Positec

Sustainability In Our Facility

The new Positec Technology office building is a global benchmark for sustainability. While being friendly to the environment, it creates a friendly environment for the people who work here.

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100%

The Positec HQ is a 100% electric complex

Energy saving systems combined with energy from multiple renewable sources dramatically reduce the carbon footprint of the entire complex. A 325kW photovoltaic array covers 3,500m² of the south façade, generating around 28% of the building’s electricity.

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71%

Use of rainwater reduces water demand by 71%

Rainwater is collected from over 10,200m² of roof surface and from almost 42,800m² of permeable pavers. Water is stored in a 10,000m³ retention pond, where it is filtered and treated with UV sterilization. The recycled grey water is used for toilet flushing, irrigation, interior cleaning and exterior washing.

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1650

Information from 1,650 data points is constantly processed by the SBMS

The building’s intelligent operating system monitors and processes information from sensors embedded in the building’s electrical, mechanical and hydraulic sub systems. These data, combined with real-time weather information, allow for optimal efficiency of heating, cooling, ventilation, lighting, power generation and water usage.

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208%

The underground area to land coverage ratio is 208%

With large portions of the building lying underground, it occupies only a fraction of the land of a typical 5-story building. The building allows sunshine and wind to freely pass through without blocking or interference.

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100%

Natural renewable sources provide 100% of the building’s heating and cooling

200 pipes, totaling 20km in length, reach as deep as 100m underground and create a comfortable working environment in every season. Green roof, high performance glazed windows as well as advanced insulation technologies save.

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322

Opting for Landroids instead of petrol mowers equates to 322 cars off the road for 30 days a year

A fleet of Worx® Landroid robotic mowers autonomously maintains the 27,000m² lawns within the complex. This continuous mowing reduces the need for irrigation and minimizes the use of chemical fertilizers and weed-killers. The exclusive use of native plants reduces the need for irrigation and preserves the local habitat.

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80%

80% of the office space is illuminated by natural light

The terraced design allows natural light to flow into the building, creating a comfortable working environment. Low consumption LED lamps and T5 tubes are activated by occupancy sensors. The basement is illuminated by solar tubes that bring the natural light deep inside the building.

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250K

The adoption of electric buses eliminates the equivalent emissions of 250,000 car journeys a year

A fleet of electric buses provides zero emission, daily transportation to around 480 commuting Positec workers. Employees driving an electric vehicle can recharge their EV or motorbike free of charge within the company parking lot.

Sustainability In Our Products And People

From revolutionary cordless technology to intentional hiring decisions, our commitment to people and sustainability expands beyond the gates of our facilities.

Small Engines Are Big Polluters

The Issue

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, a gas-powered push mower emits the same amount of pollutants as 11 late model cars. The agency says OPE emissions account for some 5% of total pollution in residential areas during the good season.

The Solution

End users cannot be blamed of polluting the environment as long as an alternative technology is not available. Electric mowers need long awkward cords, while battery powered mowers have limited runtime. Moreover, both designs are considered less powerful than gas mowers… In 2009 Positec has launched IntelliCut, a revolutionary generation of cordless mowers that allow unprecedented range on one charge, up to 18,000sqf. The mowers are equipped with Power-on-demand technology, an electronic control that boosts the power when needed, for performance that is superior to gas mowers.

The Advantage

Replacing 50% of the 150 million mowers estimated to be in use worldwide with IntelliCut zero emission mowers would equal to taking over 800 million cars off the road. At least for one hour a week, 6 months a year. Now our technology makes it possible.

Good Vibrations? Not Always

The Issue

Vibration coming from the use of hand-held power tools is a well-documented cause of occupational injuries—painful and disabling disorders of the blood vessels, nerves and joints, known as HAV (Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome). Millions of workers are exposed to risk of developing the HAVS in the workplace. HAVS is serious and disabling, and once the damage is done, is permanent. The European Union Directive 20002/44/EC acknowledges the risk and limits EU workers’ exposure (exposure action value at 2.5m/s2). Unfortunately, the vast majority of power sanders, rotary hammers and reciprocating saws fail to comply with this important safety regulation.

The Solution

Some tools vibrate as a side effect, but others do as a primary effect. Power sanders, for example, do the job by vibrating the sandpaper attached to their pads. Positec’s VibraFree technology takes a unique approach: it takes the unwanted vibration and recycles it onto the work piece rather than transferring it to the operator’s hand. Simple and revolutionary, it works regardless of feed force.

The Advantage

VibraFree-based power sanders not only comply with the EU safety regulations, but also dramatically increase worker productivity by re-directing unwanted feedback vibration back to the work piece. A Intertek-certified sanding test shows VibraFree power sanders’ reduce vibration by approximately half compared with the best competitor machine, and were over 30% more efficient. As a result, the combination of lower vibration and higher productivity leads to a dramatic reduction of the exposure to vibration by the user.

Beware Of The Chainsaw

The Issue

Among the most common power tools for lawn & garden purposes, the chainsaw is by far the most potentially dangerous. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), each year approximately 36,000 people are treated in hospital emergency departments for injuries from the use of chain saws. Medical costs for chainsaw injuries in the US amount to approximately $350 million per year.

The Solution

We acknowledged the problem and thought the typical chainsaw is designed for lumberjacks’ needs rather than for home-owners’ applications—which range from tree-pruning to log cutting to after-storm cleaning. Hence our primary objective was to design a chainsaw that is safer for the novice and occasional user, but at the same time is also better adapted to the specific needs of home-owners. The resulting product is the Worx® JawSaw, a chainsaw where the chain is enclosed in a blade cover which prevents unintended contact with the chain by the user, who has to have both hands on the tool grips in order to operate the saw.

The Advantage

Designed for the homeowner’s needs, the JawSaw is a much safer chainsaw that has the potential of contributing to a substantial reduction in the number of chainsaw-related injuries.

Re-Shaping Summer Neighborhoods

The Issue

During the Spring season, the air of sub-urban areas is filled with noise—as well as other air pollutants. A typical gas-powered lawn mower is heard a quarter mile away or more. In other words, a single mower pollutes as much as 100 acres of neighborhood with noise. Electric mowers are certainly quieter, but still propagating their noise 200 yards away. Such a noise pollution has a negative impact on the quality of life in residential areas.

The Solution

As with helicopters, the loudest noise pollution coming from your lawn mower is not generated by the engine but rather by the blade. By re-thinking the aerodynamics of the mowing blade, we achieved a substantial noise reduction. We call this technology “Mute”, which earns its name. With Mute, the noise propagation is limited to 30 feet. Worx® battery-operated, cordless lawn mowers are lightweight, exceptionally quiet, easy to use, and deliver a cut like no other. Run your mower quieter, cleaner, and less-expensively than a gas mower.

The Advantage

Gardeners can now take care of their landscape without polluting the soundscape. Plus, Worx® IntelliCut™ technology allows you to add more torque on demand for denser grass, and the ability to dial it back down to conserve energy.

We don’t just talk about social responsibility, we live it.

Although companies are certainly in business to make a profit, I believe that profit alone cannot inspire a company to become a great enterprise. There must be something else–a higher calling of responsibility to the people and to the planet that gives life meaning. Whether it is designing products that are safer, seeing the value in each and every employee, being a good citizen in our community or minimizing our carbon footprint, it is all part of our shared dream to build a truly sustainable company.