GE brings good (read: green) DC to life

If you’re in the business of marketing energy-efficient systems and appliances, it makes sense that you’d apply your expertise in your own operations. And that’s precisely what GE Appliances did when it went to design its new West Coast area distribution center (ADC). 

Located in Dixon, California, near Sacramento, the facility will help ease supply chain congestion at GE’s DC near the Port of Los Angeles. It will also cut delivery times by half for customers in Northern California, Southern Oregon, and Western Nevada, allowing for next-day delivery. 

As for its eco-attributes, GE says the energy-efficient building has earned a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for its compliance with the U.S. Green Building Council’s standards for carbon emissions, energy and water use, waste, and indoor environmental quality. It also notes that the facility incorporates a number of energy- and water-saving features, including: 

• Sustainable bioswales around the exterior of the warehouse in lieu of traditional storm sewers, to help filter rain runoff and recharge ground water.
• A fleet of electric forklifts outfitted with lithium batteries to reduce the wastewater, safety hazards, and time associated with changing traditional batteries.
• LED light fixtures that save energy and reduce the number of fixtures necessary to illuminate the space.

In addition to housing distribution operations, the new ADC hosts a training center where technicians can learn how to install high-efficiency ductless and variable refrigerant flow (VRF) HVAC systems. A more energy-efficient alternative to traditional HVAC systems, these products provide temperature control for individual rooms rather than forcing air through an entire home or commercial building.