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CSX Corp. on Friday announced it purchased renewable energy credits (RECs) equivalent to up to 21 million pounds of carbon dioxide as part of a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification process for its Jacksonville, Fla., headquarters. The RECs will offset emissions for two years by supporting carbon reduction projects.

"Combined with implementing operational adjustments, investing in new technologies and building key partnerships, the purchase of these RECs and LEED certification contribute to [our] focus on lowering emissions and improving environmental sustainability across our company," said Carl Gerhardstein, CSX's assistant vice president of health, environment and sustainability, in a press release.

CSX has purchased RECs and gained carbon offsets that are equivalent to planting nearly 245,000 trees or removing more than 1,800 automobiles from highways for one year, according to the Class I.

The LEED certification process for the headquarters building is emblematic of sustainability efforts across the railroad's network, CSX officials said. For example, in Worcester, Mass., two new buildings feature solar panels to heat water and power the building, and hybrid electric cranes that primarily operate on rechargeable batteries.

At the railroad's intermodal terminal in Jacksonville, CSX installed energy-efficient light-emitting diode fixtures on high-mast light poles, the administration building and gate canopy that can reduce energy consumption by 25 percent. And at Queensgate yard in Cincinnati, the Class I monitors solar panels via an interactive dashboard that catalogs energy usage against historical baselines to gauge operational efficiency.