How Columbus Ohio Saves Money Using E3 to Reduce Waste

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Michael-B.-Coleman – Mayor

By Mayor Michael B. Coleman

Because we want Columbus to be a green and efficient city, sustainability is a topic we take seriously. We have launched programs to encourage our residents and businesses to design smarter and reduce waste. We recently recruited manufacturers to join the movement with the help of E3. E3 stands for Economy, Energy and Environment. It is an innovative federal program designed to package federal, state and local environmental assistance programs into a one-stop shop for manufacturers seeking to reduce waste and increase profits. In 2010, six Columbus companies agreed to be part of the E3 pilot program. As a result, each received a full range of benefits including increased efficiency, profits and sustainability supporting job growth and our local economy. To gain these benefits, on-site professional audits on environmental, lean processing, waste and energy were completed to identify changes the businesses could make to avoid unnecessary costs through efficient use of resources.

Collectively, the E3 team found that more than $5 million of annual savings could be realized with a one-time capital retrofit of $5 million. This framework is versatile and can be molded to fit any community’s set of manufacturing priorities. In Columbus, E3 is helping to position our manufacturing industry, which represents approximately 20 percent of the workforce, for success and longevity.

Using the E3 framework, Columbus has more productive relationships with state and federal officials and with our manufacturing community. I encourage other city officials and business leaders to explore how they company can use the E3 framework to make progress together.

See a video on the Columbus E3 project.

Additional information on E3 is available online

About the author:  Since taking office in 2000, Mayor Michael B. Coleman has built Columbus’ reputation as one of the best cities in the nation by building stronger, safer neighborhoods and creating jobs by maintaining a high quality of life. Columbus is the 15th largest city in the nation, the largest city in Ohio and among the only growing cities in the Midwest.