United releases sustainability white paper

United Rentals has released a white paper ‘Sustainability at United Rentals’ which outlines its steps to reduce the environmental impact of its own and its customers’ operations.

The paper focuses on three areas - United’s own operations, its customers’ work sites and its customers’ future strategies; it highlights new green additions to United’s fleet, including electric, dual fuel or hybrid forklifts, aerial lifts, skid steers and solar-powered light towers. 

United’s tools for customers include Total Control Emissions Tracking, which generates estimated greenhouse gas and engine emissions reports. (Photo: United Rentals)

In a media statement, the company said in assessing its own operations, it was focusing on how it can reduce greenhouse gas emissions from non-rental fleets, buildings and operations. 

The company confirmed the document charts the group’s environemental steps including a deal with Ford Motor Company that will enable it to add electric vehicles to its fleet for use by sales, service and delivery personnel. It is also “adopting more efficient technologies in its buildings and properties to further reduce GHG emissions,” and has created an employee resource group called Planet United to lead and engage other employees in environmental awareness.

United said it was helping its customers create lower-emission worksites primarily through the expansion of low- and zero-emissions rental equipment options in its fleet. Engaging with Ford, sustainable power unit provider Powrbank, Takeuchi, JCB and others on ‘green’ products showed “company commitment to provide eco-friendly equipment to the rental mix,” its statement said. 

The paper also shows how United is helping customers reduce their equipment footprint “by assisting with strategies, visibility and tracking.”

“United Rentals’ cloud-based Total Control fleet management system allows customers to track engine hours and use that information to help reduce engine idling. Total Control also tracks utilisation that helps users right-size fleets, which can conserve natural resources. United Rentals also recently launched Total Control Emissions Tracking, a solution that helps customers monitor and manage environmental impact.”

Grant Zoldowski, Director, Environmental Management, United Rentals, said; “As an industry leader, we are using our position to support sustainable changes on construction and industrial worksites.”

United Rentals is committed to reducing its GHG emissions intensity by 35% by 2030, from a 2018 baseline. The company outlines its approach to achieving this and other related goals in its recently released Corporate Responsibility Report.