Climate protection at the Dürr Group
Aug 23, 2023
Measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at sites around the world
In 2021, the Dürr Group adopted its climate strategy. Since then, the company has implemented measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at numerous sites in Germany and abroad. This has enabled the mechanical and plant engineering firm to make a big difference in just a short time and significantly improve its environmental footprint.
Energy
Purchase of green electricity
In 2022, the Dürr Group converted its locations in Germany, India, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, and the United States to green electricity. All other sites will follow in 2023.
Purchase of green gas
The company has been using natural gas as a transitional solution for supplying heat in Germany. This has been made carbon-neutral since the beginning of 2022 by means of externally audited certificates from its energy supplier. However, the goal is to gradually minimize gas consumption and switch to alternative technologies. For example, at the Holzbronn site (Germany), the company began replacing the existing heating system with air-source heat pumps in May 2023.
Energy efficiency
The Dürr Group is further reducing its energy requirements by refurbishing existing buildings to improve energy efficiency and by converting lighting, heating, compressed air, ventilation, and air conditioning to low-consumption technology. The German sites in Lemgo and Herzebrock, for example, were fitted with daylight control systems; in Beinasco (Italy) modern heating systems were installed; and in Darmstadt (Germany) roof renovations on older factory buildings were continued as planned.
Renewable energy generation
In 2022, factory and office buildings in Bietigheim-Bissingen, Schopfloch, and Holzbronn as well as in Barcelona (Spain) were equipped with photovoltaic systems. In the spring of 2023, the company put further plants into operation in Lemgo and Port Elizabeth (South Africa). In the second half of 2023, photovoltaic systems will be installed at further sites in Germany. This is expected to increase the total installed capacity of all photovoltaic systems in the Dürr Group to approximately 5.0 MWp by the end of 2023.
Solar filling station at Teamtechnik
The Group subsidiary Teamtechnik not only supplies assembly and functional test systems for e-mobility components but has also been focusing on sustainability in its internal operations for a long time. Its headquarters in Freiberg am Neckar has been home to a self-sufficient solar filling station for more than 10 years. Every year, over 450,000 kilowatt hours of green energy are generated by the photovoltaic systems on the building roofs and stored in a high-performance battery, which supplies the charging points for the fleet’s 20-plus hybrid and electric vehicles.
Energy summit in Holzbronn
Sustainable construction and a clean, secure energy supply: These topics were the focus of the first in-house energy summit in July 2022. A multi-site team consisting of people responsible for facility management, sustainability, and corporate security shared their views on technologies for renewable energy generation, energy-efficient building technology, and corresponding building standards. At another meeting, the team discussed the conditions for the use of wind power with representatives from the relevant authorities.
Sustainable construction
In new construction projects, the company uses energy-efficient building technology and the sustainable building material wood, wherever possible. In 2023, the plan is to adopt a corresponding Europe-wide guideline for sustainable construction in the Dürr Group.
Mobility
Expansion of the charging infrastructure
The charging infrastructure for battery-powered vehicles at the Group’s sites was further expanded in 2022. Charging stations for electric company cars went into operation in many places, for example in Bietigheim-Bissingen, Püttlingen, Herzebrock, Pfalzgrafenweiler, Lemgo, and Schopfloch. The charging stations are often also available to employees for charging their private vehicles. Since the beginning of 2023, parking spaces with charging facilities for employees’ e-bikes and e-scooters have also been available at the Bietigheim-Bissingen site.
Electric vehicle fleet
In 2022, the company updated its Germany-wide company car policy, which accelerates the switch to fully electric vehicles. The aim is to gradually convert the entire fleet of company vehicles in Germany to alternative drives by 2030 at the latest.
Awareness
Gathering ideas
In November 2022, over the course of three days, the Dürr Group gathered ideas for environmental and climate protection. More than 700 employees throughout Germany took part in a so-called Ideation Jam. A total of 350 ideas for more sustainability in the product range and at the locations were submitted, discussed, and further developed during the online brainstorming session. Some suggestions are already being implemented, including the installation of motion detectors for energy-saving lighting control in Püttlingen and the use of reusable instead of disposable cups in Darmstadt. The company tied the campaign to a fundraiser to promote climate-resilient forests, and provided €17,500 to protect 35,000 m2 of native forest from the effects of climate change.
Progress in achieving Group-wide climate targets
In its climate strategy, the Dürr Group has set itself the target of reducing its emissions from operations (Scope 1 and Scope 2) by at least 70% by 2030 compared to the 2019 base-year level. Thanks to investments of over €22 million in sustainable buildings, energy-efficiency measures, and self-generation of electricity, the company was able to reduce its emissions in 2022: Its Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions dropped to 27,762 tons of CO2e (CO2 equivalents), a reduction of 43% year-on-year and 51% compared to 2019. In addition, the Group was able to increase its share of renewables in the electricity mix from just under 9% in the previous year to almost 70% in 2022.
For a mechanical and plant engineering firm, the greatest leverage for lowering greenhouse gas emissions is to reduce the energy consumption of machines and systems in the use phase. In its climate strategy, the Dürr Group has set itself the target of reducing emissions from the upstream and downstream value chain (Scope 3) by at least 15% by 2030 compared to the 2019 base-year level. The willingness of customers to invest in low-emission technologies is a key factor in the reduction of Scope 3 emissions.
2022 key figures:
-51%
fewer Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions
2,669 MWh
generated by photovoltaic systems
-12%
lower energy intensity
9 times
more green electricity sourced
Find out more about sustainability at the Dürr Group
The Dürr Group’s latest sustainability report contains 113 pages of information on the most important sustainability topics. They range from climate protection, human rights, and occupational health & safety through to topics such as sustainable corporate financing, further training, and donations. Take a look and find out more about the progress the Group has already made in achieving its sustainability targets and the activities planned for the coming years. Incidentally, thanks to its many images, infographics, and stories, the report is not just for number crunchers!
Hanjo
Hermann
Senior Manager Corporate Sustainability
Dürr Aktiengesellschaft
Carl-Benz-Str. 34
74321 Bietigheim-Bissingen
Germany
Carl-Benz-Str. 34
74321 Bietigheim-Bissingen
Germany
