Businesses Commit to Sustainability

From catastrophic wildfires in California to hurricanes in the southeastern U.S. to destructive storms and tornadoes in Iowa, the impact of greenhouse emissions is becoming difficult to ignore.

Following concerns regarding climate change and escalating energy costs, some Urbandale businesses are fundamentally changing how they consume energy, reaping significant financial benefits.

Homemakers Furniture is a company that has made a serious commitment to sustainability. In 2022, Homemakers flipped a switch and brought to life a 250,000-square-foot solar panel array at their retail building in Urbandale, making it one of Iowa's largest private solar arrays.

Clarissa Merschman, Project Specialist for Homemakers, says solar panels produce 1.8 million kW of energy annually, providing 44% of Homemakers annual energy needs. "Not only does this make sense from a business perspective, but we can rest easier knowing we are making an effort to positively impact our footprint."

While Iowa is considered the nation's second-largest producer of wind power, alternative renewable energy solutions may be more practical in suburbs like Urbandale.

State lawmaker John owned Medicap Pharmacy in Urbandale for over 40 years. When he built his current building, he saw the advantages of investing in geothermal heating, LED lighting, and solar panels. Forbes recouped his investment in eight years through energy savings and the application of government tax credits. Those tax credits, along with the significant energy savings, made the company very attractive to buyers. "The solar panels save over $6,000 annually," says Forbes. “Geothermal heating and LED lighting save even more."

Van Meter, Inc., has taken a different approach. It has worked to make its Urbandale office energy efficient and has been identified as one of several Urbandale companies that occupy LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified buildings. Van Meter sells traditional electrical services, products, solar panels, and wind turbine monitors to individuals and utility companies across the Midwest.

Mark Craft manages Van Meter's Smart Devices and Power Control department. "As an employee-owned company, we look at these services first from the financial perspective but also to create a better experience for our customers and employees."

For some organizations, the drive to reduce their carbon footprint is a moral imperative. In 2017, the United Church of Christ in Urbandale voted to uphold the Paris Pledge, committing to a 50% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030.

The church quickly exceeded that goal by installing solar panels and energy-saving products. Gordon Dunn, a former member of the Iowa Utility Board, was instrumental in developing the building's plans. According to Dunn, there was no question that church members would make this decision. "We have only one planet," says Dunn. "God is calling us to take care of our creation today."

Wayne Bruns is an Urbandale resident and a volunteer with Sustainable Urbandale. This article was previously published in Urbandale Living: https://www.iowalivingmagazines.com/urbandale-archives