Nissan Facility Saves Energy
By Anthony Fontanelle
The current automotive trend is green revolution. As such, automakers are finding ways to introduce fuel efficient cars to join the industry’s bandwagon. But some automakers want to go beyond offering green cars. Nissan Motor Co., for instance, is extending the credo to its facilities.
The Japanese automaker is pleased to announce that its soon-to-be-finished headquarters in the United States features sophisticated heat and lighting equipment monitored by computers. The $100 million-worth facility located in Franklin, Tenn. is engineered to display “green” features to respond to escalating environmental issues.
According to reports, the facility features sun shades with computer-designed blades direct sunlight to minimize heat and glare. The sun shades outside, which function like vent visor in cars, come with computer-designed blades, to reduce the heat of Southern summer. The features of the new facility are aimed at showing a concern for the environment beyond stretching mileage and slashing tailpipe emissions – a common scenario in the industry these days.
David Cole, chairman of the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, said automakers share a zeal to show customers they are "green" on and off the road and a new headquarters is a good place to show off environmental commitment. "Particularly in the current environment, where it is much more fashionable to be green in everything you do, that's a big deal," he noted.
Engineers at Nissan said the facility should consume about 35 percent less energy than a traditionally designed building. Nonetheless, the automaker, citing unsteady energy costs, declined to estimate the duration for savings in energy bills to offset the cost of the environmental features.
How sophisticated are the equipment installed in the facility? A sci-fi sounding ‘light harvesting system’ automatically dims or turns off interior lights in the 460,000 square feet of offices, Detroit News reported. Additionally, outlets at each work station are used to control air conditioning and heat. "You heat the people and not the space,” Rob Traynham, Nissan’s director of corporate services, said of the innovative feature.
The new 10-story, S-shaped facility is built on a 50-acre campus with a restored wetland. The automaker said its headquarters, which will be accommodating approximately 1,500 employees, is scheduled to open in July.
The Japanese automaker is not seeking a seal of approval from the U.S. Green Building Council. Traynham said Nissan preferred to spend money to restore the wetland "rather than have a plaque on the wall."
About the author
For more information about your parts needs like vent visor visit your trusted online source.
Anthony Fontanelle is a 35-year-old automotive buff who grew up in the Windy City. He does freelance work for an automotive magazine when he is not busy customizing cars in his shop.
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