BrightFields has been named the 2014 Superstars in Business in the 25-59 Employee category.  The Marvin S. Gilman Superstars in Business awards program, established in 1998, is given annually to extraordinary businesses in honor of Marvin S. Gilman, who was a distinguished small business leader in Delaware.  The Superstars in Business award honors businesses and non-profit organizations for their outstanding achievements and model approaches to business and management.

Roundtable Members Encourage and Assist Each Other to Reduce Energy Use
and Minimize Environmental and Carbon Footprints

The Energy & Sustainability Leaders Roundtable began its third year of collaboration today by celebrating another achievement by one of its members—a 176-panel solar energy system installed at the Wilmington headquarters of BrightFields, Inc., a regional environmental services firm.  Third District City Council Member Darius Brown hosted a news conference today to congratulate BrightFields, his business constituent, and to encourage other businesses to join the Roundtable.

The Energy & Sustainability Leaders Roundtable is a membership-based forum created in June of 2012 to engage the business and development community in reducing members’ energy use and minimizing their environmental and carbon footprints.  The Roundtable’s goals of reducing environmental and carbon footprints are achieved through building construction and operation as well as through business operations and employee commuting.

BrightFields Chief Financial Officer Don Short, who also served as manager of the solar project, said his firm’s decision to install panels on the roof of their 15,000 square foot building in Wilmington’s 7th Street Peninsula is consistent with the firm’s environmental stewardship charter and grew out of the company’s connection to the Roundtable.  Short said BrightFields has already established a recycling program and an on-site vegetable garden, completed building improvements that have already reduced electricity consumption by 4,182 kilowatt hours annually and is in the process of building a retro-commissioning assessment by Brooks and Wright Commissioning of Philadelphia.

Andrea Kreiner, who coordinates the quarterly meetings of the Energy & Sustainability Leaders Roundtable, said BrightFields decision to invest in energy sustainability was encouraged by the business, development and government representatives of the Roundtable.  She said the group shares information about their respective energy reduction achievements or their plans regarding the future sustainability of their facilities.  Kreiner said members know the success of local, state and regional efforts to reduce energy use and the carbon footprint is more achievable when various interests each do their part for the environment.

Short said the 49 kW solar panel system at BrightFields will replace about 25% of the company’s current electric purchases and save about 137,000 pounds per year of carbon dioxide emissions.  He said excess energy produced will be “sold back” to Delmarva Power as a credit through an Interconnection Agreement.

“BrightFields is excited to support alternative energy options, to increase reliance on clean energy, and to begin, almost immediately, a reduction in our electricity purchase costs,” said Short.  “As a result of the Delaware Green Energy Grant, the Federal Tax Credit and SREC sales, the system should payback in about six years.  SRECs are Solar Renewable Energy Credits; this program is managed by the Delaware Public Service Commission (DPSC) through the Delaware Sustainable Energy Utility (SEU) in concert with the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control.”  Partners on the BrightFields solar project included local businesses KW Solar, United Electric Supply, Nickle Electrical Companies, and Delmarva Power.

Other examples of energy and sustainability initiatives by Roundtable members include:

AstraZenenca, Wilmington Campus
Energy efficiency and conservation initiatives include paper, plastics and metal recycling; building automation including stop/start optimization and reduced outside air during non-business hours; lighting controls including lighting occupancy sensors that moderate HVAC temperatures; variable-frequency drives utilized on HVAC and chilled water/hot water systems; planned induction lighting in parking garages; a renewable energy (solar) system and compostable cups in the cafeteria.

Barclaycard US, Wilmington
The company began an energy efficiency project in December of 2013 at its Dryrock Facility at 125 South West Street in Wilmington which encompasses the chilled water plant operation, the boiler plant operation and includes an upgraded building automation system to better control the air handling units and the VAV air distribution system.  Results will include a sizable reduction in both electricity and natural gas consumption at the site.  Barclaycard will reduce its energy consumption by 1,930,000 kWh and 107,000 therms of natural gas annually which means an overall reduction of 28% in Barclaycard’s electricity consumption and a more significant reduction of 68% in natural gas consumption.  Barclaycard partnered with the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control on this project and was awarded a $70,750 grant from the Delaware Energy Efficiency Investment Fund.

Seiberlich Trane
Energy service company Seiberlich Trane recently assisted WhiteOptics, LLC, a leading provider of highly reflective, highly diffuse white reflector products for LED and fluorescent lighting, in a custom lighting retrofit project for the entire IM Pei-designed building at 1105 N. Market Street in Wilmington.  The goal of the project was to reduce electricity consumption by over 50% without compromising light levels.  Using patented reflector technology, WhiteOptics engineers designed a custom lighting reflector to perfectly suit the existing light fixtures while simultaneously reflecting and diffusing the maximum amount of light into the space below.  With the addition of the custom built reflectors, Seiberlich Trane was then able to remove two 32-watt fluorescent lamps from each fixture and replace them with only one 28-watt lamp, reducing electricity consumption by 56%.

The Energy & Sustainability Leaders Roundtable
To learn more about your business becoming a member of the Roundtable, please contact Andrea Kreiner at 302-423-2766 or email her at akreiner@verizon.net.  The Roundtable is open to all business and non-profit entities interested in undertaking efforts to reduce their environmental and/or carbon footprints.  The Roundtable meets quarterly and members may join or resign at their discretion.  The members assist one another through sharing case studies of sustainability and greenhouse gas emission/energy use reduction practices already implemented, including both successes and lessons learned from efforts that faced significant challenges.

