This weekend I visited Melink Corporation in Milford, Ohio, and was lucky enough to have a tour of their Net Zero Energy facility from Steve Melink himself.
Now if you do not know what Melink is, here is a little background on the company.
Steve Melink started the organization in 1987 as a HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) testing and balancing firm. Their goal was to improve the efficiency and decrease the waste that is generated in HVAC units and building systems. In 2013, not only is Melink doing this, but it is also taking sustainability beyond just HVAC systems.
The facility itself is LEED certified platinum (too learn more about LEED read my previous blog), and completely Net Zero (meaning it produces as much energy, if not more, than it draws from the energy grid). Melink generates its own energy through solar panels and a windmill outside the facility. Furthermore, the building saves energy by carefully monitoring temperature, using mostly natural light, double paned windows and thicker insulation (and that’s just naming a few things).
I was in awe of the facility, and to top it off there were touch screen televisions showing the amount of energy the building was using versus generating, which allowed the tour to see rather than just hear about the results.
As I said the facility was unbelievable, but what I think is most impressive is the fact that Melink actually profits from being sustainable. Not only does it distinguish itself among other energy solution companies, but it also provides an excellent example of how sustainability can save organizations money because using less energy means less money spent on energy bills. Furthermore, since Melink sometimes generates more energy than it uses it sends some of that excess clean energy back into the electrical grid where it is used by other buildings. When this happens, the electrical company actually pays Melink for the clean energy it is generating (which I would call a win-win).
Overall, I think companies should look to Melink as an example for any future sustainable initiatives. Melink is a corporation that takes sustainability and profit and works to merge it into one, something I know many of you readers hope one day to accomplish.
Feature Green Business: Melink
