Month: March 2023

We’re helping solve our customers’ big challenges by innovating and delivering solutions that are better for their business – and for the environment.

Project At-a-Glance

The opportunity: Help the Neiman Marcus Group achieve its goal of a net-zero future by improving energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions at their historic Bergdorf Goodman building.

The solution: Replacing the building’s outdated, inefficient absorption chillers with two 500-ton water-cooled, energy-efficient Trane® electric chillers, low-GWP refrigerant, and upgraded controls.

Sustainability outcomes:

annual carbon reduction of 642 metric tonstotal elimination of the use of natural gas and progression toward electrificationan estimated $61,000 savings in annual energy costscompliance with New York City’s Local Law 97, one of the most ambitious plans for eliminating emissions in the nation

The Neiman Marcus Group (NMG) has been revolutionizing luxury retail for over 100 years. With the recent launch of its first-ever Environmental, Social, Governance report, “Our Journey to Revolutionize Impact,” NMG has applied its bold spirit to sustainability commitments, pledging to reduce Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions by 50% by 2025 and to transition to 100% renewable energy use by 2030.

To reach these ambitious benchmarks, NMG worked with its longtime building technology and energy solutions partner Trane to create an enterprise-wide decarbonization roadmap. Understanding that buildings account for nearly 40% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions,[1] NMG and Trane looked to the company’s iconic New York City storefront, the 94-year-old Bergdorf Goodman building, as a starting point.

Big challenges require bold solutions

The historic building sits in the heart of midtown Manhattan, at the intersection of 57th Street and Fifth Avenue, and houses the Bergdorf Goodman Women’s Store. While the Bergdorf Goodman building is known for its elegant architecture, unique slanted mansard-style rooflines, and rich history, the nine-story building was also accounting for nearly 20% of the energy usage in the entire NMG fleet of stores.

After an initial comprehensive review to assess the functionality of the building, Trane and NMG considered infrastructure needs, key performance indicators, and Trane’s portfolio of innovative, sustainability-focused technologies to develop a comprehensive solution: Replacing the building’s outdated, inefficient absorption chillers with two 500-ton water-cooled, energy-efficient electric chillers and upgrading to a low-GWP refrigerant and optimized controls.

In addition to improving the building’s energy efficiency and launching NMG on its path toward net-zero, the proposed solution would also allow the Bergdorf Goodman to be among the first historic buildings to comply with New York City’s Local Law 97, a groundbreaking law requiring large buildings to meet new energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions limits by 2024, with stricter limits coming into effect by 2030[2].

The significant infrastructure upgrade, which took place in the center of bustling New York City without disrupting the day-to-day operations of the Bergdorf Goodman Women’s Store, required seamless coordination between the two companies and other key New York City agencies, including the Department of Buildings, the Department of Transportation, and the Landmarks Preservation Commission.

Pioneering comprehensive solutions through innovative technology

Innovative, energy-efficient, decarbonizing technology from Trane enabled the Bergdorf Goodman building to eliminate the use of natural gas, progress toward full electrification, and transition to renewable energy use, significantly reducing its carbon footprint.

Trane’s next generation, low-GWP refrigerant electric chillers offer more efficiencies and capacities, setting a new standard for buildings in New York City, while upgraded controls optimize the system’s runtime and ensure more consistent comfort for customers.

Together, the carefully-orchestrated installation of the chillers and controls is expected to reduce the building’s emissions by 642 metric tons of carbon – the equivalent of GHG emissions from 138 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles driven for one year. As a direct result of their increased efficiency, the upgrades in the building will save NMG an estimated $61,000 in annual energy costs.

Strategic partners with shared climate goals 

The partnership between Neiman Marcus Group, a luxury retailer visionary, and Trane demonstrates the power of collaboration and shared values around renewable energy and decarbonization.

For Neiman Marcus Group, the installation represents a significant milestone along the company’s path toward decarbonization and places NMG at the forefront of energy innovation in historic buildings. At the same time, NMG’s transition to renewable energy supports New York City’s goal of reaching net-zero GHG emissions by 2050 and Trane Technologies’ goal of reducing a gigaton of carbon emissions from customers’ footprints by 2030.

