CH2M HILL continues environmental management system improvement

DENVER — CH2M HILL, a global full-service consulting, design, construction, and operations firm, said it has improved its internal environmental management systems for the seventh consecutive year. Taking every opportunity to embed environmental stewardship into office operations, CH2M HILL reduced paper use by 78 tons from 2010, increased purchase of recycled-content office supplies to 39 percent, and increased the number of teleworkers. The company recycled 36,720 pounds of electronic waste and developed a comprehensive plan to securely and sustainably handle their electronic waste throughout the world.

The company completed its first firmwide greenhouse gas emissions inventory and offset 30 percent of the North American facilities’ energy use and carbon footprint. Twenty-three percent of CH2M HILL’s North American offices are located in Energy Star buildings, including its corporate headquarters.

“Our environmental stewardship culture energizes 30,000 employees to make a difference for our company, our clients, and the communities where we work,” says Jennifer Whitney, CH2M HILL’s Global Director of Sustainable Solutions. “We are proud to be extending our environmental practices beyond our own operations to our project work to build a better world.”

CH2M HILL’s green buildings database documents projects that have helped clients save more than 11.7 million kilowatt-hours of electricity, 295,000 therms of gas, 52 million gallons of water. In collaboration with clients, the company has diverted 64,000 tons of construction waste from landfills, restored 129 acres of habitat, and created 6.5 megawatts of onsite power generation. In 2011, CH2M HILL debuted at No. 7 in Engineering News-Record’s top 100 green design and construction firms list.

Additionally, CH2M HILL helps operations and maintenance clients to reduce operational impacts at water treatment plants and other facilities. Local facilities choose site-specific goals such as efficiency improvements, community projects, and wildlife habitat improvements. In 2011, CH2M HILL clients reused 5.05 billion gallons of effluent and returned 99 percent of the water to rivers, lakes, or other water bodies in a carefully monitored and controlled manner.

In 2012, the team plans to expand tracking of its project footprint, increase the overall number of teleworkers, continue to track energy and water use, and develop tools to assist clients in selecting sustainable products on their projects.

“While we work to continuously improve the environmental performance of our internal operations, we are proud to share our experience with clients to help them put their own programs in place,” says Brandy Wilson, Program Manager for CH2M HILL’s environmental management system.