A new industry-leading effort is under way to make all newly constructed and retrofitted Enterprise Rent-A-Car locations sustainable. Over the next five years, Enterprise will invest more than $150 million in sustainable construction through the use of a newly established set of guidelines called the Enterprise Sustainable Construction Protocol (ESCP).

A comprehensive framework for sustainable features in all future construction projects, the ESCP ensures new and retrofitted facilities are designed, built and managed sustainably.

"The ESCP advances our commitment to environmental stewardship and smart business by exceeding our customers' expectations for what it means to be a sustainable company, providing a healthy workplace for our employees, and ultimately providing a long-term cost savings for our business," said Lee Broughton, head of corporate sustainability for Enterprise Holdings, the parent company of Enterprise Rent-A-Car. "This is one more example of our company setting measurable goals to drive the sustainable growth of our business. And, as the car rental industry leader, we are also setting the standard for others to follow." 

In addition to improving the sustainability profile of Enterprise rental locations, the ESCP is expected to generate significant energy and water utility savings - estimated up to 35 percent - through improved efficiencies and other measures.

"While we may sometimes pay a small premium on materials to build and retrofit in this fashion - up to 2 percent - we expect significant cost savings in the long run," Broughton said. "These guidelines will help ensure that sustainability is at the core of our facilities."

In the coming year, sustainable building and retrofit projects are anticipated at more than 1,000 Enterprise Rent-A-Car locations throughout the company.

An example of the new Enterprise Rent-A-Car commitment to sustainable building is its new car rental location at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago. The O'Hare facility, which opened in June 2010, recently became the car rental industry's first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design silver-certified independent car rental location.

The ESCP outlines seven focus areas to guide the design, new construction and retrofitting of Enterprise facilities: use of sustainable materials, efficient energy use, use of sustainable construction sites, recycling, water efficiencies, air quality and process innovation.