WACOCHAMBER.COM | 1

S P R I N G 08

Waco Angel Network • Waco ISD bond • Waco Convention Center • Third Thursdays

ResouRcesNatural

A look at Waco's water, air and land

8 | sPRING 08 WACOCHAMBER.COM | 9

Air

Lake

Intake

Coagulant

Rapid Mixing Chamber

Air Saturator

Dissolved AirDispersion System

Skimmer AssemblySludge Channel

Effluent WeirChlorine Dioxide

Effluent Channel

Filter 8

Pumps Pumps

Final Treatment(GAC-OZONE) Chlorine & Ammonia

Clearwell

DistributionPumps

Influent Channel

First StageFlocculator

Second StageFlocculator

DAF Cell 16” Diameter Effluent Laterals

Sludge BeltPress

From the faucet to irrigation lines to industrial processes, water quality and quantity are vital to the physical and

economic health of Greater Waco.So it's no wonder that the preservation

and purification of this precious commodity is high on the community's agenda.

Local leaders recognize that water is critical to sustain a vibrant economy.

While population growth and business development tap into resources, they also provide opportunities to reevaluate and plan long-term.

An adequate supply of water for future needs seems secure in the abundant North Bosque River and Lake Waco watersheds. Treating that water and improving taste and odor are priorities for city officials and business leaders.

The City of Waco is investing $80 million in expanding its water systems and eliminating 99.9 percent of the troublesome algae before it reaches the treatment plant.

The two-phase plan includes building a 42-inch distribution line that has increased capacity at the Mount Carmel Water Treatment Plant from 45 million gallons to 66 million gallons per day.

Similar improvements will take place at

the Riverside Plant with the first phase of a 36-inch line under way. When the entire project is completed the City of Waco will be able to treat a maximum of 130 million gallons of water per day.

In addition, a large diameter pipe from Cobbs Drive near Wooded Acres Drive to 32nd Street and Herring Avenue has been bid and construction will begin soon.

About half of that investment had been slated for a Dissolved Air Flotation (DAF) facility to enhance water quality.

While Waco's water already meets federal and state standards, the DAF and some of the other treatment processes in use "put us ahead of the curve,” said Ricky Garrett, director of Water Utility Services for the City of Waco.

“We will have very high quality water in terms of the known contaminants, and we should be in really good shape for years to come with these changes,” he said.

The process, used worldwide to remove algae and organic material, is part of the city’s efforts to meet increasing federal and state regulations on reducing potential contaminants.

floats them to the surface for removal thus clarifying the water. This cleaner process is more efficient than conventional chemical treatments that force solids to settle to the bottom for removal.

Removing algae closer to the intake also prevents it from dying in pipes and tanks and releasing foul-tasting chemicals into the water supply.

The facility is under construction in a pecan grove beneath the Lake Waco Dam. Lake Waco, which provides more than 70 million gallons of water for personal and business uses, is the city’s primary source of drinking water.

More widely used in Europe than in the United States, the DAF system is ideal for treating Waco’s algae blooms, said Garrett.

With testing completed, the City expects to start taking bids in May and start construction this summer.

The project will take 18 to 20 months to build, said Bob Wallace, president of the Wallace Group engineering firm, which is overseeing the project.

“We will continue to utilize the majority of the facilities in our existing plants—Mount Carmel and Riverside—where it will be further disinfected, filtered, stored and pumped out into the system,” said Wallace. “It happens to be a relatively low-cost process. It’s not cheap because it’s a big plant, but compared to other types of plants it’s real cheap and fairly small.” FuTuRE NEEDS

The City’s current water supply was established more than 40 years ago when leaders created Lake Waco. Now, plans are in place to prepare for the next few decades.

In 2003, the City studied the system to determine future needs, said Garrett.

“We wanted to look at demands on the system in 2008, 2012 and 2020. We found that we had some immediate things we needed to do and that meant getting Mount Carmel up to a desired capacity,” he said.

That also required replacing the single-media sand filters with the dual-media filters that are used at the Riverside Plant.

“By upgrading the filters there we almost doubled the output there,” said Garrett.

by Lesly Rascoe, Vice President, Communications

Water quality rises to a new level

Other projects are ensuring that the City can meet demand for at least 30 or 40 years, and the DAF system will make that possible.

“The changes we are making will greatly reduce our by-product formation so we are well ahead of the curve,” said Garrett. “We have already been making some changes that are helping, but with these further improvements we shouldn’t have to be worried about compliance issues for many years to come.”

BuSINESSThe DAF facility and other system

upgrades are investments in the community, said Garrett.

“It puts us to a point where taste and odor are not going to be recurring and takes us to another level in terms of quality,” he said. “For businesses who use our water for processing, it should alleviate any concerns they may have, whether real or perceived.”

A precious drop of water can be translated into dollars and be a “taste” of the community.

A comprehensive study of Lake Waco identified Cyanobacteria (Blue-green algae) as a cyclic nutrient that was producing taste and odor problems, even during cold weather. The algae by-products are generated in the North Bosque River Watershed.

The DAF system attaches bubbles to suspended particles in the raw water and

We will have very high quality water in terms of the known contaminants, and we should be in really good shape for years to come with these changes.

