Installing air conditioning to a spacious automobile service center is an expensive investment for any car dealership. But according to Orlando’s Classic Mazda General Manager Chad Rogers, it’s part of an investment that has paid off in surprisingly high dividends: more than a forty percent decrease in energy costs and an increase in morale.
“By installing rooftop solar panels along with an air conditioning system, we not only reduced our carbon footprint and energy costs, we also experienced a rise in technician efficiency, morale and retention. We’ve always known our mechanics were cool,” he smiled. “Providing them with a climate-controlled workspace is part of our ongoing commitment to reward and retain this region’s best and brightest auto technicians.”
He also said Orlando’s Classic Mazda has long been a leader protecting the environment. “In addition to our large inventory of cars with impressive miles per gallon, our new line of E-vehicles is meeting the growing consumer demand.” Rogers particularly noted the unique capabilities of the new Mazda CX-90 Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) which exemplifies Mazda’s detail-obsessed philosophy.
A total of 630 solar panels of 480 watts each were installed on the facility’s roof. “Our solar rooftop now has the capacity to generate more than 440,000 kilowatt hours annually,” he said.
The dealership partnered with ESA Solar, a Maitland, Florida-based national clean energy development corporation with a diverse portfolio of industrial and community projects now in 22 states.
The Lakeland Mazda car dealership’s solar investment also yielded a nearly 50% reduction in energy costs.
“Together we’re reducing costs and driving sustainability in a tangible way that resonates with modern consumers,” said ESA Account Executive Anne Shirley Lewis.
