Facilities Management Services

Chris Bunch, Vice President of Commercial Facilities Services with PRIDE Industries, talks with Shawn Black of FM Evolution. The two discuss how private and public organizations can achieve their operational goals while creating jobs for people with disabilities.

Shawn Black (SB): Recruitment is one of the greatest challenges facing managers today. And today we’re talking with Chris Bunch at PRIDE Industries about a virtually untapped workforce.

Over 75% of adults with disabilities are unemployed or underemployed in the United States alone. What are you seeing in the marketplace right now?

Chris Bunch (CB): I would say that’s correct. Not only has this unemployment number changed, it’s gotten more challenging after the COVID-19 pandemic. However, companies are now feeling the incentives to create an inclusive work environment.

SB: Companies right now are struggling. Many workers are retiring, and there’s a lot of competition for talent. Is this a great time to hire people with disabilities?

CB: Absolutely. It really starts with the perspective of the employer. Ultimately, you’re trying to make a person successful in the role. That’s where PRIDE Industries comes in.

We help organizations in different ways. First, we have our Inclusive Talent Solutions line, where we partner with companies to recruit, place, and train people with disabilities. We also provide support and inclusivity training for the hiring organizations to help ensure mutual success of employer and employee.

Second, we have our workplace inclusion programs to place individuals into job positions with a much higher degree of support.

And third, our business services, including our Facilities Management Services, create jobs for people with disabilities while offering solutions at competitive rates.

In the end, for facilities managers, it all comes down to budgets and needs. Ultimately, hiring people with disabilities is not charity. You will achieve your business goals with the added benefits of increasing your social impact.

How Facilities Managers Can Create an Inclusive Work Environment

SB: On average, the cost of an accommodation for people with disabilities is only $500. However, in a hot job market, will gestures like these earn more dedication and morale?

CB: When you create an inclusive environment for a person with disabilities, whether it’s as part of a service or your organization, there’s a higher sense of loyalty. And it transfers all the way down. We have employees with disabilities that have worked on contracts that we serve for over 20 years. They have built careers, become experts in their fields, and create a premier customer experience.

SB: When it comes to hiring and management practices with corporate America right now, are you seeing companies shifting their recruitment focus?

CB: Cultivating an inclusive work environment is good for business. We’re now in a world where social networking and platforms put pressure and awareness on organizations to increase their social impact programs.

SB: What is your outsource versus insource strategy, and how do you approach this inclusion metric?

CB: From a procurement or a human resource perspective, the impact is the same. It comes down to whether your organization has the resources to help coach and mentor people with disabilities, or if you would like to partner with a social enterprise like PRIDE Industries that can help provide these services for you.

SB: What is your advice to people who are struggling right now to fill positions and are looking to increase?

CB: Identify your insource versus outsource strategy, and find partners that can help. PRIDE Industries has solutions for both.

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PRIDE Industries can help you with facility operations, custodial and maintenance services, job assistance, and other services.

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“Cultivating an inclusive work environment is good for business.”

— Chris Bunch, Vice President of Commercial Facilities for PRIDE Industries

Renewable energy production will reach 30 percent by 2024

“Renewable energy resources make up 26 percent of the world’s electricity today,” according to Earth.Org, and the International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts this number will reach 30 percent by 2024. Ember, an independent energy think tank, cites even higher numbers, estimating that 38 percent of the world’s electricity was generated via clean energy in 2021. This is a trend Dave Jones, Ember’s Global Program Lead, sees growing in the coming decade.

Reasons for the leap are myriad, including a post-pandemic resurgence in energy need, falling technology costs, rising environmental concerns, and strains on our electricity grid. But perhaps the most compelling reason for sustainable power’s expansion, from a business standpoint, is the rising cost of its alternatives.

This comes on the heels of an already shifting post-lockdown economy—which has seen unexpected growth in oil demand posed against limited supply. As a result, in 2021 crude oil prices rose from nearly $70 per Brent Crude barrel to almost $130. Meanwhile, natural gas has gone from $2.50 to almost $6 per MMBtu, and coal prices have increased from just under $100 per ton to more than $400.

Against this backdrop, sustainable power production has seen rapid growth. In 2021, clean energy set records, and the IEA predicts 2022 will follow suit with solar and wind energy leading the way.

Utility-scale solar installations shatter annual record

As summarized in an article in Scientific American, the IEA projects “U.S. solar companies will install 21.5 gigawatts of utility-scale capacity this year, shattering the annual record of 15.5 GW set last year.” Even amid supply-chain restraints, Bloomberg NEF Solar Analyst Tara Narayanan predicts these issues will be overcome—with record solar installations in 2022. Notably, in Texas—a state whose reliance on coal long resulted in high greenhouse gas emissions—solar has already seen a boom between 2020 and 2021. And 2022? The IEA projects the Lone Star State will again lead the country in utility-scale solar installations.

