Sustainability has long been a pressing
issue on the minds of many socially conscious consumers and business owners
alike, and for good reason – the planet’s ecosystem depends on it.
For vital industries like construction and
manufacturing, the need to recognize and act upon the vast importance of
sustainability is not only a sensible business decision but also a duty to the
natural world.
The circular economy is an effective process
adopted by many in an effort to improve overall sustainability, and for immensely
popular and critically important materials like steel, it may even be a
necessity in maximizing resources and minimizing carbon footprints.
How exactly does this make a difference in
terms of the future of sustainable production, and why should you be concerned?
Whether or not you happen to be in the industry yourself, it is important to
understand what exactly is being done to reduce the negative impact of
manufacturing and construction on the environment, as you too could be a part
of the solution. After all, sustainability is a subject that affects everyone.
Why is Sustainability Important?
According to the United
Nations, climate change is the greatest threat that humanity has ever
faced. Averting this crisis will no doubt require everyone to take action in
some capacity. It starts by raising awareness and realizing the catastrophic
consequences that await humankind if meaningful changes are not made.
What does this have to do with the manufacturing and construction industries? A great deal indeed. In fact, the construction industry is by far the biggest consumer of natural resources on the planet. Some reports show that around 75% of all natural resource use has been put into construction in years gone by, a worrying figure when you think about the finite nature of natural materials and the sheer level of global consumption.
Perhaps even more alarming is a
recent article from the OECD (Organization for Economic Development and
Co-Operation), which predicts that by 2060, the number of natural resources
consumed by the construction industry around the world will double.
Huge changes must be made to ensure the safety
and longevity of global humanity, and it comes with a host of unique business
benefits, too, a persuasive and potentially lucrative point for vigilant
entrepreneurs everywhere.
In order to do this, the right materials
must be adopted, but so too must the methods in which they are worked on.
Sustainability in the Manufacturing Industry
A move toward sustainable manufacturing
practices is quickly becoming a mainstay of countless businesses, and it can’t
come soon enough. As it stands, around one-quarter of the energy in the U.S. is taken up by manufacturing
processes alone.
Those that are able to implement and hit
their sustainability goals can relish in the many additional benefits it
brings, such as easier brand building, better employee retention rates, and
possibly even greater product value.
The latter being so prevalent, in fact, that 66% of customers are more willing to spend more on products they know have been sustainably produced.
Perhaps one of the best and potentially
most straightforward methods of increasingly sustainability techniques is for
businesses to commit to reducing wastage. Proper inventory control is a great
way to do this, as is recycling in general.
As usual, technology has a large role to
play in the progression of industries, and manufacturing is no different. From
advanced 3D printers to a range of digital tools, the race for more sustainable
manufacturing can and should be aided by the latest and greatest technological
developments.
There are many wonderful software options available
to businesses nowadays, each of them offering up a wealth of unique benefits.
Companies using a dependable integrated software solution to help them tackle
their waste management and process optimization are likely going to have an
easier time reaching their sustainability goals than those who don’t choose the
more modern approach.
Sustainability in the Construction Industry
By its very nature, the construction
industry is responsible for taking a toll on the earth’s resources. There’s a
great deal riding on the construction industry in terms of their ability to
promote and practice sustainability.
For example, an article from the World Green Building Council states that the global green building industry has the potential to cut energy consumption by 50% or more by 2050.
Sustainable building practices are not only
good for the environment, but they often tend to save both companies and
consumers a huge amount of money, too, particularly when firms opt to utilize
recycled materials.
Alternative building materials don’t have
to be more expensive by any means. Just take a
look at some of the more popular options like stone, concrete, and steel
rods.
As the world’s population continues to grow
and finite natural resources start to dwindle, circumstances demand that
current construction practices consistently evolve. Averting disaster by
changing the current trajectory is doable, provided companies recognize their
responsibility and play their part.
The Importance of Circular Principles
What is the circular economy?
Is it time you adopted a circular approach
in your own manufacturing efforts? Maybe you already do it to some degree, but
it’s certainly worth finding out a bit more about what it can offer you.
While there are plenty of different
definitions of what a circular economy is, in this case, it is a framework of
production that essentially serves to guarantee sustainable consumption over
time.
Traditionally, as raw materials are worked,
they tend to lose much of their value, be it their resale value or the
integrity of their physical properties. A circular economy seeks to combat this
eventuality and maximize its lifecycle, allowing for the greatest possible
rates of sustainable production.
This tends to be done by adopting a no-waste
policy, a system that involves developing more durable products to begin with,
while streamlining the ease by which they can be reused and recycled over time.
This might come as a stark contrast to the
linear approach, a system that relies on the constant supply of natural raw
materials to the detriment of the environment. Acquiring these materials and
later disposing of them at the consumer’s end is ecologically and economically
taxing, hardly a sustainable option.
Unfortunately, a
report from you matter.world states that only 9% of the world is circular
today. Adopting a circular economy can be difficult for a wide array of complex
reasons, which is why observable market incentives can be so crucial.
When it comes to adopting a set of circular
economy principles, it is worth taking a look at a few fundamentals, such as:
·
Recyclability
·
Reusability
·
Waste reduction
·
Pollution minimization
To meet these basic principles, production
processes must be optimized to cater to the materials at hand. It is worth
noting that steel is in many ways the ideal metal for manufacturing in a
circular economy, due in part to the ease by which it can be reused and
reworked.
Benefits
One of the main benefits a circular economy
can provide is the reduction of environmental pressure caused by the impact of
manufacturing, but there are countless bonuses the system might be able to
provide businesses of all different shapes and sizes.
A well-structured and dependable circular system
may prove to be a superb way of strengthening your supply chain, all while you reduce
the need for a constant influx of new natural materials, which is
environmentally strenuous and often an unreliable process.
For anyone who wants to cut inventory
costs, reduce their carbon emissions, meet sustainability quotas, and generally
contribute toward reducing the world’s greenhouse gas production, this could be
the best way forward.
The World Resources Institute claims that through the right circular strategies, greenhouse gas emissions can be cut by 39%, which is a monstrous 22.8 billion tons!