Advancing decarbonization and environmental stewardship are important to our organization. Ever-Green provides technical expertise to clients that are working to develop low-carbon energy systems to address the impacts of climate change. We work collaboratively with our operations partners and local communities to continually improve our operations and contribute to planning for a more sustainable future.

The SDGs that apply to our areas of work are as follows:

Good Health and Wellbeing Ever-Green supports the wellbeing of our employees through the implementation of robust safety policies and training, as well as promoting healthy choices through our wellness activities and educational opportunities. The company also plays an integral role in maintaining the wellbeing of several communities by supporting the function of medical campuses.

Quality Education Ever-Green plays a role in the function of higher education campuses where we operate and manage the campus heating and cooling systems. For campus projects and studies, Ever-Green supports academic enrichment by managing project interns, supporting course curriculum, and creating student engagement opportunities. The company has a long history of developing educational opportunities to advance energy literacy from providing facility tours and guest lectures for college courses to creating public art to engage community dialogue. Additionally, Ever-Green provides educational assistance, both internally to employees and external scholarships to those outside the company.

Water and Sanitation Water is critical for our facilities in the storage and distribution of thermal energy. Additionally, it is a valuable resource in the communities we serve. Ever-Green prioritizes its conservation and responsible management by following best management practices and adhering to compliance codes that work to minimize the release of hazardous chemicals and materials while conserving the resource where possible.

Sustainable Energy Ever-Green is committed to developing low-carbon energy solutions to address the impacts of climate change. The company works collaboratively with operations partners, utility customers, and local communities to continually improve our operations and contribute to planning for a more sustainable future. Alongside clients, Ever-Green works to utilize proven technologies with innovative solutions that are financially viable, resilient to changing markets and reliability threats, flexible, and environmentally responsible. Advancement of the energy systems managed by Ever-Green is one of the company’s high priorities. Ever-Green takes a holistic approach to decarbonization, starting with improving efficiencies, reducing the energy needed, then moving to low-carbon solutions. This applies both to existing and new energy systems utilizing low-carbon fuels and energy sources like biomass, solar thermal, and geothermal, while also improving system efficiencies. The company also works closely with energy system customers to improve their building efficiencies by providing energy use data as well as engineering support for efficiency projects. In Saint Paul customers can apply for financial support through an efficiency program.

Economic Growth Ever-Green’s utilities provide exceptional energy services that support local businesses and economic growth. Additionally, our team members participate in community conversations around economic development, local services, and community initiatives. Examples include local development organizations like Chambers of Commerce and the Building Owners and Managers Associations. As Ever-Green expands and continuously improves, the company explores and deploys technological upgrades that optimize resource efficiency in consumption and production to reduce carbon emissions, improve efficiency, and maximize the economic value of the energy used.

Reliable infrastructure Reliable infrastructure is essential to Ever-Green’s ability to distribute heating and cooling to customers. Our energy systems benefit from well-maintained city, state, and federal infrastructure including roads, flood mitigation, and electricity and water utility infrastructure.

Sustainable Cities and Communities Ever-Green is committed to reducing environmental impacts on the cities in which it operates. Our district systems provide efficient, cost-effective, and reliable energy services to a variety of end users including the systems that serve the downtown core of multiple cities as well as medical and college campuses. As Ever-Green integrates low-carbon technologies, district systems can decarbonize multiple buildings at once. In addition to our services, Ever-Green is also continuously improving its waste reduction and recycling efforts to minimize environmental impacts.

Sustainable Consumption and production Sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources is paramount to company activities and goal setting. To further this commitment, the company has adopted sustainable practices and reporting. Reducing the inputs necessary for production of thermal energy is an ongoing process. This includes conversion from steam to hot water, which improves efficiency and saves water. Steam to hot water conversions also expand opportunities for our systems to integrate renewable fuels and technology.

Climate Action Through its decarbonization and energy efficiency works, Ever-Green aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the building heating sector to mitigate the impacts of climate change. The company has studied the feasibility of innovative systems that utilize aquifer thermal energy storage and wastewater energy capture. These technologies will support reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Ever-Green also works closely with its property insurance carrier to identify and mitigate potential future climate change risks. The risks associated with climate change are physical risks that can have detrimental financial implications if not addressed. These risks, including extreme precipitation-related events, extreme temperatures, and sea level rise, vary across different locations and over time. While many of these risks have long time horizons, Ever-Green has taken steps to mitigate current risks such as installing flood barriers and conducting structural integrity inspections of buildings. The company will continue to reassess these risks and work on additional strategies to address future risks of climate change.

Ever-Green works with clients to deliver heating, cooling, and electricity. In 2023, our facilities produced and sold 1,068,300 MWh of thermal and electricity.
Emissions produced from this process for each facility are available on the Environmental page.

CO2e Emissions Scope 1

Scope 1 emissions for normal operating conditions of the district heating systems are generated from the combustion of natural gas and wood biomass. Fuel oil and coal are used in some operations as a backup fuel when natural gas curtailments occur, or to supplement high demand during extremely cold weather. EPA November 2015 CO₂ Emission factors were used in calculations for Scope 1 emissions. Emissions are also included from the combustion of gasoline and diesel in company-owned fleet and mobile equipment. In instances where fuel consumed by a fleet vehicle was not known, mileage for the year and information from the EPA’s fueleconomy.gov to estimate consumption.

CO2e Emissions Scope 2

Scope 2 emissions are calculated from electricity purchased for each operation. If an emission factor from the electrical utility provider was not available for 2023, the previous year’s emission factor was used. If the electrical utility provider did not release region-specific data, the emission factor from the EPA eGRID’s subregion was used. Renewable Energy Credits retired by District Energy St. Paul for 2023 were used to offset emissions from electrical usage for the heating and cooling systems.

Water is an essential resource for delivering efficient heating and cooling to the communities and campuses Ever-Green serves. The company is committed to operating and managing utilities in a way that reduces the risk of potential negative environmental impacts. Water is withdrawn from city water supplies and groundwater wells for process use and is monitored for potential contamination in accordance with discharge permits so that water leaving Ever-Green facilities meet regulations set by the US Environmental Protection Agency Clean Water Act, as well as state regulatory requirements and those set by municipal wastewater treatment plants. Water not directly discharged to a wastewater treatment system or surface water body is lost due to evaporation or distribution system losses.