Foxconn Earns LEED Gold, Cuts Energy Costs 50% and Water Use 40%

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Foxconn Technology Group, the world's largest electronics manufacturer and service provider, announced that its "Ho-Fai New Energy Project," located at its battery cell R&D and pilot production center in Kaohsiung City, has officially obtained LEED BD+C v4 Gold certification. The building's overall energy cost is reduced by more than 50% compared to the ASHRAE 90.1 benchmark , and indoor water consumption is reduced by more than 40% compared to the LEED benchmark , demonstrating Foxconn's concrete results in implementing sustainability principles in building design and operation.

Located in the Ho-Fai Industrial Park, Hon Hai's battery cell R&D and pilot production center primarily provides battery cells for applications such as electric buses, passenger vehicles, and energy storage, with a production capacity of up to 1 GWh . The "Ho-Fai New Energy Project" is a four-story office building within the center, with a total floor area of ​​approximately 8,000 square meters. Unlike simply improving building efficiency through individual equipment, this project incorporates energy, water resources, site ecology, transportation, and user health into the overall design from the initial planning stages. This approach enhances the building's environmental performance while also ensuring a healthy, comfortable working environment and long-term operational efficiency.

In terms of energy use, through building and electromechanical system design, and by making full use of the space in the Hefa Industrial Park, large-scale solar photovoltaic systems were installed on the factory rooftops and ground-level parking sheds, integrating building energy conservation and renewable energy strategies. Energy simulation assessments show that overall energy costs are reduced by more than 50% compared to the ASHRAE 90.1 building energy consumption benchmark , effectively reducing energy demand and environmental impact during building operation. The solar photovoltaic canopies in the parking spaces not only provide shade but also further enable the existing space to generate renewable energy.

In terms of water resource management, the indoor water use system employs constant flow rate throttling devices and water appliances with the Ministry of Economic Affairs' Gold Water Saving Certification, resulting in a reduction of more than 40% in indoor water consumption compared to the LEED benchmark . A rainwater harvesting system is also installed to collect rainwater for landscape irrigation, achieving 100% water savings for landscape irrigation compared to the LEED benchmark and reducing the building's dependence on tap water resources.

In addition to water conservation, the project also incorporates the urban water environment challenges brought about by extreme rainfall into the site design, and constructs large-scale rainwater storage facilities to cope with the runoff generated by 90th percentile level rainstorms, reduce the load on the surrounding environment caused by the site's drainage during heavy rainfall, and further enhance resilience in the face of extreme climates in addition to storing rainwater for reuse.

Unlike traditional factory buildings, this project incorporates large-scale and diverse ecological greening designs, achieving an overall greening rate of 30% . By increasing planting and ecological habitat space, it not only helps promote biodiversity but also reduces the urban heat island effect caused by heat accumulation on hard surfaces and building surfaces, making greening a part of the built environment strategy rather than just a landscape feature.

Regarding the indoor environment, which is most directly felt by users, the Hefeng New Energy project follows the ASHRAE 62.1 ventilation standard in designing a full-room fresh air system and employs MERV 13 high-efficiency air filters to enhance the filtration capacity of outdoor particulate matter and pollutants. Simultaneously, carbon dioxide (CO₂) sensors and integrated indoor air quality (IAQ) sensors are installed indoors to continuously monitor indoor air quality and ventilation, pursuing energy efficiency while also considering user health and comfort.

The interior spaces also feature flexible lighting controls to enhance usability, and all lighting fixtures are mercury-free, balancing lighting efficiency with the environmental impact of materials. The project also includes planning for construction waste management, material procurement, and subsequent resource recycling, with separate recycling spaces for paper, plastics, metals, glass, and battery and electronic waste, extending the concept of resource recycling to the building's daily use.

LEED ( Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design ) is the most widely adopted green building assessment system internationally. It systematically examines the sustainability performance of buildings from various aspects, including site, transportation, water resources, energy, materials, indoor environmental quality, and innovation. The fact that the Hefa New Energy project has achieved LEED BD+C v4 Gold certification signifies that the project has translated sustainability goals into concrete design and engineering measures from the architectural planning and design stage, and that the actual results have been verified through third-party certification.

From continuously improving the energy and resource efficiency of existing buildings to incorporating energy conservation, renewable energy, water resources, ecology, and healthy environment strategies from the design stage of new buildings, Foxconn consistently implements its sustainability philosophy in different types of buildings and operating sites. The LEED Gold certification achieved by the Hefeng New Energy project is not only an affirmation of the project team's sustainable design achievements but also further accumulates the Group's practical experience in promoting green operations and low-carbon transformation.