DAHLIN recently activated our newly installed photovoltaic system, another step towards the goal of net-zero energy. An approach to sustainability does not need to be novel to positively impact our community today and for future generations. As we look back on the past 14 years in our Pleasanton office, we see that our Passion for Place® has kicked-off and sustained a continuous commitment to integrating sustainable practices throughout our business operations.
Our current headquarters is a renovation of an old State Farm Insurance automobile claim center, renovated to LEED standards. It was specifically selected for its adjacency to the Dublin/Pleasanton BART Station and housing and services because it was important to provide our employees a convenient, sustainable commute. Building upon the sustainable aspects of our site selection and LEED certified renovation, we continue taking steps, big and small, over the past decade towards a holistically sustainable workplace. Here, are the highlights of our actions:
Recognizing that energy is one of many elements of sustainability, we are also seeking opportunities to reduce waste. We believe that 'recycle' should be our last option after 'reducing' and 'reusing' items. As such, we are reducing paper usage. For instance, we converted to a digital payment and invoicing system. We are also using cloud-based software to enable digital collaboration, editing, and drawing reviews, reducing the need to print. We have eliminated single-use plastics in our breakrooms replacing with compostable options. Even vendors doing in-house lunch presentations for our staff are provided with guidelines so that they can support our goals too.
Travel and the corresponding carbon emissions is another area of focus. We are actively improving the process for documenting, tracking, and analyzing metrics pertaining to staff travel between offices and job sites. We will apply the resulting analysis to minimize unnecessary travel, substituting it with virtual teleconferencing options, while offsetting our remaining necessary travel footprint.
As we monitor the performance of our practices, data will inform additional opportunities for sustainability-oriented improvements. Every positive step, however small, helps the community around us. We look forward to opportunities to partner with our clients to support their own sustainability goals as we push towards ours.
