Company: Energy Federation Inc. Title: “EFI Sustainable Practices” Location: Westborough, Massachusetts Category: 7.2 Green Initiatives

In 1982 six nonprofit energy organizations created Energy Federation, Inc., to help the member groups and other organizations economically purchase quality conservation products.

EFI’s mission as stated in its 2014 Communitas Awards entry is “to encourage people to use our planet’s limited energy and water resources wisely.” The company lives out its mission by not only promoting sustainability but practicing it as well.

Programmable thermostats, motion-sensor lights, low flow toilets, waterless urinals and low-flow aerators are all installed in EFI’s offices to reduce the company’s water and energy consumption.

EFI’s newest office also features a tankless water heater. Unlike storage water heaters, tankless units don’t have high standby energy losses because hot water is produced on demand only when it’s needed.

The Energy Star and Water Sense partner also provides coffee mugs and silverware for employees to reduce the use of paper and plastic in the kitchen, as well as encourages recycling of paper, plastic and glass throughout the office.

In the warehouse, the company uses 100 percent biodegradable and certified compostable packing peanuts when shipping its energy and resource conservation products.

EFI is looking forward to future technological advances that push conservation efforts beyond its current limits. “[It’s] an opportunity to evolve and expand [EFI’s] sustainability goals,” Erin Cowell, EFI’s creative manager wrote.