Amazon.com, Inc.

At a Glance

Industry

Internet, Software, Hardware and Technology Services

Project Types

Sustainability and Energy Management Strategy, Zero Emission Vehicles, Freight and Logistics

Year

2022

Location

Bangalore, Karnataka

Summary

Dwaipayan Chakraborty had the opportunity to understand the design, operation, and processes of various facilities of Amazon India and correlate them with academic readings to suggest a roadmap for energy efficiency measures in buildings.

Goals

Amazon believes that sustainability affects their business, customers, communities and eventually, the planet. They have taken a ‘Climate Pledge’ to be net zero by 2040, a decade ahead of the Paris Climate Agreement. With multiple sustainability programs aimed around renewables, transportation, packaging and water,  Amazon also intends to reduce their Energy Use Intensity (EUI) through energy efficiency programs in their upcoming and operational buildings.

Solutions

Dwaipayan approached the project using a two-pronged approach: 

  • Identified topics which have the maximum effect on the energy consumption of a building, from a new installation perspective as well as retrofits. These included passive architecture, HVAC, lighting, equipment/appliances and O&M. 

  • Covering aspects including climate, building orientation vegetation, shadings, cool/green roofs, thermal comfort, daylights, materials, passive designs, several HVAC cooling systems, design optimization, luminaire, lighting systems controls, and O&M strategy. Dwaipayan proposed that these measures can be adopted or fine-tuned during design and implementation in order to achieve further energy savings. 

  • Devised a structured policy framework to enable Amazon India to strengthen and help set targets, plan, implement, monitor their action plans as well as communicate while incorporating continuous learnings along the way on this energy efficiency measures.

Potential Impact

As the logistics industry in India is expected to grow at a CAGR of approx. 10%-12%, focusing on energy efficient operations with a reduction in carbon footprint is both essential and of competitive benefit. Using the proposed strategies, Amazon can conserve and  judiciously use energy leading to reduced bills, operational costs, optimized lead time, enhanced storage and energy utilization, with reductions in GHG emission, better health,  well-being of occupants and productivity of its workforce.

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