ESFM USA® wins sustainability award from International Facility Management Association for impact of energy management solutions on carbon footprint

ESFM’s self-performed energy optimization projects helped an international medical device and equipment manufacturing client reach its global carbon emission goal one year early

Charlotte, NC – ESFM won the 2023 Sheila Sheridan Award for Sustainable Facility Operations and Management from the International Facility Management Association (IFMA). The award recognizes excellence, leadership and innovation for the operation of environmentally responsible and sustainably managed buildings.

ESFM’s operating team at a medical device and equipment manufacturing client site in Mahwah, New Jersey earned the award for its work executing projects that led to an 11% reduction in carbon emissions and nearly $500,000 in cost savings from lower energy usage, reduced maintenance, and innovation of the IFM service delivery model over the course of a year. These results surpassed site-level goals and significantly contributed to the international company’s success in meeting its 2024 target to reduce carbon emissions by 20% a year early.

“IFMA recognizing the work from our Mahwah team is an incredible achievement,” said ESFM President David Hogland. “ESFM continues to expand our self-performed energy management solutions, knowing our clients have a sharp focus on how their buildings contribute to their organization’s carbon footprint and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) goals. Fantastic work by our Mahwah team, exemplifying how ESFM innovates to deliver efficiencies that propel our clients toward their sustainability targets.”

As a self-performed integrated facilities management (IFM) company, ESFM’s operating teams have the autonomy to create site-specific sustainability programs across an agile solutions portfolio, tailored to the client’s unique ESG targets.

“It means a lot to have earned the trust of our client,” said ESFM Facilities, Sustainability Engineer Jess Riccardi. “This has enabled us to implement creative and impactful solutions that are making a difference in preserving our planet. I’m proud of the work we’ve done and humbled by this amazing recognition from IFMA.”

ESFM has supported the client’s manufacturing facility in Mahwah, in addition to other sites across the United States, for the past six years. Understanding the client organization’s goal to reduce carbon emissions 20% by 2024 (from 2019 baseline), and the impact energy use optimization can have in accomplishing this objective, the ESFM team created a comprehensive sustainability roadmap prioritizing strategic projects by emissions equivalent.

“The cohesiveness between ESFM and [client] is a huge part of the success,” the client Facilities Engineering Manager said. “We are technically from two different entities, but you cannot tell when ESFM interacts with our stakeholders. As the largest manufacturing facility in our company, we are viewed as the standard bearer. One of the things my team and I are most proud of is working on something that has been so well received by the greater organization.”

The achievement was realized despite delays in equipment delivery, a 50% surge in electricity prices and additional standard operating hours. While hours (and related energy demands) increased 35%, kilowatt hours only increased 8%, far below what the client expected.

The combined cost savings of projects executed since implementing ESFM’s sustainability roadmap are complemented by cost avoidance related to outsourcing. ESFM facility engineers and technicians self-perform proposed projects, reducing labor costs and avoiding fees from third-party or sub-contracted project managers, consultants, and/or other licensed professionals.

ESFM’s success with both presenting and executing an actionable plan to reduce carbon emissions has made the Mahwah site the leader to follow when implementing sustainability projects across the client’s global corporate real estate portfolio.

This is ESFM’s second IFMA Award of Excellence, earning the George Graves Award for Facility Management Achievement in 2020.