Faraday Future pledges eco-friendly North Las Vegas factory

Faraday Future is striving to make its 3 million-square-foot factory one that boasts energy-efficient and eco-friendly aspects.

“We hope to have a plant that runs mostly on clean energy,” said Ezekiel Wheeler, product and technology communications specialist at Faraday Future.

Initially, NV Energy could provide geothermal, wind and solar energy, Wheeler said. The company is considering eventually covering the entire roof with solar panels, he said.

“It is possible that we will use clean energy from a different source, NV Energy, at first and put the solar panels up onto our roof, as seen in our rendering, in Phase 2,” said Wheeler.

In a statement Wednesday, the company said the building under construction at Apex will use glass, steel, LED lighting, and water-based paints.

“The water-based paints are proven to be less harmful to the environment and minimizes VOCs,” said Wheeler, referring to “volatile organic compounds.”

Wheeler added that the entire factory would be powered by LED lighting, which would save the company the amount of energy it would take to power up to 10,000 homes.

More and more, large companies that come to Nevada are emphasizing energy conservation, said Neil Opfer, associate professor of construction management with the College of Engineering at UNLV.

Opfer said that while energy costs have come down, the long-term trend is for energy prices to keep increasing.

By making investments now, Opfer said, “It’s going to create big dividends down the road.”

The facility was designed by Faraday Future’s design and manufacturing team with help from its architectural and design partners.

Wheeler added that the inside of the paint shop is a water-free system that improves utility use. The system will use 20 percent less electrical power compared to a water-based system, Wheeler said. It will also use up to 60 percent less heating power and up to 50 percent less cooling power.

North Las Vegas Mayor John Lee, who attended the groundbreaking Wednesday, said of the facility, “It is a beautiful building where thousands of Nevadans will be able to earn a living in a clean and environmentally conscious workspace.”

In December, lawmakers approved $215 million in tax incentives to draw Faraday to the state.

As part of the deal, Faraday agreed to hire 4,500 employees with an average wage of $22 an hour. On Wednesday, Faraday Future spokeswoman Stacy Morris said the company expected to be producing cars “in the next couple years.”

This week, the company closed on all of its land parcels at Apex. For seven parcels, the company paid approximately $30 million, according to Clark County records.

The Tesla battery factory in Storey County, Nevada, is also pushing for clean energy. The facility’s roof and surrounding hillsides will be outfitted with solar panels to help power the plant.

Contact Alexander S. Corey at acorey@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0270. Find him on Twitter: @acoreynews