GIGABYTE’s headquarter is located at Xindian District of New Taipei City, in between the mountainous outskirts and metropolitan area. Due to a rapid increase in urban population, not only is there a decline in urban green lands, but also an increase of greenhouse gases caused by the increase of economic and social activities. Urban heat island effect has aggravated due to denser and taller buildings in the city. The expansion of human activities has caused threats to animals that used to live in this area. GIGABYTE thus undertook a renovation project in 2012 called the “G-HOME GIGABYTE sustainable eco-rooftop,” with an aim of shouldering responsibilities of a good citizen of the Earth as well as providing a place for employees to relax. The G-HOME construction was completed in 2013 and inaugurated on the World Earth Day in the same year.

G-HOME Construction Philosophy
  1. Promote employee health: LOHAS, sharing, respect, green space for the mind.
  2. Trees for Earth: Restore the urban jungle to Mother Nature
The design of the “G-HOME Sustainable Eco-Rooftop” was based on the ideal of “Trees for Earth.” The original philosophy contained three core factors - “Employee, Living, Environment.” It serves as GIGABYTE’s green living space for balancing work, life and recreation.
Employee
GIGABYTE owes all advances innovations to the hard work of employees. Over time, we've come to recognize that employee health promotion is not only our corporate philosophy but also the driver of business growth. Apart from providing a sound, proactive professional environment, The ecological space of G-HOME offers a place where employees can stretch out and relax. Employee needs are taken into account in the design tails through a smoking space, healthy walkway area, and rooftop farm. These help with achieving physical and mental balance.

Living
Rapid pace of urban life and intense work environment may cause stress and mental problems. It would be of great help to refresh body and mind by going outdoors and getting close to nature. Due to limited urban space, urban residents are usually isolated from natural landscapes on weekdays. Therefore, GIGABYTE renovated barren roof space with ecological green design. G-HOME interconnects human beings and nature, and also offers a space for employees to relax, share ideas, and do brainstorming. The “Natural Smoking Area” is separated from non-smoking open space by green walls and green fences to avoid conflict between smokers and non-smokers. We also made “friendly roof farming area” available to employees for adoption and gardening. Eco-friendly farming courses are offered at the same time for employees to practice farming techniques, share the joy of harvest, and create more connection between co-workers.

Environment
G-HOME is a demonstration and experimental venue for promoting environmental education. It incorporates ten innovations based on the core concept of “low maintenance, ecological design and multiple benefits of resource use.” G-HOME is a bio-mimicry microhabitat created for native plants. Limited human intervention is needed to remove weeds and destructive insects. Compared to traditional garden landscaping, it saves money and manpower on maintenance and offers a biodiverse habitat for all creatures. Though it was only built little more than a year ago, the 2400 sqm. G-HOME has created a wide range of environmental benefits already, including: increased urban habitat diversity, thermal insulation, carbon dioxide absorption, rainwater reclamation, and complementary wind/solar power systems. Rooted in respect for Mother Nature, G-HOME is the best practice of harmonious coexistence between human beings and nature, and it brings happiness and balance of body, mind, and soul to employees. By doing so, the concept of “care, ecology, sustainability” is integrated into our corporate culture.
G-HOME Construction Guidelines
GIGABYTE respects ecology and sustainability. We did not try to create a rooftop with beautiful but unnecessary landscapes. All we have done is to support the beautiful relation and connection between nature and mankind and between human beings.
  1. G-HOME eco-rooftop was divided into 5 areas, representing 5 ideas respectively: G is green, H is health, O is LOHAS, M is mind, and E is ecology.
  2. Protect the Earth and ecology: We used Taiwanese endemic plants to create a micro-ecosystem and intended to foster a natural environment where all living things thrive.
  3. Sustainable resources (from cradle to cradle): We treasure water resources by collecting and using rainwater; we also make compost from dead leaves, weeds, and garden debris.
  4. Sustainable energy: Generating electricity from wind, solar and human muscle power.
  5. Respect human dignity and nature: respect employees, protect nature, and make G-HOME my home.
5 themes of G-HOME
  1. Sustainable garden:Green innovation, sustainable development, plant cultivation, eternal thriving.
  2. Eco-friendly garden:Urban farmers, LOHAS sharing, organic dinning, good circulation in the body.
  3. LOHAS garden:Slow movement, sustainable living, healthy trails, LOHAS experience.
  4. Mind garden:Potential development, growth of the soul, adaptation to stress, growing together.
  5. Sustainable Ecology garden:Clean technology, sustainable resources, biodiversity, thriving together.
Ideas of Ten Innovative Application Design
Diverse habitat, endemic plants, and eco-rehabilitation
  1. Taiwan native fish rehabilitation area
  2. Taiwan native plant rehabilitation area
  3. Rooftop plant experiment area
  4. Novel rooftop wetland and shallows
Zero waste and multiple benefits
  1. Unique green roof protrusion, extensive design for zero maintenance and reuse of leftover building material
  2. Reuse of old galvanized iron sheets and platforms to achieve zero waste
  3. Low maintenance: Densely layered vegetation and bio-mimicry design to provide a wildlife habitat free from human interference.
Green innovation and resource reuse
  1. Green innovation and education campus
  2. Application of innovative technologies: Self-cleaning, mold-resistant and anti-bacterial nano-coating.
  3. Application of diverse renewable energy sources: Solar power, wind mill, pedal-power bicycle, bio energy
Be a Happy Farmer in an Organic Garden- Living Well and Eating Well
We have set up several farms on the rooftop called the “Happy Garden” that employees can adopt. Employees can get away from stress of work by temporally transforming into urban farmers. Through growing their own fruits and vegetables, they can learn how to overcome challenges and enjoy the fruits of their labor. They can also look after their own health and the health of their families, colleagues and friends.


