The trigeneration plant will use a 65 kilowatt (kW) gas-powered turbine to generate electricity for the building, while also using the waste heat from the turbine to assist in heating and cooling the building.

The plant was installed by AG Coombs and the turbine and associated materials were supplied by Capstone Turbine Corporation.

Toyota Australia's Environment Policy Manager Jon Ward said that the company began planning for a trigeneration plant in 2008 to enhance the building's sustainability features.

“We chose to install a trigeneration plant after exploring all the options that could help us achieve a 40 per cent reduction in energy use,” said Mr Ward.

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Although the plant will be operating with the 65 kW turbine at first, there is scope for a second turbine in the future, Mr Ward said.

“The most obvious option was to improve the building's heating and cooling system and installation of the trigeneration technology is expected to reduce the building's CO2 emissions by 210 tonnes," Mr Ward explained.

According to Mr Ward, Toyota Australia expected to spend approximately $1.5 million on the project, which has an expected payback period of approximately five years.

Installation of the plant finished in November 2010, with commissioning negotiations now underway, and a view for the plant to be operational by early 2011.

As part of Toyota’s ‘5 Year Environment Plan’, Mr Ward said that Toyota has developed a series of projects to reduce the energy consumption at corporate headquarters, including updating the Building Management System, implementing a green information technology strategy, replacing energy-hungry lighting, and installing the trigeneration plant.

Opened in 2004, Toyota Australia's corporate headquarters has been recognised for its eco-friendly design, which features external solar shades, stormwater recycling, a 90-metre glazed atrium and an air reticulation system designed to reduce energy usage.