The Bergdorf Goodman project is only the beginning of NMG and Trane’s decarbonization strategy, which includes deep decarbonization assessments at other high sales retail buildings across multiple states. As NMG continues on the pathway to net-zero, Trane will be there to offer holistic, bold solutions: delivering efficient results for business and creating a lasting, positive impact on the planet.

You can learn more about this project on trane.com. 
 

[1]Source: U.S. Green Building Council

[2] https://www.nyc.gov/site/sustainablebuildings/ll97/local-law-97.page

Nearly two dozen major companies and large energy consumers with operations in North Carolina are urging state policymakers to expand access to clean energy technologies and electric vehicles in order to drive economic growth and reduce carbon emissions.

In a letter delivered today to members of the North Carolina General Assembly and Gov. Roy Cooper, 22 companies, universities, and trade associations urged elected officials to consider policies and programs that will increase access to cost-effective, clean energy technologies. Additional policy action is needed to meet North Carolina’s power plant emissions reduction goals and maintain the state’s competitive advantage as an economic leader. The companies on the letter include Gaia Herbs, New Belgium Brewing Co., Nestlé, SAS, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Trane Technologies, Unilever, and VF Corporation, among others.

“Strong, decisive clean energy policies will signal that North Carolina is “open for business” — thereby attracting in-state investments, creating jobs, and helping businesses access additional opportunities to save money and strengthen their competitive advantage,” they wrote in the letter.

The companies also reaffirmed their support for North Carolina’s goal to reduce carbon emissions 70% by 2030 and achieve 100% carbon-free electricity by 2050, as required by House Bill 951 enacted in 2021. Many were strong advocates for the state to pass House Bill 951, as well as for robust renewable energy and energy efficiency utility programs. They are now urging further policy and regulatory action to solidify North Carolina’s commitment to clean energy and electric vehicles to help the state attract investment, save businesses and consumers money, and bring new jobs to local communities.

“From the way we plant and grow the ingredients used in our products, to their harvest and distribution, Sustainability is at the core of our business at Gaia Herbs because a healthy climate is critical to our ability to continue to prosper as a North Carolina-based business,” said Alison E. Czeczuga, director of sustainability and impact at Gaia Herbs, based in Brevard. “As a verified B Corporation, we are committed to reducing our carbon footprint, and strongly support legislative and administrative solutions that help facilitate our efforts while ensuring the entire North Carolina economy can move toward this goal as quickly as possible.”

“Nestlé is committed to a more sustainable future, and ambitious state policies make it possible for companies to meet their pollution goals while growing the economy,” said Megan Villarreal, director of government relations at Nestlé, which has a manufacturing facility under construction in Rockingham County. “As North Carolina progresses through the 2023 legislative session, we welcome the opportunity to work with lawmakers and the Cooper administration on new measures to build upon the momentum in the state’s clean energy industry and achieve the state’s climate and economic goals.”

There are more than 85 companies with operations in North Carolina that have set goals to power their operations with 100% renewable energy sources—and many more with other clean energy, electric vehicle, or emissions reduction goals—and they want to see state policies and programs that support their electricity needs as they work to reduce risk and stay competitive in their respective sectors.

“Companies have a choice where to locate or expand their operations. We’re seeing firsthand that companies that select states that have strong clean energy policies and customer programs that help them meet their clean energy and emissions reduction goals,” said Alli Gold Roberts, senior director of state policy at Ceres. “We look forward to working with North Carolina’s elected officials to build upon its clean energy policies to ensure North Carolina remains open for business and ready to reap the economic benefits of a clean energy and electric transportation economy.”

About Ceres

Ceres is a nonprofit organization working with the most influential capital market leaders to solve the world’s greatest sustainability challenges. Through our powerful networks and global collaborations of investors, companies and nonprofits, we drive action and inspire equitable market-based and policy solutions throughout the economy to build a just and sustainable future. For more information, visit ceres.org and follow @CeresNews.

Media Contact: Helen Booth-Tobin

“I’m a lifetime learner,” explains Tim Bates, Chief Technology Officer for Lenovo’s Global Accounts and Latin America organizations.

The definition of technologist, Bates fashioned an impressive resume even before embarking on a successful IT career that’s spanned more than two decades. As a teen, he was a white hat hacker for the government, before putting his tech skills to use in the U.S. Marine Corps, including service in the Desert Storm operation in 1991.

