Protecting the Environment

VIANA BEACH CLEAN UP

Viana, Portugal

Recently, our Viana, Portugal, facility teamed up with the Center for Environmental Monitoring and Interpretation (CMIA) to clean up the Viana do Castelo beach. This activity was organized by CMIA and the BorgWarner4All Team, which is a group of 15 employees from the Viana location that are responsible for organizing activities to strengthen the community and improve the environment. Both groups, along with employees, their families and two dogs, collected 573 pounds of garbage.

CLEAN INDUSTRY ENVIRONMENTAL CERTIFICATION

El Salto, Mexico

Our facility in El Salto, Mexico, received Clean Industry Environmental Certification from the Mexican government’s environmental protection agency. The rigorous voluntary certification process requires fulfilling legal obligations, establishing and maintaining a robust environmental management system, and passing several documentation and on-site audits. Congratulations!

AWARDING SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Ramos Arizpe, Mexico

Our campus received the Empresa Socialmente Responsable Distinctive certification from the Centro Mexicano para la Filantropia to recognize corporate social responsibility.

BorgWarner’s social responsibility efforts in Mexico include employee engagement programs, safety and health promotion, community outreach and environmental protection practices.

BORGWARNER FEATURED IN SUSTAINABILITY REPORT

“For the automotive industry, there is no more important challenge than building vehicles to support a cleaner, more energy-efficient world,” said CEO James Verrier. BorgWarner’s efforts are featured in the 10th annual Business Roundtable sustainability report, which details the achievements of more than 150 companies.

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NEW ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY R&D FACILITY IN SPAIN

BorgWarner’s latest research and development facility in Vigo, Spain, consumes 80% less energy and uses 30% less water than other buildings in the country. Partly reusing the structure of an existing building, the new offices and labs were built with environmentally friendly materials, and nearly 90% of the construction waste was recycled. A Smart Building Management System optimizes energy use. Solar panels and waste heat from test benches heat water. Highly efficient filters improve air quality. Thermal and acoustic insulation save energy and reduce noise. Large windows maximize natural light for a comfortable work environment. Electric vehicle charging stations also encourage employees to use more sustainable transportation.

LIVONIA PLANT IS A ZERO-LANDFILL FACILITY 

Scrap metal, paper, plastic and universal waste are created at BorgWarner’s plant in Livonia, Michigan. None of it ends up in a landfill. Anything that can’t be recycled is hauled away by a waste disposal company that uses it as fuel to generate electricity for the local power utility. In addition, employees are encouraged to bring electronics, light bulbs, cell phones and other recyclables to the plant, and a Kaizen system considers ideas to improve the plant’s environmental system. 

FIRST LEED-CERTIFIED AUTOMOTIVE SUPPLIER IN BRAZIL 

Specifically designed and built to fulfill the demanding requirements for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, BorgWarner’s production facility and engineering center in Itatiba City, Brazil, uses extensive natural lighting to reduce electrical power consumption up to 97%. A highly efficient air conditioning system, the intelligent reuse of water and rainwater, and specific parking lots for low-emission vehicles contribute to the environmental sustainability of the entire campus.

RECYCLING PROJECT FUNDS NEW VAN FOR THE DISABLED  

Employees in Arcore, Italy, used funds raised from recycling paper, plastic and wood to buy a new minibus for the Pyramid Association, a local organization that supports disabled adults and children. “The boys at the center received our donation with tremendous joy and enthusiasm,” said Gloria Gasparotto, a member of the facility’s Environment and Communities Group. “For everyone at BorgWarner, their smiles were the greatest gift.”  

ZERO-LANDFILL FACILITY IN SOUTH CAROLINA 

BorgWarner’s plant in Seneca, South Carolina, is the first zero landfill facility in BorgWarner. The facility has a long track record of recycling aluminum and aerosol cans, metal castings and chips, antifreeze, oil, solvents, batteries, paper, cardboard, lighting and wood pallets. However, not everything in the waste stream can be recycled. After a thorough search, employees located a waste disposal company that hauls all of the facility’s general trash, sorts recyclable materials and burns the rest as fuel, all at a cost savings over landfilling.

PLANTING TREES TO CELEBRATE EARTH DAY  

Employees from BorgWarner’s facility in Asheville, North Carolina, celebrated Earth Day by planting eight trees with third grade students at Avery Elementary School. BorgWarner donated the trees to enhance the school’s landscape. As the red maple, holly and dogwood trees were planted around the school, the students learned how to plant and care for trees as well as birds. 

BORGWARNER FEATURED IN 2015 BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE SUSTAINABILITY REPORT

BorgWarner is one of 148 companies featured in the 2015 Business Roundtable Sustainability Report. The eighth annual report chronicles how top companies demonstrate effective environmental stewardship and sustainable business practices. BorgWarner President and CEO James Verrier describes how BorgWarner’s vision of a clean, energy-efficient world drives not only the products the company makes but how it produces them. “BorgWarner delivers technologies to improve fuel economy, emissions and performance. Whether behind the wheel of a sedan or commercial truck, we help people feel good about driving,” said Verrier. 

