Takeda has officialy launched its first ‘positive energy’ manufacturing support building at its site in JTC Woodlands Industrial Park, Singapore on 30 March 2023.

The site is part of the company’s global manufacturing network. Constructed in reference to Singapore’s Building and Construction Authority’s (BCA) Green Mark scheme, the building received the Green Mark Platinum Positive Energy certification, recognizing that the building produces more electricity than it consumes. This investment is the first-of-its-kind within the biopharmaceutical industry in Singapore.

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 honorable guests to the opening ceremony.

“Takeda’s growth is based on creating long-term value for patients, shareholders and society while also sustaining positive impact for our people, communities, and the planet. 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,” said Thomas Wozniewski, global manufacturing and supply officer, at Takeda. “The BCA Green Mark Platinum Positive Energy certification is a testimony on how Takeda thrives for innovative solutions and environmental sustainability. This is the first positive energy building in Takeda’s global manufacturing network.”

“Achieving positive energy is a significant milestone not just for Takeda, but also sets a new precedent and standard for Singapore’s biopharmaceutical industry. 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.” said Goh Wan Yee, Senior Vice President and Head of Healthcare at the Singapore Economic Development Board. “We congratulate Takeda on this achievement and will continue to work closely with companies to drive green and sustainable industries in Singapore.”

The construction and operation of real estate accounts for a significant portion of the world’s carbon footprint. For Takeda, building and running environmental sustainable operations means reducing greenhouse gas emissions and conserving natural resources.

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

Key features of the new building include:

• Electricity supply from the 1,600 square meters photovoltaic panels on-site

• Use of climatic machine learning algorithm: Internet of Climate (IOC) which considers outdoor weather and occupancy in daily operations. This is one of the essentials of last mile energy savings to reduce energy demand

• A low heat gain façade and double-glazed window panels which are coated with PET (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.

The BCA Green Mark is aligned with the United Nations’ sustainable development goals. It is an internationally recognized rating system that is tailored to a tropical climate to stretch outcomes of buildings to substantially reduce the environmental impacts – focusing on whole life carbon, health and wellbeing, resilience, intelligence and maintainability. The Green Mark 2021 provides a nationally and globally recognized green building performance rating.

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 nonprofit organization. The certification is considered the gold standard for laboratory sustainability practices around the world, and recognized by the United Nations Race to Zero campaign as a key measure of progress towards a zero-carbon future.

Singapore is an important hub for Takeda’s Growth and Emerging Market Business Unit operations and for Takeda globally. Its robust healthcare eco-system is pivotal in facilitating Takeda’s commitment in Asia Pacific, and the GEM region in making a positive difference to the lives of patients across the region.