Ricky GarrettWater utility services, city of Waco

The DAF system: How it works

Flocculation binds particles suspended in the raw water into larger particles that can be removed more easily. An air nozzle header releases fine air bubbles that attach to the flocculated particles. A skimmer removes the suspended particles after they float to the surface of the basin. clarified water is removed from the bottom of the basin. Removing the algae at the lake site prevents the odor-causing compounds from being released into the water when the algae is killed or damaged in the pipes. After clarification, the water will be treated with chlorine dioxide for primary disinfection and then sent to one of the two treatment plants, Mount carmel or Riverside, where it will be filtered through sand and granular activated carbon.

CommeRCial 252.5 million gallons

irrigation 57.3 million gallons

Hydrant Meter 266,400 gallons

industRial 86.9 million gallons

irrigation 393,300 gallons

“Water gives people sometimes their first impression and you want it to be good. We have at least four major industries here that process food or drink or have other processes using water,” said Wallace.

One of those industries is Allergan, a multi-specialty health care company focusing on eye care products at its Waco location.

“Water quality is very important to us," said Dr. Ron Lentsch, vice president of North American operations for Allergan. "We have all the systems here that purify the water, but the worse the water is the more likely is we have to spend additional funds to purify it.”

“By our standards, we have a purification process that all water goes through to ensure it is injectable quality. That’s the actual standard we have to meet. It costs us a lot of more if the water needs more filtration.”

Cost is one thing but so is perception, said Lentsch.

“There’s also an image thing. If people come to visit our facility, and the water is not very drinkable, it creates concern.”

Allergan used 46.2 million gallons of water in 2007 for its entire Waco operation.

“At this time, water quality is actually fairly good, but there are still some improvements we would like to make,” said Lentsch.

In the food processing sector, water quantity and quality is a daily factor in operations.

“Quality has got to be there, but quantity is also important," said Wesley

continued on page 10

Waco Water Business usage - 2007

(usually used for construction purposes)

10 | sPRING 08 WACOCHAMBER.COM | 11

Water Quality CommitteeWaco’s business community continues

to help Waco maintain water quality and ample supply. To help with this effort, the city of Waco created a Water Task Force, which spurred other organizations like the Greater Waco chamber’s Water Quality committee. These efforts are dedicated to protecting the North Bosque River, Lake Waco and their source watershed.

The Water Quality committee is in a continuous learning mode by attending presentations, reviewing Waco water quality reports and meeting with political representatives to learn about their efforts to improve Waco’s water.

lake Waco Wetlands Projectestablished in 2001, the Lake Waco

Wetlands is a 174-acre natural filtration system located at the upper end of the lake along the North Bosque River at 1752 eichelberger crossing. The area was once wildlife habitat acreage that was flooded when the lake was raised in 2004.

The wetlands encourages visitor involvement through events, field trips, hiking, fishing and water quality education.

Center for Reservoir and aquatic systems Research

The center for Reservoir and Aquatic systems Research at the Lake Waco Wetlands provides Baylor scientists and students a living laboratory for water quality testing on the lake’s depth and scope, wind and heat dynamics and chemistry.

mclennan County Groundwater Conservation district

McLennan county commissioners are asking state lawmakers to approve legislation to create a groundwater conservation district. Voters will decide in November whether to permanently keep the district.

Funding for the district, led by President Rodney Kroll, will be fee-based, and non-groundwater uses will not be taxed. For the average family that uses groundwater, the fee would be about $7 per year.

The Trinity Aquifer is the source of groundwater for McLennan county residents while surface water is supplied through Lake Waco.

The groundwater district will provide a conservation plan similar to the one in place for the county’s surface water. spacing of wells and regulating pumpage are among ways the district would decrease wasting groundwater.

sPeCial PRoJeCts Carter, plant manager for Cargill Value Added Meats. "We also take steps in the plant to make sure that water meets our criteria.”

“We have a chiller that we fill every day with 65,000 gallons, and for each bird that goes in the government requires us to add even more. That is one area where we always need a good abundant source of quality water.”

From the retail side where birds are cleaned to the processing side where brines are made to flavor products, water is essential, said Carter.

“In addition, we clean the plant from top to bottom every day, and we must have a good clean water source. We use several hundred thousands of gallons of water here everyday. It’s such a huge part of our process,” he said.

While Cargill further processes water in the plant, a clean, reliable source is just good business.

“The more consistent the quality coming into the plant the better off we are. It makes it easier for us to establish the protocols for treating the water in the plan,” said Carter.

Lake Waco Wetlands

The Lake Waco Wetlands serves as a natural filtration system.

Photo by Brett Jameson/BNc Imaging

It’s easy to take clean air for granted, but this most basic resource is critical to Greater Waco’s economic future.

While McLennan County has not yet reached the new federal standard for ozone levels known as “nonattainment,” officials want to keep it that way.

At this time, the county has only been monitored for ozone data for about one year, and three years of monitoring are required to determine a baseline.

High ozone levels can result in loss of highway funding and other economic handicaps that could stifle growth.

Larger cities such as Dallas and Houston already carry the nonattainment label, and several other Texas communities are at risk.

“The current data shows the Waco area is comfortably in attainment for ozone under the existing standard. The area would even be in attainment under the recently announced more stringent standard, again based on one year's data from the monitor," said David Schanbacher, P.E., chief engineer for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality.

