Amazon has announced its new California-based fulfilment centre is on track to become the first logistics facility in the world to achieve Zero Carbon Certification by the International Living Future Institute (ILFI).
The Sacramento-area delivery site, which aims to provide same-day delivery to customers, was constructed using sustainable building materials, including lower carbon concrete, and a fully electrified heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. Additionally, it is equipped with more efficient technology that helps it reduce operational carbon emissions.
The building is designed to have a rooftop solar array that can produce as much as 80% of the facility’s annual energy needs. The rest will come from Amazon’s other renewable energy projects.
“This new facility represents a leap forward in sustainable construction for our global operations, which we intend to use as a model for future buildings across Amazon, as we continue working towards meeting our Climate Pledge commitment to be net-zero carbon across our operations by 2040,” said Kara Hurst, vice president of worldwide sustainability at Amazon.
The distribution hub is the first in the world to pursue the ILFI Zero Carbon Certification, the first worldwide third-party certified standard of its kind. Certification requires buildings to meet certain energy and carbon reduction targets, be powered by 100% renewable energy, and offset 100% of emissions associated with their construction. Amazon expects the site to receive certification in 2023, one year after the site is fully operational.
The news follows a series of sustainability focused moves from Amazon over the last few years. In October, the retail giant announced it was looking to invest €1 billion (£861M) into its European EV logistics fleet, and only the month before, in September, it secured an agreement with Plug Power to supply 10,950 tons per year of green hydrogen for its transportation and building operations.
The company has emerged as the largest corporate purchaser of renewable energy and is on track to power all of its activities with renewable energy by 2025.
The latest announcement reinforces Amazons commitments as part of its Climate Pledge. The Climate Pledge was launched by Amazon and Global Optimism in 2019 and commits signatories to reaching the goals of the Paris Agreement 10 years earlier by attaining net-zero carbon across all operations by 2040. As of today, 462 companies have signed up to the pledge, including Microsoft, Unilever, Verizon, and Mercedes-Benz, among others.
Despite the progress Amazon has made, the companies latest sustainability report revealed an 18% increase in its carbon footprint. However, the company claims that this is not the correct metric to look at.
