The Gläserne Manufaktur as an event location

The Gläserne Manufaktur is certified according to both the environmental management system DIN ISO 14001 ^⁠1 and the energy management system DIN ISO50001 ^⁠2. Environmentally friendly and energy-saving processes are thus firmly anchored in our internal processes and transparently traceable.

The decision for the location was made not least because of its central location and very good accessibility. The Gläserne Manufaktur is excellently connected to public transport. No less than 6 tram lines have a stop at the Straßburger Platz transport hub, the buses of the city tour stop at the Gläserne Manufaktur, and the main train station is only about 2 km away. The MOBIpunkt in front of the house offers a bike sharing station as well as charging facilities for e-bikes. The offer is supplemented by a rental station for vans and minibuses from the Dresden-based start-up Carl und Carla and vehicles from the car-sharing provider teilAuto. The car park is also home to one of the largest public charging parks in Saxony. So nothing stands in the way of a green journey.

Only 100 meters from the Botanical Garden, embedded in the Great Garden, the Gläserne Manufaktur is located on an 8.3-hectare site. Around 6 million euros were invested in the outdoor facilities, which extend over around 50,000 square meters. In addition to the planting of 350 new trees, a cadastral tree population up to 200 years old could also be preserved. A variety of measures contribute to biodiversity: The pond around the building serves as a spawning water and habitat for frogs, amphibians and waterfowl. Nesting boxes, insect hotels, piles of reading stones and piles of deadwood provide a home for birds, small animals and insects. An employee looks after the bee population, which has been settled on the meadows behind the logistics yard. In addition, we make sure to manage the green spaces very carefully and to protect the habitat of the animals living on the site.

The Gläserne Manufaktur obtains Volkswagen Naturstrom© Zero from Volkswagen Kraftwerk GmbH. This is 100 percent CO2-free, is generated 100 percent from renewable energies and is certified by TÜV as green electricity. This can save 3,600 t of CO2 annually. In addition, six 22-square-metre photovoltaic panels with an output of 25 kWp on the meadows in front of the Gläserne Manufaktur generate in-house green electricity, which is fed directly into the grid.

In order to protect flora and fauna as well as the human neighbours in the immediate vicinity, a lighting concept was developed that avoids light emissions, especially at night, and still enables precise assembly work. To this end, the light in the production area is directed indirectly and seamlessly onto the workstations from double parabolic projectors via prismatic mirrors, without the brightness penetrating to the outside. Special lamps in the outdoor area work in the yellow spectral range, which does not disturb the insects. The extensive use of economical LED lighting in the event sector as well as demand-controlled lighting in the offices reduce energy consumption.

One of the most important goals of Volkswagen Saxony is to reduce waste. For this purpose, we only use reusable containers for the transport of vehicle parts and avoid plastic as far as possible. The result: 0 kilograms of waste for disposal. The extensive waste management ensures that all waste is cleanly separated and then recycled. In addition, all employees receive annual training on the topic.

For us, sustainability is not just the task of an environmental officer, but teamwork. From the entire workforce to the management level, sustainability criteria are anchored in all process chains of the organization. The principles set out in the Code of Conduct on sustainability and environmental protection are conveyed to employees in regular training courses and workshops. Monthly topics and campaigns are communicated via the VWS employee app and internal notices - all employees are encouraged to participate at any time and make suggestions for improvement. 

For example, an employee initiative resulted in the "Climate Cabinet", in which management and employees are equally involved in order to create incentives to rethink and act. In joint actions, trees have already been planted, piles of reading stones have been planted and garbage has been collected.

During the construction of the Gläserne Manufaktur, care was taken not to influence the groundwater level. The shallow depth of the building complex of only 4.00 – 6.20 m was designed in such a way that the groundwater balance remains in balance. The sealed area was reduced from 6.7 to 5.5 hectares compared to the previous state of development of the site, also because, unlike in conventional automotive plants, work is not only carried out on one level, but on a total of 3 levels. The rainwater on the premises of the Gläserne Manufaktur is not discharged into the municipal sewer system, but can seep away. In addition, it is collected in underground trenches and can be slowly released from there into the ground and groundwater.  

The Gläserne Manufaktur is surrounded on three sides by ponds. These not only imperceptibly shield the building from road traffic, but also provide an inner-city cooling effect in summer through evaporation.

In order to be able to safely control the indoor climate of the Gläserne Manufaktur, a double façade was developed for the production area (house-in-house principle). The internal glass wall is double-layered and performs thermal insulation functions. The outer glass wall has a distance of 60 cm and provides sun protection and cooling with the internal slats. The body warehouse and the ramp access also take on the function of a climate buffer. In order to enable needs-based air conditioning of the rooms, sensors measure the room temperature. The heat supply of the Gläserne Manufaktur is CO2-free. It is carried out by the municipal producer DREWAG | SachsenEnergie through combined heat and power plants. Cooling is provided by an Aqua Turbo system – a pure water cooling system that does not require chemical additives and thus protects the environment.

Since 01.07.2019, the VW Group has been obliging its suppliers to sustainability. The Code of Conduct for Business Partners is mandatory for all companies in the supply chain. In addition to environmental protection, it also refers to respect for human dignity, compliance with occupational health and safety and the fight against corruption.  

When selecting our local service providers, sustainability is also a mandatory award criterion. Among other things, we pay attention to regionality and short delivery routes. Our partners are already implementing their own sustainability concepts in their companies and are in close contact with us on the implementation of further measures such as waste avoidance or CO2 savings. In annual briefings, our event service providers are familiarized with our environmental protection regulations.

The Gläserne Manufaktur obtains Volkswagen Naturstrom© Zero from Volkswagen Kraftwerk GmbH. This is 100 percent CO2-free, is generated 100 percent from renewable energies and is certified by TÜV as green electricity. This can save 3,600 t of CO2 annually. In addition, six 22-square-metre photovoltaic panels with an output of 25 kWp on the meadows in front of the manufactory generate in-house green electricity, which is fed directly into the grid.

The event team of the Gläserne Manufaktur forms the interface between the location, business partners and organizers. In 2022, a qualification offensive was already launched for employees of the event department, who were trained according to ISO 20121^⁠3. The event coordination works as resource-saving and environmentally conscious as possible. These include the use of existing media technology, savings on printouts or the use of 100% recyclable badges. As an advisory function, we support the decision-making process regarding the choice of travel means, catering and much more. We follow 100% the Code of Conduct of Volkswagen AG and are also committed to diversity in event operations.