IBM SBUG Notes

General Details

May 18, 2011
IBM Almaden Research Center, San Jose
Event:Sustainable Business User Group (SBUG) Meeting
Speaker: Michelle Mesler (IBMs Environmental Engineer in Real Estate Site Operations)

At the meeting, speaker Michelle Mesler spoke about IBM's pathway to sustainability. 2011 is the 25-year anniversary of IBM's Research Center Site. IBM has approximately 3000 employees and operating locations in Almaden, Austin, Watson, Brazil, Zurich, Haifa, India, China, and Tokyo. It's newest laboratory is in Melbourne, Austrailia.

Almaden's Research Site Mission

  • History
    • IBM opened it's first west coast lab in 1952 at 99 Notre Dame in San Jose (now a historical landmark, where magnetic storage system was invented).
    • In 1957, IBM moved it's manufacturing site to Cottle Road in San Jose, which continued to grow and needed an environment that fostered creativity.
  • IBM's site mission is to become IBM's focal point for storage, database, and data-related research.
  • Science and technology (nanotechnology, spin physics, and photoresists), computer science (content management, human-computer interaction, text analytics, healthcare informatics), services science, storage systems.

Almaden Research center-Site Consideration

  • The site was selected for its proximity to Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley. Many employees live in close proximity to the facility, minimizing transportation impacts. It is also a short drive from IBM's Silicon Valley Lab (a dedicated software laboratory).
  • The objective was to create a warm innovative, creative facility that reflected the utmost technology at the time; and was integrated with the environment (i.e. the site building is a blue-green sort of color to better harmonize with the local oaks, the exterior is low to decrease impact on neighbors).
  • Lab wings were designed with window offices on the outside and labs in the interior. Providing as much outside awareness as possible and reducing energy use for artificial lighting.

IBM's Site Improvements since construction

  • Energy Conservation
    • Solar film on windows to reduce office temperatures near windows.
    • Reflective solar glass to minimize heat.
    • Reduce lighting hours.
    • New energy efficient lighting (LED technology).
    • New energy efficient air compressors.
  • Water Conservation
    • Reuse of lab waste water in the site cooling tower.
    • Low flow fixtures in restrooms.
    • Landscaping projects to reduce exterior water use (low flow irrigation, replaced controllers; taking out shrubs and grass, use of drought tolerant native plants).
  • Solid Waste Collection
    • Compost green waste.
    • Compost food waste.
    • Sort recycling materials (glass, plastic, metal, wood, cardboard, etc.).
  • Green cleaning
    • Sustainable cleaning products.
  • Emissions reduction
    • Replaced or modified emergency generators with diesel.
    • Placed controls on boilers.

IBM's smarter building coming to Almaden

  • Applying technology and sensors throughout the building will improve efficiency and productivity in the building.
  • Interconnect software with analytics to gather data and drive energy saving through proper maintenance.
  • IBM purchased a software company called TRIRIGA (Las Vegas, Nevada) to install sensors and put in software to realize energy savings, lower carbon emissions; some of the systems we will look at is the HVAC lighting, security, metering, plumbing and even outside weather is being taken into consideration.

Leadership in energy and environment design (LEED)

  • LEED is internationally recognized green building certification by the US Green Building Council based on 100-point system.
  • IBM falls under category for existing buildings and maintenance. Currently under review, doing a gap analysis to meet certification needs.

Implementation of ISO14001-- 2004: the environmental management system

  • In 1997, IBM became the world's first major multinational to earn a single worldwide registrant to ISO 14001 Environmental Management System standard (covers all manufacturing site, product design and development sites).
  • Enables consistency when doing review, sets the same standard for all
  • Set of rules that enable an organization to reduce its environmental impacts and increase operating efficiency.
  • Almaden research center was registered in December 2001, followed by the Silicon Valley center in May 2009. Surveillance audits occur every two years, schedule set by corporate environmental affair staff.
  • Proud of ISO 14001 Environmental Management System.

EMS objectives and Target for 2011

  • Foundation for EMS is IBM corporate- set objectives to meet, next implementations, training and awareness, documentation; audits, how to monitor; if goals/objectives are met; management review (need support of upper management).
  • Improvements are continuous and everyone has a role to make EMS successful.
  • Hazardous waste.
    • Recycle at least 40% of hazardous waste stream (laboratory solvents, batteries, florescent oils go offsite for recycling).
  • Solid waste
    • 75% recycle rate is the target.
  • Energy
    • 4% conservation over previous years.
  • Water Use
    • 5% conservation over previous years.
  • Similar goals to last year (able to reduce 75% non hazardous waste, 43% hazardous waste, 18.6% water use (40% of water use goes to irrigation so due to cooler summer was able to save a lot on irrigation; use of low flow controllers) over previous years).

