Penn Scale Mfg. Co has been part of the Philadelphia business landscape since 1923. A family-owned business, they manufacture mechanical scales, hanging scales and scoops. They machine the parts, paint, assemble, and ship the final products from their one and only location in the Kensington neighborhood in North Philadelphia.
Knowing all too well that her company’s circa 1930 building was in dire need of some upgrades, business owner Andrea Levin requested assistance from the Pennsylvania SBDC’s Environmental Management Assistance Program to find ways to reduce energy costs and improve the business’ environmental footprint. Ms. Levin received an onsite assessment from EMAP in April 2008 and was later provided with a detailed follow-up report where she learned that upgrades to her facility’s roof & building envelope, lighting systems, and HVAC system could quickly yield substantial energy and cost savings.
In the report, EMAP suggested that Penn Scale apply for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection’s (DEP) Small Business Advantage Grant to help offset costs for project upgrades. Available every year since 2004, this grant provides a 50% match, up to $7,500, to help small businesses cover the costs of energy efficiency and pollution prevention projects.
Ms. Levin began working with Mr. Jeremy Hancher, EMAP Environmental Consultant, in preparing and applying for a Small Business Advantage Grant for two consecutive years, one grant application for an external foam insulation system to the building’s roof and the second for upgrades to the facility’s lighting systems. In total, Penn Scale secured $10,210 in grant funding used to offset the overall project cost.
In July 2009, the external foam insulation system, an ENERGY STARrated acrylic coating application, was applied to the building’s entire 6,000 sq. ft. roof area, improving the insulation to a minimum of R-14 while also sealing two large sky lights and any additional air leaks. In the first year after the project was completed, this roofing insulation upgrade helped save Penn Scale approximately 391 therms, a full 22% of their natural gas use. The company’s lighting project, which will be installed this summer, includes upgrading the facility’s inefficient (16) 400-watt metal halide lighting fixtures with (16) energy efficient T8 4-lamp fixtures with electric ballasts, and also includes installation of 6 motion sensors to control 10 fixtures in areas that are not attended on a regular basis.
This upgrade is projected to save around $3,088 in annual electricity costs. Indirect benefits of theses upgrades include a more comfortable work place which in turn has resulted in greater production! For its accomplishments, Penn Scale was recognized at the 2009 Philadelphia Material Project, a collaborative multi-partnership event, to showcase and discuss what it would take to redevelop a vibrant, sustainable local manufacturing infrastructure in the Greater Philadelphia Region.
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