Prius Plant uses Hybrid Power, too!
Jul 8, 2009 By Toyota Australia.
The Prius production plant in Japan has grass growing on the roof, and uses solar panels to generate power and special paint to clean the air.
Known as Tsutsumi, the factory in Aichi has been designated a model plant by Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) for promoting sustainability initiatives.
By continuously implementing new measures, the plant's overall CO[sub]2[/sub]emissions have been cut by more than 50 per cent since 1990.
This has reduced annual emissions by more than 150,000 tonnes - roughly equivalent to the volume of CO[sub]2[/sub] absorbed each year by a 5,040-hectare tropical rainforest.
Last year, Toyota installed 50,000 square metres of photovoltaic solar panels at Tsutsumi, equivalent in size to more than 60 tennis courts.
The total output of the panels is 2000kW, which is equal to the average consumption of 500 households.
This reduces the plant's carbon dioxide emissions by 740 tonnes per year, effectively saving 2,500 drums of oil (one drum is 200 litres).
Half of the electricity from the assembly plant comes from the solar panels, while the remaining half is produced by gas co-generation.
This means both Prius and the Tsutsumi plant use hybrid power.
The assembly plant exterior - an area of 22,000 square metres - is now covered in photo-catalytic paint, which breaks down airborne nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur oxides (SOx).
This has the same effect as planting 2000 trees, cleaning the air by producing oxygen in sunlight.
As part of the plan to offset CO[sub]2[/sub] emissions, 50,000 trees were planted at and around the factory in 2008.
TMC's goal was to create a production site that could serve as a lush and diverse habitat for various living creatures.
In addition to planting trees, TMC is applying its biotechnology and afforestation know-how through activities such as greening the Tsutsumi plant's rooftops with NOx-absorbing vegetation.
Since Prius production began in 1997, the plant has reduced the amount of waste going to landfill by 82 per cent and has instituted plans to achieve complete elimination of incinerated waste.
Comprehensive water recycling programs have led to a 50 per cent reduction in water discharge to the local river system.
The discharged water is five times cleaner than the river itself.
The plant uses energy-saving lights, and daylight coming through windows in the roof is channelled to provide more lighting.
Using sunlight in this way reduces electricity consumption by 2kWh per day and cuts CO[sub]2[/sub] by 220kg or 110,000 litres a year.
An 'eco-point program' at the plant enables employees to earn rewards by voluntarily planning and holding environment-related events or by taking it upon themselves to come up with and adopt eco-minded practices.
Tsutsumi is also regarded as Toyota's 'mother' plant, supporting plants in other countries in product quality, production, information, maintenance and cost reduction.