Leadership in resource conservation is at the heart of our business and is a passion for many of our employees. Unico’s innovative recycling and composting initiatives and efficient water use practices elevates environmental stewardship in our company and in the communities we serve.
Reuse, Reduce, Recycle and Compost
Waste management is a key to conservation. By reusing existing materials, reducing
consumption, recycling reusable items, and composting biodegradables, Unico is significantly
reducing demand on natural resources. Through the establishment of sustainable purchasing
and waste management policies our corporate office is using 100 percent recycled
paper products, eliminating bottled water use, and composting all biodegradable
items. In 2009, a waste audit of Unico’s corporate office found that employees
are diverting 77 percent of all waste from landfills.
Unico’s green approach is reaping financial benefits for customers, too. In Spokane, Bank of America Financial Center implemented the most comprehensive recycling program in the city, diverting plastic water bottles, aluminum cans and mixed paper from the waste stream. By taking the initiative to change the status quo, the building is on track to reduce the amount of garbage by one-third, reducing its trash bill by about $9,000 a year.
Many of Unico’s property teams in Seattle, Tacoma, Portland, and San Francisco are composting in the office suites and restaurants, using innovative approaches to divert waste. At Financial Center in Seattle, the property team has partnered with Cedar Grove Recycling in a pilot program to compost restroom paper towels and has improved waste diversion from landfills by 20 percent. This pilot program is gaining momentum with several properties in the San Francisco, Denver, and Tacoma markets as we strive to divert even more waste from our landfills.
Also, Unico’s property management team in Seattle has partnered with General Biodiesel to collect kitchen oil from retail tenants to use as an alternative fuel source in transportation. This effort is improving water quality by keeping our sewers cleaner while also helping to curb carbon emissions from vehicles.
Lastly, an innovative Unico employee found a way to recycle Styrofoam, avoiding sending this non-decomposable product to landfills. Unico is one of the first companies in the Northwest to offer our customers in Seattle the ability to collect and recycle all Styrofoam products for free - another example of the many products Unico now recycles and composts. Others include: paper, light bulbs, plastics, batteries, glass, and food and plant items.
Water Savings
Water is a precious resource and Unico knows that using it wisely makes good business
sense and is better for sustaining our communities.
That’s why Unico has improved restroom plumbing in many Class-A office towers with low-flow fixtures and fittings. These updated fixtures help Unico reduce our water usage in a building by as much as 40 percent. On the Metropolitan Tract, as part of the LEED-EB process, Unico reduced water use by 30, 35, and 40 percent at the IBM Building, Puget Sound Plaza, and the Skinner Building, respectively. At US Bancorp Tower in Portland, Unico was able to reduce the amount of water used by 38 percent by replacing the building’s bathroom fixtures in 2008. And lastly, U.S. Bank Plaza in Boise reduced its potable water usage by 40 percent through plumbing efficiency projects and by 100 percent for irrigation by capturing and using surface water. In most cases the payback for plumbing efficiency projects ranges between one and three years, making them financially attractive opportunities.
Unico is also conducting a pilot program to measure the affect of water softening products on cooling tower water consumption to replace conventional chemical treatment applications. Doing so will potentially reduce frequency of discharge water into sewer systems by about 800,000 gallons per year, reducing demand on municipal water systems.
Our Department of Sustainability keeps green and sustainable initiatives a top priority at Unico. To speak to our Sustainability team, zip an email to Brett Phillips, Director of Sustainability.
