Enterprise Sets Green Build Protocol for 1,000 Rental Locations

Enterprise Rent-A-Car will invest more than $150 million over five years in following a set of internal sustainability guidelines, informing the building and retrofitting of more than 1,000 locations.

The company’s Enterprise Sustainable Construction Protocol (ESCP) sets out principles for green building including the use of materials that have at least ten percent recycled content, and building on previously developed sites where possible.

These and other measures will save Enterprise up to 35 percent on its energy and water spend, the company said.

The ESCP has seven focus areas:

• Materials: In construction, include regionally-produced materials and materials with at least 10 percent recycled content.
• Energy: Use energy-efficient controls and systems, for interior and exterior needs. Examples include signage with T8 long-life lamps and LED, and retrofitting garage bays for increased heating efficiency.
• Sites: When appropriate, build on previously developed sites and use materials that reduce the heat of parking lots.
• Recycling: Reuse fixtures, furniture and equipment such as rental counters, signs and furniture, and recycle construction debris.
• Water: Install water reclamation systems or low-flow/high-efficient pressure wash systems, use high-efficiency plumbing fixtures, plant green roofs, design efficient landscaping.
• Air quality: Use low Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) material in paint, carpet, coatings and adhesives and use Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) plans where appropriate during construction.
• Process: Develop innovative approaches for each facility and ensure changes positively affect employee satisfaction.

Enterprise said it developed the protocol in consultation with a number of external suppliers, including paint manufacturers Sherwin-Williams, lighting company Osram Sylvania, office furniture company Haworth, wall coverings supplier Hirshfield’s/Omnova, flooring firm Shaw Industries Group, and signage firms the Pattison Sign Group and Sign Resource.

Last June Enterprise opened a LEED Silver-certified car rental location at Chicago O’Hare International Airport in Chicago. This was the industry’s first Silver-rated location, Enterprise said.

The facility includes a green roof, storm water retention, energy-efficient lighting and a recycling system for waste water from car washes. So far these features have reduced the facility’s water use by 22 percent and energy use by 15 percent, Enterprise says.

“Building the O’Hare facility inspired us to modify how we approach constructing and retrofitting all of the facilities in our network,” said Enterprise Holdings’ head of corporate sustainability, Lee Broughton.

"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,

The initiative supports Enterprise Holdings’ 20/20 Vision, which commits the company to reduce energy consumption and related costs by 20 percent at each of its existing locations by 2015.

Enterprise has added hybrids to its rental fleet, designated "hybrid branches", plans to add 100 CODA all-electric sedans and is the first company to offer the Chevy Volt.