William McDonough was in India this week visiting the recently completed Garden FactoryTM and Global Parts Center for Hero MotoCorp. Designed by Mr. McDonough and his architecture firm, William McDonough + Partners, the factory’s features include:
Hero MotoCorp’s Neemrana Factory Rooftop ©2015 William McDonough
- rooftop greenhouses producing food for employees and, eventually, the surrounding community;
- interior biowalls producing oxygen and clean filtered air for employees;
- skylights and eye-level windows – a significant factor in increased productivity (sunlight replaces electrical lighting during many work hours);
- materials that are either Cradle to Cradle CertifiedTM or that have been evaluated according to Cradle to CradleR design protocols; and
- optimized energy systems including on-site renewable energy harvesting through photovoltaic panels and vegetated roof surfaces, between the greenhouses, capturing rainwater and shading the roof from the sun (this provides a 20% reduction in air conditioning requirements)
To learn more about this project, please visit William McDonough + Partners.
