ATTAINABLE SUSTAINABILITY

Discover how three Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky organizations are working to create a sustainable future across industries

By Tabari McCoy, Scooter Media

A CYNIC MIGHT ATTEMPT TO DISMISS IT AS

simply the latest buzzword du jour, but for many companies and organizations, sustainability – doing business without negatively impacting the environment, community or society – is much more. In fact, it is a top priority for several businesses on both sides of the Ohio River throughout the NKY Metro region. By committing to promoting and maintaining sustainable operations, each organization is putting its values front and center, not only as part of its business model, but in hopes of inspiring others to follow suit. These three local organizations/businesses are working to sustain their industries today to ensure they – and our world as a whole – can enjoy their hard work tomorrow and beyond.

The Urban Learning Garden at Rockdale Academy

Bowyer Farm

CINCINNATI ZOO & BOTANICAL GARDEN

3400 Vine St., Cincinnati, OH 45220

cincinnatizoo.org

What They Do

The conservation of both flora and fauna is the top mission of the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden and has been since its founding in 1875. From its Lindner Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW) and Academy to partnerships with AmeriCorps, Rockdale Academy and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and more, the zoo’s sustainability efforts are ongoing and multi-faceted.

Mark Fisher, Senior Director of Facilities, Planning and Sustainability, says the zoo defines the latter term as “doing everything we can within our control and our power to lighten (our) footprint on the earth.” That explains why Fisher, alongside Executive Director Thane Maynard and Chief Operating Officer David Jenike, proudly accepted the Super Nova Award at the 2010 Evening with the Stars of Energy Efficiency Awards Dinner in Washington, D.C. on the zoo’s behalf. The award recognized individuals and organizations that demonstrate “an exemplary and creative commitment to advancing energy efficiency.” The Cincinnati Zoo was also named as the “Greenest Zoo in America” in 2010, a fitting title considering it’s on track to become the first to achieve net zero energy, waste and water status by 2025. Fisher likewise points to the zoo’s efforts to help its Avondale neighbors as an example of how it’s passing those ideas along to the next generation.

“We developed a space at Rockdale Academy, which is the elementary school right next to (us) in Avondale. We’ve turned it into an incredible urban learning garden center (with) a commercial working greenhouse,” says Fisher. “They are weaving the work in the garden into the school’s curriculum, teaching these kids about science, agriculture, nutrition and entrepreneurship.” Bowyer Farm, the 529-acre property willed to the zoo in 1995 with the condition it could never be developed except to further its mission, has become a major beacon of sustainability, as well. Fisher says 100 acres have been ecologically restored, including a wetland complete with hiking trails. Bowyer Farm is also where the zoo has focused on growing honeybees and pollinators, which have faced significant decline in recent years. The tiny creatures are responsible for pollinating a third of the world’s crops. “If we don't have bees, a lot of the food that's on your plate every day disappears,” Fisher says. All of these efforts and initiatives add up to the reason Fisher says the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical garden is “so much more than (just) a zoo.”

“There’s a lot of cool stuff going on in this town and people need to be aware of it,” he says. “The more our community hears about these things, the more it becomes normalized. Props to Greater Cincinnati for being on the cutting edge – that’s something our region should be proud of.”

Did you know the zoo had solar panels in the parking lot?

The zoo's biodigester system utilizes organic waste to produce fertilizer and biogas.

MUBEA

6800 Industrial Road, Florence, KY 41042

mubea.com

JAMES SHEEHAN

North American CEO, Mubea

What They Do

Who did Volkswagen look to for production support after making history as the first foreign manufacturer to open a production site in America? Mubea, leading to the foundation of the company’s Florence, Kentucky, facility in the early 1980s.

Today, more than 1,000 employees work locally for Mubea, manufacturing a variety of automobile parts including coil spring wire, transmission and conventional disc springs among others. The company is committed to sustainability by producing lightweight products that are as efficient as they are innovative.

