Tom's of Maine – Vincent Ferro – 2014

Goals

Vincent Ferro was brought in to assist Tom’s of Maine in making progress on its Goodness Report goals in waste, recycling, energy and carbon emissions.

Solutions

Ferro focused most of his efforts on saving energy at Tom’s of Maine’s toothpaste, deodorant and mouthwash factory in Sanford, Maine. He recommended three energy projects: on-site rooftop solar PV, office lighting upgrades to LED technology and a building control system. Ferro also helped the factory make progress towards a zero waste-to-landfill goal by identifying creative outlets for the company’s manufacturing waste.

Potential Impact

If completed, the solar PV system would be the largest solar array in the state of Maine and, in combination with the State of Maine’s renewable energy mandates, could change Tom’s of Maine’s electricity profile so that nearly 75 percent of electricity is generated by renewable energy sources. Ferro’s recommendations could reduce Tom’s of Maine’s electricity use by 45 percent and total building energy use by nearly 30 percent, eliminating over 200 metric tons of carbon emissions annually. In addition, Ferro arranged for no-cost factory evaluations in motor efficiency and an ASHRAE level II whole building energy audit to identify the next wave of energy saving projects at Tom’s of Maine. Ferro’s waste recommendations could divert nearly 30 tons of waste from landfills each year.