‘Waste Not; Want Not’ Has Been Part of Wren’s Culture From the Start
Wren specializes in physical security technologies and services for retail, education, healthcare and government facilities. The company’s solutions, including enterprise-class video management software, access control systems, security assessments, surveillance cameras and hardware, and professional services, enable organizations to protect people, assets and facilities, while empowering them with operational insights for better performance. Established in 1983 and headquartered in Jefferson City, MO, Wren is a member of the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO), the National Association of School Safety and Law Enforcement Officers (NASSLEO), and the National Retail Federation (NRF).
What are 2-3 Actual examples of things you are doing to be green?
Wren Solutions’ “no waste” culture has been an integral part of the company since it was founded in 1983.
One of the biggest steps our company has taken is the construction of our manufacturing and warehousing facility, built in 2003. The 86,000 sq. ft. building is constructed with pre-stressed concrete with foam insulation to provide lower heating and cooling requirements, and better insulating capability. As part of this green initiative, the building is equipped with an energy efficient geothermal ground source heating and cooling system that exceeds residential ENERGY STAR requirements, and uses heating and cooling units that operate at 15.3 to 19.5 SEER.
Within the new facility, Wren replaced 53 452-watt high intensity discharge (HID) metal halide light fixtures with 351-watt and 234-watt high-efficiency fluorescent lights on the factory floor, significantly reducing energy usage even further.
In addition, Wren reduces energy and material consumption by:
- Practicing load balancing to improve electricity efficiency
- Drawing water from an on-site well to reduce the drain on the city’s water supply
- Using renewable materials for product packaging
- Grinding up leftover plastic from the product manufacturing process and sending it back to the manufacturer for reuse
Practicing a company-wide recycling program
Wren Founder Cliff Wren in front of a bin of plastic byproducts left over from the manufacturing process. These materials are sent back to the supplier to be reused.
What have been some of the biggest challenges to going green?
Wren has not experienced many challenges around making its operations be more energy efficient. For most companies, the biggest hurdle may be one of education and changing habits. However, because our owners are firm believers in energy efficiency and reduced waste, etc., we didn’t have that challenge.
What positive results have you seen from going green?
In addition to the cost savings, being a green company has generated many positive results for Wren, its employees and its partners and customers.
Green Building:
- Fireproof and resistant to high winds
- Reduced maintenance
- Inexpensive to expand
Efficient Lighting:
- Brighter, more evenly distributed light improves factory floor working conditions
New Product Packaging:
- Better product protection
- Increased efficiencies in unpacking and assembling products
- Faster, more efficient installation for field technicians
Another positive result has been our ability over the years to produce high-quality products at competitive prices while conserving natural resources.
Have you noticed a cost savings and if so, how?
Tell us about your experience with the GBB.
Our experience has been very positive. We enjoy reading the great content provided by GBB and learning how other companies are addressing conservation.
