Addressing landfill waste and carbon emissions is a growing priority in the commercial construction industry, where challenges posed by traditional construction methods are driving the adoption of proven, eco-friendly practices.
Over the past two months, we’ve used this space to share STARC’s commitment to sustainability. In July, we highlighted the green impact of our temporary reusable construction walls. In August, we broadened the scope, explaining how our commitment to sustainability is reinforced throughout our entire operation, which runs 100% on renewable energy.
This month, we’re coming full circle with a look at how our external partnerships help extend our sustainability focus across the industry.
Partners in Kind
As a growing manufacturer of temporary containment systems used during occupied renovations in a number of key markets—including healthcare, airports and data centers—STARC works with external partners to ensure the seamless delivery and installation of our products.
But as important as it is to leverage the right service providers, it’s equally important for us to work with partners who share our values, especially our commitment to promoting sustainable building practices.
A great example is our exclusive national partnership with Sunbelt Rentals. Launched in 2022 to make it even easier for our customers to save on the time, cost and hassle associated with installing traditional temporary containment solutions, renting STARC wall panels through Sunbelt quickly became a popular choice for construction crews.
In certain project scenarios, not only does renting allow the most economical option—even cheaper than drywall in some cases—it slashes the set-up time required from days to hours, eliminates concerns about maintenance, transportation and storage, and it delivers installation support right to the jobsite.
Even better: Sunbelt Rentals’ commitment to sustainability directly aligns with STARC’s own core values. By working together, we’re advancing our shared goal to save on landfill waste and to avoid the CO2 emissions associated with the production of gypsum for temporary containment.
Sunbelt Rentals’ Approach
Sunbelt aims to be at the forefront of sustainable practices. They’re advancing toward this goal through a coordinated response, actively responding to customer needs and market trends, rather than setting the agenda themselves.
Amazon, for example, expects companies they do business with to walk their ESG talk. For a company like Sunbelt, which ranks as the 12th largest transporter of freight in the country, this could mean drilling down into the minutiae to address specific environmental considerations, such as how many miles are driven each year. How many of those trucks are outfitted with clean diesel motors? How many have been in operation for over four years, and how much exhaust do they produce in a 24-hour run period?
Such top-down market trends, of course, trigger strong responsive actions from industry-leading organizations.
"A good example is when Sunbelt leveraged its longstanding relationship with Ford to place the first large order for the F-150 Lightning, the electric version of the F-150," said National Operations and Product Manager Kirk Steward. “We have about 380 in our fleet right now.”
As a leader in the equipment rental industry, Sunbelt is actively exploring ways an equipment provider can best serve its customers, communities, and the planet. In fact, the company employs an entire team of people dedicated to calculating the company's carbon footprint across its 1,200 locations. Steward added that sustainability factors, such as water source and power needs, are now considered when choosing new store locations.
Product Considerations
Sunbelt values partnerships with vendors who share their sustainability goals. This companywide focus extends all the way through product selection—and Sunbelt sees an untapped market in STARC’s temporary reusable construction walls.
Although the sustainability message currently resonates most strongly at the C-suite level, Steward feels it’s becoming increasingly important to Project Managers. “Renting equipment like containment walls is both cost-effective and environmentally friendly,” he said. “In the case of RealWall™, it’s a highly durable, reusable product that aligns well with the sustainability goals that Sunbelt and a lot of our customers are trying to achieve."
To learn how you can rent STARC’s RealWall system through Sunbelt Rentals, click here.
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