A corner of the Happy Garden
To improve employees’ understanding of correct eco-friendly farming and a healthy diet, we invited well-known lecturers from community colleges to share their experience on topics as follows:

Farmer, Urban but Natural
The principles and methods of organic agriculture as taught personally by the well-known organic agriculture lecturer Chen Chi-chun. From the growing environment of plants, the use of natural fertilizers, the making and use of natural insect repellents, to the timing and preservation of harvests, a complete education in organic farming concepts help boost the farming skills of employees who adopted a Happy Garden or are interested in organic farming. These along with the rooftop farm, fields and home DIY will hopefully see organic farming and healthy diets become a part of everyday life. This will then foster the development of an eco-friendly G-HOME collective farming community.


Happy farmer, happy living
Agriculture, food, diet, health and nature are closely interrelated. After a lecture given by a famous Chinese Medicine guru, Wu Chou Hsieh, employees got to understand the link between body, diet, weather, soil and nutrition, and also realize the way of “season and adaption”. Furthermore, they would be able to practice the concept of ecofriendly farming in their daily life and diet.

Environmental Education on the Roof
In addition to providing a place for employees to relax, we hope to spread the concept of sustainable eco-roof to our stakeholders. As a result, G-HOME has been opened to our stakeholders since its foundation. A tour to G-HOME includes an introduction of the philosophy of G-HOME, current environmental problems that G-HOME is responding to, environmental-friendly design, resource saving and recycling equipment and endemic species conservation, etc. Since 2013, up to 2,916 persons from government agencies, enterprises, suppliers, schools, communities, NGOs, and media have visited the G-HOME.


Environmental Education Facility and Field
In addition to providing a place for employees to relax, we hope to spread the conception of the sustainable eco-roof to our stakeholders. As a result, G-HOME has been opened to our stakeholders since its foundation. A tour to G-HOME includes an introduction of the philosophy of G-HOME, current environmental problems that G-HOME is responding to, environmental-friendly design, resource saving and recycling equipment and endemic species conservation, etc. Since 2013, up to 2,916 persons from government agencies, enterprises, suppliers, schools, communities, NGOs, and media have visited the G-HOME.



Ecology Photo Competition


Gold medal
Green Motion

Silver medal
Green Rhythm in the Heart of GIGABYTE

Silver medal
Green Rhythm in the Heart of GIGABYTE

Brown medal
One Family

Double-Sided Beauty