Carbon Market in the Middle East

Middle East is highly susceptible to climate change, on account of its water scarcity, high dependence on climate-sensitive agriculture, concentration of population and economic activity in urban coastal zones, and the presence of conflict-affected areas. Moreover, the region is one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions on account of its thriving oil and gas industry.

The world’s dependence on Middle East energy resources has caused the region to have some of the largest carbon footprints per capita worldwide. Not surprisingly, the carbon emissions from UAE are approximately 55 tons per capita, which is more than double the US per capita footprint of 22 tons per year. The MENA region is now gearing up to meet the challenge of global warming, as with the rapid growth of the carbon market. During the last few years, many MENA countries, like UAE, Qatar, Egypt and Saudi Arabia have unveiled multi-billion dollar investment plans in the cleantech sector to portray a ‘green’ image.

There is an urgent need to foster sustainable energy systems, diversify energy sources, and implement energy efficiency measures. The clean development mechanism (CDM), under the Kyoto Protocol, is one of the most important tools to support renewable energy and energy efficiency initiatives in the MENA countries. Some MENA countries have already launched ambitious sustainable energy programs while others are beginning to recognize the need to adopt improved standards of energy efficiency.

The UAE, cognizant of its role as a major contributor to climate change, has launched several ambitious governmental initiatives, including UAE embassy legislation, aimed at reducing emissions by approximately 40 percent. Masdar, a $15 billion future energy company, will leverage the funds to produce a clean energy portfolio, which will then invest in clean energy technology across the Middle East and North African region. Egypt is the regional CDM leader with twelve projects in the UNFCCC pipeline and many more in the conceptualization phase.

Middle East is an attractive carbon market as it is rich in renewable energy resources and has a robust oil and gas industry. Surprisingly, very few CDM projects are taking place in MENA countries with only 22 CDM projects have been registered to date. The region accounts for only 1.5 percent of global CDM projects and only two percent of emission reduction credits.

The two main challenges facing many of these projects are: weak capacity in most MENA countries for identifying, developing and implementing carbon finance projects and securing underlying finance. Currently, there are several CDM projects in progress in Egypt, Jordan, Bahrain, Morocco, Syria and Tunisia. Many companies and consulting firms have begun to explore this now fast-developing field.

The Al-Shaheen project is the first of its kind in the region and third CDM project in the petroleum industry worldwide. The Al-Shaheen oilfield has flared the associated gas since the oilfield began operations in 1994. Prior to the project activity, the facilities used 125 tons per day (tpd) of associated gas for power and heat generation, and the remaining 4,100 tpd was flared. Under the current project, total gas production after the completion of the project activity is 5,000 tpd with 2,800-3,400 tpd to be exported to Qatar Petroleum (QP); 680 tpd for on-site consumption, and only 900 tpd still to be flared. The project activity will reduce GHG emissions by approximately 2.5 million tCO2 per year and approximately 17 million tCO2 during the initial seven-year crediting period.

Potential CDM projects that can be implemented in the region may come from varied areas like sustainable energy, energy efficiency, waste management, landfill gas capture, industrial processes, biogas technology and carbon flaring. For example, the energy efficiency CDM projects in the oil and gas industry, can save millions of dollars and reduce tons of CO2 emissions. In addition, renewable energy, particularly solar and wind, holds great potential for the region, similar to biomass in Asia.

5 Tips for an Energy-Efficient Home

Living in a house is often comfortable or even idyllic but tends to get rather expensive. After all, a typical home offers significantly more space than most apartments. A lot of it is likely taken by numerous appliances, each one working around the clock to satisfy the home dwellers. When one of them breaks, it is normal to simply either repair it or purchase a new one in its place, but because of their numbers, the costs can skyrocket in an instant.

But even if nothing in your home breaks down and loses its good looks, there is still one dominant issue. Most of it requires a constant supply of power to function. The demand for electricity alone is enough to raise your bills so much that the home budget will be significantly lowered. Fortunately, there are some tips and tricks to keeping your home budget intact, including updating your HVAC systems, insulating your walls and the attic, mounting solar panels, switching to energy-efficient light bulbs, and getting tankless water heater. Explore the tips below and see for yourself how much your bills improve.

