Catawba County

• Ranked in the top five counties within North Carolina for recycled materials for the last six years.
• Created a buy recycled policy for all departments, employees, and buyers.
• Tracks the annual purchases of recycled content goods and products.
• Asks all staff to turn off their electronic equipment when they leave work.
• Operates 12 hybrid vehicles.

Catawba County Schools

• Will be constucting Snow Creek Elementary with new energy efficient materials. These materials will allow Snow Creek to operate 40 to 45 percent cheaper than the last elementary school that was constructed, which was built in 2006.

Emergency Services

• Printing only when necessary.
• Office staff in all divisions car pool when possible.
• Staff in all divisions shut down electrical devises when not in use.
• We are all trying to reduce our travel by leveraging technology when possible.
• We are working with the (UASI) Urban Area Strategic Initiative to connect the 9 counties together through the use of teleconferencing. This will allow many possibilities that will result in reducing the need for face to face meetings.
• The office has been working with budget to find a hybrid solution for our fleet. So far we have been unsuccessful but are still researching the topic. EMS is looking into a solar panel assist for the ambulances but we want to watch the success of a proto-type before moving forward. They will be watching it for the next year.
• We are in the process of completing a feasibility study regarding the animal shelter. The study will show new building versus addition renovation of the current structure. Regardless of the decision we are requiring the building be LEED certified.
• The animal shelter uses environmentally friendly chemicals to disinfect and clean the shelter. We also use recycled litter boxes for the cats.
• The fire Rescue division is currently scheduling inspections in geographical groups to reduce unnecessary travel and fuel consumption.
• All divisions recycle paper and other items when we can.

Finance Department

Purchasing Division

• Process electronic purchase orders to reduce printing and mailing costs.
• Purchase office supplies and products from a vendor that offers a green catalog.
• Request that all contractors and vendors within the County use materials that are environmentally friendly and dispose all of their unused materials in accordance with the regulations of the EPA or DEHR.
• Scan all county contracts into an imaging system to reduce printing costs.

Maintenance Division

• Replacing all T-12 light fixtures with T-8 fixtures (documentation shows the T-8 fixture is 40 percent more efficient) over serveral years.
• As incandescent light bulbs burn out, the division replaces them with the newer fluorescent energy saving light bulbs
• Schedule with all departments a time during the day when air conditioning units can be turned off to conserve energy
• Replaced T-12 lights with T-8s throughout the Government Center
• Installed low-flow sink aerators at the Government Center and Public Health
• In process of adding HVAC electronic controls (adjusted by laptop) at Government Center to improve efficiency - not to run system 24/7.
• Switched from electric boiler to gas boiler at Justice Center; in the process of doing the same at the Government Center.
• Work with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension to assure that the County continues to use environmentally friendly mulch, herbicides, and pesticides for all county facilities.
• Currently using biodiesel fuel - B10 and B20 blends where possible (this fuel is not available for all of our vehicles). Investigating the use of ethanol to replace unleaded gas the County currently uses.
• Built the county's first LEED certified school (most likely Silver status) - Snow Creek Elementary.
• Implemented a new work order tracking program that has reduced the departments use of paper and gas.