Crown expands sustainability practice at Brockton facility

22 Jul '14

3 min read

Crown is implementing even more “green” business practices at their new Brockton Facility. The new facility is slated to be fully operational in the fall of 2014, and will feature many new energy efficient technologies. Plant equipment was chosen not only for working efficiency, but for its ability to minimize impact on the environment.

High efficiency boilers running on natural gas are the lowest NOx emitting boilers available and feature specialized controls that ensure the highest level of burning efficiency. Instead of venting the heat created by these units, that heat will be captured, filtered, and then reused to heat the building.

The water filtration unit performs as a fully automated wastewater treatment and water recycling system that is chemical free and specifically engineered for laundry wastewater treatment and energy recovery. This system will reduce annual water consumption by an estimated 4,680,000 gallons a year.

The new rain water collection system features dual holding tanks with a total holding capacity of 32,000 gallons. Filtered rainwater will be used throughout the laundry, as well as for landscaping and maintenance. Not only does rainwater harvesting further reduce water consumption, but also alleviates excess storm water runoff. The roof has also been pre-wired for 55 square feet of solar panels which Crown will install in the second phase of their Green Roof Plan (to begin in the near future).

Lean manufacturing processes have incorporated many workflow systems in order to increase efficiency and reduce waste. The new garment sorting system will electronically account for all incoming, processing, and outgoing items at the touch of a button. The old sorting system will be repurposed as the stockroom’s inventory management system, ensuring that Crown will instantly know the exact size, color, and sku of any item in stock.

Quality control is being moved to the front of the plant, and will be the last stop before items are readied for the delivery trucks. This new position highlights the importance of quality in the Crown service model and ensures that vigilant human eyes inspect items before they are delivered.

Crown’s commitment to the environment has not gone unnoticed. In 2012 Crown was awarded the distinguished “Green” award from the City of Boston, recognizing Crown's exemplary performance in water conservation, energy efficiency, and waste reduction.

They are certified by the Sustainable Business Leader Program. Crown is Clean Green Certified and Hygienically Clean Certified by the Textile Rental Services Association and is the only commercial laundry in New England to have two facilities certified from the Healthcare Laundry Accreditation Council.

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