APAC Media Visit the World’s First AI-Enabled Chiller Lighthouse Factory

2025/09/03

Midea’s Chongqing Lighthouse Factory Showcases Smart Manufacturing and Green Transformation to Asia-Pacific Media

Together with fellow journalists from Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Australia, we were invited to Chongqing to visit Midea Building Technologies’ (MBT) Lighthouse Factory. As the world’s first fully AI-enabled lighthouse factory in the chiller sector—certified by the World Economic Forum and McKinsey in 2024—the site demonstrates how smart manufacturing and green transformation can serve as a blueprint for sustainable development across the Asia-Pacific region.

Zero-Carbon Manufacturing: From Chongqing to the Region

Inside the plant, the details of “zero-carbon operations” were evident: rooftop solar panels continuously supply clean power, eco-friendly coatings reduce emissions in production, and high-efficiency chiller systems ensure optimized energy use. Collectively, these measures enable the factory to generate around 500 million kWh annually—covering approximately 40% of its electricity needs—and have earned PAS 2060 carbon-neutral certification.

Before arriving at the plant, the media group also visited a real-world application project along the Yangtze River, where MBT provided integrated clean-energy and smart-control solutions to achieve 100% renewable energy utilization. This example demonstrated how MBT’s technologies are already powering greener urban development, setting the stage for the factory visit.

At the heart of the plant is its “AI + digital twin” system, which connects the entire chain from R&D to manufacturing to after-sales. This integration has cut design time by 45%, improved production efficiency by 30%, and reduced service complaints by 37%. Flexible automated lines and a QR-based quality-tracking system further ensure both sustainable and reliable delivery.

“The Lighthouse Factory is not only a technical milestone but also a replicable model for the wider region,” said, Sam Luo, General Manager of MBT’s Chiller Product Company. “We are committed to extending this model to new markets and helping global partners achieve low-carbon transformation.”

APAC Expansion: Localization and Technology Transfer

During the media roundtable, Taufiq Lee, Sales Director for MBT Asia-Pacific, shared that Midea is accelerating its smart manufacturing footprint across Southeast Asia. “Challenges such as supply chain digitalization and skilled talent shortages remain,” he noted, “but our existing experience with digital scheduling and robotic quality control in Thailand and other markets gives us the foundation to scale locally.”

Midea’s energy-efficient solutions are already deployed in several landmark projects across APAC:

• Singapore’s public housing estates, where container chiller plants help reduce community energy consumption and operating costs.

• Thailand’s airports and major industrial facilities, which now operate with optimized energy performance.

• Vietnamese manufacturing plants, where high-efficiency chiller plant supports low-carbon, stable operations.

Regional Collaboration: Building Standards and Innovation Ecosystems

To align with local market needs, Midea is working with Southeast Asian green building councils, universities, and research institutes to co-develop standards and technologies. R&D and training centers in Indonesia, Vietnam, and Singapore are enabling climate-specific product innovation and professional talent development—helping to accelerate adoption of smart, sustainable technologies across the region.

One example is Midea’s Magboost Apex, the 2nd generation of its magnetic bearing centrifugal chiller. It is equipped with the world’s first compressor magnetic bearing, achieving a static levitation accuracy of just 0.5 μm—about 1/200 the thickness of a human hair. Compared with traditional inverter water-cooled screw chillers, it delivers a 10% increase in full-load COP and a 30% improvement in overall operating energy efficiency. With all core components independently developed by Midea, the system ensures easier after-sales service and greater cost-effectiveness.

In real-world terms, the Magboost Apex achieves a COP of 7.3—meaning it consumes over 25% less energy than conventional units to deliver the same cooling. For large-scale projects in Southeast Asia’s hot and humid climates, this can translate into millions of kilowatt-hours saved each year, significantly reducing both operating costs and carbon footprints.

“With both policy and market demand accelerating across Southeast Asia, the need for energy-efficient solutions is stronger than ever,” added Lee. “Our strategy is to deepen local cooperation and bring smart, green manufacturing to more markets in the region.”