DHL Pursues Lighting Retrofit to Reduce Carbon Footprint

Logistics company DHL has launched a coordinated Lighting Retrofit Program at its Global Forwarding unit in the Americas region, as part of an interim target of reaching 5% carbon efficiency improvement by the end of 2010. The program will initially be rolled out in the United States before expanding to Canada and Mexico.

As part of Deutsche Post DHL and its GoGreen climate protection program, DHL Global Forwarding has committed to improving its carbon efficiency by 30% by 2020.

In conventional warehousing operations, the single largest source of electrical energy consumption is often the lighting used within the facility. Thus, implementing energy efficient lighting setup and equipment can be a highly impactful carbon abatement strategy for facilities.

The rollout of the lighting retrofit program at DHL Global Forwarding will start with operations in the United States. The Philadelphia operation will be the first facility to undergo the lighting retrofit with Atlanta, Dallas and Miami to follow. The San Juan, Puerto Rico, operation is also planned in the initial rollout before expanding into Canada and Mexico, where assessments are already under way.

By the end of the year, it is hoped, 5% carbon efficiency improvements for DHL Global Forwarding's operations in the United States and Puerto Rico will be achieved, with a utility cost reduction of 50% and a projected carbon reduction of 52%.

According to a recent Delphi study, "Climate change and its consequences will have a far-reaching effect on logistics. As one of the largest producers of carbon emissions, the logistics industry will find itself in a particularly difficult position and under close scrutiny. The rising price of oil and the demand by customers for green supply chains will require enormous investments and technological innovation."

DHL Global Forwarding operations in Houston, Chicago and Los Angeles have already put in place energy efficient lighting setups. In February 2008 the Toronto facility in Canada was built in keeping with Deutsche Post DHL's global commitment to energy efficiency and environmental responsibility. The advanced lighting system installed in the new facility is expected to yield a 73% reduction in energy consumption for lighting. In addition, the building's environmentally friendly design will result in greenhouse and noxious gas emission reductions equal to savings of more than 15,000 gallons of gasoline a year or driving 956 fewer miles each day.

Source: http://logisticstoday.com/