State Sen. Kip Averitt, chair of the Senate Natural Resources Committee, worked to acquire the ozone monitor when several coal-fired plants were being considered for construction here last year. Data showed emissions from those plants would have had a

detrimental effect on the county’s ozone rating."Air and water quality are essential to

the health and economic prosperity of our community,” said Averitt. “Without clean air and a plentiful supply of clean water, the economy and our community will suffer,.”

Since certain readings from the first year’s data show some “close calls,” maintaining clean air is an ongoing issue that requires the coordinated efforts of lawmakers, business leaders and citizens to ensure that resources are protected, he said.

“When the public and private sectors come together to develop environmental solutions, we see the kind of economic development opportunities and public health protection that allow our community to continue to grow and thrive," said Averitt.

When industries consider Greater Waco as a place to relocate, having safe ozone levels gives the area an edge, said Sarah Roberts, senior vice president of economic development for the Chamber.

“So many factors can make a difference when we are competing with another community to win new jobs and investment. The fact that McLennan County meets all federal air quality standards is an advantage we definitely want to retain,” said Roberts.

Visit WacoChamber.com to link to the live monitor data. ■

clean air gives central Texas advantage

legislation during 80th session of the texas legislature to protect the state’s air and water resources

senate Bill 3Protects instream flows, encourages conservation of existing water resources and allows new water projects identified by the state Water Plan to meet our future water needs.

senate Bill 12Addresses looming air quality deadlines in the state's nonattainment areas by attacking the heart of the non-attainment problem—mobile emissions from on- and off-road vehicles, such as passenger cars and construction equipment.

ultra-Clean energy BillIncentivizes the use of clean-air technology by industry. This bill was identified by the Dallas Morning News as one of the top 10 steps the Legislature should take in 2007 to ensure cleaner air.

12 | sPRING 08 WACOCHAMBER.COM | 13

MESSAGE To ouR MEMBERSWater, Water Everywhere but Not...by Dr. Roland Goertz, Chair, Water Quality Task Force

dr. Goertz chaired the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce Water Quality Committee from 2004 to 2006 and currently serves as chair-elect of the Chamber. He is director of the Family Health Center.

GoeRtZ

The lush natural beauty of Cameron Park is a paradise for bikers, hikers, dog walkers and Frisbee golfers almost

year-round.The park was recently highlighted in

Bike magazine in its state-by-state guide of “50 incredible trails.”

“For Texas, Cameron Park was selected, which shows the quality of the park in our town. Of course, bicycles are a key component, but we also get a good deal of hikers who go there for strolls and even some for environmental studies,” said Municipal Service Director Rusty Black.

With the Brazos River flowing through the park providing a natural link from Baylor University all the way to McLennan Community College, its upkeep is a priority to the city.

The park is getting close to $8 million in improvements from last year’s bond election.

About $1 million is designated for a four-foot bronze-toned ornamental iron fence with stone columns around the cliffs at Lover’s Leap.

“The columns will be made of limestone Austin chalk that will fit in with the cliffs and the terrain and be placed about every 24 feet,” said Black.

The remaining $6.9 million will upgrade existing features throughout the park, including restrooms and to improve the visitor experience at the Rock Shelter, Jacob’s Ladder, Proctor Springs, Redwood Shelter, Anniversary Park and Circle Point; and the playground at Pecan bottoms.

“We’re trying to get these improvements completed in time for the centennial celebration in 2010,” said Black.

Across the river at Cameron Park East, the bond allowed for $2.6 million for new restrooms, parking, roads, boat ramp, security lighting, fencing and pavilions. The existing bleachers, used primarily for drag boat racing events on the river,

will be removed. Planners are considering replacing them with portable bleachers.

Plans also are underway to develop the Waco mammoth site, the largest known area where pre-historic animals were killed in a single instance. The City is waiting on approval from the National Park Service for the first phase of the development, which would include a visitors center and preservation of the paleontological site.

“When you go from the dam at Lake Waco and go all the way down the river, you can start picking out different recreational amenities that are in various stages of development. The entire river system of parks is something that would be difficult to rival anywhere in the United States. I would bet you it’s in excess of 10 miles,” said Black.

Bids have been received to continue the walking trail along the river to the Ferrell Center. Work is expected to begin this summer and be completed by the fall of 2009.

Elsewhere in the city, a $2-million demonstration grant matched with an additional $600,000 will enable construction of the Cottonbelt Trail off of Highway 84 near Harris Creek west of Waco. The 12-foot wide trail will be 2.5 miles long and include a 19-acre municipal park with a jogging trail. ■

The next time you have a drink of water from your faucet or a water fountain take time to think about

just how very important that simple act is for you. Without water your body fails and it does not take a long time…about a week for most adults and you will be in serious trouble. Your body will begin to have problems even after a couple of days without water. The water you take into your body also needs to be clean, not necessarily purified, but free of harmful contaminants. Without that little added necessity you will likely not get much work done and will need to be very close to a bathroom.

And the water we play in (recreational) and get food from, hopefully is maintained in a clean enough manner that also does not cause illness or problems. The need for ample amounts of clean water for manufacturing use also is very important when you think about water. In Waco, we have several companies that rely upon a clean water source to operate and without it would likely be located elsewhere. By now, you surely get the point of this message. We need ample amounts of clean water in order to live and for our community to be vibrant and afford us a good quality of life.

