OREANDA-NEWS. Toshiba Corporation announced that the company will inaugurate the power engineering & production center that has been constructed since 2012 at its Keihin Product Operations in Yokohama, one of its major manufacturing locations for power generation systems. The new center will operate as a global hub for key engineering and manufacturing functions for the energy-related business of the Toshiba Group.

The new center will develop, design and market thermal, hydro, and renewable energy generation systems, etc, and will further enhance Toshiba's sophisticated "monozukuri" capabilities. It will also allow Toshiba to raise the level of its cooperation with and support for its overseas operations.

The new center boasts the state-of-the-art ICT environment to carry out engineering, design, procurement and the other functions necessary to prompt global collaboration and communication and to boost the engineering quality, productivity and efficiency.

The building is designed to withstand natural disasters to secure business continuity. Its features include an earthquake-resistant structure and an emergency, off-grid power generation system installed on a raised floor for protection against tsunami. Equipped with a cutting-edge building energy management system (BEMS) and energy-efficient facilities, the new center is expected to cut energy consumption in 2014 by 33%. Furthermore, the new center was rated as class S (excellent) by the city of Yokohama as per its Comprehensive Assessment System for Built Environment Efficiency (CASBEE).

Toshiba will facilitate close collaboration between the new center and its other operations both in and outside of Japan so as to globally promote its power generation business to meet the growing energy demand, especially in the emerging economies. The company established the Smart Community Center in Kawasaki as a focal point for its smart community business and Toshiba JSW Power Systems Private Limited to provide manufacturing, maintenance and service work for power generation systems in India.