High Performing Buildings - Winter 2011 - (Page 78)

low-maintenance robots can be easily reprogrammed to handle different types and sizes of parts and require significantly less energy to operate. Just as important, the system allows Honda to optimally match its local and global production capacity to prevailing market demand, which results in a more stable manufacturing environment and more efficient use of energy across all Honda factories. Left The Marysville and East Liberty Auto Plants replaced hydraulic pump robots with robots that use electric servo motors. The electric robots run more efficiently, require little maintenance and can be reprogrammed to handle different parts. The robots help improve the factories’ flexibility, allowing them to shift from manufacturing one type of vehicle to another as market demands change. Waste reduction Honda also is seeking to eliminate waste from production operations and minimize waste throughout the entire manufacturing process. This starts with designing production processes, parts logistics, energy management systems and other operations in ways that reduce their impact on the environment. Honda encourages plants to work toward the goal of creating manufacturing operations that produce no downstream waste, either reusing or recycling scrap or waste material. The company is aiming to discontinue sending any waste to landfills for all 14 of its plants in north America by April 1, 2011. A simple example is paper. Before Honda set up its office waste recycling program, waste paper was sent to landfills. now paper is recycled at an off-site recycling facility. ideally, waste paper would be eliminated by encouraging associates to replace paper records with electronic records, limit printing and similar measures. The Marysville and east Liberty plants are working to eliminate the few remaining waste streams, including cafeteria waste. four of the plant cafeterias recently converted from disposable paper and plastic products to washable dishware. • To comment on this article, go to www.HPBmagazine.org. aBout tHe autHor Karen Heyob is associate chief engineer in the Company facilities and environment department for Honda of America manufacturing and is coordinator of Honda’s green factory initiative for all of its manufacturing operations in north America. Lessons Learned associate involvement is key. Honda minimizes hierarchy and emphasizes collaboration at all levels. Associates (employees) are encouraged to regularly share their best ideas. Company founder soichiro Honda said that “all engineers are equal in the presence of technology,” which epitomizes not only the company’s belief in the ability of technology to address societal problems, but that anyone can have a great idea regardless of their rank or position. many of Honda’s best ideas for improving efficiency have come from associates working on the line. The company works constantly to engage its associates in realizing efficiency gains, both small and large. Associates can even profit by submitting suggestions and implementing improvement themes through its Voluntary improvement Program. set clear and quantifiable targets. in working to minimize the environmental impact of manufacturing operations, Honda sets clear and quantifiable targets that are incorporated into its three-year business planning process and communicated to all associates. Through a management process known as “PdCA” (Plan do Check Act), associates continually measure and assess their progress in meeting company goals. Balance environmental gains and cost control. Honda generally requires a simple payback period of less than two years for investment projects. even for energy, Honda’s most costly utility, identifying means of reducing energy use with a two-year return on investment can be difficult, particularly once all the low-hanging fruit has been picked. efficiency and sustainable measures often increase the first cost of projects. The long-term payback for these measures is good, particularly in the context of new construction or new equipment design, rather than retrofits; however, project managers don’t always recognize how these measures can contribute to their development goals. Honda is beginning to evaluate new investments on a lifecycle cost basis, but it is a different way of thinking that takes time to implement. Various approaches are being evaluated, including mandatory specifications, new guidelines for investment evaluation and awareness training for project managers. 78 HigH Performing Buildings Winter 2011 http://www.HPBmagazine.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of High Performing Buildings - Winter 2011

High Performing Buildings - Winter 2011
Commentary
Contents
Portland State's Shattuck Hall
Oberlin College's Adam Joseph Lewis Center
Dell Children's Medical Center
CMTA Office Building
EPA Region 8 Headquarters
Honda's East Liberty, Marysville Auto Plants
Advertisers Index

High Performing Buildings - Winter 2011