My father, a farmer, often reminded me of this. His family farmed in Central Texas, southeast of Austin, for more than 100 years. When we were in the fields, we would often talk about the importance of taking care of the soil and water. He urged me to think about us only “boring” or “being allowed to use” the incredible resources of soil and water because others will follow us and they should be given the same opportunity of ample clean and fertile soil and water, too. He would sometimes strongly say that it is our responsibility to care for and respect these resources, not destroy them.

We are fortunate our early community leaders saw to it to make sure we have an ample supply of water. We are VERY fortunate in that regard! Just look at what a lack of water supply was, and is, doing in the southeastern part of the United States this year. We are also fortunate our current community leaders, the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce and others are taking an active approach to assure the ample supply of water we have is ALSO CLEAN. Examples of which are the new City of Waco water filtering plant soon to go on line, the Waco Wetlands project, the Baylor experimental aquatic research facility and the adamant urging of appropriate agencies to monitor the

Bosque River(s) watershed and Lake Waco. Smart growth, which is what I strongly believe communities should promote instead of just any growth, has to involve an aggressive approach to maintaining our precious resources, with water being high on the list of those we need to protect actively, or as the saying goes we may have “water, water everywhere but not a drop to drin!”■

Bicyclists from around the country find Waco’s cameron Park the ideal place to enjoy their sport.

Phot

o co

ures

y of

city

of W

aco

Parks, river are treasures

WACOCHAMBER.COM | 1

SUMMER 0 8

Exceptional Green Business Practices • Waco We D.I.G. • Economic Development Update

in America

GreenChamber building

First

8 | SUMMER 08 WACOCHAMBER.COM | 9

Caterpillar LogisticsThe open space of a cavernous

warehouse presents certain lighting challenges. The requirements of illuminating such a large open area can be expensive so when older, less-efficient lights are replaced with “greener” options it can be a huge money saver.

The Caterpillar Work Tools lease located at the former General Tire facility occupies 975,000 square feet of space that was built in the early 1970s. The area originally was fitted with traditional high bay lighting using 400-watt high-pressure sodium fixtures that produce a color rendering index of only 22.

Gordon Robinson whose Waco Distribution Centers, Ltd. owns the building, worked with Caterpillar in getting the facility converted to a brighter, lighter and much more energy efficient option—T5 fluorescent bulbs with occupancy sensors.

With about 650,000 square feet already converted, the warehouse now uses its energy more efficiently, said Robinson.

The 1,200 new T5 fluorescent bulbs that have been installed so far have a color rendering index of 85 and more resemble natural lighting. With a wide-open reflector, these fixtures are 25 percent more efficient because more of the light is useful.

All the new fixtures have light detectors to take advantage of the skylights in the warehouse, said Robinson. Motion detectors turn off the lights when workers are not present.

The retrofit has been so successful from a savings standpoint that Caterpillar has

McLennan Community CollegeMcLennan Community College

is continually working toward its sustainability goals as it constructs three buildings. MCC is implementing measures that will qualify all three buildings for certification by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED™) Green Building Rating System.

The 96,000-square-foot Classroom Building, set to open in March, will become a dominant feature of campus with its 25 classrooms, 40 faculty offices, two computer labs, several small study rooms, a new lecture hall and a new bookstore.

At 102,000 square feet, the new Science Building, set to open in August 2009, will be the largest structure on campus, as well as the most technologically up-to-date with 12 classrooms, 14 labs, 17 offices and a greenhouse.

The Emergency Services Education Center (ESEC), located off campus at Steinbeck Road, is set to open next June. MCC partnered with the city of Waco to build this 49,000-square-foot facility, which will house several of MCC’s human services programs and will provide a central location for training regional police, fire and emergency medical professionals. The ESEC will include a two-story training building and six-story burn tower for simulated fires.

The building uses natural light and solar panels, a geothermal HVAC system, environmentally friendly flooring, low-flow water fixtures, dual-flush toilets and recycled wood products. Wood from trees that were cut down during construction will be recycled into furniture and mulch for landscape. Rainwater also will be collected into storage tanks for use in a fountain and landscape watering.

Mars Snackfood USMars Snackfood US initiated early this year an innovative

program for capturing methane gas from the local landfill to power the steam boilers in its Waco plant.

The facility that makes Skittles®, Starburst® and Snickers® is collecting the naturally produced methane, a renewable energy source that would otherwise go wasted, and using it to gain a competitive edge in the world economy.

This project had the effect of reducing annual greenhouse gas released into the atmosphere by an amount equal to the emissions from more than 1,900 vehicles, reducing oil consumption by 24,000 barrels per year, or planting 2,300 acres of forests. The annual energy savings is equivalent to heating 2,700 homes.

“These savings translate into greater efficiency for our plant, and ultimately a more sustainable operation in Waco, a good thing for both the city and our business,” said Todd Lachman, president of Mars Snackfood US.

Available quantities of methane will cover approximately 60 percent of the Waco plant’s total boiler fuel requirements for the next 25 years, and MARS anticipates an energy savings of more than $500,000 annually.

TheGreenStandardWaco is on its way to becoming

known as Texas' green, livable city.What does this mean as

communities are competing for jobs and businesses are vying for customers? It means the gap between being green and making green is closing, and businesses and communities can gain an advantage by the way they manufacture goods, construct buildings and operate on a daily basis.

What was once financially prohibitive is now smart business–both from bottom line and environmental standpoints.

