SHOP: Arrow Automotive Transmission Specialists LOCATION: Reno, Nev. INNOVATOR/S: Monte Craig and staff SIZE: 12,000 square feet; STAFF SIZE: 9; ANNUAL REVENUE: $2 million (combined)
What It Is
A pond that captures dirty water coming from the shop.
The Inspiration
Monte Craig, owner of Arrow Automotive Transmissions Specialists in Reno, Nev., has been in the business for 31 years. He got his start in 1986.
As his shop aged, he decided it was time to revamp his facility and find ways to reduce its environmental impact and energy costs.
By March 2009, the refreshed shop boasted updates that made Arrow Auto more of a green facility. He dedicated a stretch of the property to a small pond system.
What It Does
The pond collects runoff water from the shop and stores it all in one place. The water has grease and other chemicals that would not be safe to runoff into the surrounding community. Instead, the shop’s dirty water, which comes from the parking lot, goes directly into the pond and some of it gets reabsorbed by the river rock that lines the bottom of the pond. The majority of the water, once the pond is full, drains into regular sewage system.
The pond keeps the city system clean and it’s beneficial to the community because the dirty water coming from the shop is collected on site.
How It’s Made
For the pond, Craig and his team worked to put it together using rocks and sand.
The Cost
The shop’s man-made pond was inexpensive, Craig notes, since natural elements were used to make it.
The ROI
The pond reduced the shop’s impact on the neighborhood. The pond also helps with facility maintenance by keeping the shop’s parking lot dirt from running off into the street.
