How Solatube Contributes to Local and Global Sustainable Action

Recognizing Progress Toward Climate Goals

As part of the second annual San Diego Climate Week, Solatube hosted a “Resilience in Action: From Climate Plans to Local Action” event at its Vista, California, headquarters to explore how regional climate goals can translate into meaningful action.

Co-hosted by Illuminous Marketing and the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce, the event brought together approximately 75 sustainability officials, business leaders and community members to explore effective sustainability practices across both Solatube’s operations and throughout communities in the San Diego region.

This included a Green Ribbon Cutting ceremony recognizing Solatube’s recertification as a California Green Business, a presentation of Solatube’s path to green operations and an in-depth tour of the Solatube manufacturing campus to showcase the company’s eco-friendly initiatives in action.

Communities from across North County also highlighted their own goals and successes with sustainable initiatives during a panel discussion, “North County Climate Action: City Roadmaps.” Moderated by Gwen Beren, founder and CEO of Illuminous Marketing, the panel featured sustainability managers from the cities of Carlsbad, Vista, Encinitas and Solana Beach.

Celebrating Recertification as a California Green Business

Guests and Solatube team members gathered outside the manufacturer’s Vista headquarters for the Green Ribbon Cutting ceremony honoring Solatube’s recertification as a California Green Business through the California Green Business Network (CAGBN), which recognizes organizations that demonstrate measurable environmental leadership.

As this marks Solatube’s first certification achieved through the City of Vista Green Business Program, City of Vista Mayor John Franklin and Councilmember Jeff Fox presented the company with a Certificate of Recognition for achieving California Green Business Certification. Members of the Vista Chamber of Commerce also attended to show support.

Solatube also received the prestigious Green Business Innovator Certification presented by Stephanie Wells, representing the office of California State Sen. Catherine S. Blakespear, District 38. Green Innovator represents the program’s highest tier, recognizing Solatube International’s exceptional leadership in sustainability through comprehensive environmental practices.

Solatube International exceeded the requirements for recertification, completing 88 sustainability measures, well above the program’s 65 required benchmarks.

“It was an honor to host local and regional sustainability leaders during San Diego Climate Week and to receive these meaningful recognitions from the City of Vista and the State of California,” said Neall Digert, vice president of innovation and market development at Solatube. “These awards reflect the dedication of our entire team and reinforce Solatube’s long-standing belief that sustainability and business success go hand in hand.”

Retracing the Path to Low-carbon Operations

To showcase the company’s longstanding commitment to environmental stewardship, Digert gave a detailed presentation highlighting Solatube’s 35-year sustainability journey, including its efforts to reduce direct Scope 1 carbon emissions (greenhouse gases released from sources owned or controlled by an organization).

Digert highlighted how the company has thoughtfully refined various aspects of its operations to integrate effective sustainable practices. This includes sourcing recycled materials, using predictive tools to minimize unnecessary inventory and optimize warehouse space, and redesigning its signature tubular daylighting devices (TDDs) to be reused, relocated or recycled at the end of a building’s lifecycle.

A collaboration with the nonprofit Plastic Beach also captures and recycles thousands of pounds of soft plastic wrap from Solatube manufacturing processes each year. Solatube has further installed photovoltaic systems that generate approximately 1,323 MWh of clean energy annually, enough to power approximately 123 U.S. homes for a year.

The company has also integrated 224 of its own TDDs throughout its campus, significantly reducing reliance on electric lighting during the daytime.

Solatube’s pallet reuse initiatives, reusable pallet straps and minimized shipment packaging also support substantial waste reduction, helping the company reduce material consumption and improve operational efficiency.

With even incremental changes scaling into meaningful results, Digert said Solatube continues to evaluate its operations for opportunities to reduce carbon emissions further.

Improving the Local Environment

Beyond its manufacturing operations, the Solatube team also took hands-on action with caring for their local environment.

As part of Kingspan Group’s Planet Passionate Week, celebrating and demonstrating Kingspan’s companywide commitment to sustainability, more than 70 Solatube team members participated in a neighborhood cleanup in the community surrounding their Vista headquarters

They collected a total 1,014 pounds of litter from the neighborhood’s sidewalks, streets and green spaces, almost double the amount collected during Solatube’s 2025 neighborhood cleanup.

Supporting this year’s theme of Local Action, Shared Impact, the cleanup demonstrated the meaningful environmental impact that can be achieved through working together.

Supporting a Global Impact

Solatube’s sustained commitment to green operations is just one piece of Kingspan Group’s global sustainable efforts through its Planet Passionate initiative.

Kingspan’s recently released 2025 Planet Passionate Report showcases the company’s widespread progress in addressing climate change, circularity and the protection of the natural world.

A few valuable milestones include:

• • A 70% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions
  • 1.05 million tons of recycled/renewable raw materials
  • 5,500 tons recovered through takeback and recycling
  • 157 tons of ocean plastic recovered
  • 57 million liters of rainwater harvested
  • Over 390 community projects and major conservation efforts launched in local communities

 

From hosting regional sustainability leaders to removing more than 1,000 pounds of litter from its own neighborhood, Solatube continues to demonstrate how environmental responsibility extends beyond the products it manufactures.