In its continuing commitment to reduce overall carbon emissions across its properties, Bedrock, among Detroit's largest real-estate developers, on Apr. 22 announced an agreement with DTE Energy, a Detroit-based diversified energy company involved in the development and management of energy-related businesses and services nationwide, to acquire approximately 22,000,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) – or 22,000 megawatt hours (MWh) - of Michigan-made clean energy annually through DTE Energy's MIGreenPower voluntary renewable energy program.
"As the city's largest real-estate operator, we believe that it is imperative for us to take the lead in modernizing our properties as we look to reduce our overall carbon footprint," said John Guardiola, Senior Vice President, Engineering & Sustainability at Bedrock. "This partnership with DTE allows us to effectively expand our renewable energy strategy by providing access to new and sustainable energy sources."
According to a statement by the partners, beginning in 2023, approximately 22,000,000 kWh of Bedrock's total energy usage will be attributed to DTE solar farms, reducing the company's greenhouse gas emissions and offsetting an estimated 15,500 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually—or, the equivalent of decreasing the number of passenger vehicles on the road each year by 3,375 units.
"We are excited to welcome Bedrock to the rapidly growing list of major Michigan companies using our MIGreenPower program to meet their sustainability goals," said Trevor Lauer, president of DTE's electric company, who added, "As Michigan's leading producer of renewable energy, we are committed to increasing generation from wind and solar, which reduces carbon emissions and helps combat climate change. Enrolling in MIGreenPower accelerates the development of Michigan-made renewable energy, and we appreciate the strong support Bedrock and others have demonstrated by joining this program."
Bedrock says its MIGreenPower commitment will additionally enhance sustainability measures at the developer's Book Tower renovation and at its Hudson's Site development—which is currently pursuing full LEED certification.
"Committing to a sustainable future is our moral imperative," said Kofi Bonner, CEO of Bedrock. "Not only is it the right thing for us to do, but it represents an important opportunity for Bedrock to be a leader in sustainable efforts going forward. Our commitment to going green will not only reduce greenhouse gases regionally, but better support our local community, benefit our tenants and will enhance our ability to attract quality tenants."
Bedrock adds that its MIGreenPower commitment furthers the company's mission of powering a majority of its downtown properties using clean energy. The developer notes it has previously gained approval of the Detroit Chapter of the International 2030 District, a group aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of historical buildings by 50 percent, and new construction by 100 percent over the next 10 years.
In support of this goal, Bedrock installed solar panels and lighting arrays at its 1500 and 1528 Woodward properties, which provide approximately 5,800 kWh of sustainable energy for each of these locations.
Also notably, the company adopted a smart building standard in 2017, requiring that all of its properties be integrated with a building management system to quickly and effectively track the efficiency of its equipment—including advanced LED lighting, air filtration systems, temperature control, motorized blinds and strategic access to natural light.
Among the top three voluntary renewable energy programs nationwide, DTE's MIGreenPower program enables customers to attribute up to 100 percent of their energy use to the company's wind and solar projects. According to the firm, "in just three years, MIGreenPower subscribers have supported nearly 100 million kWh of clean energy, which is equivalent to the greenhouse gas emissions avoided by switching more than 2.6 million incandescent lamps to LEDs."
Bedrock joins nearly 30,000 residential customers and more than 300 businesses who are using MIGreenPower to reduce their carbon footprints. The real estate developer says it will announce additional green initiatives throughout the year as part of its overall sustainability strategy, focusing on waste, mobility, water and energy.
For more information about MIGreenPower, visit www.migreenpower.com.
