Enterprise Rent-A-Car announced a major effort to make all newly constructed and retrofitted locations more sustainable. Over the next five years, Enterprise said it will invest more than $150 million in sustainable construction through the use of new guidelines called the Enterprise Sustainable Construction Protocol (ESCP).
In addition to increasing the sustainability of Enterprise rental locations, the ESCP is expected to generate significant water and energy utility savings – estimated up to 35 percent – through reduced improved efficiencies and other measures. In the coming year, sustainable building and retrofit activities are anticipated at more than 1,000 Enterprise Rent-A-Car locations throughout the company.
Travelers will be able to see the results of this sustainable construction in action at the company’s new rental facility at Chicago's O’Hare International Airport in June 2010, Enterprise said.
The location recently became the car rental industry’s first LEED-Silver certified independent airport rental location, Enterprise reports. A significant percentage of materials from regional sources were used during construction to reduce emissions associated with transporting materials. Other sustainable features, which have reportedly reduced the facility’s water use by 22 percent and energy use by 15 percent, include:
• A “green” roof system that insulates the building and provides a habitat for native plants
• Storm water detention/retention systems to reduce discharge into downstream watercourses
• Recycling system for car wash waste water
• Energy-efficient lighting
“The ESCP advances our commitment to environmental stewardship and smart business by exceeding our customers’ expectations for what it means to be a sustainable company, providing a healthy workplace for our employees, and ultimately providing a long-term cost savings for our business,” said Lee Broughton, head of corporate sustainability for Enterprise Holdings, the parent company of Enterprise Rent-A-Car. “
“Enterprise’s long-term investments in sustainable building practices are setting the standard for its industry,” said Emily Andrews, executive director of the Missouri Gateway Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council, who is familiar with the ESCP. “Green building offers impactful solutions for challenges presented by the economy and the environment. We look forward to seeing more companies realize this and begin to use green building principles and practices to their full potential.”
The ESCP complements Enterprise Holdings’ 20/20 Vision, the company’s commitment to reduce energy consumption and related costs by 20 percent each at its existing locations by 2015. By adding construction features to the company’s comprehensive sustainability platform, the ESCP extends that focus on energy efficiency to new Enterprise car rental locations.
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