Clean Air partners laud local efforts

ELHART — Significant achievements in clean air and sustainability were honored Wednesday in Elkhart at Michiana Area Council of Governments’ (MACOG) 2024 Partners for Clean Air Awards Luncheon.

Award winners were Valmont Industries Inc., The Beacon Resource Center Inc. and South Bend Public Transportation Corporation (Transpo).

“Valmont exemplifies how manufacturing facilities can reduce waste and stabilize their long-term operating costs through clean energy. Both Transpo and The Beacon have demonstrated a sustained effort towards cleaner and more efficient operations across multiple projects,” said MACOG Executive Director James Turnwald said.

Valmont Industries Inc. is being recognized after opening its first sustainability-focused concrete utility pole manufacturing facility in Bristol.

The concrete manufactured within the facility utilizes slag steel, a byproduct of the steel making process, that helps eliminate the waste and decreases the amount of cement used in the utility poles. Valmont plans to transition all of its concrete utility pole facilities to incorporate this sustainable concrete formula. Further reducing emissions, a solar array located adjacent to the facility is intended to offset 100 percent of the electricity used at the facility. The array includes 70 single-axis trackers from Valmont’s solar product line, which produces up to 25 percent more energy generation than fixed-in-place tracking.

This Bristol facility is the first concrete utility pole plant built in the Northwest/Midwest region of the country, meeting the ever-growing demand of the area in replacing aging infrastructure and building a more resilient electric grid.

The Beacon Resource Center was recognized for energy efficiency and clean energy retrofits to their building, including a 40kw solar array system, an energy efficient HVAC system, and a new recycling program. The solar array and HVAC upgrades were made possible in large part by through the City of South Bend’s Energy Assistance & Solar Savings Initiative (EASSI) program. The City of South Bend provided an EASSI grant of $33,795. Other financial support included $17,000 from a foundation and a $1,500 rebate from Indiana Michigan Power. Additionally, The Beacon launched a recycling program in October 2023 partnering with the City of South Bend’s Smart Businesses Recycle initiative. This program introduced single-stream recycling, improved their waste management capabilities, and reduced overall waste generation.

“Our new recycling program has fostered a shift in waste consciousness among occupants and visitors. The program’s educational value holds significant importance, as it instills responsible waste management habits in all individuals, especially at a young age,” said David Hawkins, an AmeriCorps member serving at the Beacon.

“To be honest, solar wasn’t even on our radar before. The program helped us explore different energy efficiency upgrades and solar through an energy and facility assessment. Now our electricity use has dropped about in half,” said The Beacon’s Executive Director Jeff Walker.

Other future goals include renovating the existing 20,000 square feet of unfinished and unconditioned space, including a new energy efficient roof. For the next round of the EASSI program, the Beacon plans to install two new heat pump water heaters and an LED lighting upgrade in the renovated side of the building.

The South Bend Public Transportation Corporation was recognized for reaching a major milestone in transitioning to a cleaner burning compressed natural gas (CNG) bus fleet. In 2023, Transpo retired its last diesel transit bus and placed its 50th CNG bus in service. Transpo acquired its first 16 CNG buses in 2014. Transpo transitioned their fleet with financial support from Federal Transit Administration (FTA) discretionary grants, CARES funding, and the Indiana Volkswagen Environmental Mitigation Trust Fund. The decade-long effort to scale up CNG adoption was possible due to investment in a $4.4M fast-fuel CNG station which opened in 2015. The CNG facility was funded through the FTA, Indiana DieselWise program, federal funding through MACOG, and the City of South Bend. Transpo currently partners with the City of South Bend to share use of their fueling station. Transpo last received this award in 2011 for their LEED Platinum Transit Facility.

CNG buses mitigate local air pollution as they emit significantly less nitrogen oxides (NOx) which contributes to ground level ozone and its associated health risks for children, the elderly, and other vulnerable populations.

“Transpo is proud to operate a 100 percent CNG fixed route fleet. Moving from diesel to CNG has reduced Transpo’s overall maintenance, fuel and operational costs while improving efficiencies and supporting the organizational commitment to innovation and sustainability, said Amy E. Hill, Transpo’s General Manager and CEO.