TORRANCE, Calif. — Building on its commitment to minimize the environmental impact of its products, Honda announced it is launching the next phase of its Environmental Leadership Program, or Green Dealer Program, to provide independently-owned Honda and Acura dealers with new tools to evaluate and reduce energy and water usage.
The program, launched in 2012, offers a refreshed website with cumulative CO2 reduction data, an updated Green Dealer Guide, and new benchmark metrics for evaluation, in addition to existing support for data collection, environmental assessment, expert advice, implementation, and results verification.
The program awards participating dealers at three levels of achievement based on an independent evaluation of dealership performance in the areas of energy and water efficiency, waste reduction, site attributes, and other sustainable best practices.
More than 150 Honda dealers across all product lines, including automobile, powersports, and power equipment, have received the Honda Environmental Leadership Award, earning Silver, Gold or top-level Platinum designations.
A major component of the program is the Green Dealer Guide. This resource provides step-by-step guidance to implement systems and technologies that help dealers achieve their carbon and water reduction goals.
The new version of the guide features updates in the areas of energy, water, and site, including:
Track waste and recycling in ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager
Innovative approaches to reduce environmental impact
Greenhouse gas emission and energy reduction calculation methodologies
Higher energy efficiency standards for lighting and heating and cooling systems
Emphasis on water use reductions through efficient water fixtures, use of recycled water, and other conservation measures
Construction waste diversion for new builds
While the Green Dealer Guide was developed with Honda and Acura dealers in mind, it can be used by any business owner interested in lowering energy costs and reducing environmental impact. It is available as a free, open-source download at greendealer.honda.com.