A proud son of Detroit, MI, Bates joined Lenovo in December 2021 after almost 20 years in corporate leadership with General Motors. As CTO, Bates is passionate about working with Lenovo clients to identify the best solutions to meet customers’ IT needs, including security solutions, application development, virtual adoption, and infrastructure requirements.

Bates’ affinity for technology and lifetime learning feeds another passion: giving back to the community. He’s volunteered for years with organizations like Wounded Warrior Homes, MTRAC Innovation Hub for Advanced Computing Tech, and in his capacity as an IT executive served as a special advisor to tech companies including AMD, NVIDIA, and Epic Games.

The Beginning: Unreal Basecamp Pilot, from Concept to Reality

In 2021, Bates’ passion for technology and service intersected, when he was inspired to create a program to benefit underserved students in the greater Detroit region. The objective was simple – provide a pathway for young people to pursue IT careers. In many cases, these students lack the means or inclination to attend college, but Bates saw opportunity in IT that even they might not have imagined. The need – and opportunity – is clear: Brookings Institute research indicates that Black and Hispanic workers are significantly underrepresented in the tech industry, respectively comprising only 8 and 7 percent of the IT workforce.

Bates envisioned a program where participants would learn to design applications through Epic Games’ Unreal engine and position themselves for careers in IT. He recruited like-minded Detroit area business contacts to the cause, most notably Dan Garrison, Sr. Managing Director for Accenture and Edward Kim, a Detroit-area entrepreneur. Together, they created a concept for a program – called Unreal Basecamp – and brought it to life, even serving as initial faculty members. Bates also secured support from Lenovo and NVIDIA. Lenovo, for example, provided its Legion gaming model laptops for participants to use during the pilot.

The inaugural Unreal Basecamp launched a year ago, in January 2022, and included 10 Detroit-area high school students and their parents. Some participants came from very difficult backgrounds, including living in homeless shelters among other challenging circumstances.

Unreal Basecamp was held at the site of the former Marygrove College, a historic setting in Detroit that adds greater meaning for Bates personally.

“It’s right in the middle of Detroit, where you have some of the brightest kids you could ever imagine, but who don’t all have access to technology,” he states. “One of those kids who used to live in the neighborhood was myself.” The home he was raised in is just a few blocks away.

Over 6 months, Bates, Garrison and Kim taught them low-code no-code programming, a skillset that can open doors to entry-level IT positions, and the potential to dramatically change program participants’ lives.

Bates explains, “Many of the jobs today that young people who do not have a college degree take are going away. Automation in fast food and other service-type roles, for example, further limits those type opportunities long term. Information Technology, on the other hand, is in demand, and we hope that by teaching low-code, no-code, our students will help meet that demand, better themselves and be prepared for the jobs of the future.”

In conjunction with the training Bates led, students also had the opportunity to take on internships at corporate supporters including Accenture, GM and Lenovo.

The program culminated with a fun “Shark Tank” like competition in June where teams presented the applications they’d designed to their instructors and other Detroit-area IT professionals.

Bates expresses pride in the success of Unreal Basecamp year one, and gratitude for Lenovo’s support. “Lenovo’s latest leading-edge technology was key, and the important point is this partnership isn’t so much about looking at the now, but rather, the future of development jobs,” he says. “It was crucial from our perspective also to show the community we care about their future by aligning them with what’s next in technology.”

What’s Next

Bates and team are optimistic about the next phase of Unreal Basecamp. Key objectives include growing partnerships with governments, nonprofits and other corporations. The state of Michigan has expressed interest in partnering. Opportunities being explored include expanding to places like Chicago, Las Vegas and North Carolina.

In addition to growing Unreal Basecamp, Bates has also taken a leadership position within Lenovo’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) program. His dedication to customers, community and the ideals of DEI are notable, states Kevin Nelson, Lenovo Global Accounts vice president.

“It is so very impressive how Tim has leveraged his expertise in technology to create meaningful opportunities for others that in turn will make our industry stronger,” notes Nelson.

Bates is philosophical about how programs like Unreal Basecamp can make a difference.

“We talk about ‘it takes a village’ to move forward,” Bates states. “I believe it takes a village to be strong enough to connect with other villages to become a community. What I’m trying to do is connect communities – villages – together like they’ve never been connected before. If we can all achieve to work together, we can do amazing things.”