Mack Trucks continues to work toward developing new ways to save energy at its Macungie Cab & Vehicle Assembly facility in Macungie, Pa. For the third consecutive year, Macungie hired an Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) Climate Corps fellow, who worked to identify energy-saving opportunities and to develop a customized energy efficiency investment plan.
“Working with EDF Climate Corps fellows has helped to enhance the commitment the facility has to energy savings by helping to identify attractive energy efficiency and renewable energy projects and by calculating potential cost savings,” said Rick Robinson, director of health, safety and the environment.
As a result of the 2013 EDF Climate Corps project, Macungie Cab & Vehicle Assembly began implementing a multi-phase plan to install occupancy sensors, solar LED parking lot lighting and solar tubular skylights. Energy savings projections are 291 MW annually, which equates to 215.3 metric tons of CO2 saved per year. The majority of the EDF Climate Corps recommendations will be implemented by the second quarter of 2014.
EDF Climate Corps fellows are leading graduate students from the country’s top academic programs who are specially trained to work with companies, cities and universities where they become champions of energy efficiency for the summer. Kara Jones, master of Environmental Management and master of Business Administration degrees candidate at Duke University, was the fellow assigned to work at Mack Trucks in 2013.
“EDF Climate Corps is a cost- effective solution for organizations, like Mack Trucks, looking to develop customized energy investment plans,” said Victoria Mills, managing director, EDF Climate Corps. “We are pleased that Mack Trucks turns to EDF Climate Corps year after year to advance its energy management practices, cut carbon emissions and save money.”
In addition to conducting a needs assessment, Jones also worked with Mack to advise the company about governmental rebates and tax credits that are available to help fund the energy saving initiatives.
“Participating in EDF Climate Corps and each of our energy saving initiatives is something that we are passionate about,” said Roger Johnston, vice president and general manager of Macungie Cab & Vehicle Assembly. “Our commitment to environmental stewardship extends beyond the trucks we manufacture to the facility in which we manufacture them.”
Macungie Cab & Vehicle Assembly also participates in the U.S. Department of Energy Better Plants program and pledged in April 2013 to reduce its energy intensity by 25 percent during a 10-year period. Additionally, the plant is supporting the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Climate Savers goal to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
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