Energy-Saving Tips for Small Businesses

1. Modernize Your HVAC Systems

The main culprit to your monthly bills is likely your HVAC system, which makes up half of the monthly payments that you have to make to your electric company. Luckily, there are a couple of things that you can do to save a lot on these bills.

The first thing that you should do is to change your old, inefficient systems for new ones. Fortunately, there are still a lot of options for you to choose from. Consider a heat pump as an alternative. This system will work by pulling heat from the air and transferring it to the air conditioner to release it as cool air. As such, you can save a lot on your bills by using this system. Regular heat pumps, geothermal heat pumps, and air-source heat pumps work in different ways and come with certain advantages and disadvantages, but they all allow for energy efficiency and thus lower bills.

Another method that you can use is to change your floor heating for a more modern iteration. Cutting-edge ones like the hydronic radiant floor heating system might be complicated and expensive to install. However, they can effectively replace all other forms of warming up your home and still offer a big increase in energy efficiency over the other systems.

green heating and cooling technologies

2. Improve Your Insulation

It is also important for you to improve the insulation of your home. This way, you will be able to keep your HVAC systems running at their reduced settings and avoid drafts. As such, you will be able to save a lot on your heating bills.

You should know that two areas need insulation the most: in the attic and the walls. The first is especially important because it will keep the roof insulated and prevent unwanted moisture from entering the house. On the other hand, the walls will keep the warmth inside during winter and block excess heat during summer.

Some materials are better than others when it comes to insulating homes. The best are fiberglass blankets, foam boards, polyurethane panels, loose-fill insulation, blown-in fiberglass insulation, and wool insulation. You can use whichever option you prefer for your home, depending on your budget and what type of insulation is most available in your area.

3. Maximize Your Solar Panel Usage

You can also benefit from solar panels if you decide to mount them on top of your house. Solar panels are great for lowering your monthly bills because they harness the power of the sun to supply your household with electricity. It is also possible for you to choose them because they are getting cheaper over time. But before picking them, make sure that they can generate enough power for your household. Otherwise, they might not be worth the investment.

4. Opt for LED Lighting

LED lighting is also excellent for saving on your energy bills because of its energy efficiency. It can last up to 20 years or more without getting damaged or losing its capacity while consuming significantly less energy than traditional light bulbs. The latter uses around 60% less energy than incandescent bulbs while emitting less than half of its light. If you think about it, switching to LED lights has the potential of lowering your monthly bills by $5 or $10 every month or so.

energy efficient home

5. Install a Tankless Water Heater

Finally, you should also consider buying a tankless water heater. This way, you will avoid paying for the energy necessary to heat it beforehand in the tank. Since these heating units are designed to run on demand, they work much like the HVAC systems and thus use up a lot of energy. But unlike the latter ones, tankless water heaters can be adjusted according to your needs. It is important to know that they tend to be expensive, but you can install them yourself if you are tech-savvy enough.

Conclusion

After reading this article, you should know more about energy efficiency and how to maximize your savings on energy bills. The tips and tricks included here are sure to help you save a lot of money in the long run. All you need to do now is to pick the ones that work best for your home and start saving. So, if you have been looking for ways to save money on your electric bills, there is no better time to start than now.

As you start implementing the ideas given in this article, you will soon experience a significant difference in your monthly electricity bills. But remember that it is not enough for you just to do it once. You need to install the best equipment, upgrade your insulation, and change your light bulbs to achieve complete energy efficiency in your home.

The Concept of Passive House: An Interview with Toyin-Ann Yerifor

Green building concepts have come a long way. As architects, designers, and builders gain access to better tools that help push the limits of construction energy efficiency; we see longer strides made towards more mainstream adoption of green building standards. One such standard that is coming of age is passive houses. The concept of passive houses was first mooted in the early eighties when the idea of green homes was still in its infancy. Today, the concept is well entrenched with over 25,000 houses and buildings across the world qualifying as passive houses.

We recently caught up with Toyin-Ann Yerifor, an architectural consultant focused on exploring new and innovative ways to design with reduced impact on the environment to explain what passive houses are and their benefits. She holds an MSc in Architecture (AEES) from the University of East London, an MBA from the University of Northampton and an MSc in Computer Science and Engineering from the Université Grenoble Alpes.

