Mack Trucks’ Macungie Cab & Vehicle Assembly facility has hired an Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) Climate Corps fellow for the third consecutive year to look for ways to save energy and develop an energy efficiency plan for the Macungie, Pa., facility.
As a result of the 2013 EDF Climate Corps project, the Macungie plant began implementing a multi-phase plan to install occupancy sensors, solar LED parking lot lighting and solar tubular skylights. Energy savings projections are 291 MW annually, which equates to 215.3 metric tons of CO2 saved per year. The majority of the EDF Climate Corps recommendations will be implemented by the second quarter of 2014.
EDF Climate Corps fellows are leading graduate students programs who are trained to work with companies, cities and universities where they work toward energy efficiency. Kara Jones, master of environmental management and master of business administration degrees candidate at Duke University, was the fellow assigned to work at Mack Trucks in 2013.
In addition to conducting a needs assessment, Jones also worked with Mack to advise the company about governmental rebates and tax credits that are available to help fund the energy saving initiatives.
Macungie Cab & Vehicle Assembly also participates in the U.S. Department of Energy Better Plants program and pledged in April 2013 to reduce its energy intensity by 25 percent during a 10-year period. The plant is supporting the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Climate Savers goal to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
