Clean Energy Reduces Footprint of Documents Freeze-Dry Chamber

Polygon’s National Documents Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania is home to one of the most important tools in our document recovery process, the freeze-dry chamber. For 15 years, this machine has been running nonstop, turning frozen water directly into vapor and logging over 100,000 hours of operation. While the chamber is vital in restoring water-damaged documents, it also comes with an environmental tradeoff. In 2023, the Documents Center used nearly 266,000 kWh of electricity, with the chamber driving much of that demand.

The Challenge: High Energy Needs, High Stakes

At Polygon, sustainability is a global strategic initiative aimed at reducing our scope emissions across all business areas. But when evaluating our document restoration processes, cutting the chamber’s energy use wasn’t an option, doing so could risk the safety of sensitive materials and compromise customer outcomes. The challenge was clear: how do we keep delivering reliable restoration services while lowering our carbon footprint?

The Solution: Cleaner Energy, Same Performance

In 2024, we answered that challenge by transitioning the Allentown facility to 100% renewable electricity. Without changing operations or cutting corners, we switched to clean energy from a diverse mix of biomass, biogas, hydropower, solar, and wind.

The impact is measurable:

• Prevents roughly 103 metric tons of CO₂e emissions annually
• Equivalent to taking 22 gas-powered vehicles off the road*
• Ensures even one of our most energy-intensive facilities can operate more responsibly

We knew we couldn’t cut corners on energy use with critical equipment like the freeze-dry chamber, so we looked at how to make that power cleaner instead,” explains Kevin Lockard, VP & Managing Director, Polygon US. “This move is a big step in reducing our carbon footprint without compromising our service.

This switch goes beyond carbon savings. Document restoration itself is a sustainable practice. By recovering books, archives, legal files, and cultural records after disasters, we help safeguard items that hold enormous historical, cultural, or personal value. Rather than letting these irreplaceable materials be discarded, we give them new life, preserving heritage and knowledge for future generations.

Pairing that mission with renewable energy means the process is now cleaner for the planet, too.

Company-Wide Momentum

While the transition in Allentown doesn’t lower our electricity bills, its value lies in leading by example. It reflects Polygon’s broader ambition to integrate sustainability into every aspect of our business, from energy use at our facilities to the temporary climate solutions we deliver on jobsites. Over the past year, we’ve invested in more efficient HVAC systems and real-time energy monitoring to cut waste and improve performance. Switching the freeze-dry chamber to renewable power is another step forward in that transformation.

Ready to Learn More?

If you’d like to learn how our services can help you recover damaged documents while supporting a more sustainable future, contact our team today.