MHC Kenworth will officially unveil the second largest, and most environmentally friendly, dealership in its network on Thursday in Oklahoma City.


For over two decades, MHC has had a strong presence in the Oklahoma City area. Ground breaking on the new dealership began in December 2009 with a list of green initiatives and architectural advances. The facility will almost triple MHC's footprint, said Vice President Dave Douglas. The dealership will also feature 24/7 service.

When designing the building, MHC used green technology to help in heating and cooling the new facility. Before the building began, almost 70 wells were drilled below the foundation building. Through geo-thermal technology, water is pumped in and out of these wells to heat and cool the parts showroom and offices. An additional heat source for the building is derived from the engine oil collected when the trucks are in for preventive maintenance service. The oil is stored and then recycled to heat the 44 body shop and service bays, and the 31,030-square-foot parts warehouse.

Energy-saving technology was used in the building. To reduce the amount of electricity consumed, motion detectors trigger the lights to turn on only when someone is in the room. In addition, translucent hollow-core overhead doors were installed in both the body and service departments. These doors allow natural light into the building without affecting the temperature of the service bays. To further reduce energy consumption, the lights in the line and body shop are controlled by photocells, and only turn on when there is insufficient lighting.