The Details

According to James Sheehan, Mubea’s North American CEO, the Mubea Way – the guiding principle followed by company employees worldwide – sets the standard for everything “that we as employees experience every day and associate with Mubea.”

“It is our philosophy to develop new production technologies in-house. We are therefore able to react flexibly to our customers’ requests – engineering our own tools and facilities is at the heart of this strategy,” Sheehan says. “As a sustainable automotive supplier, Mubea is aware of its responsibility towards our commonly shared environment. Therefore, we are committed to reducing our emissions by at least 25% by 2025.”

Sheehan says Mubea’s commitment to achieving that goal consists of avoiding, reducing and eliminating carbon dioxide emissions wherever possible. That in turn will help the company achieve its goal of becoming climate positive – participating in activities that achieve net zero carbon emissions – by 2035. Additionally, the company monitors its facilities for leakages of compressed air to avoid using more energy than necessary. Mubea also recently launched projects to recover heat energy as well as implementing cooling water recirculation systems in its specific production lines.

The company has no plans of stopping there, either.

“Sustainability is not only a matter of how we manage the available energy but also where the energy comes from. Since 2022, we purchased green electricity at many Mubea locations,” Sheehan says. “On top of lightweight products, which contribute to saving resources, we already evaluate today the possibilities of circular supply chains and green steel purchasing for an even more reduced carbon backpack. If we can realize buying green steel, we will be able to save a huge bunch of emissions as the purchased goods and services cause the greatest portion of Mubea’s CO2 emissions.”

Sheehan says Northern Kentucky is as good a place as any for the company to start realizing those goals.

“Northern Kentucky boasts many advantages. It has a good education system with major universities nearby and world-class healthcare options,” Sheehan says. “It also has a thriving art community, entertainment, sports and is a logistical hub with the airport, freight, rail and of course, the Ohio River. And one of the biggest advantages is that it has one of the most competitive cost structures in the country.”

REAL ESTATE & ENERGY PARTNERS

300 Buttermilk Pike Suite 336, Fort Mitchell, KY 41017

reae.co

What They Do

Real Estate and Energy Partners (REAE) seeks to use the combined 50+ years of experience of its co-founders, Ken Holliday and Chad E. Dickerson, to provide commercial real estate advisory and transactional services. In partnering with solar engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) companies, developers and other energy leaders, the company hopes to help businesses identify and understand renewable energy opportunities that can enrich their locations (and the environment).

The Details

Growing up in Eastern Kentucky as the child of a coal mining family, Dickerson has long been familiar with the impact industry can have on the environment. Originally working alongside Holliday under the banner of Huff Realty, the duo combined with their junior partner Amie Stevie, branched out in 2019 to launch REAE, acting as brokers on behalf of developers. Additionally, REAE helps to retrofit established manufacturing facilities, examining things like energy usage and their utility bills as part of a plan to engineer more economic (and environmentally-friendly) facilities. While a significant portion of REAE’s interests are concentrated on the Tri-State region, Dickerson says the company has looked at projects throughout the Midwest and South, including Oklahoma and Texas. He sees Northern Kentucky, however, as the perfect place for his company to call home and make its mark.

Aerial view of factory roof with solar panels

“This is a great market for e-commerce, and it's only going to grow faster. I would say ‘Why not Northern Kentucky?’” he says. “The people here are fabulous. The three counties are aligned with business goals, maybe better than anywhere in the country – we couldn't think of a better place to be.” His motivation to make other companies feel the same is why he hopes more companies see sustainable energy as an investment worth making.

“From a business perspective, when you look at these projects, if you're a savvy businessman like a lot of the people that read (this) magazine, you think, ‘Why wouldn't you do this?’ It makes financial sense (and) your real estate more valuable,” he says. “We're happy to be a small part of a large solution at hand (and) help folks make smart real estate decisions aligned with sustainable energy decisions – we're here to serve. We're a small team, but we're efficient and we're nimble. We look forward to being around for a long time.”