Environmental Philosophy, Goals and Progress

The HOLT CAT® Environmental Philosophy is to provide solutions that protect people, preserve the planet and enable economic growth. We are providing work environments, products, services and solutions that make efficient use of the world's natural and sustainable resources and reduce unnecessary impacts on people and the environment, while integrating sustainability into our core businesses and helping our customers do the same.

We are leveraging resources to:

• Promote and protect individual safety and well-being;
• Provide employment, education and training;
• Minimize the use of energy, materials, water and land;
• Maximize recycling;
• Minimize emissions; and
• Optimize the use of renewable resources. 

Environmental Goals and Progress

Goal: All new HOLT CAT facilities will have buildings that meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) or comparable green building standards.

Progress:

• Sulphur Springs, Texas - A new HOLT Agribusiness location opened in the fall of 2012 in Sulphur Springs, Texas.  This 25,000 square foot facility replaces an older energy-inefficient building and will qualify for LEED GOLD Certification.  The building incorporates solar panels which are producing approximately 59 percent of the building’s total electricity usage, averaging about 318 kWh production per day.   Annually, this is equivalent to the CO2 emissions of 134 barrels of oil or 6,466 gallons of gasoline consumed (EPA Green Power Equivalency Calculator).  The solar panels are projected to have a 4-year payback time.
  
  
• Laredo, Texas  – This facility expansion is projected for completion November 21, 2012.  HOLT CAT will seek LEED GOLD certification at this location and will be installing solar panels.  Based on utility rebates, a tax credit and tax accelerated depreciation this solar system will pay for itself in seven years and will generate a net cash flow of $457,000 over its life.  This results in an IRR of 21.68%. 
  
  
• Austin, Texas Solar Install – With large incentives from Austin Energy, HOLT CAT will install a solar system at the Austin location.  Based on the utility rebates, a federal tax credit and tax accelerated depreciation this solar system will pay for itself in four years and will generate a net cash flow of $1,500,000 over its life.  This results in an IRR of 16.49%. 
  
  
• San Antonio, Texas - To expand our office, meeting and training facilities, HOLT CAT remodeled a defunct retail facility near our San Antonio Corporate Headquarters. The refurbished 22,000 square foot building opened as the HOLT CAT Training Center and Support Services in January, 2011.  The facility earned Gold LEED Certification by using renewable energy and building energy efficiency technologies.
  
  
• San Antonio, Texas - in early 2013 HOLT Pro Tech opened a new training facility at 4748 Southcross that is certified LEED Silver.  The 10,650 square foot facility features classrooms, teaching bays and a large engine troubleshooting lab.  HOLT Pro Tech offers Caterpillar-certified courses and trains Cat engine technicians from all over the world at the facility.

For further details and updates on HOLT's green building projects, click here.

Goal: All new and existing HOLT CAT facilities will participate in current company developed programs to protect the natural environment, reduce waste, reduce emissions and recycle materials.   

Progress:

• Annually, approximately 300,000 gallons of waste oil, 18,000 gallons of anti-freeze, and 400,000 pounds of oil filters are recovered from repaired trucks, equipment and engines and recycled company-wide.
• By switching to the use of low-volatile organic compound (VOC) paint in the repair and fabrication facilities’ paint booths, HOLT CAT has reduced paint-sourced VOC emissions by approximately 50 percent.
• Each HOLT CAT facility works directly with local recyclers to recycle scrap metal. Company-wide, HOLT CAT recycles approximately 7,400 tons of scrap metal annually.
• The company has taken steps to protect trees and streams bordering facilities by fencing off sensitive areas, preserving greenbelt areas to avoid run-off, and using arborists to monitor tree health.
• By upgrading to energy-efficient lighting at multiple facilities across Texas, HOLT CAT has reduced electricity use by 2.8 million kWh, reducing future power plant emissions by 5.1 million pounds of CO2, 17 thousand pounds of SO2, eight thousand pounds of NOx and 122 grams of Mercury annually.  This is equivalent to planting 821 acres of trees or removing 467 cars from the road each year.

For further information on HOLT CAT’s Environmental Programs, click here.

