We install technology that helps people reduce their carbon footprints. Therefore, it’s important that as a business – with five physical locations and over 150 vehicles – we also strive to lower our own impact. To do our part in the transition to a clean energy economy, we need to eliminate our own waste and adopt more efficient, sustainable practices.
Not only are these worthwhile ethical initiatives to solve, but they also align with our mission as a B Corp to put people and the planet first. As a Certified B Corp we are constantly evaluating ourselves and figuring out how we can do better – for the world, our communities, our neighbors, our customers, and every employee-owner in our growing company.
Instead of paying trash haulers to pick up old materials, how can we eliminate trash? Instead of blasting heat into warehouses with leaky doors, ill-fitting windows, and bad insulation, how can we create energy-efficient spaces? How do we get away from combustion-engine vehicles that directly prop up the fossil fuel industry? And how can we ensure ALL of our power comes from clean, green, stable renewable energy?
With a little thought and focus we can find solutions to these issues and make our shared home and planet a little better for everyone. In 2022 we hired our first Sustainability Coordinator. This role focuses exclusively on our internal sustainability efforts so that ReVision can bolster recycling efforts, slay emissions, and stay on target to reach our ambitious carbon cutting goals. We currently focus on four major aspects:
Our offices feature a combination of solar electric power, battery storage, highly efficient Air Source Heat Pumps for heating and cooling, and LED lighting. Outside, we have installed EV chargers for our ever-expanding fleet of electric vehicles and for our co-owners who drive electric and hybrid vehicles. These chargers are also free to the public!
While each of our 5 branches has made individual efforts to reduce their carbon footprint over the years, ReVision has recently committed to getting all the way to Net Zero by 2030. We will achieve this by installing more solar to offset our electric usage, improving and replacing heat sources, improving insulation throughout our facilities, and transitioning our fleet to be fully electric.
Our business is committed to operating Net Zero facilities by the year 2030 and driving an all-electric fleet of vehicles by the year 2035.
Each branch participates in a variety of recycling opportunities in order to reduce waste. In 2021 we recycled approximately 2/3 of our waste from residential work, a mighty feat for a construction company. We are aiming to grow that percentage until we’ve put trash in the rear-view mirror.
ReVision Energy works with the Allagash Recycling Co-Op, run by fellow B Corp Allagash Brewing, to recycle many plastics that would otherwise need to be thrown away. We also work with the Aurum Recovery Group in New Hampshire, for all our solar panel and electronic waste recycling needs.
We are very excited about our transition to Electric Vehicles. As of mid-2022, ReVision operates 8 fully electric vehicles and will have 16 for the start of 2023. With the ever-growing availability of electric passenger vehicles, we expect to have all our cars, vans, and pickup trucks switched over long before our goal of 2035.
This will be followed by switching our box trucks, which make up the smallest portion of our fleet, to all-electric models. Once all the vehicles are switched over to their electric counterparts, our company’s carbon emissions will be reduced by upwards of 60% and will save gas and diesel money that we can reinvest in the company's employee ownership program.
As our business grows, we will remain vigilant of our growing impact on the planet and our communities. We will continue to implement more sustainable practices into our business, and look forward to sharing these crucial changes and cool initiatives with our Solar Champions.
