Sustainability

Sustainability is broadly defined as being conscientious about the actions we take today to meet our current needs, without comprising the needs of future generations.

While it’s easy to discuss the concept of sustainability as an important goal for our society, it can be challenging to convert those goals in action. At Lee Company, we’re strongly committed to the responsibility that we have to sustainable development for both the employees of our company and to our environment.

Lee Company was the first Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) Green Contractor in Tennessee, a rare certification in our industry that is evidence of our commitment to sustainable practices.

The ABC Green Contractor Certification program not only requires focus and improvement of efficiency in our office, but also on our construction job sites. The program requires strict compliance with and documentation of sustainable practices, which are verified by an on-site visit from a third-party auditor.

Our commitment to the Green Contractor certification has led to a better work environment, increased morale, a reduction in pollution and waste, and the saving of energy, water, and raw materials.

So what are the specific actions we take to practice sustainability? Here’s a list of the many areas improved by this program:

Material Recycling

We are committed to recycling the following materials that are frequently used in our office:  Plastics, Glass, Aluminum, Paper, and Cardboard.  We also recycle all of the electronics used in our offices and even the motor oil from our company vehicles and equipment.

Paper Recycling

Lee Company encourages employees to minimize the general use of office paper through electronic distributing and archiving of documents. When required, we print on both sides of the document when possible, and we purchase recycled or managed-growth forest paper.

Environment

We source office supplies locally, provide filtered water stations, use washable tableware when possible, and use non-toxic biodegradable cleaning products.

Energy Efficiency

As one of our most-important areas of focus, we follow many energy-saving practices such as turning of lights and electronics when not in use for extended periods; installing motion detectors on light fixtures; using LED lights and eliminating all incandescent lamps; using “Energy Star” rated office equipment; and purchasing a portion of Green Energy produced through renewable sources.

Water Conservation

We’ve installed low-flow plumbing fixtures with motion sensors, waterless urinals in bathrooms, low-flow aerators on faucets, and monitoring systems for our irrigation systems.

Heating, Air Conditioning, and Ventilation (HVAC)

All of our high-efficiency heating and air condition systems use programmable thermostats to reduce energy use. In addition, we regularly inspect and maintain our air ducts and, insulate water pipes, and monitor our natural gas monthly usage.

Transportation

Lee Company has purchased and/or leases fuel-efficient work vehicles such the Toyota Prius and Ford Transit, and we also sponsor an Employee Commute Program with incentives for carpooling or using public transportation.

Construction

Lee Company follows dozens of energy-saving practices in our Construction Group that are focused on reducing our environmental impact in this industry, such as outlining and posting green initiatives; maintaining all sites in accordance with LEED regulations; diverting construction debris to landfills and incinerators; and purchasing materials manufactured within 500 miles when available.

As a member of key programs sponsored by your local power company and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), we commit to the design, installation, servicing, and promotion of high-quality energy efficient technologies. As an Energy Star Service and Product Provider (SPP) we meet strict requirements for the measuring and tracking of energy performance in commercial buildings. We also require our sub-contractors to follow sustainable practices as outlined in their contracts.