Škoda Auto Volkswagen India Private Limited (SAVWIPL) has been recognised as the first automaker to receive the prestigious Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) Platinum certification in the Indian automotive industry in the owner-occupied category. This stands as a testament to the consistent eco-friendly initiatives undertaken by the organisation to reduce its carbon footprint. Built with sustainability in mind, Škoda Auto Volkswagen India’s new parts expedition center in Chakan, Pune will facilitate the export of CKD parts for assembly in Vietnam.
Some of the key initiatives include optimal orientation for solar power generation, energy-efficient lighting and equipment, water conservation, effective waste management, and promoting a green mindset among employees. To obtain the prestigious Indian Green Building Council certification, organisations must dedicate at least 15 per cent of their total area to greenery. Aligning with its sustainable goals, SAVWIPL achieved this by integrating space-saving vertical gardens without compromising the capacity of the operational area.
To reduce its carbon footprint, the centre also uses electric vehicles and charging stations for internal logistics and operations. “Sustainability is at the core of our operations. The group’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar facility uses 100 per cent green energy for car manufacturing, while upto 30 per cent of the Pune plant’s total consumption is powered by green energy. With green initiatives like these across our facilities, we will be reinforcing our position as a sustainability-centric automotive company,” comments Piyush Arora, Managing Director & CEO.
This certification recognises SAVWIPL’s efforts towards its ‘goTOzero’ goal of developing ecological and energy-efficient infrastructure that minimises the company’s environmental impact. Aligning with its Corporate Strategy 2032, SAVWIPL has already implemented renewable energy sources at its plants and plans to substantially increase that share. The Platinum rating from the IGBC is the highest level of certification and highlights the company’s stringent approach throughout the project lifecycle to build sustainably.
Hyundai Motor India has also reaffirmed its commitment towards sustainability by aiming to achieve the RE100 benchmark by 2025. The company currently fulfils 64 per cent of its energy requirements using renewable sources, and aims to reach the 100 per cent mark ahead of most automakers in the country.
The RE100 is the global corporate renewable energy initiative by the Climate Group, bringing together hundreds of large and ambitious businesses committed to 100 per cent renewable electricity.
The company has further adopted large-scale innovative practices in energy management like 100 per cent transition from conventional to LED lighting in the plant as early as 2017, and at all its offices and dealerships, thermo-ceramic coating on furnaces and ovens to reduce fuel consumption, steam elimination though waste heat recovery in paint shops, relocation of boilers to reduce transmission loss, installation of turbo chillers in paint shops, to name a few, that have resulted in conservation of approximately 19 200 Tonnes Oil Equivalent (TOE) till now.