March 26, 2012—The Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) recently partnered with GRC-Pirk Management Co. to provide SCRS-member shops with an energy and pollution performance program designed specifically for the collision repair industry.
The program, called GreenSweep, offers a complementary set of environmental products and services to repairers, the SCRS said. GreenSweep assists repairers in measuring, tracking and recording the environmental performance of their facility, including the measurement of baseline and ongoing business emissions. It also helps shops develop and implement a plan for remaining compliant with the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) and U.S. Department of Energy’s ENERGY STAR energy management guidelines.
In addition, the SCRS said GreenSweep offers enrollment in its Green Sustainability School, a free monthly training service for collision repair professionals designed to keep them up to date on green practices and technology.
“The collision repair industry faces unique challenges in reducing its carbon footprint. Not only do they have to manage energy output, they have to deal with chemical emissions from their refinishing departments. The SCRS-sponsored program handles both requirements, making it of special interest to body shops,” said Steven Schillinger, president of GRC-Pirk. “The goal is not to establish a one-shot sustainability, but to display consistent performance improvement over time.”
The SCRS said shops will be added to the findgreengarage.com website once they are certified under the GreenSweep program. That serves as validation that the business is officially recognized as a green business by federal, state and local authorities.
“Adopting sound environmental practices is not only the right thing to do, but it can provide a collision repairer with some competitive advantages,” Schillinger said. “It is exciting to bring our expertise to the industry, and we look forward to helping SCRS members reduce their environmental impact and become more efficient operators in the process.”
“SCRS pursues opportunities and strategic partnerships that position its members to succeed not only in the present, but in the long run,” said Aaron Schulenburg, executive director of the SCRS. “This often includes placing new tools, progressive solutions and cost-saving measures at their fingertips, exemplified by our agreement with GRC-Pirk and the rollout of the SCRS-recognized GreenSweep program. As the industry moves forward, optimal energy and pollution performance will play an increasingly large role in repair facility success, creating distinction between the SCRS members making use of the program and the other facilities operating within the market.”
The SCRS is comprised of 6,000 collision repair businesses and 58,500 specialized professionals through its direct members and 39 affiliate associations. For more information, visit scrs.com.
