ST. LOUIS, MO--(Marketwire - January 26, 2011) - A new industry-leading effort is under way to make all newly constructed and retrofitted Enterprise Rent-A-Car locations sustainable. Over the next five years, Enterprise will invest more than $150 million in sustainable construction through the use of a newly established set of guidelines called the Enterprise Sustainable Construction Protocol (ESCP).
A comprehensive framework for sustainable features in all future construction projects, the ESCP ensures new and retrofitted facilities are designed, built and managed sustainably.
"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. "This is one more example of our company setting measurable goals to drive the sustainable growth of our business. And, as the car rental industry leader, we are also setting the standard for others to follow."
In addition to improving the sustainability profile of Enterprise rental locations, the ESCP is expected to generate significant energy and water utility savings -- estimated up to 35 percent -- through improved efficiencies and other measures.
"While we may sometimes pay a small premium on materials to build and retrofit in this fashion -- up to 2 percent -- we expect significant cost savings in the long run," Broughton said. "These guidelines will help ensure that sustainability is at the core of our facilities."
In the coming year, sustainable building and retrofit projects are anticipated at more than 1,000 Enterprise Rent-A-Car locations throughout the company.
"LEEDing" by example
An example of the new Enterprise Rent-A-Car commitment to sustainable building is its new car rental location at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. The O'Hare facility, which opened in June 2010, recently became the car rental industry's first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver-certified independent car rental location.
A significant percentage of the materials used in construction of the facility were from regional sources to reduce the carbon footprint associated with transporting materials. Other sustainable features of the Enterprise O'Hare location include: a "green" roof system that insulates the building and provides a suitable habitat for native plants; storm water detention/retention to reduce discharge into downstream watercourses; energy-efficient lighting; and a system for recycling car wash waste water. To date, these features have reduced the facility's water use by 22 percent and energy use by 15 percent. For a virtual tour of the O'Hare facility, visit Enterprise Rent-A-Car's new sustainability web site: www.drivingfutures.com/innovation/#sustainable-construction.
"Building the O'Hare facility inspired us to modify how we approach constructing and retrofitting all of the facilities in our network," said Broughton. "We're developing the ESCP as a way to ensure we're consistently utilizing certain sustainability measures in our building projects."
The ESCP outlines the following seven focus areas to guide the design, new construction and retrofitting of Enterprise facilities:
- Use of sustainable materials: Include regionally-produced materials and those with at least 10 percent recycled content in construction projects. Examples include ceiling tiles, wall graphics, flooring and drywall made with recycled content.
- Efficient energy use: Implement energy-efficient controls and systems for interior and exterior needs. Examples include signage with T8 long-life lamps and LED, and retrofitted garage bays for increased heating efficiency and control measures.
- Use of sustainable construction sites: Build on previously developed sites when appropriate; when appropriate, use materials that reduce the heat-island effect on parking lots, where temperatures are higher than surrounding areas; and foster water management systems to repurpose storm water infiltration.
- Recycling: Reuse fixtures, furniture and equipment such as millwork (rental counters), operational equipment, signs and furniture; recycle construction debris.
- Water efficiencies: Install water reclamation systems in automated car wash units or low-flow/high-efficient pressure wash systems; utilize high-efficiency plumbing fixtures; plant green roof systems; and design efficient landscaping plans that positively affect the water flow.
- Air quality: Use low Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) material in paint, carpet, coatings and adhesives; where appropriate, implement an Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) plan during construction.
- Process innovation: Develop innovative approaches for each unique facility, whether an independent structure, at an airport, or in an existing shared building; focus on physical layout and design as well as the business processes required to operate each facility; ensure changes positively affect employee satisfaction.
Enterprise developed the ESCP in consultation with its internal construction, real estate and facilities management teams. The company also engaged a broad group of external engineers, architects and suppliers, including: Haworth, Inc. (office furniture and organic workspaces); Hirshfield's/Omnova (wall coverings); Shaw Industries Group, Inc. (flooring); Pattison Sign Group (trade dress/signage); The Sherwin-Williams Company (paint); Sign Resource (trade dress/signage); and Osram Sylvania (light fixtures).
"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. For more information, visit www.drivingfutures.com.
About Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Founded in 1957, Enterprise Rent-A-Car is an internationally recognized brand with more than 6,000 neighborhood and airport locations in the United States, Canada, the U.K., Ireland and Germany. Known for exceptionally low rates and outstanding customer service, Enterprise was named to BusinessWeek's annual list of "Customer Service Champs" in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010. Enterprise has ranked highest in customer satisfaction among North American airport rentals in 11 of the past 12 years, according to J.D. Power and Associates Rental Car Satisfaction Study. In addition, Enterprise won Budget Travel magazine's 2010 Readers' Choice Award as their favorite rental car brand for customer service around the globe. Enterprise also received a 2010 Business Traveler Innovation Award -- sponsored by the National Business Travel Association (NBTA) and The Wall Street Journal -- for its outstanding and original environmental efforts in the travel industry. Enterprise of North America also is part of a global strategic alliance with Europcar, creating the world's largest car rental network.
St. Louis-based Enterprise Holdings, the largest car rental service provider in the world, operates the Enterprise Rent-A-Car brand through its regional subsidiaries. With more than 5,000 offices located within 15 miles of 90 percent of the U.S. population, Enterprise Rent-A-Car offers a wide variety of car leasing, vanpooling, car sharing and hourly rental programs -- and local car rental customers are picked up at no extra cost. With a well-established track record for making "virtual cars" convenient and affordable for those who prefer to "buy for the need and rent for the exception," Enterprise Rent-A-Car launched hourly rentals in 2005 and local car-sharing in 2007 as a natural extension of its business rental program and longtime focus on customized service in communities. With WeCar car-sharing technology, Enterprise offers a totally automated, membership-based and environmentally friendly transportation solution -- for an hour, a day, a weekend or longer -- thereby providing businesses, universities and government offices an opportunity to enhance their fleet management operations and sustainability initiatives. In addition, Enterprise Rideshare specializes in providing vanpool and carpool commuter services to individuals and companies. For more information about Enterprise's environmental stewardship and long-term commitment to the sustainability of its business, visit www.drivingfutures.com. For more information about Enterprise, visit www.enterprise.com.
Contact Information:
For more information, contact:
Lisa Martini
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
314-512-2352