Taiwan’s new green factory award

Taiwan's Fab 12 Phase 4 facility located in the Hsinchu Science Park has earned certification from the Ministry of Economic Affairs Industrial Development Bureau (IDB) has gained Taiwan’s first 'Green Factory Label'.

This recognition highlights the country's commitment to mitigating climate change and environment protection, and sets a new milestone for Taiwan’s green manufacturing. The Fab 12 Phase 4 facility has been symbolic in Taiwan's environmentally friendly efforts, gaining gold-class certification from the US Green Building Council’s LEED-NC standard, and diamond-class certification from Taiwan’s “Ecology, Energy Saving, Waste Reduction and Health” (EEWH) standard.

Taiwan’s “Green Factory Label” is the world’s first green certification system designed for factories, and examines both “green building construction” and “clean production”. Applicants must first gain the Ministry of the Interior’s green building label as well as clean production certification from the IDB. The concept for the “Green Factory Label” originated at TSMC’s Green Forum in 2008, and TSMC continued to work with regulatory agencies to integrate industry views and set a standard for green factories. The “Green Factory Label” is world’s first comprehensive certification system that combines green production (energy and water conservation, waste reduction, and pollution prevention), green transportation, employee health, surrounding ecosystems, and corporate social responsibility, putting Taiwan at the forefront of setting international standards.

TSMC pledged in 2005 that all new factories and office buildings would be built to the most up-to-date green building standards. Currently, TSMC has the most green buildings of any company in Taiwan, with five LEED gold and three EEWH diamond certifications. TSMC not only plans to extend the “Green Factory Label” to all newly-built factories, the company will also continue to upgrade existing factories in line with “Green Factory” standards. In addition to Fab 12 Phase 4, Fab14 Phase 3 has already gained “green building and “clean production” certifications and has entered the final accreditation process. In addition, Fab 12 Phase 5 and Fab 14 Phase 4 were all among the first facilities to gain the IDB’s “clean production” certification.