FACILITY EARNS CLEAN COMPANY CERTIFICATION

BorgWarner’s plant in Irapuato, Mexico, was recognized by state government officials for achieving Clean Company environmental certification. A few months earlier, the state government also recognized the plant’s environmental efforts with another prestigious award, which is given to companies that demonstrate outstanding compliance with environmental regulations. 

NEW ECO-FRIENDLY PLANTS IN MEXICO AND PORTUGAL 

First established in 1962, BorgWarner’s facility in El Salto, Mexico, opened a new building with production, office and lab space for over 100 new employees. The plant features advanced fire protection, water treatment, lighting and air conditioning systems. At BorgWarner’s new facility in Portugal, thermal insulation and a combination of natural and energy-efficient lighting reduces the building’s energy costs up to 50% compared with the previous facility.  

LEED GOLD-CERTIFIED PLANT IN CHINA

In Taicang, China, BorgWarner opened a new LEED gold-certified facility that uses natural lighting and solar power to reduce energy consumption by about 22%. The plant also recycles rainwater.  

GREEN TURBO PLANT IN POLAND

Designed as a certified "green building," the new Turbo Systems facility in Rzeszów, Poland, uses high-efficiency heating and ventilation systems, low-flow faucets, and automated lighting to save energy. In addition, over 75% of the site is designated as open green space. 

SAVING ENERGY AND HARVESTING RAINWATER IN INDIA 

BorgWarner’s new facility in Manesar, India, makes maximum use of natural light, features LED lighting to conserve energy, and harvests rainwater for landscaping and sanitation. 

96% LESS WASTE IN FLETCHER 

Last year, BorgWarner’s facility in Fletcher, North Carolina, recycled 96% of the plant’s waste, including pallets, paper, plastic, metal, batteries, light bulbs, oil, ink cartridges and cardboard. The amount of oil used to run and lubricate machines has been reduced by 28%, and energy consumption has decreased nearly 40%. Efficient LED lights illuminate the parking lot, and fluorescent lights, which burn cooler to help reduce air conditioning costs, brighten the entire plant. Less efficient equipment has been upgraded or replaced. New injection molding equipment melts nylon materials more efficiently, radiating less heat into the air and reducing energy consumption. A new roof was also installed over half the plant with added insulation and reflective materials to keep the plant cooler during the hot summer. 

ITALY CONSERVES TO REDUCE WASTE 

With sales rising, employees in Milan, Italy, realized that the cost of hauling and disposing garbage was also increasing. Through a comprehensive waste-reduction program, employees collected, pressed and sold nearly 54 tons of cardboard boxes, saving 805 trees, over 23 million liters of water and 263,000 kilowatts of energy. The plant also recycled nearly 20 tons of plastic, including trays, bottles and bags, conserving 68 tons of petrol. Bottom line results: The facility saved €14,000 ($17,225) in hauling and disposal costs, and earned €5,000 ($6,150) from recycling in just one year. 

EVERY BOTTLE COUNTS 

BorgWarner’s Powertrain Technical Center in Auburn Hills, Michigan, recycled 94 pounds of plastic bottles last year, which saved a barrel of oil, a cubic yard of landfill space, 271 kilowatts of electricity and 4.6 million BTUs of energy.

MOST ENERGY EFFICIENT IN INDIA  

Turbo Energy Limited, a BorgWarner joint venture in India, achieved Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) platinum certification, ranking as the most energy efficient building in India at the time. On the roof, the facility features India’s first solar-powered air conditioning system, special paint reflects 82% of sunlight, solar panels generate electricity for lighting and roofing insulation improves energy efficiency. Inside, windows are doubled glazed with a low-e coating, walls feature insulation sandwiched between two block walls, and floors are covered in bamboo, a rapidly renewable material. Day lighting controlled by photo sensors and glass interior walls reduce the need for artificial lighting in office areas. Outside, 150 solar street lights line the roadway and parking lot, a hybrid windmill generates electricity and special landscaping controls soil erosion. Rain water is also collected from the roof, treated and reused to water the landscape. 

BORGWARNER’S ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES SUPPORT X PRIZE WINNER AND FINALISTS 

Designed to boost the output of down-sized engines, BorgWarner’s variable turbine geometry (VTG) turbocharger helped the four-passenger Very Light Car by Edison2 achieve a total efficiency of 102.5 MPGe (miles per gallon or energy equivalent) to become the Mainstream Class winner of the Progressive Insurance Automotive X PRIZE competition. In addition, BorgWarner’s 31-03 eGearDrive® transmission drove two finalists in the Alternative Class for two-passenger vehicles: the battery-powered Aptera 2e and the ZAP Alias. BorgWarner also provided the thermal management system for the Aptera vehicle’s power electronics and electric motor drive unit. To recognize their outstanding achievements in developing high mileage, fuel efficient and environmentally friendly vehicles, BorgWarner presented Edison2, Aptera and ZAP with Innovation Awards.

