Green warehouses are on the rise. More and more companies are realizing the importance and money-saving potential of green warehouses. The initial capital and time investment of converting to a green warehouse scares many companies away. Luckily, choosing to upgrade to green equipment is more popular than ever before.

Climate Control in the Warehouse

• Cool Roofing – Certain coats and reflective paints will significantly reduce warehouse cooling bills.

• Efficient Heating and Cooling Units

• Entrance Overhangs – This ancient technique is still underutilized. Blocking the sun from an entrance is the most cost-efficient way to keep a room cool.

• Insulating – Replacing old batt insulation with foam insulation can have a significant impact on heating and cooling bills.

• Regulated Thermostats

• Large Fans – Climate control systems don’t have to work nearly as hard when used in conjunction with large fans. Fans can circulate cool air to reduce air conditioning costs; as well as push warm air to a warehouse floor to reduce heating costs.

Warehouse Operation

• Water Based Paints

• Water-Based Inks

• Eco-friendly Cleaning Agents

• Rainwater Harvesting – Use rainwater for toilets, landscaping, and washing equipment. Be careful though, as harvesting too much rainwater can affect the health of the land around your warehouse.

• Motion Sensors

• Fluorescent Lighting

• Induction Lighting

• Solar Light Tubes – Easy way to direct light without changing the structure of a building.

• Solar Lighting – Solar energy lights are a very efficient way to reduce your carbon footprint. While solar panels take a while to pay for themselves monetarily, the benefit to the environment is priceless. Solar lighting is well worth the investment.

• Natural Lighting

• Energy-Efficient Equipment – some equipment is able to generate electricity and store it for later use.

• Pallet Tracking

Studies have shown some warehouses have been able to significantly reduce their costs using pallet tracking systems, some even reporting reduction in shipping errors by up to 80%. Imagine the savings!

Reducing Around the Warehouse

While reusing and recycling are very important steps to creating a greener environment, simply reducing energy used is by far the best way to keep our planet healthy. The following topics are often overlooked and can significantly reduce cost and material needs.

• Advanced packaging materials

• Charging electric equipment in non-peak hours

• Biodegradable packaging materials

Packaging materials have come a long way in the past few years. Stronger and lighter materials are being used which reduces the energy needed to move packages.

Reusing Around the Warehouse

The following items can be reused many times before needing replacement:

• Wood pallets

• Plastic totes

• Plastic bulk containers

• Packing material

Implementing an incentivized package-return system can reduce your packaging materials cost to a fraction of its current cost. Many warehouses have offered a small buyback for consumers that return their boxes and other packaging materials.

Recycling Around the Warehouse

While the material handling industry is already one of the most prominent recycling industries; it’s still far from perfect. Many companies are infamous for irresponsibly disposing of hazardous materials.

• Take waste to correct disposal locations

• Make recycling bins plentiful and easily accessible

• Incentivize employee recycling