What is a Passive House?

First, what is a passive house? Toyin-Ann explains: A passive house is any building that adheres to rigorous energy efficiency standards. The term passive comes from the fact that the building’s energy efficiency comes from its passive structures, which include the roof, walls, windows, doors, and floor. By radically improving the building’s insulation and energy conservation features, it is possible to reduce its heating requirements by up to ninety percent. As such, passive housing as a standard is focused on helping reduce the energy requirements of buildings through insulation, and by extension, their overall energy footprint.

When you reduce a building’s energy footprint, says Toyin-Ann, several benefits accrue, including environmental, health, and cost efficiency benefits.

Environmental Benefits of Passive Houses

According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), “energy efficiency is the first fuel of a sustainable global energy system. It can mitigate climate change, improve energy security, and grow economies while delivering environmental and social benefits.” Passive houses deliver on this mandate superbly, says Toyin-Ann Yerifor.

One of the biggest challenges traditional buildings face is energy loss. When a building easily loses energy in the form of heat, it takes burning more fuel to heat the building. When this happens, overall energy consumption goes up, which is bad for the environment because a major portion of heat generation comes from burning fossil fuels. When buildings are radically energy efficient, on the other hand, less energy is required, and so fewer fossil fuels need to be burned.

While this is the macro view of the environmental benefits of passive houses, are there any micro benefits of investing in this technology? Here are two, says Toyin-Ann Yerifor. First, think of the air quality that comes with less energy consumption. In homes that rely on furnaces, doing away with the furnace improves the air quality in and around the home significantly.

Second, sound pollution is eliminated if you no longer need to use a furnace, HVAC units around the home, or any other heat generation and management devices. Essentially, says Toyin-Ann Yerifor, passive houses reduce the need to burden the environment. Through radical energy efficiency and self-sufficiency, passive house buildings become a part of the environment and not just an addition to it.

Health and Comfort Benefits

When most people hear about passive houses, they imagine living in a sealed paper bag. That thought can be quite disheartening because issues of quality of air, air adequacy, and comfort come to mind. Although the idea behind passive houses is energy efficiency through a tightly sealed envelope (building), this does not mean health and comfort are compromised. Take air quality, for instance. Most people consider opening a window the best way to guarantee air quality in a room. Now, passive houses rely on closed windows to ensure no heat escapes, which presents a dilemma. Passive houses address this dilemma well, says Toyin-Ann Yerifor.

Although you can open a window in a passive house, even if you do not, the heat recovery ventilation system ensures there is enough quality air circulating the house. Regarding comfort, passive houses maintain a comfortable temperature regulated by the passive heat sources in the house like appliances, body heat, and lighting. Also, they tend not to have cold spots or hot spots, which is often the case with traditionally heated homes. Through rigorous design standards afforded by tools such as the Passive House Planning Package, homes built on the passive house standard adhere to comfort standards as rigorous as the energy efficiency standards stipulated.

Cost Efficiency Benefits

Cost efficiency is at the heart of the passive house concept. When a building is exceptionally well insulated, it can use as little as 10 percent of its regular heating energy requirements. This, of course, also significantly reduces the costs associated with heating the building. So, how does the passive house concept achieve such a radical reduction in energy needs? The answer is insulation, says Toyin-Ann Yerifor. Passive houses rely on extensive insulation to gain this level of energy efficiency. Why is insulation so effective?

Traditional buildings lose a lot of heat through the roof, walls, floor, doors, and, most of all, windows. With a passive house, each of these structures is carefully designed and built to ensure close to zero loss of heat. When you look at the thermal scan of a passive house next to a traditional house, you’ll notice the passive house is almost entirely blue, meaning there’s close to no energy loss. The other building is close to all red, meaning it is losing a lot of energy. This level of energy conservation and efficiency is what leads to the massive energy savings that make passive houses so cost-efficient.

Passive houses are a concept that is yet to hit mainstream construction. However, this does not mean it is impractical to build passive houses. What it does point to is the need for better awareness of the concept. Toyin-Ann Yerifor recommends anyone interested in the concept to visit a passive house showcase home to experience its benefits firsthand. She says this is the only way to understand and internalize this breakthrough energy efficiency concept.

