Sustainability
AIS is committed to Sustainability within our business, with our contractor customers, and with all aspects on the job site.
Commitment to Sustainability
Our Goal
The goal for AIS is to gain its Certified Green Business seal by the end of the 2021 calendar year.
Investing in Solar
AIS invested in solar years ago and aims to continue with additional sustainability changes in the business
Our Philosophy
Paul Christensen, founder of AIS, is deeply rooted in the support of sustainability
AIS’s Commitment to Sustainability
Throughout the 76 years that AIS Industrial & Construction Supply has been in business there has always been a keen focus on sustainability and wise use of natural resources. Doing the right things as a business in terms of being easy on the environment, taking care of our employees, and having solid policies and principals in place before it was fashionable to do so are elements that run deep at AIS Industrial & Construction Supply.
The founder of AIS, Paul (Chris) Christensen came to Colorado on his own when he was 12 and supported himself working as an usher in a theatre while he attended school. He always believed in hard work and in doing what was right for the environment, his employees, and his customers. Chris’s legacy lives on at AIS where the ownership and staff today continue to do all they can to treat people right and use resources wisely.
Theodore Roosevelt the 26th president of the United States had this to say at the 1908 Conference on the Conservation of Natural Resources. “We have become great because of the lavish use of our resources and we have just reason to be proud of our growth. But the time has come to inquire seriously what will happen when our forests are gone, when the coal , the iron, the oil and gas are exhausted, when the soils have been still furthur impoverished and washed into the streams, polluting the rivers, denuding the fields and obstructing navigation. These questions do not relate only to the next century or the next generation. It is time for us now as a nation to exercise the same resonable foresight in dealing with our great natural resources that would be shown by any prudent man in conserving and widely using the property which contains the assurance of well-being for himself and his children”
Here in Colorado, we are blessed with abundant natural resources and incredible beauty. We believe as did Theodore Roosevelt in the wise use of natural resources and the the protection of the environment so we all can continue to enjoy it.
Having this philosophy already deeply rooted into the AIS business, makes future decisions easier much easier even if they come at a premium or an added cost. Doing what’s right and continuing to do it that way in and of itself is sustainable…that’s the way we do things at AIS!
Energy Sustainability at AIS
In 2020 as AIS celebrated its 75th Anniversary, the company gave itself the gift of solar as an investment for the benefit the business, its employees, its neighbors, and the environment as a whole.
The decision to invest in solar began several years earlier when AIS was looking for a back-up power solution due to spring/summer storms which on occasion knocked out power. Additionally, the ongoing construction occurring in the Central Park Denver area (formerly Stapleton) was also causing challenging power outages sometimes for days at a time. A backup diesel powered generator was initially researched as a potential solution early in the process, however further research determined this form of backup power carried with it heavy upkeep and ongoing maintenance. It was determined this type of equipment would not be right for the application so other options were investigated.
Sustainability Commitment
to the Community
Improvements for a More Sustainable Business
Energy Efficacy
Water Conservation
Resource Management
Alternative Transportation
Business Management
The AIS Journey of Sustainability
AIS is relatively new with its Sustainability journey and is excited for expansion throughout the business in many meaningful ways. The solar array project gave AIS it’s initial “green boost”, with several additional green initiatives underway through the formation of an internal “green team” leading the charge.
Consisting of 5 dedicated AIS employees, the green team works to make key improvements throughout the business taking on roughly 3-5 projects each year. Recent green initiatives include:
Lighting upgrades in all 5 buildings with energy efficient LED bulbs which are designed to provide brighter lighting, lower energy costs, and emit next to zero heat
Replacement of all space heaters in the building to Eco friendly, safe, and efficient heating units
Recycling initiatives to include personal desk bins separating trash from recyclables with master collection bins outside
Joining and actively participating in the Xcel Energy Benchmarking program which tracks energy consumed in existing buildings and compares the results over time to similar buildings or to an applicable standard
Utilization of the SolarEdge technology via an App which keeps track of your home/business energy in real-time with one app: solar production, energy monitoring, EV charging, battery backup, and more
Monitoring the backup battery system via a Tesla App to provide real time information of power availability in the system for use when an outage occurs. This communication ensures proper operations of the system and peace of mind for the future.
