CARRBORO - Chapel Hill Tire co-owner Marc Pons says auto repair, once considered a "dirty" industry, is today among the nation's most eco-friendly.

Not only do most auto shops recycle automotive fluids and used parts, but they also keep cars running at peak efficiency, causing less damage to the environment.

What's rare is an auto shop that invests in solar energy and recycled products.

In July, Pons received the GreenPlus North American Sustainable Enterprise Award for making environmentally friendly changes at Chapel Hill Tire Car Care Centers in Carrboro, Chapel Hill and Chatham County.

The award is sponsored by the Durham-based Institute for Sustainable Development, which Pons learned about as a Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce board member.

The nonprofit institute works to help small businesses focus on people, planet and performance - the "triple bottom line," said Kirsten Hausman, director of client relations and communications. Public and private partners include the Durham and Chapel Hill-Carrboro chambers, Duke and UNC.

Chapel Hill Tire's most extensive changes are to the Carrboro shop, which made its official debut Aug. 26 at the chamber's Business After Hours event.

Pons said the Green Plus certification process helped him see new ways Chapel Hill Tire could give back. The business has a long history of community outreach, including support for the ArtsCenter, Rainbow Soccer League, Builders of Hope and the CORA Food Pantry in Chatham County.

Solar array

The centerpiece of the Carrboro store's renovation is an 82-panel solar array on the roof. It will generate about 21,000 kilowatt hours a year, said Strata Solar project manager Jay Cobb.

For comparison, that's about twice the energy the average U.S. home uses annually.

Strata Solar, formerly Solar TechSouth, is a local company specializing in residential and commercial solar options. Architect Jack Haggerty designed the new Carrboro store, working with Strata Solar to install the 16.4 kilowatt photovoltaic solar system.

Chapel Hill Tire saves about $400 a month by selling the power to Duke Energy, Pons said. The project also qualifies for federal renewable energy tax credits of nearly 65 percent, he said, and will pay for itself in five years.

In the meantime, it has saved the shop enough money to hire five new employees and build three new state-of-the-artwork bays.

Pons said they had wanted to give the shop, built around 1905, a modern appearance. When Walker's Auto Parts moved out in 2008, they saw an opportunity.

The lobby is larger now, and a wall-mounted monitoring station lets customers watch the electricity being generated and see how that affects the shop's carbon footprint.

By July, the Carrboro shop had saved the equivalent of driving roughly 16,000 miles.

Outside, a water-efficient garden replaced some of the pavement.

Landscape designer Ginny Gregory, of Beyond the Pail, used construction debris to build a pebble patio with paving "stones." Drought-tolerant plants on the hillside filter runoff. For flower pots, Chatham metalsmith John Amero welded together used tire rims, painted bright blue, and Gregory turned concrete pipes on their end. Rain barrels will go in later, Pons said.

Family business

The green changes are just the latest updates for Chapel Hill Tire, one of Chapel Hill's oldest businesses. The original store opened on West Franklin Street in 1953.

Al Pons bought the store in 1964, and his children - Marc, his brother Britt Pons and sister, Neill Bellamy - took over in 1997 after he died. Nearly 50 people work for the auto-repair company now.

Pons said their employees were excited about going green. Some even offered their own ideas.

"We have great employees who are patient with me when I bring initiatives to the table," he said. "It's a process. It doesn't happen overnight."

All three stores - Carrboro, Cole Park Plaza and Franklin Street - installed dual-flush toilets; low-VOC paints; high-efficiency LED lighting; and hand dryers instead of paper towels. Pons said their managers also are trying to use 10 percent less energy.

Green products are part of the new lineup, too. The NitroFill tire inflation system uses nitrogen instead of air to make tires more efficient and longer lasting. Plus, customers can choose to use recycled oil, which is re-refined to remove dirt and other contaminants, and then blended with new lubricants and additives. The American Petroleum Institute says recycled oil is as good as or better than oil made from raw crude, and it takes 85 percent less energy to produce. About half their customers have made the switch, Pons said.

The next move is to take Chapel Hill Tire's green business model to Durham, where Pons said they have a fourth location ready to go on N.C. 751 near Woodcroft Shopping Center. They're just waiting on the economy to pick back up, he said.

"I'll keep opening stores as long as we retain our service level and our quality," Pons said. "That's the main thing."