Takeda opens first ‘positive energy’ manufacturing support building in Singapore

The building produces more electricity than it consumes, and has received the Green Mark Platinum Positive Energy certification.

Pharmaceutical company Takeda has announced the official opening of its first ‘positive energy’ manufacturing support building in Singapore.

Located at its site in JTC Woodlands Industrial Park as part of the company’s global manufacturing network, the building was constructed in reference to Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority’s (BCA) Green Mark Zero Energy certification scheme. As such, it has received the Green Mark Platinum Positive Energy certification, which recognises that the building produces more electricity than it consumes.

The BCA Green Mark, aligned with the United Nations’ sustainable development goals, is a rating system tailored to a tropical climate to assess the environmental impact and performance of buildings in Singapore. To receive the Green Mark Platinum Positive Energy certification, a building has to have at least 115% of its energy consumption, including plug load, supplied from on-site renewable sources. 

Takeda’s manufacturing support building is equipped with over 660 solar photovoltaic panels covering an area of 1,600 sq m2 and a hybrid cooling system with air-conditioners, ceiling fans, and thermal diffusers to optimise energy usage and improve air circulation and ventilation. The building is one out of seven buildings that has been awarded the Green Mark Platinum Positive Energy accolade in Singapore. This investment is also the first-of-its-kind within the biopharmaceutical industry in the nation. 

A delegation of Takeda’s global executive team welcomed Grace Fu, Singapore’s Minister for Sustainability and the Environment; His Excellency Hiroshi Ishikawa, the Japanese Ambassador to Singapore; and other guests at the opening ceremony.

Speaking at the opening, Minister Fu said: "Addressing climate change is a must," as she went on to share the national sustainability agenda, whereby as of last year, the national climate target was set to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

She also affirmed that "the Government is committed to partnering with businesses like Takeda to achieve our shared sustainability goals. We will work with pharmaceutical companies to anchor R&D and manufacturing activities in Singapore."

As an expansion of Takeda operations in Singapore, the new building offers space for close to 200 people and will allow the site’s current capacity to be further expanded in the future.

Other key features of the new building include:

• Use of climatic machine learning algorithm: Internet of climate (IOC) which considers outdoor weather and occupancy in daily operations, in order to reduce energy demand.
• A low heat gain façade and double-glazed window panels which are coated with polyethylene terephthalate.
• The windows allow natural light transmittance but have infrared & UV rejection to enhance the thermal comfort for the occupants without compromising on daylighting.
• Circadian lighting to improve the work environment for occupants.

In 2022, the site reached another milestone in supporting a more sustainable operation — the quality laboratory at the manufacturing site was awarded with the highest possible level of certification from My Green Lab, a non-profit organisation. The certification is considered the gold standard for laboratory sustainability practices around the world, and recognised by the United Nations Race to Zero campaign as a key measure of progress towards a zero-carbon future.

Thomas Wozniewski, Global Manufacturing and Supply Officer, Takeda, commented on the opening: "The inauguration of our first positive energy building is another milestone demonstrating how Takeda delivers on its commitment to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in our own operations before 2035."

Goh Wan Yee, Senior Vice President and Head of Healthcare, EDB, added: "This expansion is testament to our ecosystem’s capabilities to support companies to go beyond net-zero and to contribute towards Singapore’s sustainability targets. We congratulate Takeda on this achievement and will continue to work closely with companies to drive green and sustainable industries in Singapore."

All images / Provided

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