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| UnCommon Sense Case Studies - On Site Management |
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ON SITE MANAGEMENT
Residential and Light Commercial Construction, Bozeman, MT
onsitemanagement.com
Reasons for Applying
As the Senior Project Manager for mostly high-end residential
construction in mountain resort areas, Peter Belschwender is keenly
aware of the wasteful nature of his industry. On Site Management joined
UnCommon Sense as a means to clean up its own construction operations
and become more responsible in how they do business.
Benefits Received
One of the first things On Site did was take a close look at the waste
streams on a typical construction site. They did this by tipping the
large dumpster at three stages of construction and sorting and weighing
the rubbish. What they found was that 69% of what they sent to the
landfill was burnable wood. As a result, On Site bought wood-fired
boilers for their shops, which are now heated by wood that once went
straight to the landfill. This investment, along with giving employees
all the free firewood they need, has diverted over 700 cords of wood
from the landfill over the past year. Other useable wood goes to the
local animal shelter where it’s made into dog houses, while
sawdust goes to a local company to make animal bedding. On Site also
has reached out to their vendors and professional associates.
They’ve encouraged a local appliance store to take the time
to separate Styrofoam and metal bands from the appliance boxes and to
recycle the cardboard. They also recognize the need to get architects
on board and to make more design-related decisions that would reduce
wood waste during construction
and conserve energy use in the buildings upon completion. To reduce
commuting costs for the company, On Site encourages its employees to
carpool to the Big Sky construction sites located over 40 miles from
Bozeman. Another project inspired by UnCommon Sense is On
Site’s offer of a “Green Homes” checklist
to clients who express interest in incorporating sustainable features
in their home design. This checklist was designed by Amy Purdie of
Luminous Construction, another UnCommon Sense program participant. But
for Belschwender, the biggest success has come as a result of the
Social Investment Module. He credits it for giving the entire company a
greater awareness of sustainability and helping change the internal
culture. As a manager, he knows how essential this is for the younger
workers. While the age range of employees is 18 to 60, most are in the
under-35 generation that requires more from employers to gain their
loyalty. UnCommon Sense “brought it all together”
for Belschwender: “If employees are happy, business runs
better and you retain people – especially the younger
generation. We want to keep them motivated and moving forward in the
company.” Once an industry full of “rough and
ready” guys who climbed scaffolds without protection, On Site
Management now offers safety programs, paid time off, paid holidays,
medical benefits and a 401k program for all employees. Retention is
“fantastic because our employees are excited about what
we’re doing, and they know why it’s
important.” As a result of their participation in UnCommon
Sense, On Site Management has decided to hire a half-time
Sustainability Manager to carry forward the programs initiated over the
past two years.
Bottom Line Results
• Diverted 700 cords of wood
from landfill
• “Green
Homes” checklist for clients
• Changed the culture of the
company for the better
• Improved employee retention
CLICK
HERE TO SEE THEIR FINAL REPORT POWERPOINT PRESENTATION
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