Green products help the environment.  From high speed doors to warehouse dock seals, building upgrades lead to eco-friendly energy efficiency.

Why Go Green

The question of whether going “green” is worth the effort never goes away.  People value the various benefits of greener business practices differently, such as:

• Saving money by lowering energy costs
• Government and utility companies may “payback” green investment in the form of rebates and tax incentives
• Helping the environment

Sustainability Through Better Loading Dock Equipment

There are numerous opportunities to improve loading dock energy efficiency.

• Solar Powered Dock Levelers need no grid electricity.  Specialized batteries store solar energy so that the unit is usable even at night.
• By sealing the perimeter of a dock leveler, dock seals prevent the entry of dust, dirt, flies, and vermin.  They also prevent the loss of cooled or heated interior air.
• Vertical Dock Levelers work great in cold storage facilities as well as in warehouses in need of high efficiency climate control.  Their design allows doors to be the sole and better seal between the outside and inside environments.
• Vertical Dock Bridges like the LoadHog are a lower cost docking option.  They span the gap between warehouse and truck trailer and are stored inside warehouse doors.  They permit dock doors to close tightly against the floor, decreasing energy loss in the same manner as a Vertical Dock Leveler.

Another area ripe for energy savings is dock lighting.  Installing LED dock lights saves energy dollars.  While the cost of an LED bulb is more than that of a traditional incandescent bulb, they last up to 40 times longer and use 15% of the energy for the same brightness (measured in lumens).

Entry and Egress Efficiency Options

• For many retailers, a front and back door suffice.  Many businesses employ automatic doors to provide an inviting entranceway to customers while maintaining energy efficiency by minimizing loss of air conditioned air to the outside, for example.  Warehouses and manufacturing locations have unique needs that can be solved with specialized solutions: Air Flow Screens and Insect Barriers permit ventilation while keeping out pests.  There are also screen doors that allow natural air movement into a building, plus security and pest protection, all in the form of an overhead door that coordinates with existing solid overhead doors.
• Cold Storage Doors appear in walk in coolers and freezers, providing temperature management through well-designed sealing.
• High Speed Doors, both insulated and uninsulated, work well in facilities with high traffic flows where maintaining temperature control is vital.  They also work well in clean manufacturing facilities.

Other Green Warehouse Options

Other energy efficiency options exist.  For instance, using High Volume Low Speed, or HVLS, fans efficiently keeps air circulating inside a warehouse, lowering ambient temperatures by as much as eight degrees Fahrenheit.  There are even solar powered HVLS fans available. In air conditioned environments, HVLS fans are often used to better circulate the cooled air which allows for thermostats to be adjusted to a more efficient operating temperature providing a net savings that surprises many.

Garnering the Give Backs

The federal government, many states, and utility companies offer incentives to businesses using green practices.  For instance, there are federal tax incentives for purchasing and installing certain solar energy systems. In California, several utilities have utility rebate programs covering equipment insulation, lighting, duct/air sealing, windows, commercial refrigeration equipment, and other areas.

Do it for the savings, do it out of concern for the environment, just make your business green; it benefits everyone.