Going green has gotten cheaper now that more earth-friendly materials are readily available, and any investment in energy savings is a must.

It's happening here. Green construction is taking place all over town, and businesses are taking what they do to the next level–a more environmentally responsible level–recognizing a slight cost increase pays off later.

Read on for a look at what's going on here and watch the Waco Chamber & Business Quarterly for more to come.

by Lesly Rascoe, Vice President, Communications

The fixtures with T5 fluorescent bulbs shown here have a light detetector to turn off when the skylight provides sufficient lighting.

The presses at Central Texas Printing stay busy producing "green" printed materials.

The 96,000-square-foot Classroom Building at McLennan Community college is expected to meet gold LEED™ standards.

Mars Snackfood US officials show the release of methane, a renewable energy source, that will be used to power the steam boilers at its Waco plant.

decided to retrofit the remaining 325,000 square feet of the building, which will result in about 300 more new lights.

The T5 bulbs, which are installed in sets of four for about $300, are far more expensive initially compared to the high-pressure sodium bulbs at $90 each, but the pay off is evident, said Caterpillar facility manager Bob Christensen.

“Caterpillar is big into environmental measures and energy savings, and we estimate a pay back on this investment in about two years,” he said.

Caterpillar also is going green with its new distribution center, which will be built and operated with sustainable development principals as a focus.

Motion sensors and side lights will reduce the use of indoor lighting. Water conservation measures and efficient heating and cooling systems are aimed at attaing a

LEED™ certification. The building will be Greater Waco's

first green distribution center and is in line with the company's new sustainable facilities policy that requires design and construction to minimize adverse environmental impact, yield life-cycle economic benefits and demonstrate a commitment to sustainable operations.

This policy is the first enterprise initiative in support of sustainable facility design and applies globally to all new Caterpillar facilities or greenfield sites. Plans are underway for more than a dozen new facilities designed to comply with the policy. Glazer's

Glazer’s Wholesale Distributors in Texas Central Park has experienced a significant savings since they retrofitted the lighting in their warehouse, offices and restrooms.

“We installed a new lighting system in January 2007, and we have seen significant savings to say the least, about $4000 per month," said branch manager Jon Lamar. "When they told me that we would pay for the system in 18 months, I quite frankly was a little skeptical, but we have paid for it in about a year."

The seven-year-old facility’s 350 high wattage bulbs were replaced with T5 high output reflector fixtures significantly reducing the kilowatt usage and improving the lighting.

“Glazer's decided to do this for two reasons: financial savings, because we are all trying to find ways to save money, and to reduce our carbon footprint, which is very important to a company the size of ours,” said Lamar.

Central Texas PrintingCentral Texas Printing is the only

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified printer in Greater Waco. For a printer, this means your products promote responsible management of the world’s forests. Only around seven percent of the world’s forests are FSC-certified.

The printing process involves every one from foresters to printers creating a chain-of-custody accountability system in which each participant is certified. Baylor University is requiring all of its printing to be FSC-certified with a designated seal. The Greater Waco Chamber prints on FSC-certified paper and many of its printed products carry the seal.

Central Texas Printing became FSC-certified earlier this year and is one of only 48 certified printers in Texas. Many of the certified printers in Texas are in larger cities.

According to Chip Allen at Central Texas Printing, it costs a little extra to print on FSC-certified paper, but with larger companies beginning to “go green,” the extra cost is well worth it.

“Currently, larger cities use more of the FSC printing, but we’re here now and more people are starting to hear about it in Waco,” said Allen.

Phot

o co

urte

sty

of M

CC

Phot

o by

Lau

ra S

orre

ll

Photo by Brett Jameson / BNC Imaging

Phot

o by

Les

ly R

asco

e

10 | SUMMER 08 WACOCHAMBER.COM | 11

AZTEC Solar SolutionsAZTEC Solar Solutions, Waco’s new

solar energy system dealer, will help residential and commercial buildings turn sunshine into energy beginning in late August.

The size and price of the solar panel systems depends on how much energy the building requires. An energy audit is done to determine size of the system needed.

“It is more like how much you want to save," said Don Dameron, owner of AZTEC Solar Solutions. "That’s why we do the energy audit.”

According to Dameron, the sun's peak hours are from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The panels are used to capture solar energy, and excess energy is pushed to the state's electric grid. In some cases, credits can be earned to offset electricity costs for night time hours.

Dameron also said that the earth receives more energy from the sun in an hour than the world uses in an entire year. That is one reason why solar panels are becoming more efficient, cheaper and reliable.

Green homesRay Smith’s Robinson

home is part of the new trend of “green” residential construction with a focus on energy efficiency.

Built by Echterling Builders, the home was insulated with an expandable spray foam that cuts energy bills in half, said Burt Echterling, who builds only “green” homes now.

The Icynene Insulation System was installed by Robinson-based E-6 InSEALation Company. In addition, the 14 SEER heat pump was reduced from a four-ton unit to a 2.5-ton unit due to the foam insulation.

The home also has a tankless propane water heater so that hot water is not stored. The savings that result from eliminating

Green residential construction applies energy efficient principals that result in savings for the homeowner.

Don Dameron, owner of AZTEC Solar Solutions, will make solar panels available soon in the local market.

energy lost from warmed water sitting in a tank can be as much as 10 to 20 percent.

