UniFirst and Redaptive Light the Way for Capital-Free Green Upgrades

DENVER, CO – January 14, 2026 – Uniform and facility services giant UniFirst Corporation has embarked on a significant environmental and financial overhaul of its facilities, starting with a massive lighting upgrade across 39 of its U.S. locations. The initiative, completed in partnership with energy modernization firm Redaptive, represents more than just a switch to efficient LEDs; it showcases an innovative financial model that allows large corporations to pursue ambitious sustainability goals without deploying their own capital.

The successful first phase of the multi-site program covered more than 2.5 million square feet of facility space, modernizing outdated systems to generate substantial energy savings. The partnership highlights a growing trend where businesses are turning to specialized third parties to finance and execute green infrastructure projects, transforming sustainability from a capital-intensive burden into a strategic, cash-flow-positive asset.

A New Model: Infrastructure Monetization

At the heart of the collaboration is Redaptive’s “Infrastructure Monetization” model, an approach designed to overcome the primary hurdle that stalls many corporate sustainability initiatives: the significant upfront cost. Traditionally, a company wanting to upgrade dozens of facilities would face a massive capital expenditure (CapEx) request, competing for budget against other core business priorities. This often leads to deferred maintenance and missed opportunities for efficiency gains.

Redaptive’s model flips the script. The Denver-based firm provides the upfront capital and turnkey project management, handling everything from procurement and installation to ongoing performance monitoring. The client, in this case UniFirst, pays for the service over time through a share of the energy savings generated by the upgrades themselves. This effectively shifts the project from a CapEx line item to an operating expense (OpEx) that is offset by reduced utility bills, creating immediate value and a predictable financial outcome.

“UniFirst is setting an example for how enterprises can modernize outdated infrastructure while achieving business goals,” said Arvin Vohra, CEO of Redaptive, in a statement. “Our strategic partnership highlights the potential of scalable solutions across large facility footprints, helping organizations achieve significant energy savings and carbon reductions while preserving capital.”

This approach is a strategic evolution of earlier Energy-as-a-Service (EaaS) and Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC) models. While those also reduce upfront costs, Redaptive emphasizes a programmatic, portfolio-wide execution that simplifies and accelerates modernization across a company's entire real estate footprint. By standardizing the process, it aims to cut through the complexity and lengthy negotiations that can sometimes bog down one-off performance contracts, enabling faster deployment and quicker realization of benefits.

Aligning Profit with Planet

For UniFirst, a North American leader in workwear and facility services with over 270 service locations, the partnership is a direct extension of a long-standing commitment to environmental stewardship. The company’s latest ESG report, published in January 2025, details ongoing progress in energy management, waste reduction, and workplace safety. This modernization project is not an isolated act but a tangible step in a broader corporate strategy.

Decades before this large-scale LED rollout, UniFirst had already established its green credentials. Since 2011, the company has exclusively used biodegradable, environmentally friendly detergents in its industrial laundry operations. It has also focused on route optimization for its delivery fleet to reduce fuel consumption and has incorporated eco-friendly products like PVC-free floor mats and recycled paper goods into its offerings.

The Redaptive partnership allows UniFirst to dramatically accelerate these efforts. The projected impact from the initial phase alone is substantial: over 10 years, the upgrades are expected to save UniFirst several million dollars in energy costs and eliminate more than 21,000 metric tons of CO₂ emissions. To put that in perspective, the carbon reduction is equivalent to taking over 4,100 homes off the grid for a year or avoiding the consumption of nearly 50,000 barrels of oil.

“Partnering with Redaptive allows us to strategically improve our operational infrastructure,” noted Matt Croatti, Senior Vice President at UniFirst. “This collaboration strengthens operational efficiency, reduces costs, and helps us advance our business objectives, creating long-term value for our customers, employee Team Partners, and UniFirst shareholders.”

Beyond the Lightbulb: The Future of Facility Modernization

The completion of the LED lighting phase is just the beginning. Both companies have confirmed they are already evaluating additional opportunities for energy modernization across UniFirst’s extensive portfolio. This points toward a deeper, multi-phase engagement that could tackle more complex and energy-intensive systems.

While lighting is often the low-hanging fruit in energy efficiency, significant value remains locked in other aging building systems. Future phases could logically target HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems, which are major energy consumers in industrial and commercial facilities. Other potential upgrades include the installation of smart building controls and management systems to optimize energy use in real-time, the integration of on-site renewable energy like rooftop solar panels, or even the deployment of water-saving technologies.

This holistic approach treats a company's infrastructure not as a collection of cost centers, but as an interconnected portfolio of assets with untapped value. By systematically upgrading these systems through a capital-light model, companies like UniFirst can enhance operational resilience, increase asset value, and future-proof their operations against rising energy costs and evolving climate regulations. This partnership serves as a powerful blueprint for other large enterprises grappling with vast, aging infrastructure, demonstrating a clear and financially viable path to achieving ambitious environmental goals.