Growing commercial-laundry service goes green

The Arizona Republic

It's no small feat to wash 700,000 to 1 million pounds of hotel and restaurant tablecloths, towels and bedsheets a week.

To do it while conserving water, electricity and gas is even more difficult.

Specialty Textile Services, a Phoenix-based laundry service that serves about 1,000 customers in the Valley and San Diego, has committed itself to all the above while seeking out a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Building Rating System) certification for existing buildings.

Within the past two years, owner Ted Miotke has retrofitted his downtown commercial-laundry plant with two continuous-batch washing machines, each consisting of 12 units, eight high-efficiency dryers and numerous low-toxicity energy-efficient light fixtures. He even has gone paperless with customer's billing statements.

Separate from the business' LEED certification but in line with his conservation efforts, Miotke is offering his employees a $5,000 bonus for swapping their gas guzzlers for hybrid vehicles.

Although the upgraded equipment and bonus program has come at a hefty price, about $2.5 million, Miotke said it is well worth it.

"We live in a desert," he said. "As citizens of the community, we need to be cognizant of limited resources and conservation."

Specialty Textile Services has not yet submitted its materials for certification from the U.S. Green Building Council but intends to by the year's end. The LEED certification could be awarded as early as spring.

If it's granted, Specialty could be a pioneer among laundry services.

Although seven commercial-laundry services are currently "somewhere in the pipeline" in seeking out a LEED certification, no existing buildings have received it, said Ashley Katz, a U.S. Green Building Council spokeswoman.

Charlie Popeck, president of Green Ideas, the project's consultant, said the certification would be a major victory, especially because of the building in which Specialty operates. The 53-year-old structure on West Buchanan Street has been difficult to convert because of its age.

"Old buildings usually take up a lot of energy and use a lot of water," Popeck said. To meet LEED's water standards, Specialty has limited the flow of water in some pipes and reused water in others. Basins placed behind the 24-unit washer catch used water, which is recycled for the next wash.

That has led to a significant drop in water usage.

For every pound of laundry processed, Specialty Textile uses about 1 gallon of water to wash it. A consumer uses about 3 gallons of water to wash a pound of laundry with conventional methods, according to Laundry Consulting, a firm in Houston.

Inverters that were installed this month mark the business' last major upgrade. The equipment could save the company as much as 30 percent on its electricity bills, Miotke said.

Longtime customers of Specialty say they appreciate the laundry services' conservation efforts.

Paul Gray, general manager of Arizona Grand Resort, said it jibes well with the "green" accreditation his hotel received through the Arizona Hotel and Lodging Association's conservation program.

"Years ago, it was really expensive to go green," Gray said. "Now, not only is it expected, it just makes business sense. We really appreciate them (Specialty Textile Services) aligning with our goals."

Arizona Grand has leased all bed, bathroom terry and banquet linens from Specialty Textile Services since 2006. During a typical month, Specialty will launder about 200,000 pounds of the resort's linens.

JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort relies even more heavily on Specialty. In a typical month, the laundry service washes, dries and irons about 300,000 pounds of linens, which are shipped to and from the hotel daily, said Barry Lomas, director of services.

"They've priced us right and given us great customer service," Lomas said. "Now that they are on the green bandwagon, they have improved themselves even more."