In 2002, DEA defined its core purpose: To improve the quality of life while demonstrating stewardship of the built and natural environments. Shortly thereafter, we developed our first sustainability plan, which we have refined and updated every year since then. Stewardship goes to the heart and soul of what makes us tick. It’s a value we live every day, in ways both large and small.
Internal practices that support our commitment to sustainability:
- 100 percent of our firm-wide energy is offset by green power through the purchase of Green Tags
- Green Fridays — DEA offices are closed every other Friday. With more than 850 people firm wide, by cutting commute days by 26 per year and closing offices on those days, we significantly reduce both our carbon emissions and our energy use.
- We use video conferencing to cut down business-related travel.
- We have active sustainability committees in each of our 20 offices. These local champions ensure our offices work to reduce work-related travel, conserve resources and use renewables, prevent waste and encourage recycling, and support community organizations.
- Many of our offices offer commute trip reduction programs and subsidized public transportation passes.
- We have a “Guaranteed Ride Home” program for people who commute by transit, bike, or on foot, so they know they have a ride home in case of a family emergency.
- We have reduced the number of vehicles in our fleet and have purchased hybrid vehicles for routine business travel.
- We sponsor and encourage employees to obtain LEED accreditation.
- In 2009, DEA was named by Oregon Business Magazine as the 17th Greenest Company to Work For in the state. The ranking is based on the results of an employee survey.
Helping our clients demonstrate stewardship:
- DEA has participated in the development of wind and solar energy projects providing more than 250 MW of clean, renewable energy for communities across the country -- enough to power 850,000 -1,000,000 homes.
- Our staff provides sustainability plans, greenstreets and smartstreets, and carbon and GHG management plans for transportation projects. We have designed light rail and street car lines throughout the U.S., that save tons of CO2 emissions annually.
- DEA has contributed to more than 25 LEED certified building projects nationwide and has 28 LEED accredited professionals on staff.
- Our water experience includes developing integrated water solutions, green infrastructure, and marketplace solutions to better manage this limited natural resource.