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Frank Weis, retired green guy
At TDI Curious, we like it when people take concrete action for the environment. One man in particular has done just that. The mainstream media won’t necessarily talk about him, but we definitely want to.
Ask any Volkswagen Dealer in Canada if they have heard of Frank Weis and you will likely hear a resounding yes. Frank is a green champion within the Volkswagen Canada organization with a great story to share.
Frank Weis started his career with Volkswagen AG in Germany in 1954, became a Canadian Dealer in 1958, and retired last year after having served the construction and management of VWC facilities for the past 30 years.
Frank’s ”last act” was cleaning up the lighting at the PDC, the parts and distribution warehouse in Ajax, Ontario (there is a second PDC in Richmond, BC). His story about working on energy challenges over the past couple of years and his fight against preconceptions could be used as a learning tool for any corporation with an interest in sustainability.
So what happened?
Well, for starters, both the lighting fixtures and rated wattage were reduced, which means bulbs were switched to lower watt consumption energy-efficient products AND some of the light fixtures were physically removed. I was amazed at how many fixtures were eliminated while maintaining the illumination (brightness) of the old system.
The results?
- Financial: reduced warehouse lighting costs by $16k+ per month (projected increases in energy costs means savings will grow in the future).
- Social: warehouse employees work in a cooler (from the more efficient equipment), more comfortable environment.
- Environmental: investment in energy-efficiency measures cuts energy consumption, which in turn reduces emissions of CO2, SOX, NOX and other greenhouse gases. The overall carbon footprint of Volkswagen operations in Canada is substantially reduced.
I first connected with Frank in the spring of 2007 before he embarked on his mission to improve operations at VWC, and I’ve followed his path on the lighting pilot project in Ajax. Although Frank is now retired and enjoying his golf, he agreed to speak about his experience and have the conversation transcribed for the TDI blog. I will post some of our conversation in the weeks to come here on TDI Curious.
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That being said, and everybody being happy (including our beloved lawyers), let’s talk TDI, shall we?
Let’s be curious!
Just like you, I’m getting more and more interested in the environment. Or to be honest, it’s the issue of the environment that’s getting to haunt me more and more. Like you, I still proudly take out my two recycling bins every week, but a little voice whispers insistently in my ear that it’s about time I do more. And do better.
Like you, I try to do my part, especially in what I call sustainable mobility. The train and bicycle are parts of my weekly mobility arsenal, and carpooling with my girlfriend too, when it’s possible. But as my job demands frequent trips to every nook and cranny of the city, I cannot yet do without the car.
Furthermore, although some of you may want to compost me for this, I have to admit it – I love driving. A lot. For a resident of the suburbs like me, a Sunday drive in the country with the windows down and the music at a politically incorrect volume does me the greatest good. Especially when I’m on my way to a little bike trip in the middle of nature, but this is not always the case.
So for me, the question is not so much choosing between the car or not, but rather clarifying my choices in light of the acquisition of my next car, as my lease is coming to an end in a year. Like you, I’m constantly hearing about the rising price of gasoline, and about green cars, carbon footprints and biodiesel. And like you, I sometimes find it tough to make sense of it all. Therefore, I propose that you follow me here in my quest to find out more on: Let’s be TDI Curious.
The people of Volkswagen could have been quite happy to build a micro-site on the 2009 Jetta TDI Clean Diesel – in fact, they have, and you can consult it here. But, aware of the complexity of the world in which the new TDI Clean Diesel technology plays a part, they believed that it would be useful and apt to invite us to put together this blog – a public forum for sharing ideas on subjects related to new car technologies and sustainable development.
As a fellow who is both naive and curious, I will wander the Web in search of articles and useful pointers to share with you. And to support me, I have two extraordinary collaborators: Andrew MacDonald, a consultant in sustainable development, and Louis-Alain Richard, a journalist and technical automotive consultant. They will help us unravel these complex issues together. And joining us regularly in the conversation will be our friends from Volkswagen Canada.
So we have three different visions converging on the same subject, with TDI Clean Diesel technology as the jumping off point. Does it mean you will learn everything there is to know about sustainability right here? Probably not. Are we excited about setting off on this long, virtual green journey together? Totally!