LAUDA DR. R. WOBSER GMBH & CO. KG has taken an important step towards sustainability. The global market leader for precise temperature control has doubled the number of its parking spaces on the company premises to 180 and covered over half of them with a modern photovoltaic system. This measure underlines the family company's commitment to climate neutrality and sustainable energy generation.
Dr. Marc Stricker, Managing Director of LAUDA, who played a key role in planning and supporting the project, explains the background: »For us, sustainability is an attitude. By expanding our parking spaces and installing the photovoltaic system, we are pursuing several goals at once: We are improving the parking situation for our employees, using the space to generate energy and taking a big step closer to our goal of climate neutrality by 2030.«
With the new system, LAUDA can generate over 30 percent of its annual electricity needs itself. The company covers the remaining needs with green electricity from regional sources. »We are guided by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol and have already fulfilled the so-called Scope 1 and 2. By 2030, we also want to reach Scope 3, which includes the entire supply chain, transport, product use and disposal,« explains Dr. Stricker.
The company estimates that the investment of 1.2 million euros in expanding the parking spaces with roofing and a photovoltaic system will pay for itself in eight to ten years. The roofing not only serves to generate electricity, but also offers staff vehicles protection from the weather.
LAUDA is going one step further in its commitment to sustainability: The company is converting its fleet entirely to electric vehicles and has expanded the publicly accessible charging infrastructure. Ten of the 20 charging points are available to the public. LAUDA also offers a car sharing model for company cars and promotes environmentally friendly mobility for employees through job bike leasing. To make cycling even more attractive, the family business has set up numerous bicycle parking spaces for employees as well as free charging options for e-bikes. These are located both on the company premises and – publicly accessible – under the new car park and are already well received and widely used.
»Although we have our own bus stop and encourage the purchase of bicycles, many employees drive to work. Investing in solar not only provides shade for bicycles and cars, but also generates electricity exactly when we need it during the day,« adds Dr. Gunther Wobser, LAUDA President & CEO.
Dr. Stricker concludes: »We are convinced that change does not come about through one big lever, but through the sum of important contributions.«
With this pioneering project, LAUDA is underlining its pioneering role in sustainability and is sending a clear signal for innovative climate protection in industry.