2,000 offshore wind turbines by 2030

When it comes to wind power, the IEA plans for 7.6 gigawatts of additional wind power in 2022—with offshore turbines leading the way. According to Bloomberg NEF, “Offshore wind installations will top 10 gigawatts for the second year in a row.” Underscoring this trend, the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) recently issued a request for proposal (RFP), which includes new opportunities for small and medium-sized turbine manufacturers to propose energy solutions. This comes in the wake of the Biden Administration’s January-announced goal: 30 gigawatts of offshore wind power, requiring the installation of approximately 2,000 turbines in the water by 2030.

Renewable energy makes financial sense

Aside from the obvious ways sustainable energy benefits our planet, reducing carbon footprint and greenhouse gases, renewable energy makes financial sense.

In a June 2021 press release, Francesco La Camera, Director General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) said, “Today, renewables are the cheapest source of power.” La Camera went on to say, “. . . [T]hey meet growing energy demand, while saving costs, adding jobs, boosting growth, and meeting climate ambitions.”

Where solar was once more costly than gas and oil, that may no longer be the case. A recent article in Consumer Affairs offers these statistics from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory: “Electricity from fossil fuels costs between 5 and 17 cents per kilowatt-hour. Solar energy costs average between 3 cents and 6 cents per kilowatt-hour and are trending down.”

Wind and solar reshape the existing energy system

According to IRENA, “The cost of electricity from wind continues to fall, driven by declines in wind turbine prices.” IRENA attributes a steady decline (since 2010) to plant cost reductions and improvements in turbine technology—allowing more energy harvest from the same wind speeds.

The decline in cost for both solar and wind power, combined with other factors—including their alignment with the values of an increasingly socially-conscious population—will continue to mark the future of sustainable energy.

Though supply chain issues may cause interruptions in these trends, experts believe sustainable power production, across the board, will continue to expand.

Ember’s David Jones concurs, saying, “Wind and solar have arrived. The process that will reshape the existing energy system has begun.”

Want to learn more?

Interested in comprehensive solar energy management services that utilize proactive inspections, equipment fine-tuning, and preventive patching—all while making a social impact?

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“Today, renewables are the cheapest source of power–meeting growing energy demand, while saving costs, adding jobs, boosting growth, and meeting climate ambitions.”

–Francesco La Camera, Director General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)

The key to successfully emerging from the current energy crisis is to rapidly scale the transition to solar, wind, and hydro—while ensuring our current renewable energy farms are operating at peak performance. Poorly maintained solar panels can lose up to 30% of their sun-generated energy. In order to keep renewable energy farms running 100% operationally—and at peak power generating performance—regular maintenance, cleaning, and repairs are required. There are many current trends we want to highlight that are reducing carbon footprint and conserving water in the critical and renewable energy sector—all improving sustainability.

Dust-Repellent Solar Panels Could Save Billions of Gallons of Water

Many of the world’s largest solar installations are in deserts or other dry climates, and dust is public enemy #1. Dust accumulation can reduce panels’ efficiency by 30 percent within one month (depending on the geography and weather). Cleaning the world’s solar panels consumes some 10 billion gallons of water per year. MIT researchers found that electrostatic repulsion can raise dust particles off the surface of solar panels, and running a charged bar across them sweeps the dust off the panels. In the meantime, it’s critical that solar panels are cleaned regularly to provide peak renewable energy performance to the power grid.

Combination Drone-Robot Delivers Waterless Panel Cleaning

In other panel cleaning news, Belgian clean-tech company ART Robotics introduced HELIOS, an autonomous solar panel cleaning service composed of robotic panel cleaners—placed on panels by drones. “The cleaning robot uses a traction system that allows the robot to move on inclined surfaces and even cross over to adjacent panels. A brush and vacuum combination ensures a high-quality cleaning of the panel surface,” ART Robotics said.

Wind Turbine Maintenance Market to Grow 9 Percent CAGR Through 2031

According to market research firm Transparency Reports, the global wind turbine operations and maintenance market grew to $15 billion in 2020 and will grow at a CAGR of 9 percent through 2031. The same firm indicates that brake, inverter, tower, gearbox, generator, and rotor blades are the components that require regular inspection and servicing to function correctly. Maintenance costs are estimated to be $42,000–$48,000 per year.

