SYNOPSIS

AUO SunPower Sdn Bhd is a joint venture between SunPower Corporation, a Silicon Valley-based manufacturer of high-efficiency solar cells, solar panels and solar systems and AUO, a Taiwan-based entity. AUO SunPower designs, manufactures and delivers the most powerful solar cells in the world, providing green, renewable energy solutions in virtually every sector of the economy, worldwide. Based in Rembia, Alor Gajah, Melaka and with an investment of RM2.2 billion, AUO SunPower is expected to generate more than 1,400 megawatts annually of high-efficiency solar cells when completed in 2013. The two-building facility will be 108,000 square meters (more than 1 million square feet), which is approximately the size of seven U.S. football fields, and will house 28 solar cell production lines when fully online. In production since October of last year, AUO SunPower has already produced approximately 5 megawatts with up to 22.5 percent conversion efficiencies.

AUO SunPower has been recognized by the International Energy Agency for its superior energy-efficient design. In addition, it has applied for both gold and silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certifications for its administration building and cell fab, respectively. AUO SunPower was engineered with a variety of energy efficient features that will help increase operations efficiency and cut energy costs. These features include:
(i)    Solar PV covered parking, with the system generating up to 2.6 megawatts of power;
(ii)    Rooftop solar on all site facilities with systems generating more than 10 megawatts of power;
(iii)    Rain water retention ponds for environmental protection and water recycling;
(iv)    Improved HVAC cooling and heating systems that offer a much lower carbon footprint for a facility of this size and type;
(v)    100 percent of the hot water heating capacity is generated by heat recovery air compressors;
(vi)    Cooling system efficiency that uses approximately 40 percent less electricity compared to typical systems in the Melaka area.

In conjunction with this visit, METD has organize a technical presentation to illustrate the similarities & difference between LEED & GBI (Green building Index) rating systems.  As most of our local professionals are familiar with local GBI rating system only, a comparison of GBI to LEED can only be done by people who have handled both systems before.  METD will present Ir. PS Soong & Partners for a 2.5 hours briefing in Sunpower.  They are LEED CxA (Commissioning Authority) and GBI CxS (Commissioning Specialist) and have successfully completed some of the first few green buildings in Malaysia.  Presently they are working on  the commissioning works in KLIA2 main terminal which is aspiring for dual  certification by LEED & GBI.


Biodata of Ir. PS Soong (P Eng, MIEM, MASHRAE, GBIF, GBI Commissioning Specialist)

Ir. Soong Peng Soon graduated from University of Malaya in year 1984 and has more than 28 years in the design, manufacturing, construction and testing of general M&E services especially ACMV system & its components. He is highly regarded for his wide hands-on experience from design, construction, to start-up & maintenance of many prestigious projects.  He is a GBI certified Facilitator (GBIF), GBI CxS and LEED CxA.  He had helped in certification process of many green buildings including the Suruhanjaya Tenaga HQ, Sarawak Energy Board HQ, Goldman Sachs KL Office, KLIA2 terminal, etc.