SUPPORTING SUSTAINABILITY 

In Illinois, BorgWarner recycles more than 128 tons of scrap metal every year and reintroduces over 11 tons of reground plastic into the production process to save raw materials. In addition, plastic bags and cardboard are donated to a local state-funded self-help organization, which recycles the materials to purchase books and snacks for its developmentally disabled workers.  

RECYCLING 

Employees in North Carolina recycle 100% of their waste plastic, about 200 tons a year. Nearly 70% is used to produce new products. About 1,000 tons of oil, scrap metal, bottles, cardboard, paper and pallets are recycled each year, representing more than 92% of the facility’s waste stream. Becoming a Zero Landfill Unit is a top priority at the BorgWarner facility in New York. With the help of the local solid waste company, employees recycle 14 different kinds of waste and use returnable boxes and dunnage, used to protect cargo during transportation. The facility also collects 100,000 gallons of rainwater from its roof each year, storing it in cooling towers used to transfer heat generated from the plant’s air compressors.  

BRAZIL WINS ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD 

During their 19th annual supplier awards, Mercedes Benz presented one of its first Environmental Responsibility Awards to the BorgWarner facility in Campinas, Brazil, for its Turbocharger REMAN project. The program remanufactures turbochargers, providing customers with a production-quality alternative while protecting the environment by reducing scrap and carbon emissions. The process involves completely disassembling the unit, replacing damaged or worn parts, reconditioning usable parts, and then re-assembling the turbocharger on an assembly line. In Brazil, over 100,000 turbo-chargers have been remanufactured since 1975.  

SAVING ENERGY 

BorgWarner’s facility in Bradford, England, installed transformers in the existing power supply to optimize voltage on the shop floor, protecting equipment from power surges, enhancing the life of electrical equipment and reducing energy usage 9% - 15%. In addition, low energy T5 lighting with motion sensors decreases energy usage another 10% - 30%. In Michigan, high efficiency lights save over 300,000 kilowatt hours per year. Equipped with a wireless sensor, the lights can be programmed to turn on and off, individually or in groups, on a preset schedule that adjusts to the facility’s needs. The plant also installed a smaller, more efficient electric washer to clean production parts.

BORGWARNER PLANT IN MEXICO WINS ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD 

The Juarez Plant has received a "Keep Water for Our Future" award from the local government. 

REMAN PROGRAM REVITALIZES TURBOS, REDUCES WASTE 

BorgWarner's REMAN program has remanufactured 950,000 turbos in the last 10 years, saving large truck fleet owners 25% - 30%, helping them avoid costly downtime and reducing scrap that would otherwise have ended up in landfills.

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BORGWARNER WINS SECOND AWARD FOR ENERGY MANAGEMENT 

BorgWarner received its second consecutive environmental award for energy management. Even though production increased by 15% and despite a colder winter, the BorgWarner facility in Bradford, United Kingdom, reduced total electricity and gas consumption by 20% in 2007. 

RECYCLING RAINWATER IN NEW YORK 

BorgWarner's Morse Systems facility in Ithaca, New York, recycles 100,000 gallons of rainwater a year. The rainwater is collected from its 10,000-square-foot roof and stored in cooling towers used to transfer heat generated from the plant's air compressors. 

NEW PLANT IN CHINA USES GEOTHERMAL HEAT 

The new BorgWarner Thermal Systems plant in Ningbo, China, uses state-of-the-art geothermal technology to heat and cool the building and provide economical hot water by tapping into the more stable temperatures a few feet below the earth’s surface. This environmentally friendly fuel source reduces energy costs by 30% - 60% without emitting carbon dioxide, a major contributor to air pollution. 

NEW PLANT IN INDIA IS A CERTIFIED "GREEN BUILDING" 

Designed as a LEED silver certified "green building," BorgWarner's new plant in India will reserve 30% of the grounds for green space shaded with trees and plants and watered with recycled water. In addition, several water- and energy-saving devices will be installed throughout the 63,000-square-foot facility. 

BORGWARNER'S R2S® TURBOCHARGING SYSTEM WINS AUTOMOTIVE NEWS PACE ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD 

At the inaugural Green Car Conference and Exhibition, BorgWarner's regulated two-stage (R2S®) turbocharging system received a 2008 Automotive News PACE Environmental Award for contributing to environmental sustainability and solving environmental problems. BorgWarner's patented R2S® turbocharging system consists of two series-connected turbochargers, a combination that allows car makers to offer low-fuel-consumption, efficient, downsized engines with the dynamic response and high peak output power of a larger engine, all with lower emissions. 

