Nestlé Buildings Worldwide Go Greener

It is the first time a Swiss building has won the highest level of certification the council awards to recognise leadership in energy and environmental design (LEED).

Oct 7 2011 --- Nestlé’s efforts to construct more environmentally friendly buildings for its operations receive international recognition.

An innovation centre built by Cereal Partners Worldwide (CPW SA) in Switzerland has been recognised as a leading example of sustainable design.

The firm, a joint venture between Nestlé and General Mills, has been awarded a platinum certification by the United States Green Building Council for the building in the Swiss city of Orbe.

It is the first time a Swiss building has won the highest level of certification the council awards to recognise leadership in energy and environmental design (LEED).

The centre uses water from melted alpine snow for its cooling systems, an innovation that helps reduce energy usage by a third.

More than 50,000 gallons of rainwater are collected and stored in tanks for irrigation and for use in sanitary facilities at the site.

Burned ground coffee waste produces steam to provide a back-up source of heating.

And more than half the building was constructed using locally-sourced recycled materials.

‘Pioneering achievement’

Nestlé and General Mills set up the joint venture CPW to produce and sell ready-to-eat breakfast cereals worldwide beyond the US and Canada.

The innovation centre is part of CPW’s global Research and Development network.

It focuses on ideas to improve nutritional content, freshness, taste and texture for the firm's well-known breakfast cereal brands like Fitness, Cheerios and Nesquik.

“This pioneering achievement represents a best-in-class intersection of sustainability and innovation,” said Mayank Patel, Vice President for Research & Development, and Nutrition and Regulatory Affairs, at Cereal Partners Worldwide.

“CPW is proud to be driving innovation in the global breakfast cereals category from Switzerland’s first LEED Platinum facility. This reflects General Mills and Nestlé’s shared commitment to environmental sustainability,” he added.

‘Prime example’

“Nestlé’s LEED certification demonstrates tremendous green building leadership,” continued Rick Fedrizzi, President and Chief Executive Officer of the US Green Building Council.

“The urgency of the Green Building Council’s mission has challenged the industry to move faster and reach further than ever before, and Nestlé serves as a prime example with just how much we can accomplish.”

‘Feel good’

Switzerland isn’t the only place in the world where Nestlé is developing greener buildings.

In the United States, Nestlé Waters North America (NWNA) last month received the LEED Gold certification for its headquarters in Stamford, Connecticut.

It was the company’s tenth LEED-certified building in the country.

Energy-saving measures introduced include a low-energy lighting system, an employee shuttle to encourage the use of public transport, and using furniture, carpet and ceiling tiles made out of recycled materials.

“We feel good coming to work every day, being part of and showing visitors the innovative, green features of our office building,” said Kim Jeffery, President and Chief Executive Officer of NWNA.

‘Responsible corporate citizen’

Elsewhere in the US, Nestlé Purina PetCare is converting the sun’s rays into renewable energy at its Flagstaff pet food factory in Arizona.

The factory, which produces brands such as Purina One BeyOnd, has 1,900 solar panels on its rooftop.

“Our solar array – the largest in the region for a private enterprise, shows this community, our consumers and our associates that Nestlé Purina is a leader in this area and a responsible corporate citizen,” said Bill Calloway, Flagstaff Factory Manager, for Nestlé Purina PetCare US.

“The renewable energy captured by the solar panels in one year is estimated to offset the annual greenhouse gas emission from 88 passenger vehicles,” added Tom Burke, Engineer and Project Manager, at the Flagstaff factory.

Sawdust and coconut shells

Currently, 21 Nescafé factories worldwide are using spent coffee grounds as renewable energy source.

The latest is the Cagayan de Oro Nescafé factory in the Philippines.

It uses a special boiler to recycle and burn spent coffee grounds, sawdust and coconut shells to produce renewable energy.

As a result, over two-thirds of its oil consumption has been reduced.

Fossil energy

In Africa, the Cerelac infant cereal production factory in Tema, Ghana, is equipped with the latest food processing technology.

This has helped reduce fossil energy consumption by around 15%.

Also, the new chillers at the factory use natural refrigerants to lower both emissions and production costs.