Reducing Greenhouse Gasses

Example Initiative

CITIZEN SEIMITSU

Installing solar panels

Citizen Seimitsu installed solar panels on the roof of the visitor reception building of its head office in September 2010 as part of its measures to reduce CO2 emissions. The panels are expected to generate 15,000 kWh of electric power per year. The entrance to the visitor reception building is equipped with a display monitor that indicates sunshine duration, power output, and other data. That demonstrates to visitors its environmental considerations in business operations. Other environmental investments include the replacement of absorption water coolers with turbo refrigerators, which reduce CO2 emissions by 400 tons a year. From fiscal 2011, our activities will aim at reducing the environmental impact and costs based on our medium-term environmental policy.

Solar panels	Solar panels monitor

Example Initiative

CITIZEN ELECTRONICS GROUP

Introduction of LED lighting inside China-based plants

Following in the footsteps of the candle, the light bulb and the fluorescent lamp, LED lighting has been attracting attention as a next-generation lighting source. Because of its characteristic low power consumption and long life, LED lighting has seen a rapid spread in recent years as an environmentally friendly form of lighting.
At the Citizen Electronics Group we utilize our unique packaging technologies to supply the market with a range of LED lighting products, from those combining high output with high efficiency to products with excellent color rendering properties. China-based plants serve as our main base of manufacturing for these products, and we took advantage of the relocation to a new plant to install LED lighting equipped with Citizen-made LEDs in the entrance lobby, hallways and other areas in the plant.

Example Initiative

CITIZEN T.I.C.

Introducing vehicle management systems

With the aim of promoting eco-friendly driving in company cars and reducing car accidents, from fiscal 2010 Citizen T.I.C. Co., Ltd. has introduced a telematics service in all company cars. By installing these dedicated in-car devices equipped with communications and GPS functionality, it is possible to obtain various driving information such as distance driving, amount of fuel consumed, mileage and CO2 emissions. Using the data obtained, eco-driving diagnostics and daily driving reports are generated automatically, and checks for dangerous driving behavior are performed. In addition, visualizing driving situations helps reduce car accidents and improve mileage.

Example Initiative

CITIZEN BUSINESS EXPERT

Eliminating heatless dryers

Air compressed to a -70°C dew point is supplied to a heatless dryers located throughout Medium Building No. 6 at the Tokyo Works. A heatless dryer is a piece of equipment that dries air by running it through a desiccant instead of using heaters. In order to dry this desiccant around the clock, air purging is conducted at regular intervals. The volume of air used at such times drives up the power consumption of compressors. Given this, we implemented improvements by eliminating the heatless dryers supplying air to all of Medium Building No. 6 and only supplying air compressed to a -70°C dew point to the equipment requiring it. In terms of the resultant energy-saving effect, annual power consumption was reduced by approximately 220,000 kWh

Example Initiative

CITIZEN ELECTRONICS

Promoting energy-saving activities

In an effort to save electricity at Citizen Electronics Co., Ltd., in office areas we are installing reflective plates on fluorescent lamp covers to produce greater lighting intensity, thinning out the number of fluorescent lamps in use and affixing light-shielding film on window glass to improve heat insulation. We have also rolled out measures to reduce power loss in factory areas through efficient scheduled production as well as the daily monitoring and regular maintenance of manufacturing equipment. From fiscal 2009 to 2010 we achieved results by implementing restricted or controlled operating times and closely-controlled temperature settings for air conditioning equipment and configured an energy-saving program for our reliability testing tanks. In addition, at a new plant in China we undertook the active adoption of LED lighting for the lighting fixtures. In the future, amid harsh economic conditions we will continue to seek more effective measures as we strive to bring about further reductions in CO2 emissions while keeping cost-effectiveness in mind.

Example Initiative

CITIZEN ELECTRONICS

Carbon offset printing for LED pamphlets

Carbon offset printing services use emission credits approved by the UN Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Executive Board to offset carbon emissions from the printing process. It helps to reduce CO2 emissions as an environmentally friendly means of printing in three specific ways – by minimizing harmful wastewater, by reducing consumption of disposable films and by cutting CO2 emissions from printing.
In addition to these three benefits, we also take shipping into account at Citizen Electronics Co., Ltd., through initiatives such as direct delivery in order to eliminate unnecessary transportation, and have managed to reduce CO2 emissions to 146g per pamphlet as a result. We are committed to environmentally friendly printing, using methods and materials such as waterless printing, FSC approved paper and plant-based inks, and monitoring CO2 emissions from the printing process, as part of our efforts to reduce CO2 emissions, and will continue to improve our carbon offset waterless printing specifications.

Example Initiative

CITIZEN YUBARI

Installing a new air conditioning system

We have installed a displacement ventilation air conditioning system with the aim of saving energy at our new factory, which has been up and running since October 2008.
Unlike the previous air conditioning system, which was a mixed-air system that circulated air around the entire inside of the factory, the new system is a displacement ventilation system that efficiently vents exhaust heat rather than releasing it into the air. Harnessing the updraft from exhaust heat produced by machine tools inside the factory, the system quietly lifts warm air upwards for ventilation (air conditioning).
This effectively reduces the flow of air required for air conditioning and places less of a strain on the system's fans. By actively taking in air from outside, the new system has also reduced running times for refrigeration units.
We have gathered data in order to calculate the effect the system has had during the first year of operations at our new factory and have run comparisons against our existing No.2 Factory*, which has a mixed-air system. The results indicate that the new factory uses one sixth as much energy for cooling purposes as our existing No.2 Factory. Taking into account fuel consumption for heating as well, installing a displacement ventilation system has effectively reduced CO2 emissions by approximately 105 tons.
The new system also has the added advantage of reducing dust and odor levels in work areas compared to our existing No.2 Factory (mixed-air system).
Based on these findings, we believe that displacement ventilation systems save more energy and are more environmentally friendly than mixed-air systems.

※We used our existing No.2 Factory as a comparison because it has a mixed-air system covering roughly the same floor area as the new factory.

Previous mixed-air system

Displacement ventilation system

Example Initiative

CITIZEN BUSINESS EXPERT

Initiatives at our Tokyo Works

At our Tokyo Works, we have replaced our vapor absorption refrigeration system with a high-efficiency chiller capable of achieving industry-leading levels of energy efficiency. Along with improvements in areas such as powering heat transfer systems, this has enabled us to substantially reduce power and gas consumption (approx. 945 tons equivalent of CO2).

Example Initiative

CITIZEN SEIMITSU

Rooftop heat-insulating coating

We have replaced rooftop coatings on all of our buildings at Citizen Seimitsu with a highly reflective coating in order to keep roofing materials cooler and reduce energy consumption from indoor air conditioning units when set on cool.
This has reduced the surface temperature of roofing materials during summer months by at least 12°C, compared to before applying the new coating, and enabled us to reduce energy consumption from our second floor clean room by 7%. This initiative was covered by the local media as part of a report on eco activities.