Dive Brief:
- Ford Motor Co. announced this week that it will build a new $200 million test facility in the Detroit area, according to the Detroit News.
- The testing complex, which should take approximately two years to build, will house a wind tunnel and climate chamber so that the company can perform aerodynamic testing on vehicles under a variety of conditions.
- The company said it will use a belt system to test vehicles at speeds of up to 155 miles per hour, while another system will allow them to test other types of cars at up to 200 miles per hour.
Dive Insight:
Last year, Ford announced another major investment in Michigan, a $1.2 billion plan to make high-tech renovations to its existing campus in Dearborn, MI, and turn it into a modern research and development center. The 10-year investment will see 70 buildings incorporated into a new state-of-the-art development, which Ford said will house 300% more office and meeting space than its previous offices. Sustainability in the form of green spaces and a net-zero energy plan will feature prominently in the finished product.
More office complexes are incorporating sustainability features into their projects in an attempt to create more efficiencies, but also in an effort to attract and retain younger workers. On a much larger scale, Apple is in the final push to complete its $5 billion "spaceship" Campus 2 project in Cupertino, CA, and has included plenty of green space, pedestrian and bike paths, as well as 7,000 trees surrounding the ringed building. In addition, the campus energy needs will be met entirely with solar power and biofuels, while a natural ventilation system will stand in for standard HVAC heating and cooling for at least 75% of the year.