Verizon's wireless services may "Rule the Air," but delivering them requires brick and mortar structures on the ground. This past year, Verizon made 16 of those buildings more energy efficient via new "smart" building technology. Based on the trials, those 16 buildings alone should net the company $2.1 million in energy savings every year.
Savings from greener structures should only grow as Verizon's project expands. In 2011, Verizon plans on incorporating its smart building system in 250 of the company's facilities.
Beyond buildings, some of Verizon's green initiatives have gone mobile. The company runs a huge fleet of service vehicles, 15% of which will run off of alternative fuels by 2015. Currently, 5% of the fleet runs off of eco-friendly fuels.
Internally, Verizon is aiming for low-hanging fruit. Last year it launched a project called the "Verizon Green Team," which encouraged 4,000 Verizon employees over 25 countries to reduce energy by making easy tweaks such as turning off lights and powering down PCs.
Having a sustainable mindset gives the company a corporate advantage, says Amy Ridener, Verizon's sustainability manager. "We consider ourselves to be the most reliable network. Reliability isn't just the ability to place a call. Reliability is a full circle commitment that's not entirely about profit." Based on the money saved on better buildings, some of it can be about profit, after all.
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