Efficient and Sustainable Facilities
Facilities significantly impact our operational emissions. All new buildings adhere to sustainable design practices, outperforming previous constructions in energy efficiency. For instance, the Kornberg Center, opened in 2021, is 65% more energy efficient than similar facilities.
Our focus on improving the environmental impact of existing facilities has led to notable energy savings. Enhancements to our Madison campus's central utility plant have notably reduced energy use for chilled water, including a 50% reduction at the Agora administration building. The expansions in 2023 of our Biopharmaceutical Technology Center, Rosalind Franklin Center and Kepler Center have incorporated more efficient LED lighting and air handling systems.
Adoptions of ground-source heat pumps, solar water heating and heat recovery systems have cut heating needs and natural gas emissions by 7% since 2019, despite our expansion. The Alan Turing Center, after recent renovations, is now our first building to operate without natural gas, solely using ground-source heat pumps for heating and cooling.
Expanding Use of Renewable Electricity
Electricity consumption significantly contributes to our operational emissions. Our approach includes improving energy efficiency and increasing our use of renewable energy sources. We aim to source 100% of our electricity from renewable sources by 2025, having already achieved 75% through on-site production and global renewable energy partnerships.
- Our largest solar arrays at the Feynman Parking Garage, Feynman Center, and Kornberg Center generate around 2 million kWh annually.
- Our partnership with Madison Gas & Electric on the O’Brien Solar Fields project supplies Promega with 1.25 MW of electricity, covering more than 10% of our yearly needs.
- Promega operations in France, Germany and the UK leverage innovative solutions to generate renewable electricity on-site.
- Promega facilities in Italy, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Brazil further our commitment by purchasing renewable electricity.