Current Members of the Roundtable include:

Anchor Health Properties
AstraZeneca
Bank of America
Barclaycard US
BrightFields, Inc.
Christiana Health Care Services
Delaware Supermarkets, Inc. (Shop-Rite)
Delaware Sustainable Energy Utility
Delaware Technical Community College
Green Fabrication Technologies, Inc.
Preferred Electric, Inc.
Seiberlich Trane Energy Services
The Efficiency Network
Wayman Fire Protection

WILMINGTON, DE – August 29, 2014 – BrightFields ranks number 69 among the 100 companies selected for The ZweigWhite Hot Firm List.  ZweigWhite recognizes the 100 fastest-growing architecture, engineering, planning and environmental consulting firms in the U.S. and Canada.

Rankings are based on a survey of industry firms conducted by ZweigWhite, the nation’s leader in enhancing business performance for architecture, engineering, and environmental consulting firms.  The list measures U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independent companies according to highest percentage revenue growth and dollar revenue growth over a three-year period.

“Consistent with BrightFields’ major focus, our biggest area of growth has been in environmental remediation with 3-fold revenue growth during this time period.  Tank removal activity doubled and building services grew by almost 60%.  A significant factor in this growth has been expansion of the client base and service area from a concentration on redevelopment projects in Delaware to federal government subcontracts, and longer distance projects in PA, NJ, MD, and NY,” said Mark Lannan, a Principal in the firm.

About BrightFields, Inc.

BrightFields is a 45-person environmental consulting and remediation services firm headquartered in Wilmington, DE.  BrightFields is a woman-owned business specializing in:

• Environmental Site Assessments
• Tank Management Services
• Remedial Design/Remedial Action
• Brownfield Redevelopment
• Asbestos and Lead
• Permitting and Compliance Services
• Environmental Demolition
• Sustainability
• Stream and Wetland Restoration

Visit www.brightfieldsinc.com or call Cheryl Titcher at 302-656-9600 for more information.

WILMINGTON, DE – August 22, 2014 – BrightFields, Inc., an environmental services firm, has been selected as one of The News Journal Top Workplaces.

The list is determined solely by employee feedback conducted by WorkplaceDynamics, LLP, a leading research firm on organizational health and employee engagement.  Feedback is received through a 22-question confidential survey employees are asked to complete.  Questions measure elements of the workplace including: company values, leadership, and culture, work/life balance, training, pay and benefits, motivation, and overall happiness.

“The culture at BrightFields encourages openness and a team atmosphere,” said Jeff Vance, Project Manager with BrightFields.  “I’m fortunate to be involved in projects that work with leading-edge technology.  I have many opportunities to learn and grow.”

Michael Oakley, Environmental Analyst said, “BrightFields is committed not only to clients, but employees as well.  Marian is dedicated to developing BrightFields’ employees professionally and personally, and maintaining a fun and exciting work environment.  It’s hard to find a company that will train individuals from the ground up, but BrightFields is more than willing to put in time and effort for everyone – from the inexperienced graduates to the veteran managers.”

“BrightFields is a great place to start a career.  Working at a small company like BrightFields means that I get to work on a variety of projects which keeps things interesting.  Everyone at the company is friendly and I feel comfortable asking questions.  There is a very supportive atmosphere,” said Emma Reinemann, Environmental Analyst.

“It is an honor to be named Top Workplace for a second time,” noted Marian Young, President of BrightFields.  “We are committed to providing a rewarding, innovative, and motivating workplace that challenges our employees and keeps engagement high.  My thanks to the BrightFields’ team for the trust you show in us and the hard work you put in each and every day.”

BrightFields, Inc. is pleased to announce that Kathy Stiller, has joined our growing company as Senior Program Manager. Kathy will support business development efforts to expand BrightFields both geographically and into new service areas.

Kathy recently retired from Delaware’s Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) after a diverse 27-year career. At DNREC, she most recently served as Director of the Division of Water, where she oversaw the management and protection of the state’s water resources. Her programs included: National Pollution Discharge Elimination System, Well Permitting, Water Utility Certification, On-Site Wastewater Discharges, Wetlands and Subaqueous Lands, and the Environmental Laboratory. Previous to her role as Director, Kathy was Manager of the Underground Storage Tank Branch and Program Manager of the Site Investigation and Restoration Section.

“Kathy brings unparalleled project management skills and leadership to our team,” noted Marian Young, President of BrightFields. “We anticipate big benefits from her expertise in developing creative solutions, and her ability to create a collaborative environment. As a state regulator, Kathy demonstrated strong technical and management skills, problem-solving, deadline sensitivity, transparency to the public process, a willingness to take risks to achieve successes, and the highest ethical standards.”

Kathy stated, “I’m looking forward to transferring my experience and passion for environmental restoration to the private sector. I’ve worked with BrightFields for over 20 years and believe joining them is an excellent fit for me at this point in my career. Initiatives that I’ve worked on, such as NPDES and wetland permitting, the adoption of the Regulations Governing On-Site Wastewater Treatment and Disposal, the Brownfields Redevelopment Program, and the Underground Storage Tank and Aboveground Storage Tank legislation and program, are directly applicable with BrightFields’ operations.”
Kathy holds a B.S. in Marine Science from the University of South Carolina, and a M.M.P. in Marine Policy from the University of Delaware. Kathy has served as an alternate Commissioner for Governor Markell to the Delaware River Basin Commission and has been a member of the Board of the Association of State and Territorial Solid Waste Management Officials and the Association of Clean Water Administrators.