BORGWARNER SUPPLIES 2009 GREEN CAR OF THE YEAR PLUS GREEN CAR JOURNAL'S TOP 5 FOR 2009™ 

BorgWarner's advanced technologies drive all five vehicles in the Green Car Journal's Top 5 for 2009, including the BMW 335d, Ford Fusion Hybrid, Saturn Vue 2 Mode Hybrid, smart® for two and - the 2009 Green Car of the Year - the Volkswagen Jetta TDI. From clean diesels to small gasoline-powered engines to hybrids, BorgWarner helps all of these powertrains enjoy the benefits of reduced engine size, lower emissions, increased fuel economy and improved performance. 

FLETCHER PLANT REDUCES WASTE WATER 66% 

Like many manufacturing plants, the Thermal Systems facility in Fletcher, North Carolina, generates oily waste water from cleaning plant floors and cooling machinery. Employees developed a simple process to separate the oil from the water, reducing the impact on the environment by 66%. Because the waste water is now over 90% oil, BorgWarner is investigating whether it can be cleaned and sold for fuel. It's a possibility - the plant already sells used hydraulic oil to cement block manufacturers to cure bricks. 

GREEN IT INITIATIVES PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT 

BorgWarner Information Technology (IT) groups launched several green initiatives, including globally tracking IT's green accomplishments, deploying collaboration tools such as Communicator and Live Meeting to reduce travel, and ensuring all new computer purchases are Energy Star rated. IT also launched two-sided printing, which reduces paper consumption by 30%, as well as recycled paper purchasing at most facilities.  

INNOVATIVE WAYS TO GENERATE ELECTRICITY 

At the BorgWarner research and development center in Ludwigsburg, Germany, the braking energy generated during test cycles on the dynamometer is captured and converted to electricity. In addition to the solar panels on the roof of the nearby administrative building, these two sources of electricity not only power these facilities, but add 10,000 kilowatt hours to the community's power grid. 

POWER SAVINGS WITH VIRTUAL SERVERS 

Over 25% of BorgWarner computer servers were consolidated into virtual servers to reduce power consumption. Each virtual server can replace 20 to 30 conventional servers. The environmental impact of the power savings is equivalent to planting 3,200 new trees. The company also saves over $125,000 a year in energy costs and avoids over $800,000 in hardware maintenance or replacement costs. 

NINGBO FACILITY RECEIVES GREEN PLANT AWARD

The Thermal Systems plant in Ningbo, China, was one of three companies to receive a Green Plant Model Award from the Ningbo Municipal Landscaping Office. The award recognizes BorgWarner's commitment to a green environment by maintaining at least 35% green space, implementing a conservation management system, and achieving professional landscaping results. 

EMISSIONS SYSTEMS RECOGNIZED FOR INNOVATION AT ÖKOGLOBE AWARDS 

BorgWarner's Pressure Sensor Glow Plug (PSG) took second place in the Supplier Innovation category at the 2009 ÖkoGlobe Awards, the only program to exclusively recognize environmentally friendly technologies in the automotive and mobility industry. The PSG supplies exact pressure data from the engine combustion chamber to the engine's control unit to reduce NOx emissions during the combustion process. 

BORGWARNER SUPPLIES 2010 GREEN CAR OF THE YEAR® 

From clean diesels to hybrids, BorgWarner's leading technologies help the 2010 Green Car of the Year®, the Audi A3 TDI, increase fuel economy, lower emissions and improve performance. For the winner as well as four of the top five finalists, BorgWarner supplies technologies such as variable turbine geometry (VTG) turbochargers to help reduce NOx, pressure sensor glow plugs and control modules to precisely control the combustion process, engine timing system components for quiet performance, timing precision and durability, and DualTronic® control and dual-clutch modules for quick, seamless shifts.  

FREE ENERGY, GREENER PLANET 

Facilities throughout BorgWarner use innovative ways to reduce or recapture energy, saving millions of kilowatt hours a year. For example, 646 square feet (60 square meters) of solar roof panels on the BorgWarner facility in Ludwigsburg, Germany, produce clean electricity from the sun. 

SEEING THE LIGHT 

Nearly 300 brighter, quieter lights installed at the BorgWarner Powertrain Technical Center (PTC) in Auburn Hills, Michigan, will save almost 200,000 kilowatt hours per year, burning about half the energy of the old fixtures. Unlike mercury vapor lights, the new T-8 fixtures illuminate instantly without taking several minutes to warm up, are quieter, provide brighter light and are easier to maintain. They also generate less heat, which helps the building's heating system run more efficiently. The facility has also replaced compressed air and heating equipment with smaller, more efficient systems that use less energy and operate at a fraction of the previous cost.  

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