Goal: HOLT CAT will establish our environmental impact baseline and continually seek, develop and implement new programs to further reduce our environmental footprint and unnecessary impacts on people and the environment.

• HOLT CAT will conduct an analysis of resource use to determine our current environmental impact baseline and determine best practices for further reduction of our environmental footprint from this baseline.
• Throughout the company, office products and waste such as paper, cardboard and aluminum cans are recycled sporadically. HOLT CAT will implement company-wide programs to effectively recycle as much office waste as possible and to reduce waste by purchasing office products with recycled content when possible.
• HOLT CAT will create voluntary no-idle zones at each of our facilities, asking customers, visitors, suppliers and employees to avoid unnecessary engine idling. 

Progress:

HOLT CAT has won multiple awards recognizing our environmental protection efforts.

Air Quality Stewardship Award - Alamo Area Council of Governments

HOLT CAT was selected by the Alamo Area Council of Governments (AACOG) as the recipient of the 2012 Air Quality Stewardship Award in the Large Business category, in honor of the company's voluntary actions to improve air quality and the natural environment in general.  HOLT was recognized for achieving GOLD LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Certification for our renovated Training Center and Support Services Building in San Antonio, for extensive recycling of waste oil, anti-freeze, oil filters and scrap metal, and for upgrading to energy-efficient lighting at multiple facilities across Texas, equivalent to planting 821 acres of trees or removing hundreds of cars from the road each year.

Certificate of Environmental Achievement awarded by Safety-Kleen

HOLT CAT was presented with a Certificate of Environmental Achievement by our recycling partner, Safety-Kleen for annually recycling more than 300,000 gallons of used oil, antifreeze, and parts washing solvent and more than 400,000 pounds of used oil filters, avoiding 2,720 metric tons of CO2 emissions in 2011.

Recognition for Excellence in Environmental Preservation by CINTAS

CINTAS recognized HOLT CAT as being “Partners in Excellence in Preservation of the Environment and in Document Security” for our recycling of shredded documents in 2011. 

Our document recycling efforts resulted in the following positive environmental impacts:

357 Trees Saved
42 Barrels of Oil Saved
147,000 Gallons of Water Saved
63 Cubic Yards of Landfill Avoided

Winner of the  2011 North Texas Corporate Recycling Association gR³een  Whole Circle Award

HOLT CAT was the winner of this NTCRA award for our extensive recycling activities.  Each year, the company recycles approximately 300,000 gallons of used oil, antifreeze and solvent, 400,000 pounds of used oil filters, and 7,400 tons of scrap metal from our facilities across the state.

Recipient of National Clean Diesel Campaign Grant

In July 2012, HOLT CAT was selected as a recipient of a National Clean Diesel Campaign grant to help replace 5 older diesel trucks operating in Bexar County with new clean diesel trucks.  HOLT CAT partnered with the Capitol Area Council of Governments and multiple applicants to submit the winning grant application. This project will reduce diesel emissions by 24 tons of NOx, 1.2 tons of PM2.5, 2.4 tons of HC, 10.3 tons of CO and provide $64,100 worth of health benefits annually.

Idle Reduction Program

In the summer of 2012, HOLT CAT implemented an anti-idling program at all of our Texas facilities, directed at customers and employees.  For those counties in Texas that agree to adopt and enforce the state’s anti-idling laws, heavy-duty diesel vehicles in many applications are restricted to 5 minute idle limits.  HOLT has extended this policy to all of our facilities in Texas, whether are not it is required in the particular county in which the facility is located.  Informational signs and posters, stating the 5-minute idle limit have been posted in facility parking areas and in employee areas inside the facilities, to discourage customers and employees from unnecessary idling. 

Goal: HOLT CAT will assist our customers with implementation of their own sustainability programs.

Progress:

HOLT CAT provides numerous emissions-reducing products and services enabling customers to reach their own sustainability goals. Products include Tier 4 Interim clean diesel equipment and engines, diesel-electric equipment, after-treatment technologies to reduce emissions, engine upgrades and repowers, fleet emissions analyses, and incentive program information to support sustainability program implementation.

For more information on HOLT CAT Environmental Products and Services click here.