The home is lit with only compact fluorescent bulbs, and the new LED technology is used for the recessed lights to meet the requirements of the Energy Star’s Advanced Lighting Program.

Also, a water collection reservoir under the vanity sink allows water to be reused from the lavatory to flush the toilet.

Tate Christensen (left) president of Barsh Construction and Keith Bailey, principal architect at RBDR Architects, designed and built the Greater Waco Chamber headquarters.

Barsh Construction RBDR Architects

The Greater Waco Chamber's new green headquarters was designed by RBDR Architects and built by Barsh Construction.

RBDR also designed the Hampton Illinois branch library in Dallas that is projected to attain LEED™-certification.

Barsh Construction followed the specifications designated in the LEED™ guidelines at the gold level for the Chamber building. Clearing wall cavities before sealing, steam cleaning the floors before laying carpet and keeping the site free of contaminants were some of the ways Barsh managed the project to meet LEED™ standards. ■

Phot

o co

urte

sy o

f AZT

EC S

olar

Sol

utio

ns

Phot

o by

Les

ly R

asco

e

Phot

o by

Lau

ra S

orre

ll GreenKudosKeep Waco Beautiful Awards

Keep Waco Beautiful recognized the efforts made by individuals, groups, schools, organizations and businesses to enhance their community and protect the environment in an annual Partners in Pride Award Reception in May.Custodian of the Year Henry Lopez, Viking Hills ElementaryBeautificationBest in Category Rev. (Councilman) Wilbert Austin and NeighborWorks Waco, Pastor’s Painting ChallengeRecognized The Schwartz Family, Red River Garden ProjectRecognized University High School Student Council, Purple & White GardenRecognized G.L. Wiley Middle School Life Skills Students, Pond ProjectCleanup and Litter PreventionBest in Category Rapaport Academy, Quinn Campus RestorationRecognized Bill Louge Juvenile Justice Center Community Service ProgramEnvironmental EducationBest in Category Woodway Elementary second grade, Monarch Butterfly Garden & Monitoring Station ProjectRecognized Heart of Texas Master Naturalists, Marsh MadnessEnvironmental AwarenessWaco Tribune Herald, also received the first place media award from Keep Texas Beautiful in DallasRecyclingBaylor University Sustainability Program, Campus Go Green Recycling Initiative“Go Green” Business AwardGreater Waco Chamber of CommerceEnvironmental Achievement AwardCity of Waco, Waco Wetlands/Solid Waste Recycling Innovations/Parks & Recreation Education Programs/Water Utilities Storm Drain Program/Landfill’s MARS projectCommunity Volunteer of the Year McLennan County Master GardenersRising Star Recycling AwardAndrew Guiterrez, Crestview Elementary, 6,000 pounds of paper recycledThe Goldie Gretchen EichenbergSturgis AwardMichael GoldenbergMcMillan AwardRobert Gordon

Business Award The RestoreCity Award City of WacoVolunteer of the Year Elaine Alexander, MCC Environmental Education InstructorPublic Education Timothy Wenk, The Magic of RecyclingFounders’ Award Shirley BlantonPresident’s Award Robert GordonPartners in Education Atmos Energy

The employees of Atmos Energy are a Partner-in-Education with Crestview Elementary. which successfully recycled more than 120,000 pounds of paper products during their annual paper recycling campaign. Crestview was recognized as the No. 1 campus in Waco ISD for their recycling efforts. Atmos employees made several trips a week to load and transport the paper products to Sun Bright Recycling.

Crestview Elementary participated in a nationwide 2008 spring recycling program that targeted mixed plastic products.

During this campaign, Atmos employees loaded and transported more than 10,000 pounds of recyclables to Sun Bright.Lift Truck Supply

The Toyota Foundation donated 75 cypress trees to the Robinson Industrial Park through Chamber member Lift Truck Supply.

The trees, made available through the Arbor Day Foundation, were part of a community grant aimed at beautifying industrial parks.Texas State Technical College Waco

Texas State Technical College Waco is distributing new phone books on a trade-in basis to recycle the outdated phone books.

According to Green Valley Recycling, if all Americans recycled their phone books for a year, it would save 650,000 tons of paper and free up two million cubic yards of landfill space. For every 500 books recycled, 17 to 31 trees are saved as well as 7,000 gallons of water. ■

12 | SUMMER 08 WACOCHAMBER.COM | 13

MESSAGE TO OUR MEMBERSMars Snackfood boasts green team's effortsby Darci Jo Harris, Chamber board member

Green is good business. That’s not a contradiction. Sustainable practices are becoming more common in the

workplace. Companies are focusing on reducing the impacts of their processes and employees on the environment. Greater Waco is front and center in this tide of change.

A quiet movement is underway in Waco area businesses toward sustainability. They are emphasizing a focus on waste elimination and new technologies and maximizing the use of raw materials tracking the costs of landfill shipments and utility expenses. Local companies also are encouraging and teaching their employees to recycle and diminish their daily water streams at work.

Sustainability focuses on lowering our daily impact on the environment—locally, regionally, nationally and throughout the world. It’s evidence of a connectedness among us all.

Typically, companies emphasize green practices for four primary reasons—the environment, their employees, their customers and their expenses.

Regardless of the details, it is clear we are having an impact on our local environment in Greater Waco—both positive and negative. The recent issues of coal-fired power plants and the Bosque River dairy operations have garnered the attention of our community regarding the effects air and water quality on business. In addition to the general health issues, one industry protecting the environment can help ensure safe resources for another.

