REI - 2011

Koji Kitazume and Jake MacArthur spent their summers as EDF Climate Corps fellows based at the REI Headquarters in Kent, WA. MacArthur focused his efforts on energy efficiency at the cooperative’s headquarters while Kitazume primarily worked on projects at the distribution centers, located in Sumner, WA and Bedford, PA.

REI previously participated in EDF’s Climate Corps in 2010 and has a cross-functional energy team working to improve energy efficiency throughout the cooperative. The Corporate Social Responsibility team works to reduce the impact of corporate facilities while the Retail Energy Manager focuses on the retail locations. REI evaluates projects according to strict financial guidelines, evaluating them against other business investment opportunities. Following on the heels of the 2010 fellow’s work identifying opportunities, REI hired the 2011 fellows to provide detailed analysis and move projects forward towards implementation. Both fellows evaluated past recommendations, identified new opportunities, conducted financial analyses and contacted vendors.

At the Bedford Distribution Center, Kitazume proposed a sensor-based wireless lighting solution, demand response and a robust monitoring system to enable improved energy management. MacArthur proposed a broad range of projects at the headquarters, including energy star equipment upgrades, vending machine misers and multiple sensor-based wireless lighting projects. In addition, the fellows helped to chart a roadmap for future improvements and assisted with green power purchasing. In total, on an annual basis, the projects could cut 490,000 kWhs and save $53,000 and 490 metric tons of CO2.