The design of the new production facility was based on a sophisticated energy concept that uses primarily water for the air conditioning in summer, resulting in a 90 percent reduction in the amount of coolant needed compared to similar structures as well as a consequent substantial drop in the quantity of greenhouse gases produced. In the winter the plant is heated using geothermal energy, with a system that feeds any unused energy back into the ground. The plant is also equipped with an energy-conserving system which supplies purified, filtered air to each office, while reducing air humidity throughout the building. “Those are just a few of the numerous ecological factors which flowed into the design of our new plant,” reported Reinhild Kühne, Managing Director of Jungheinrich Lift Truck Manufacturing (Shanghai) Co. Ltd and responsible for the project implementation.

Based on all this the new Jungheinrich plant was certified at its opening with the Leed Silver certificate, an ecological rating system for buildings developed by the U.S. Green Building Council. This system defines a series of environmental building standards, including resource conservation and ecologically sustainable operation. According to Kühne: “We are delighted to have received this certification for one of the most energy-efficient buildings in the entire Shanghai region, allowing us to put a ‘healthy’ building at the disposal of our highly motivated staff. This is enhanced by the building layout, which was based on the design principles of Feng Shui.”

Jungheinrich ranks among the world’s leading companies in the material handling equipment, warehousing and material flow engineering sectors. The company is an intralogistics service and solution provider with manufacturing operations, which offers its customers a comprehensive range of forklift trucks, shelving systems, services and advice. Jungheinrich shares are traded on all German stock exchanges.