Lego Group has begun laying the primary constructing blocks for its deliberate $1 billion “carbon-neutral” manufacturing unit within the U.S., because the toy producer steps up efforts in the direction of assembly its international local weather targets.
The Danish agency introduced at building work has formally began on the new facility in Chesterfield County close to Richmond, Virginia, with work anticipated to be accomplished by 2025.
The 340-acre website is ready to incorporate on-site solar energy era comprising 35,000-40,000 ground-mount photovoltaic (PV) panels and 15,000-20,000 roof PV panels, altogether delivering a complete electrical energy era capability of 30-35MW, it mentioned.
General, Lego mentioned the photo voltaic panels would be capable of meet all the manufacturing unit’s energy wants, producing sufficient electrical energy to energy the equal of 10,000 common U.S. properties.
As well as, Lego mentioned it deliberate to make use of energy-efficient manufacturing gear all through the development course of, and likewise throughout operation of the ability, set to be the agency’s second within the U.S. as soon as manufacturing begins.
The manufacturing unit is predicted to assist Lego’s Science-Primarily based Goal-approved objective to cut back its absolute carbon emissions by 37% by 2032, in comparison with a 2019 baseline.
The manufacturing facility is ready to comprise 13 buildings which span greater than 1.7 million sq. ft, together with workplace house, molding and processing amenities, packing buildings in addition to a excessive bay warehouse. It’s anticipated to create 1,760 native jobs as soon as accomplished.
The agency mentioned it aimed to attain Gold LEED certification (Management in Vitality & Surroundings Design) for the constructing masking power, water and waste, along with guaranteeing zero waste to landfill all through the positioning’s operations.
As soon as accomplished, Lego mentioned that the manufacturing unit would intention to be “totally carbon-neutral” throughout operations, demonstrating web zero from each electrical energy and gasoline by means of Scope 1 and a pair of emissions.
The manufacturing unit is predicted to assist Lego’s Science-Primarily based Goal-approved objective to cut back its absolute carbon emissions by 37 p.c by 2032, in comparison with a 2019 baseline, and to attain web zero by 2050 on the newest, it mentioned.
Lego’s chief operations officer Carsten Ramussen, mentioned the brand new website would “enable us to encourage tens of millions of kids throughout the Americas by means of play and we won’t wait to get began.”
“We’re working laborious to cut back emissions on the Lego Group and are actually enthusiastic about our plans to construct this photo voltaic plant as we push in the direction of a greater world for our kids to inherit,” he added.
The brand new manufacturing unit in Virginia varieties a part of Lego’s international enlargement plans. One other “carbon impartial” manufacturing unit is ready to open in Vietnam in 2024, with additional amenities deliberate in Mexico, Hungary and China.
