Kingsbury Companies (KCOS) LLC, a general contractor and biological waste management company nestled in the heart of Central Vermont, is driving full steam ahead at leading the construction industry in sustainability by focusing on environmental stewardship and off setting their carbon footprint. The ecologically savvy company maintains central headquarters in Middlesex, VT as well as a satellite office, maintenance shop and earthen material recycling yard in Waitsfield, VT. Environmental awareness and premier service remains at the forefront of the priority list for Kingsbury Companies where Adaptability, Efficiency and Integrity are the pillars of its existence.

The central headquarters location opened its doors within the Middlesex community in 2018. Having stretched its territory to the entire length of VT, NH, upstate NY and western MA, this move not only gave convenience to employees and vendors but also allowed for a significant reduction in staff commutes. During the design-build project, constructed by Kingsbury, energy efficiency, reduced construction waste, durability, and functionality were prioritized over trendy design, fad, or luxury material selections. The building is equipped with a roof-mounted solar system that provides more than enough power for the building at full occupancy. The water to air heat pump system provides heating and cooling through geothermal exchange with the earth so that no points of combustion are necessary and because of this the building uses no fossil fuels. Advanced technology combined with sensibly selected materials pioneers a new standard to which all new buildings in Vermont should be constructed and Kingsbury is proud to call such a cutting-edge facility its home.

Despite being in what some may consider a “dirty” business, KCOS is working towards making the entire business carbon neutral. In 2019, the company worked with Aegis Renewable Energy, Inc., to construct two solar arrays; a 440 kW DC ground mount in their reclaimed gravel pit, and a 157 kW DC rooftop mounted array atop their maintenance facility in Waitsfield. While the RECs for these projects are retired with the distribution utility, together the arrays produce enough energy to offset the use of KCOS’ maintenance and support facilities as well as the majority of the electricity usage of the Harwood Union Unified Supervisory District.

Travis Kingsbury, President and Owner, looks forward to creating a brighter, more sustainable future for the construction industry and hopes other forward-thinking Vermont companies will follow suit. “In 2018, after we moved into our new 100% net-zero headquarters in Middlesex, I set a new goal for our organization – to make every effort to offset our carbon footprint and reduce waste wherever possible. Unfortunately, petroleum products are currently the only option for powering our heavy truck fleet and earth moving equipment. So we committed to developing solar projects as a way of making a positive impact and playing a role in helping the state achieve its goal of 90% renewable energy by 2050.”

While we are thrilled to be using the roof of our maintenance shop and a portion of our reclaimed gravel pit to produce energy from the sun, based on Q2 2020 NEPOOL data for the fuel source mix of the ISO New England control area, those two projects only offset about 40% of the carbon footprint produced by KCOS’ equipment fleet. So we decided to increase our efforts in 2020.

Kingsbury is currently developing four additional solar projects, which will be completed in late 2020 and the middle of 2021. All kilowatt hours of energy generated will be net-metered to innovative Vermont businesses. Once put into service, based on Q2 2020 NEPOOL data for the fuel source mix of the ISO NE electric supply, the green electricity produced by KCOS’ 2.7 MWDC solar portfolio will more than offset their carbon footprint, having the equivalent of more than 200,000 gallons of diesel fuel. Increasing the efficiency of our buildings, and developing solar energy projects is just the beginning for Kingsbury in their sustainability journey. They plan to set the standard in the construction industry by way of carbon neutrality, seeking protection for the planet and for future generations to come.

KCOS prefers to hire locally in support of the local economy. We are an equal opportunity employer and always looking for motivated individuals who thrive on challenges, opportunity for growth, and the ability to be part of a winning team. More information about Kingsbury can be found by visiting www.kingsburyco.com.