His visitors were Hans Stork, TI's chief technology officer, and Kevin Ritchie, in charge of worldwide manufacturing. Paul's objective was to convince his visitors that solar energy and many other techniques could be used in a new fab that TI was considering building. TI was looking at three proposed sites, including two offshore, where tax abatements, cheaper construction materials and lower labor costs made it appear that the new fab could be built at nearly half what it would cost in the Dallas area.

The discussion at the Westbrook residence turned serious when Paul dug out his utility bills, with jaws dropping at the savings. That winter meeting played a big part in TI's decision to build its 65-nanometer fab in Richardson, five miles from the company's Dallas fab complex.

Over the lifetime of a fab, utility costs can equal the cost of construction, Westbrook said. To convince TI's top management that a fab could be built and operated in the U.S. as efficiently as in Asia, Westbrook drew on ideas generated at the Rocky Mountain Institute in Colorado. There, Amory Lovins and his staff have worked with Westbrook and other TI managers to develop a holistic approach to semiconductor manufacturing. TI's goal was to cut 30 percent of the cost with energy efficiency.

For example, large volumes of chilled water are used to maintain cool air in a fab and the various process modules. By right-sizing the vacuum pumps and piping, and using more recycled water, large amounts of energy and water can be saved. And the Richardson fab will include dozens of other energy-saving techniques, from using less water in the chemical mechanical polishing steps to solar energy in the administration building.

Pablo Ruiz, a water-use expert who works with Westbrook, quotes Benjamin Franklin's saying that we don't know the value of water until the well runs dry. I also like Lovins' operating maxim: "In God we trust. All others, bring data."

David Lammers covers SoC process equipment. Contact him at dlammers@cmp.com.