If Greater Waco goes non-attainment—or exceeds the government-mandated standards—for air quality, it will be more expensive and difficult for businesses to operate in our area. If water quality is compromised, it affects all businesses, especially our key industries of food and beverage and pharmaceuticals.

People will seek out workplaces in healthy environments. From the shop floor to office buildings, a national effort is happening to improve work environments for all employees. Skilled and technical employees are in tight supply. While attracting the best talent, HR directors hear potential employees ask about the company’s green policies.

Additionally, customers are seeking companies and products that consider the environment. Traditional products and services are becoming more environmentally sensitive. Some of the fastest growing industries in the country are in green or “clean tech” areas of renewable energy, energy reduction and waste reduction. Companies in the Waco area are responding to the marketplace every day.

Finally, the bottom line is, well, the bottom line. Companies recognize that a decreased use of resources also can limit expenses. With increasing costs of fuel affecting the price of everything, cost containment is key to every business. Sustainable efforts can result in profitability.

The Greater Waco Chamber acknowledges the business impacts of sustainability. We have created the Waco

We Do It Green (We D.I.G.) initiative to promote sustainability in the business community. We will inventory local business practices, identify and promote resources to assist business, work to attract new clean industries and encourage the community to be leaders in new green practices. The market is moving rapidly in the green direction. It is not always clear for small business to learn how to “be green.” We will recognize best practices and help local companies connect to learn from one another.

We expect company efforts will help maintain the competitive cost of doing business in Greater Waco. We also look to achieve our recent Breakthrough Initiative of Greater Waco being recognized as one of the greenest cities in America. The business community will lead us there.

We also look forward to sharing our experiences at the Chamber. As we get settled into our new green headquarters, we will share with the membership the benefits of our new building and the new green practices we adopt—from recycling to using environmentally safe cleaning supplies. We hope you can get some ideas on “how did we do that.”

If you are interested in participating in the Waco We D.I.G. committee, contact Scott Connell at (254) 757-5636. E-mail at sconnell@wacochamber.com and tell us what your company does to be green.■

12 | SUMMER 08

WACO WE D.I.G.by Scott Connell, Senior Vice President, Strategic Development

The Chamber's green committee is ready to dig in. Some of them are Scott Connell, Greater Waco Chamber; Sherri Street, Keep Waco Beautiful; Rick Tullis, Capstone Mechanical; Megan Miller, City of Waco Solid Waste Services; and Kris Riley, Sunbright Paper.

Phot

o by

Jill

Dav

is

As most of you know, MARS Snackfood proudly makes some of America’s favorite brands right here

in Waco. SNICKERS®, SKITTLES®, and STARBURST® are as we like to say, Waco Made and Texas Proud!

Our success at this site during the past 30 years is largely due to the passion of our associates in producing high quality products and partnership with the community to enhance the quality of life for all.

In May, we celebrated one such partnership, the start-up of an important sustainable energy project here at the plant. This project involves collection of naturally produced methane gas from the City of Waco’s landfill. Working closely with the city, county, state and federal governments, we are now piping the gas to the plant where it is helping to produce steam in the boilers. In fact, by burning methane gas we will be able to reduce our reliance on natural gas by 60 percent and save more than $500,000 every year.

Yes, the methane gas we receive from the City’s landfill is reducing our costs, and make no mistake about it, in today’s world reducing energy costs is a critical business priority. My colleagues at the Chamber know exactly what I am talking about. But more importantly, these savings translate into greater efficiency for our plant and

ultimately a more sustainable operation in Waco, a good thing for both the city and our business.

More than being a decision about the bottom line, this project is about taking responsibility for the future–for our business, for our associates and their children, for our community and definitely for our environment. In fact, the annual greenhouse gas reductions as a result of this project are equivalent to planting 2,300 acres of pine or fir forest. Burning methane gas in our boiler is like removing emissions of 1,900 vehicles from our roads, or preventing the use of 24,000 barrels of oil. Incredibly, the annual energy savings realized equates to heating 2,700 homes.

The best part about this project is that it is not simply a story about Mars alone. It is a story of deep commitment and concern by multiple partners at every level in government and the community throughout Texas and especially here in Waco. The success of this project serves as an incredible example of how public-private partnerships can work to benefit all and its success would not be realized without the assistance, partnership and cooperation of the community and its leaders.

We are proud to live and work in a community that has embraced our desire to innovate, and likewise, appreciate the

opportunity to learn from so many in the community, including the Chamber, which continues to serve as an outstanding resource and strategic partner for the entire community and for businesses large and small.

Congratulations Waco on being a leader on the issue of sustainability and for being such a great partner on initiatives about which others must certainly be “green” with envy. ■

Harris is the Waco plant manager for Mars Snackfood US and serves on the board of the Greater Waco Chamber.

HARRIS

14 | SUMMER 08 WACOCHAMBER.COM | 15

Open!We’re

The Greater Waco Chamber swung its new doors wide open June 6 to hundreds of members, supporters,

community leaders and well-wishers.The much-anticipated new green

headquarters at 101 S. Third St. is now the marketing center for Greater Waco with 23 staff members and hundreds of volunteers.

Stately with its bronze dome and outdoor art, the Chamber is attracting local and out-of-town visitors who are dropping in to look around.