Given the current energy crisis, the planned installation of new wind, solar, and battery storage capacity for 2022 and 2023 dwarfs that of previous years—setting a much faster pace towards renewable energy independence.

Record-Breaking Offshore Wind Lease Sale

On Friday (February 25, 2022), the federal government leased half a million acres of the Atlantic Ocean for offshore wind development in the largest-ever and most expensive leases in history. The feds sold the leases via a three-day auction, with 14 companies competing for the rights to develop wind farms on six areas of the New York Bight, a shallow stretch of sea that runs between Long Island and New Jersey. The total price tag was $4.37 billion, with subsidiaries of National Grid, Shell, Total, EDF Renewables, and Invenergy among the lessees.

With a record number of renewable energy projects planned for 2022 and 2023, the future of green energy looks bright. As referenced, regular maintenance of solar panels and wind farms is just as important as the installation itself. Maintaining and repairing these large facilities will keep their energy production optimal and will require less pull from legacy fossil-fuel-powered facilities. For more information, please contact our facilities management services team.

Championing water conservation through Diversity and Inclusion

For nearly a century, the Golden State Water Company (GSWC) has been providing clean water to more than 80 communities in California. Operating as a regulated utility, the team must ensure fair rates for more than 1 million customers. Great service is key, with a 24/7 call center helping customers manage bills and address service issues. Behind the scenes, technical experts help look after water quality and efficient resource management.

Situation

The GSWC has some regulatory obligations to the California Public Utility Commission. To succeed in fulfilling these regulatory requirements, the GSWC cultivates a diverse supplier base. A robust supplier diversity initiative broadens the supplier base, stimulates competition, and ensures that Golden State Water Company receives the highest quality materials and services at the best available prices.

As a regulated water utility, the GSWC sets a supplier diversity goal to procure 21.5 percent of contracts from certified categories, including:

1.5% from Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises
5% from Women Business Enterprises
15% from Minority Business Enterprises

Guided by these targets, the GSWC sought to attract more team members of all abilities. Excitingly, the new team members would play a key role in helping the GSWC reach out to customers and communities. Their remit would be to provide water-efficient products and services via a non-profit.

Solution

Thanks to a partnership with PRIDE Industries, more team members with diverse abilities have been hired to help deliver water conservation tools from the GSWC. Upon selecting PRIDE Industries in the summer of 2021, executives from the GSWC knew they could depend on dedicated team members. This talent pool offers highly valued professionalism and quality. Team members from PRIDE Industries take pride in helping customers effectively manage water usage.

Statistics show that employees with disabilities offer quality work, low turnover, great attendance, and overall professionalism. PRIDE Industries employees have consistently demonstrated these qualities—taking pride in helping GSWC’s customers manage water usage while helping GSWC meet its diversity goals.

Services Provided

PRIDE Industries supports multiple programs provided by the GSWC. These include:

Direct install programs: Replacing or installing new water-efficient toilets, showerheads, and aerators for home use.
Distribution programs: Rain barrels for residential use.
Kitting programs: Mailing energy-efficient items to customers and clients of the GSWC.

Results

200 groundwater wells
2,800 miles of sustainable pipeline
25,000 fire hydrants

Highlights

200

groundwater wells

2,800

miles of sustainable pipeline

25,000

fire hydrants

“We’ve enjoyed working on several social initiatives with PRIDE Industries to make a positive impact in the communities across California.”

— Matthew Puffer
Conservation Coordinator
Water Use Efficiency Department
Golden State Water Company

Instrumental in VSP reaching LEED Platinum status was PRIDE Industries’ custodial process, which involves using its branded, EPA-recognized products and procedures.

Way back in 2007, vision care leader VSP Vision tapped like-minded PRIDE Industries to help it achieve LEED Platinum certification for its headquarters in Rancho Cordova, CA. This was the beginning of a decades-long partnership.

The two companies have much in common. VSP Vision includes the country’s only not-for-profit vision care company, focused on fulfilling a distinct purpose — to empower human potential through sight. PRIDE Industries is a pioneering social enterprise that provides jobs for people with disabilities, employing skilled workers for companies looking to build inclusive workforces.

Instrumental in reaching LEED Platinum status for VSP was PRIDE Industries’ PRIDEClean™ custodial process, which involves using its branded, EPA-recognized products and procedures. At the time, only 77 buildings in the world had reached Platinum certification.

“Our services team worked with VSP to score eight points towards LEED Platinum certification,” said Tim Vanover, business development director for PRIDE Industries. “A high performance green cleaning program, waste management/recycling protocols, and sustainable purchasing methods contributed to the score.”

