Greentech Lead America: Sprint announced it expects to save approximately $15 million through its new Retail Energy Management (REM) system.
When implemented, the system is expected to reduce Sprint’s retail energy costs by 15 percent, a $1.5 million annual savings, an 18-month payback on the program.
So far Sprint has implemented the system in more than 1,000 Sprint retail stores to date.
The energy savings achieved will allow Sprint to reduce its carbon footprint by more than 17 million pounds of CO2. According to the U.S. EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator, that’s the same amount generated by electricity use in 422 single-family U.S. homes in one year
The system will enable a Web-based energy management system that can remotely control heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC). It is expected to reduce Sprint’s monthly spend on electricity and natural gas and enable more energy efficient operations.
The REM system is also expected to bring reduction in response time for HVAC reported issues. The REM System can identify mechanical issues before they affect their retail locations. It reduces maintenance costs and time on site for maintenance technicians.
As the next retail energy savings effort from Sprint, the company plans to install LED lighting in more than 600 retail stores. The project is estimated to reduce electrical usage by 2.8 million kWh per year.
Sprint has also committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by an absolute 20 percent by 2017. The company is already more than halfway to achieve this, the company said recently.
Some of the initiatives undertaken by the wireless carrier include adoption of more efficient equipment, an increase in renewable energy purchases, energy efficiency improvements at its data centers and a shift to more fuel-efficient SmartWay
Sprint recently announced it would join the Department of Energy Better Buildings program that brings together corporations, universities, municipalities, and other national leaders to make significant commitments to energy efficiency that reduce waste and cut energy costs. To join the program, organizations must commit to an energy savings goal during the next two to five years.