Kansas City Industrial Council announces 2014 Sustainability Award winners

“This year’s Sustainability Award winners each have invested considerable money and effort into making their business more efficient and sustainable,” said Terry Berkbuegler, KCIC Sustainability committee chairperson.

The 2014 KCIC Sustainability Award Winners

Awards are given in 12 categories divided between sustainable efforts related to Energy and efforts related to the Environment.

Environment

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  Hufft Project’s new headquarters in Roanoke, is a 2014 Sustainability Award winner. Hufft incorporated sustainable building initiatives when designing and renovating this former grocery warehouse.

  Hufft Projects (GOLD Award/Neighborhood-Site Category)—Converted a former grocery warehouse in Roanoke into a hip, modern architecture studio and fabrication shop. Hufft utilized sustainable building techniques and products throughout the adaptive- reuse renovation, including a new roof with white membrane to control solar heat gain, low-flow and waterless plumbing fixtures, low-VOC finishes and energy efficient lighting.

• The Surplus Exchange (GOLD Award/Recycling-Reuse Category)—The Surplus Exchange was founded in the late 1980’s to recycle electronic waste (e-waste). More than 70% of American “recycled” e-waste is going to Asia, India and South America where women and children often work over harsh conditions smelting metal over open fires and breathing in toxic fumes, the e-waste ends up polluting the streams and fields in these countries. Surplus Exchange ensures that no e-waste it collects goes to third world countries—or American landfills—much of the e-waste is refurbished and re-sold, equipment that can’t be refurbished is recycled responsibly.

Energy

• NextPage (SILVER Award/Energy-Process Category)—NextPage, a commercial printer located in Subtropolis, recently expanded its facility by 28,000 square feet. With the expansion, NextPage was able to install the Kimori Lithrone GL-840P, an eight-page color press providing print buyers with unsurpassed productivity and environmental efficiency. The new Kimori press shortens turnaround times, cuts paper loss/usage, uses 35% less energy to operate and produces only ¼ of the amount of CO2 emissions of a standard printer.

Sustainability Stewardship Award

With this award KCIC recognizes a person or company’s significant and ongoing commitment to promoting environmental stewardship and sustainability in Kansas City’s industrial areas.

• Boulevard Brewing Co.—KCIC recognizes Boulevard Brewing Co. leadership role it has taken in Kansas City in sustainable business practices. According to Boulevard, “We have always taken a small business approach to sustainability: wasting resources equals wasting money. For a small business to sustain itself and thrive, it must be resource aware and efficient.” Examples of Boulevard’s sustainable efforts include the founding of Ripple Glass—Kansas City’s homegrown glass recycling initiative, creating a zero-landfill operation with the opening of its new headquarters facility in 2010 and working with Bridging the Gap on by-product synergy solutions.

• Bridging the Gap—Since 1992, Bridging the Gap has worked to make the Kansas City region sustainable by connecting environment, economy and community. With this award, KCIC is specifically recognizing Bridging the Gap’s efforts in our business community to connect waste generated at local industrial businesses with other businesses who can reuse that waste, “redeploy” it. In the last five years, Noelle Morris, programs director for Bridging the Gap, has diverted almost 10,000 TONS from area landfills with her work in finding outlets for companies’ waste.