Jacobs has joined the Semiconductor Climate Consortium, a group of more than 70 semiconductor companies globally that are collaborating to accelerate greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) reductions in their operations and throughout the industry’s value chain.
SEMI, an industry association, has convened the consortium as part of its Sustainability Initiative, which seeks to reduce the carbon footprint of the semiconductor industry “while seeking the balance between People, Planet and Profits.” The consortium supports the Paris Climate Agreement and efforts to limit the increase in global temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Driving progress
Semiconductor manufacturing is extremely complex, requiring thousands of manufacturing steps and a supply chain of chemicals and specialised production equipment that stretches across the planet. This makes incorporating and reporting on sustainability progress difficult. The consortium will help companies share and align on approaches to reducing carbon emissions and to set near-term and long-term targets to reach net zero GHG emissions by 2050.
The group will also help industry members align on best practices to standardize and publicly report progress and Scope 1, 2 & 3 emissions annually.
Jacobs designs and engineers semiconductor chip manufacturing facilities for some of the largest chip-makers in the world, leveraging its deep expertise in sustainable design from decades of experience with these and other advanced facilities, including data centres, life sciences facilities, electric vehicle and battery manufacturing plants.
Jacobs can help consortium members reduce their carbon footprint through best practices in using renewable energy, implementing technologies to recycle and reuse water, and selecting sites that encourage resource and energy efficiency, all while encouraging global supply chain partners to do the same.
Designing a more sustainable semiconductor future
Demand for technology from smartphones and computers to healthcare devices and critical defence and technology systems—and the chips that power them—is only increasing. In fact, this industry is expected to double to more than $1 trillion in global revenues by 2023. As semiconductor companies build more fabs, incorporating sustainability is critical.
Together, Jacobs and the consortium’s member companies will work toward implementing more climate-responsible practices and help the semiconductor industry play its role in reducing global GHG emissions—and create a more connected, sustainable world.
