Bosch Holds Grand Opening for Experience Center at Serenbe

On a bright and warm Friday morning before an invited audience of state and local officials, industry professionals, trade media representatives and Serenbe developers, Bosch officially opened its Experience Center within Serenbe, a sustainable community development located south of Atlanta which has partnered with Bosch to promote green living.

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Opening the Bosch Experience Center at Serenbe with a ribbon cutting were (left to right) Gretchen Corbin, Deputy Commissioner, Georgia Dept. of Economic Development, Mike Mansuetti, President, Robert Bosch LLC, Congressman David Scott (D-GA), and Steve Nygren, founder of Serenbe. In the center background is Richard Soper, President, Bosch Thermotechnology North America.

Richard Soper, president, Bosch Thermotechnology North America, served as master of ceremonies and explained during opening remarks that the Bosch Experience Center at Serenbe is the first of its kind in North America and would serve as a teaching and interactive demonstration center for the array of Bosch products and technologies on display. The Experience Center showcases a suite of

Bosch energy-efficient solutions, including aluminum structural materials from Bosch Rexroth, ENERGY STAR recognized appliances, diesel systems, heating and cooling technology, power tools, security and sound systems, and a solar photovoltaic panel.

Bosch senior management was joined by U.S. Congressman David Scott of the 13^th District, a representative of Georgia Governor Nathan Deal’s administration along with Serenbe developer Steve Nygren. Congressman Scott lauded Bosch for its commitment to the environment and Serenbe for promoting an eco-conscious, sustainable lifestyle. On behalf of Governor Deal, Gretchen Corbin, deputy commissioner,Georgia Department of Economic Development, cited Bosch as a good corporate citizen and a welcome presence at Serenbe. Bosch employs almost 25,000 associates in North America with consolidated sales of $10.6 billion for fiscal year 2012.

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Shown left to right are Richard Soper, President, Bosch Thermotechnology North America, Gretchen Corbin, Deputy Commissioner, Georgia Department of Economic Development, Congressman David Scott (D-GA), Mike Mansuetti, President, Robert Bosch LLC, and Steve Nygren, founder of Serenbe.

Mike Mansuetti, president, Robert Bosch LLC, spoke about how establishing the Bosch Experience Center at Serenbe is aligned with the values of the company’s founder Robert Bosch, and how the 127-year old global company, with 300,000 employees worldwide and nearly 15,300 in the U.S., is dedicated to “providing technological answers to ecological questions.”

Mansuetti further explained that most of the public is not aware of Bosch’s comprehensive product portfolio. For example, a Bosch microelectromechanical sensor chip is installed in every second smartphone manufactured in 2012.

Read ContractingBusiness.com Editorial Director Mike Weil's comments about this event by visiting Living With Technology.

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Steve Nygren accepts the keys to a 2013 VW Passat TDI clean diesel vehicle donated to Serenbe by Volkswagen Group of America. Pre-senting the keys is Nicole Barranco, Director of State Government Rela-tions for Volkswagen Group of America.

Steve Nygren, who founded Serenbe with his wife Marie and has been instrumental in its development ever since, was hailed as a visionary by the other speakers, who cited Serenbe as a model for sustainable development. Nygren, a successful restaurant developer earlier in his career, purchased 30 acres of farmland in 1991 and later opened the Serenbe B&B on the site. In subsequent years with the help of investors, they opened up the 1,000 acres of Serenbe to residential living options with a build-out objective of no more than 30% of total acreage.

Nygren, who thanked Bosch for its commitment to Serenbe, accepted the keys to a 2013 VW Passat TDI clean diesel vehicle donated to Serenbe by Volkswagen Group of America. The car contains a Bosch supplied clean diesel fuel injection system, is 30-percent more fuel efficient than similar gasoline powered vehicles, and EPA-rated “best in Class” at 43 miles per gallon.

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Clean diesel VW Passat in front of the Bosch Experience Center at Serenbe.

After the ribbon cutting, guests toured the Experience Center and explored Serenbe with tours conducted by Steve Nygren. Lunch in the Hil Restaurant in the Selbourne hamlet of Serenbe concluded the event and featured Jack DiEnna, executive director of the Geothermal National & International Initiative (GEO-NII), who spoke about the market possibilities ahead for geothermal solutions.

Check out our Bosch Experience Center Photo Gallery here.

For complete details on the Bosch Experience Center and the Serenbe community, visit www.BoschExperienceCenter.com and www.serenbecommunity.com.