June 10, 2008 - Panasonic has tapped one of its factories in Japan as a laboratory for environmental innovation in product design and manufacturing.

The Kusatsu factory of Matsushita Home Appliances Company, a Panasonic subsidiary, has been tasked with developing new technologies and approaches to limit greenhouse gas emissions during product manufacture, develop more energy-efficient products, and encourage consumers to live more sustainably.

"The Eco Ideas Factory will help to realize three of Panasonic's pivotal eco concepts: 'eco ideas for manufacturing,' 'eco ideas for products,' and 'eco ideas for everybody, everywhere,'" Panasonic said in a statement. "As part of Panasonic, the company will implement mid- and long-term environmental programs and later expand these commitments to its global sites."

Panasonic has previously pledged to cut 300,000 tons of CO2 emissions from its manufacturing operations over the next three years. To help the company reach its goal, the new Eco Ideas factory will review all of its manufacturing processes, including casting, air-pressing, molding, and coating, to find new ways to reduce emissions.

The factory will also develop more energy-efficient products "to encourage consumers to use eco-friendly products," Panasonic says. Core technologies include heat pumps that enable efficient energy use, heat insulation that reduces energy waste, and new energy sources for home-use fuel cell cogeneration systems. The factory plans to step up production of energy-saving models and phase out poor energy performers.

Finally, the factory will pursue a series consumer outreach programs to promote environmental education in surrounding communities, according to Panasonic.