DOE Recognizes Four Seasons Produce as First U.S. ‘50001 Ready’ Facility

In June, DOE issued its first 50001 Ready recognition to Four Seasons Produce, Inc., for implementing an energy management system (EnMS) at its 266,000 square-foot fruit and vegetable refrigerated warehouse facility in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, resulting in a 2.1% improvement in energy intensity. Four Seasons Produce’s energy team was spearheaded by Randy L. Groff, Director of Facilities and Energy, and championed by Nelson Longenecker, Vice President of Business Innovation.

50001 Ready is the U.S. Department of Energy’s latest resource to support U.S. adoption of the ISO 50001 EnMS standard. The 50001 Ready program provides DOE recognition for facilities that self-attest to the implementation of a continuous improvement-based EnMS, as a no-cost way for organizations to build a culture of energy management according to the best practices of ISO 50001.

Four Seasons Produce was recruited by Ed Birch, a principal at Portland, Oregon-based environmental consultant Strategic Energy Group (SEG), to participate in 50001 Ready. To attain the designation, Groff worked through the 25 tasks outlined in the 50001 Ready Navigator, an online guide provided by the DOE with step-by-step instructions for implementing an EnMS using the ISO 50001 structure. Drawing from expertise from various departments throughout the company, Groff used the Navigator guidance to advance Four Seasons Produce’s business operations and organizational culture—finding the Continual Improvement tasks to be especially impactful in ensuring that practices and lessons learned from an earlier Continuous Energy Improvement (CEI) program were continuing to be properly implemented and leading to results.

Groff anticipates that ongoing engagement with 50001 Ready will help Four Seasons Produce identify no- and low-cost operational opportunities to reduce energy costs and drive continuous improvement in their energy performance. “We are excited to share with our customers and associates the news of our achievement of the 50001 Ready designation, to demonstrate our ongoing leadership in sustainability and hopefully continue to strengthen our competitive edge,” says Groff.

Since it moved into its Ephrata facility in 2004, Four Seasons Produce has been vigorously engaged in sustainability efforts to reduce energy costs and consumption. In 2009, the company was recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR program for being the first refrigerated warehouse to achieve their label. In 2012, Four Seasons Produce participated in a CEI program with PPL Electric Utilities Corporation, which set the foundation for a culture of energy management by establishing an energy policy, energy team, and energy reporting model.

50001 Ready is managed by DOE’s Advanced Manufacturing Office, and provides a self-guided approach for facilities to establish a structured energy management system in industrial, commercial, and institutional facilities. It is not a certification program, and does not require any third-party verification to receive recognition for establishing a business practice around energy consistent with ISO 50001. No matter how large or small your organization, 50001 Ready can be a key step to cutting costs and staying competitive in the marketplace. To find out more about the 50001 Ready program and how you can be recognized for implementing an EnMS at your facility, visit energy.gov/50001Ready.