ft. office space
Annual Cash Savings: $3,200
Annual Energy Savings: 45,000 kWh
Payback period: 3 years
Prevented 90,000 lbs. of pollution

Environmentally Friendly Organization Slashes Energy Costs

The Environmental Law and Policy Center of Chicago, IL is a public interest environmental advocacy organization working to achieve cleaner energy resources and implement sustainable energy strategies. It’s their belief that economic development and environmental responsibility go hand in hand. So when the organization moved into an older, historic building, it decided that, in keeping with its environmental philosophy, the new office had to be as energy efficient as possible.

Thanks to its efforts, the organization received a year 2000 ENERGY STAR for Small Business Award, in recognition of its success in being energy efficient without sacrificing economic viability.

Lighting the Way to Sensible Energy Use

In the effort to make its new building a model of environmentally friendly energy use, the Center installed a sophisticated lighting system. This system uses highly efficient T-8 fluorescent lamps with dimmable electronic ballasts and compact fluorescent lamps. Dimmable fluorescent lamps are relatively new to the market. Coupled with sensors to detect occupants and lighting requirements, these lamps will produce only the light that is needed. Such a lighting system is a bit more expensive than standard high efficiency lighting, but through careful planning, the Center has kept its payback to about three years. To further reduce lighting costs, the Center has reduced the amount of light needed by uncovering windows that were partially blocked off by ceiling tiles.

ENERGY STAR Equipment = Environmentally Friendly

The Center also uses ENERGY STAR equipment when possible to further reduce the waste of electricity. The Center’s 25 employees use ENERGY STAR computers, copy machines, printers, and a refrigerator and dishwasher. Karen Lewis, an environmental business specialist at the Center, says, “As a non-profit environmental group, we thought it was only appropriate that we ‘walk the talk’ by having an environmentally friendly office space. Since the very nature of our work is to promote the philosophy that environmental protection and economic development go hand-in-hand, our office space is the ultimate ‘marketing tool’.”

A Green Philosophy

In addition to installing energy-efficient technology and using daylight to reduce lighting demands, the Center has adopted other environmentally friendly practices. When planning the renovation of the historic building the organization was moving into, the Center reused as much material as possible. For example, some of the old doors and doorframes in the building were re-used. Also, the Center has developed office procedures designed to minimize waste. Double-sided fax and printing paper is used, and instead of paper memos, the Center uses its internal computer network for communication.

Lessons Learned

Lewis emphasizes that it is important to get employees involved and interested in reducing energy waste. “For example,” Lewis says, “ask what lighting needs people have so that the space can be designed more effectively.”

In addition, it’s important to think about the long-term payback rather than the short-term initial costs. A small investment now can reap substantial annual savings. According to Lewis, the Center is saving about $3,200 a year in energy costs, thanks to an investment of less than $10,000. Payback is about three years, after which all savings are environmental gravy.

To learn more about the environmental Law and Policy Center, check out its Web site at http://www.elpc.org Exit ENERGY STAR. The Center has a long list of accomplishments, in addition to the 2000 ENERGY STAR for Small Business Award for energy-efficient practices.