Voluntary Commitments and Recognition

  • Spare the air program with Bay Area Air Quality Management District.
  • Certification with the Wildlife Habitat Council for having a certified wildlife habitat program.
  • Eco-pass and shuttle service to light rail transportation for employees.
  • Bicycle locks available.
  • "Adopt-a-Creek" with the Santa Clara Valley Water District.
  • Green business certification with Santa Clara County Integrated Waste Management Division.
    • Employee PC/electronic take back and recycling events.

    Partnering with our neighbors-Wildlife @ Work

    • IBM purchased land in 1970s and wanted to maintain a lot of open space.
    • IBM's 650 acres of undeveloped land border 1,627 acre Santa Teresa County Park; in 1991 the Almaden Wildlife @ Work program was certified through the habitat council as a wildlife habitat and sanctuary with the park.
    • A lot of trails cross over from adjacent park; partner with the ranger for trail work days.
    • IBM's Silicon Valley lab, which is 1150 acres is also certified wildlife habitat. Activities include introducing wild turkeys and endangered burrowing owls. Volunteers monitor numerous onsite birdhouses (bird count, how many eggs? Etc.) in cooperation with Coyote Creek Riparian Station.

    Employee Green Team

    • Established in August 2008, Silicon Valley Laboratory already had established their own team for a number of years (their focus is to be a more green data center, since software development uses a lot of electricity).
    • Mission: We are a volunteer community of energy and environmental advocates striving to create and lead grass-roots efforts to reduce our carbon footprint at work.
    • Meet monthly, volunteers are employees in various departments who are very passionate.
    • Worked with cafeteria to reduce Styrofoam, but still haven't eliminated Styrofoam.
    • Earth day, earth week, we have education talks and walks, composting, workshops, inviting partners to come in and do different talks on green topics; we also do a lot of education and outreach on site or in the community (we go out to local elementary schools to teach what green means; had a field trip to the composting facility in Gilroy, etc.).
    • Encouraged employees to print less paper and do double sided sheets instead; in 2010 reduced 8% over 2009, in 2009 reduced 16.3% over 2008 for paper use.
      • Everyone has a role in what we can do to contribute.

    Challenges


    Lack of available funding

    • Finance people want to know what is the payback and how quick the payback is. For green practices, it usually takes a sizable investment up front, and it could potentially take more time to make money back.
    • Solar is one example, IBM was getting bids for solar-to cover the parking lot and rooftops-and the proposal made it to the top level of management for approval two years ago, but it was rejected. Each year, the team re-evaluates solar and tries to incorporate more business evidence to make a valid and persuasive argument for solar.
    • Requested for funding to eliminate green grass and put in native California plants and rock gardens (grass takes a lot of resources through high irrigation use), but money was diverted to green energy projects that could get more payback quicker.

    Maintenance and operations contractor

    • Last May, IBM turned its wastewater treatment facility over to its floor maintenance and operations contractor and there still exists some growing pains. They are pressured to cut costs as well, and some have the mentality to " run it until it breaks."

    Eliminating Styrofoam in the cafeterias

    • The Green Team at IBM tried to eliminate plastic and Styrofoam in the cafeteria. They came up with $68,000 as a cost figure and asked if IBM would subsidize the amount as part of the effort to eliminate the use of plastic and Styrofoam. Site management stated that they are having budget challenges as well and cannot subsidize at this point.
    • Will re-visit, but cannot do much without money. Currently offer plastic tumblers, re-usable washable cups, paper cups, and china first, but people will want to eat lunch in office (and take Styrofoam).

    Discussion after presentation

    • Labs and institutions look at the bottom line. Making a list of sustainable benefits and mapping how long it takes in dollars until each item benefits all 3 bottom lines is imperative.
      • Is done worldwide at IBM, prioritize different projects to be funded based on payback and how quickly; each year we have a wish list.
    • Perhaps including the softer aspects of benefits may help.
      • IBM incorporates softer aspects of the message such as well being benefits-fulfillment from participating in environment programs, exercise, and overall well-being.
    • There's a monetary benefit and softer benefit too in green projects (high visibility for IBM). Some companies were successfully able to derive monetary savings from a project for use in launching a new project.
    • With respect to energy, IBM gets rebates from PG&E and that money comes back to IBM's site for use in other projects.
    • IBM does not come to mind as the forefront of sustainable business practices, despite discussion here today. Marketing outreach may be an important tool to extend beyond dollars and cents to greatly enhance pitch. In a very large global corporate environment, its tough to feel overwhelmed, and marketing can have a very powerful impact.
    • Corporate contracts makes sure some products are of post consumer recycle contents, but there is no mandate; corporate sets goals about what kind of contents can go into manufactured products.
    • Roll up Styrofoam issue to corporate? Write into contract that requires vendors to have biodegradable compostable products.
    • EBay had a successful campaign to eliminate the use of Styrofoam at its company. EBay's green team started an ugly mug program and ran a company-wide contest. It really pushed Styrofoam use out of fashion, because individual ownership really internalized the concept. The result ended in people bringing mugs from home that is unique to each individual, effectively eliminating the need for Styrofoam and paper cups.