by Shane Henson — February 17, 2012—Bretford Manufacturing Inc., a designer and manufacturer of dependable furniture products, was recently awarded CarbonNeutral company certification by reducing its carbon footprint to net zero in accordance with The CarbonNeutral Protocol — a success that should benefit both its employees and customers.
“We are among the first in the furniture industry to seek this type of certification because we are serious about doing our part to improve our processes and the environment,” said Chris Petrick, CEO for Bretford Manufacturing, Inc.
As a result, Bretford is reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through internal reductions and changes in manufacturing. Following internal efficiency measures, for each remaining ton of GHG emissions that Bretford produces, it is purchasing a verified carbon offset, which guarantees an equivalent amount of GHG is reduced from the atmosphere through a renewable energy or clean technology project.
To become a CarbonNeutral company, Bretford’s CO2 emissions were assessed by an independent third party to determine levels from extraction, processing and transportation of raw materials; production, packaging and storage within manufacturing facilities; and volume and mode of transport to customers. Then modifications were made internally to help reduce emissions. For example, Bretford replaced HID (high-intensity discharge)/sodium vapor fixtures with fluorescent fixtures in its production facilities, resulting in an increase in brightness by 75 percent and a reduction in overall kilowatt hours by 40 percent for 2011, when compared to 2010.
Externally, to compensate for its unavoidable emissions, Bretford supports several carbon offset projects in cooperation with The CarbonNeutral Company.
