One of the key objectives of the Green Initiative at the High® companies is reduction of carbon footprint through careful management of greenhouse gas emissions.
A second important thrust of the Green Initiative is to build upon our offering of environmentally responsible products and services aligned with the green movement—applied both to our own projects and to helping customers meet their green-related objectives.
Several High companies have built teams of LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)-accredited professionals. For example, there are six LEED-accredited professionals at High Concrete Group LLC, three at High Construction Company, and one at Greenfield Architects Ltd. Additionally, a team member at High Safety Consulting Services Ltd. has been certified through the Green Advantage® program. Reaching these levels of expertise allows us to guide our own and our customers’ projects using sustainability guidelines, resulting in more energy efficient and environmentally friendly projects.
The first High structure to earn LEED green building certification is the 16,200-square-foot High Concrete Group maintenance building. This facility earned LEED Silver certification, the first facility in Lancaster County, Pa., to earn this designation. Greenfield Architects and High Construction teamed as design-builder of the facility.
Another area of service in the field of construction is responsible materials recycling. In High Construction's reconstruction of the Pennsylvania Turnpike plaza in Allentown, Pa., for example, everything that could be recycled was recycled. Concrete and stone facade from the old plaza were crushed and used as fill to bring the site up to grade and as under-slab material for the new building, saving on hauling and reducing the need for new materials. That in turn saved money and energy. Copper pipes, the metal from old food service equipment, structural steel, and metal studs were saved for recycling. Wood retrieved from the demolition was recycled for mulch. Gypsum drywall was recovered so it could be recycled into new wallboard. Re-use like that reduces disposal charges and saves landfill space.
These are just a few examples that help illustrate the direction in which we are moving and the momentum we are building in the area of environmental stewardship. With our robust dedication to our Green Initiative, we will continue to build our portfolio of green-related products and services.