Aker Solutions – Carbon Footprint Reduction

Aker Solutions employees overhauled the Mobile Site’s environmental policy to reduce environmental impact and significantly lower the company’s carbon footprint. Through implementation of the Lean Initiative, the company reduced CO2 emissions by 616 tons per month from levels in 2018. Lean manufacturing strategies aim to do more with less, while continually improving product quality.

James Altieri, senior manager of health, safety, security, and environment, credits the dramatic reductions to a “good culture and good people.” Our efforts include employees from every department. “We all have a personal responsibility for safety and the environment.”

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Employee engagement has been instrumental in the company’s successful recycling program. In 2019, Aker Solutions recycled over 90 tons of material. One of the initiative’s major successes was finding a local vendor to recycle office waste, as facilities are limited in the southern states.

“I think being a leader in the initiative to recycle office waste was a big plus for us as a green company,” Altieri said. The company added large scale recycling stations in every breakroom and satellite stations closer to work areas to make recycling easier and part of employee’s daily routines.

In addition to office waste, the company’s supply chain was instrumental in working with vendors to reuse and recycle excess materials such as PVC, wooden pallets, reels, and cardboard. Some materials, including excess copy paper, steel tubing, cables, are donated to area schools, oyster farmers, and the AIDT training center.

The company significantly reduced energy consumption through several initiatives. Outdated halide light fixtures were replaced with energy-efficient LED units and air handling units were converted from water-cooled to air-cooled. By renovating air handling units, the company eliminated the need to treat over 10 million gallons of water per year.

To reduce fuel consumption, the company developed mobile dollies to transport equipment around the workshops, reducing forklift use. The company purchased thirty electric powered golf carts for transportation across the site, replacing the use of gas vehicles. These initiatives translate to a savings of over 200 gallons of diesel and 400 gallons of gasoline per month.

The company also encourages employees to video conference rather than fly. “We’ve curtailed travel quite a bit,” said Altieri. Employees are encouraged to contribute through personal initiatives as well, such as carpooling when possible, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, and turning off lights.

Aker Solutions is “very much involved with lowering our carbon footprint,” said Altieri. “That is part of our strategy over the next few years.” As the company continues this mission they are investing in clean energy. They have purchased a 25% interest in Wind Float and secured their first commercial contract with a Dutch waste-to-energy company.

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