Beginning summer 2007, PECO, the electricity and natural gas utility serving southeastern Pennsylvania, launched a comprehensive environmental initiative consisting of extensive infrastructure improvements and operations & maintenance changes at its iconic downtown Philadelphia headquarters plus ten (10) of its city and regional service centers. Now well underway, the work includes substantial HVAC, lighting and controls retrofits, comprehensive plumbing fixture replacements, company-wide adoption of ‘green’ cleaning and improved recycling programs, native meadow conversions, and installation of a rainwater collection system for fleet vehicle washing.

PECO has also undertaken two (2) especially ambitious and high-profile sustainability projects right in downtown Philadelphia. First, installation has just been completed of an enormous (40,000sf +) vegetated roof atop its headquarters building at 23rd and Market Streets. It is the largest of its kind in an urban setting in Pennsylvania and will offer myriad environmental benefits from stormwater absorption (soaking-up 1.5 million gallons of rainwater runoff annually) to heat island mitigation. And it will also serve to educate and inspire school children and many others for years to come. Construction has also just begun on the replacement of the Crown Lights system on the headquarters building, a keystone of the Philadelphia skyline, with super-efficient, state-of-the-art LED technology. The new system will be unveiled summer 2009 and will be used to run recurring public service and sustainability messaging, in full-color no less!

PECO’s environment contributions extend well-beyond its own internal projects, entailing numerous outreach initiatives, customer relations and sponsorships and support for environmentally-focused organizations and programs. PECO is a Sustaining Sponsor of the Delaware Valley Green Building Council and provided in-kind support for the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission’s Green House Gas Inventory initiative. As well, PECO has made significant contributions towards important projects such as the installation of the green roof at the Free Library of Philadelphia Main Branch and the donation of energy saving compact fluorescent light bulbs for use in the Philadelphia City Council Chambers and the Mayor's Office.

PECO deserves recognition for its wide-ranging and substantial ‘green’ initiatives. In addition to those already listed, following are several more:

•PECO recently opened its new West Chester Service Building, expected to achieve LEED ‘Silver’ certification. The building is expected to use 20 percent less energy and 40 percent less water through improvements such as use of reflective roofing materials, low-flow water devices, energy efficient lighting, HVAC design and energy monitoring, indoor air quality measures, green cleaning materials, and recycled construction materials, furniture and fixtures.

•PECO recently converted large turfgrass areas at two Service Facilities to native meadow landscapes. These natural areas will require virtually no herbicides, pesticides or fertilizer and mowing frequency will drop from 26 times to only 2 times per year. With this initiative, PECO is demonstrating how sites can be restored to an ecologically healthy state and that human enterprise can effectively co-exist with the natural world. As well, Tredyffrin Township has asked PECO to aid in drafting a new ordinance to support native meadows in the township. It is hoped that this collaboration will become a model for working with other municipalities to achieve more environmentally-responsive zoning practices.

•PECO’s energy efficient and environmentally friendly fleet now includes 43 hybrid trucks and 580 diesel trucks utilizing bio-diesel fuel. PECO has also developed an anti-idling policy for its service vehicles.

•PECO is currently running an advertising campaign and has formed a partnership with ENERGY STAR ® to provide customers with more energy saving tools and resources through the company’s website at www.peco.com/save. The new web-based, interactive home is now available to take visitors on a tour from attic to garage that is full of energy saving tips and related ‘green’ retrofit information. The purpose is to spread the message per the benefits of compact fluorescent light bulbs as well as other energy-saving measures.

•PECO, through its Green Region Program, supports communities in southeastern Pennsylvania with their efforts to preserve open space. To date, PECO has made 62 grants totaling over $450,000 in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties.

•PECO recently demonstrated that its Environmental Management System (EMS) is performing at international standards by obtaining ISO 14001 Certification of the entire company’s EMS. PECO is one of only a few electrical distribution companies across the country to obtain this rigorous certification. PECO is investing substantial effort and resources toward doing the right thing and playing a leading role in ensuring the integrity of the environment for future generations. A Philadelphia Sustainability Award would provide a meaningful third-party endorsement of PECO’s commitment and help generate recognition to further support their good work.

In addition to the results embedded within the above narratives, PECO has accomplished the following:

From 2001 through 2008, PECO reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 227,000 metric tons.

In 2008, PECO recycled 1 million pounds of paper, over 3.9 million pounds of metal and 16,000 gallons of oil. The company organized 17 Employee Electronic Recycling Events, collecting a total of 137,970 pounds of electronic waste that bypassed landfills.

That the public is aware of many of PECO’s ‘green’ initiatives is self-evident. As is the fact that PECO’s sponsorship of environmental causes has real positive impact. But also important and perhaps even more interesting is what is happening inside the company as it undergoes this ‘green’ transformation.

While PECO is a single entity, one must also remember that it is a large and highly-complex organization with numerous divisions and departments. Many people work under the PECO umbrella, doing many different things. As the company works to systematically overhaul its building infrastructure and operating practices, friction and obstacles are inevitable. Long-held assumptions and patterns of behavior are being challenged. But there is increasing evidence that customs and perceptions are changing as a result of these initiatives. ‘Green’ thinking is permeating discussions at all levels at PECO, staff members across the company are volunteering to become PECO ‘Green Champions’, and new ideas for further change and improvement are coming from unexpected places. One does not turn the Titanic around overnight but the process is underway and the signs are very encouraging!