Environmentally Responsible Woodworking
Wind
Mark Richey Woodworking's 600 kilowatt wind turbine has historically generated 60 percent of the total electricity needed to power its manufacturing facility in Newburyport, Mass. The turbine is 292 feet tall, with a blade span of 158 feet and pivots into the wind, rotating its blades for maximum wind resistance. Enough electricity can be generated by the turbine to power 150 average American homes.
Solar
In 2016, Mark Richey Woodworking installed a 500-kilowatt rooftop solar array, which boosted onsite renewable energy generation to nearly 100 percent. The 80,000-square-foot array is expected to produce 630 megawatt hours of electricity per year.
Biomass
Operating at a temperature of 1600 degrees F, Mark Richey Woodworking's biomass furnace heats 85,000 square feet of the 105,000-square-foot manufacturing facility. This unique heating system nearly eliminates the consumption of fossil fuels in this area and greatly reduces manufacturing waste. Sawdust and woodchips are captured and stored to be fed to the furnace during the heating season.
Our commitment to sustainability is evident in our innovative practices that significantly reduce our carbon footprint.
793 tons
The amount of carbon dioxide prevented from entering the atmosphere in a single year from our use of wind and solar energy
8,938 MWh
Total lifetime energy generation from our solar and wind installations. Enough to power nearly 1,000 homes for an entire year
10.8 MMCF
Our biomass furnace avoids the use of roughly 10.8 million cubic feet of natural gas each year - enough to heat 180 homes. It also prevents waste wood and dust from reaching landfills and negates associated trucking impacts.
70% less
When properly managed and responsibly purchased, wood is a clean, renewable resource, producing less air and water pollution while using fewer ecological resources. 70 percent less energy is required in the use of wood compared with any other building material.