Continued Partnership

But that was just the beginning. The companies have since worked together to conduct trash audits to reduce VSP Vision’s landfill waste and meet city mandates, deployed robotic vacuums for more sustainable floor cleaning, and, most recently, implemented decontamination procedures to comply with COVID-19 sanitation protocols.

When VSP Vision couldn’t find a vendor to meet sustainability requirements for its 35,000-square-foot Ohio call center, PRIDE Industries stepped in to design and implement a process that passed CIMS-GB audits.

“We established benchmarks modeled after the services we were already providing at VSP’s California locations, including a web-based contract management system,” Vanover said.

“The team at PRIDE Industries is incredibly responsive, reliable, dependable, trustworthy, and efficient,” said Janelle Darling, senior manager of facilities operations at VSP Vision. “They consistently meet VSP’s high expectations. You can see that the PRIDE Industries employees have a clear purpose and passion for what they do.”

Fast-forward to today, and 56% of PRIDE Industries’ staff who work for VSP Vision have a documented disability. One of them is Marylyn Jackson, a custodian since 2017. “I make the workplace feel hospitable so that VSP Vision’s employees feel more motivated to do well in their jobs,” Jackson said. “That’s what I’m here for!” The buildings that she oversees routinely score high on audits, and her supervisors report constant compliments on her friendly attitude and excellent work.

The PRIDE Industries team also maintains a 30% lower OSHA incidence rate than the national industry standard, which minimizes work interruptions and lowers customer costs.

The story of PRIDE Industries began in 1966 when a group of parents formed a nonprofit to create brighter futures for their adult children with disabilities. Since then, the organization has grown to more than 6,000 employees working at 395 sites, maintaining more than 100 facilities. It is the nation’s leading employer of people with disabilities and other barriers to employment, including military veterans and former foster youth.

PRIDE Industries partners with companies of all sizes, helping them achieve their inclusion goals while enjoying the benefits of hiring people with diverse abilities. Statistically speaking, employees with disabilities boast higher retention rates, lower absenteeism, and higher punctuality than those without disabilities.

This article originally appeared on facilityexecutive.com

Need help with your facility operations?

PRIDE Industries can help you with facility operations, custodial and maintenance services, job assistance, and other services.

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Media Contact

Kat Maudru

(916) 753-4339

media@prideindustries.com

PRIDE Industries is a social enterprise delivering business excellence to public and private organizations nationwide.

PRIDE Industries Brings Cost Savings to 138 Buildings

California is home to the largest municipal court system in the country—serving about 12 percent of the total U.S. population, more than 40 million people.

Situation

The California court system originally selected PRIDE Industries to provide facility operations and maintenance services to all its courthouses in Northern California. Using an inclusive workforce, PRIDE Industries delivered services so efficiently that the system expanded the contract to include its Southern California properties. This expanded contract covers 138 buildings, representing 22.2 million square feet.

Solution

In 2011, the court system awarded PRIDE Industries its Northern California operations and maintenance contract. During the next 10 years, PRIDE Industries improved operational efficiency and reduced electricity consumption, saving the system more than $5 million. Based on this success, in 2020 the contract with PRIDE Industries was expanded to include its Southern California operations, which more than tripled the number of buildings and the square footage maintained. In 2024, the PRIDE Industries operations team worked on 85,000+ work orders for the courts.

Services Provided

Architectural Systems: Keep spaces, structures, and infrastructure in proper operating condition.
Asset Management: Optimize operations and lower facility operating costs.
Building Automation Systems: Provide optimal efficiency and peak performance for buildings.
Electrical Systems: Ensure safety and facility compliance with current electrical code.
Preventative Maintenance: Reduce premature asset breakdowns, keep employees safe, and save money.
HVAC Systems: Extend system lifespans and maintain a healthy environment.
Facility Modifications: Manage the physical modifications to the affected facility or its components (assets) that restore or improve the designed level of function of said facility or facility components.

Sample Case

Presented with the situation of extremely high energy use at the Gordon Schaber Courthouse in downtown Sacramento, the California court system reached out to PRIDE Industries for a solution. The solution reached was two-fold:

In late 2015, PRIDE Industries refurbished 12 antiquated air handler units by replacing the 24 existing motors with variable frequency drive motors and installing the associated drivers, upgrading electrical wiring, and cleaning/restoring the coils.
In early 2016, PRIDE Industries replaced over 6,000 T8 fluorescent lights and can-style lighting in all public spaces and courtrooms within the facility with LED lamps.

Results

Electricity consumption reduction of 40 percent, saving $375,000 per year
Overall savings of $3.3 million since 2016
ROI of 3.7 years

Highlights

138 buildings

22.2

Million square feet

$5M

Savings in operational efficiencies