Pac-Van's Sustainability Statement

Pac-Van, Inc.  understands what it means to be “green.”  The nature of our business model, leasing and  releasing used offices , containers, and buildings, could be considered one of the original sustainable businesses.  Not only do we relocate and  reuse buildings , but we also have the capability to repurpose our buildings when they come off lease to suit a new customer’s exact need. 

Many now consider  modular building construction  to be more eco-friendly and sustainable than traditional construction.    Why?

·  Less materials waste. The controlled factory environment where modular buildings are made leads to less waste.  Materials not used are easily recycled or repurposed, decreasing the amount of waste that goes to landfills.

·  Less site disturbance. Off-site modular construction has less disruption, carbon emissions and noise pollution to the actual building site and surroundings. 

·  Less material exposure to inclement weather.  Many of the indoor air quality issues that arise with new construction result from high moisture levels in the framing materials.  Because modulars are constructed in a factory controlled setting where dry materials are used, the potential for high levels of moisture being trapped in the newly constructed facility is greatly reduced.

·  Flexibility & adaptability.  Because  temporary modular buildings  can be expanded and/or relocated, there is very little need to ever tear down and build a new modular building.  When less new buildings are constructed, less raw materials are used and less energy is expended.

Pac-Van also engages in these sustainable business practices:

Reduce:
· Electricity Use – Automatic shut off of computers & printers from server & programmable thermostats
· Multiple, local manufacturing sources to cut down on transportation costs to our various offices
· Transportation policy that discourages “dead runs” to save time and fuel, which reduces CO₂ emissions.

Reuse:
· Interbranch transfers of code compliant offices between locations as needed in lieu of building or buying new ones
· All Pac-Van offices and modular buildings are designed and built to be multi-code compliant, giving us maximum flexibility to share and distribute buildings as needs fluctuate across our branch network instead of buying new buildings each time.
· Pac-Van  ground-level offices  are constructed of gently used  shipping containers .  We buy “one-trippers” and customize them into portable, high-security office and office/storage units.

Recycle:
· Recycling (paper, cardboard, aluminum, glass, plastic, ink cartridges)
· Our core business is leasing of portable buildings.  Often when  mobile offices  and modular buildings come off lease, they are modified/customized to suit the next customer’s needs, which are often dramatically different from the original use, thus recycling.

Community “greening” involvement:  

Pac-Van designed, constructed and maintains an Indianapolis city median, beautifying the environment and allowing the city to save time, money and CO₂ emissions since no mowing is necessary.  The company also sponsors the city’s annual “ Monumental Affair ” event which recognizes the best architectural, design & construction projects, with proceeds benefitting  Keep Indianapolis Beautiful .

USGBC's LEED™ Building Rating System and Pac-Van:

Modular construction offers the ability for LEED Certification to meet with the  U.S. Green Building Council's  code for sustainable buildings. As a leader in the modular industry, Pac-Van is committed to the growth of awareness for the advantages of modular building applications. For more information on the green aspects of modular, please download the Modular Building Institute's case study on Modular Building and the USGBC's LEED™ Building Rating System .