Public Relations Specialist Binti Feralles says most visitors ask what makes the building green while others want to see the Chamber Collection of local and regional art.

While construction is complete at the Chamber, this is only the beginning for the heart of the city.

The sound of construction at the neighboring Austin Avenue Lofts, the early stages of development at the new student

housing complex on Washington Avenue and the nearly complete renovation of the Hilton Waco suggest that this a new day for downtown.

Chamber president Jim Vaughan said that momentum is building in the three block area bounded by University Parks Drive, Franklin Ave, Fourth Street and Washington Avenue.

“We’re pleased to be in the hub of what appears to be a turning point for downtown,” said Vaughan. “We talk about spurring a Billion Dollar Decade of Development, but when that talk turns into a functioning building for the Chamber and moving dirt all around us, clearly the vision is becoming reality.” ■

Rick Brophy, David Lacy, Don Moes, Terry Stevens, Bob Davis, Tom Salome, Johnny Mankin, Dr. Roland Goertz and Jim Vaughan cut the ribbon for the new Chamber building.

by Lesly Rascoe, Vice President, Communications

ROOFThe first living roof in Greater Waco is

planted with varieties of sedum that require little water and maintenance. The 1,750-square-foot living roof reduces the urban heat island, absorbs air pollution, collects airborne pollutants and stores carbon. Rainwater that would otherwise run off the site is retained in a cistern, and a solar-powered pump returns the water to the roof during dry periods. The Chamber’s 5,400-square-foot white roof is Energy Star®-rated and its reflective qualities will contribute to lower cooling costs and reduced energy consumption.

NATURAL LIGHTINGThe 9’ x 24’ skylight brings the outside

inside with superior winter and summer energy efficiency while transmitting diffuse daylight. This high-performance translucent product—combined with a light well—allows natural sunlight to illuminate both first and second level workspaces. Most staff areas receive natural lighting through the skylight and the building’s 40 insulated windows.

ENERGyA grant from Green Mountain Energy is providing a 9.6 kilowatt

solar array on the roof of the building. The 48 photovoltaic solar panels will offset the building’s annual electrical usage by 6.5 percent and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 26,500 pounds. That’s as much CO2 emissions avoided as 1,500 trees would absorb in one year.

The building was designed to consume 22 percent less energy than typical new construction, and the Chamber is proud to set the standard for innovative ways to utilize cleaner, renewable technologies.

LEEDTM

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED™) program of the U.S. Green Building Council is a third-party certification and nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.

The Chamber building was designed to earn LEED™ certification at the gold level.

The Chamber’s headquarters at 101 S. Third St. replaces an asphalt parking lot that was earlier part of the original Waco square. The Chamber and city recognized the site’s potential as a live, work and play environment that is now being realized.

FSC-CERTIFIED WOODMillwork and furniture in the Chamber

building is Forest Stewardship Council-certified.

The council sets high standards that ensure forestry is practiced in an environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable way.

WATERWater-efficient landscaping and plumbing

and low-flow faucets, waterless urinals and dual-flush water closets are designed

to conserve resources. A shower also is available for employees who prefer to walk, run or ride their bike to work as another energy-conservation measure.

LOW V.O.C.The paint and carpet in the

building is low-V.O.C. (volatile organic compounds). This translates into fewer emissions and a healthier indoor work environment.

The sustainable carpet system was aired out for a week before being brought into the building, and the floors were steam cleaned before installation.

TILEVisitors to the building will walk on

glass in the gallery and first floor corridor.The unique surface manufactured by

Texas-based EnviroGLAS is made of multi-colored glass chips from discarded bottles, mirrors and plate windows. The durable floor is colorful and attractive while adding another product made from recycled material in the building.

Develop the Region’s WorkforceAddress quality and capacity issues facing institutions providing education and workforce training.The Chamber’s committees meet with local educational institutions at the building to create and promote programs that develop the region’s future workforce, support public schools, expand community and technical colleges, establish new linkages with Baylor University and explore a state university.

Change Perceptions of Greater WacoBuild awareness of Greater Waco’s diverse and growing economy and outstanding quality of life based on what We Do—aviation, advanced manufacturing, health care and wellness, professional services, logistics, higher education and creating a green, livable city.Opening the first green Chamber building in America in Waco will generate positive publicity and make lasting impressions on both professional guests and tourists.

Revitalize Strategic Community AreasDowntown and older business and residential neighborhoods are important and need special attention.The Chamber’s new building in the heart of the city is stimulating construction in a three-block area that is part of a Billion Dollar Decade of Development for downtown. The Chamber’s traditional neighborhood development task force meets at the building to advocate development in key areas and realize the potential of the Brazos River corridor and East Waco.

Phot

o by

Jill

Dav

is

14 | SUMMER 08 WACOCHAMBER.COM | 15

Build a Culture of ImplementationMobilize community leaders and resources to implement the Challenge Greater Waco strategic plan and all of our goals.More than 200 businesses and individuals joined the call to turn a vision into reality and invest in the future of Greater Waco by building a new Chamber headquarters to develop and empower a new generation of leaders.

Grow WacoIncrease funding for strategic and economic development programs to attract the businesses and jobs of the future and help existing companies grow.The new Chamber headquarters serves as the marketing center where prospective investors are introduced to Greater Waco. These relationships lead to quality job growth and increased community wealth.