Clever Ways to Improve Energy Efficiency in Domestic and Commercial Property

The world’s energy bill is expected to reach $48 trillion by 2035 for power supply, fossil fuel extraction, and investment in renewables and nuclear, among other elements. Unfortunately, the cost of increased expenses goes beyond denting household or business budgets: it also affects the environment, making it more polluted and contributing to global warming. Improving energy efficiency in home and business life is vital in order to eliminate waste, save money, and help rescue the planet. Here are a few clever ways to improve energy efficiency in the domestic and commercial property:

Insulation and Air Sealing

The structure of a home or a commercial property is one of the key determinants in energy efficiency. When designing a home or renovating a building, it’s important to pay attention to insulation and air sealing. Roof cladding is vital in order to conserve heat and keep the structure cool. Double or triple-glazed windows ensure that heat is retained indoors, and stops the cold from entering a room to make a structure energy-efficient.

home-insulation

When paired with energy efficient heating and cooling appliances, this can make a huge difference to the amount of energy used within the building. It’s also a good idea to customize your windows, and choose an efficient frame that is appropriate for your climate.

For doors, caulking and weather stripping safeguard your home and enhance energy efficiency. In some cases, it makes sense to replace a door to retain energy and keep away draughts. Properly installed and conceived skylights allow you to benefit from daylight and improve ventilation. New technologies already incorporate glazing technologies in skylights to reduce the impact of summertime heat gain and winter heat loss.

Coherent Heating, Cooling and Hot Water Systems Using Renewables

It’s also imperative to think of a coherent heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) and hot water systems. One way to do this is to select effective cooling and heating equipment. Opt for dehumidifying heat pipes to reduce indoor humidity and increase comfort. Along with other actions such as increasing the thermostat and using ceiling fans, you can reduce the power consumption of aircons by 20-50%, according to Energy.gov

air quality at the workplace

 

Consider using renewable energy systems to provide electricity and cool and heat homes. Solar photovoltaics (PVs) are forms of clean energy that can provide unlimited power. Investments can be recuperated within a short time. Solar power technology has evolved for the better in the last few decades, and the costs of installing panels have gone down. In addition, many governments offer incentives to switch to clean energy, making it a win-win situation.

Upgrade Appliances And Lighting Systems

Homes and buildings can also benefit from reduced electricity use by upgrading lighting systems. Switching to light emitting diode (LED) bulbs lowers power consumption by as much as 75%. In addition, they last 25 times longer than incandescent lighting, and offer better or higher illumination without increasing energy usage – useful for areas that require constant lighting such as corridors or offices.

LED-lighting-workplace

Appliances also make a difference. Switch to energy-rated appliances, from washing machines and dishwashers to coffeemakers and copiers. When purchasing news appliances and gadgets, consider the cost of operating them. Think of smart appliances that can be connected to home or building energy management systems. These types of appliances not only shut down during peak electricity demand, but also shift energy use, smartly running when utility charges are lower, such as in the middle of the night.

Energy spending worldwide has been increasing, and will continue to do so in the future. Investing in energy efficiency will not only save money for both households and businesses, but will also help the environment and make people feel good about their commitment to the planet.

How Home Builders Create a Better Product for Buyers

When it comes to homeownership, there are a lot of options out there. You can buy an existing home, build a new one, or even purchase a pre-fabricated property. And each of those options has its own set of pros and cons.

But if you’re looking for the ultimate in flexibility, control, and customization, then building your own home is the way to go. And in this article, we’ll explain why this could be an excellent option for you.

benefits of building your own home

You get to choose everything – the floor plan, the finishes, and even the location.

Looking at new homes for sale is an exciting prospect, but it can sometimes be overwhelming. Just where do you start, and with so many things to consider, it’s easy to get frustrated or feel lost in the process.

The good news is that you have complete control over your new home. You can make all the decisions from big-picture choices like location, floor plan, and overall look to more specific details like the individual lighting fixtures and door fitments.

Depending on the builder, you might even have some say over more practical elements such as soundproofing and energy efficiency standards — not just aesthetics.

So even though buying a new house can be intimidating, it’s also hugely empowering because with each decision comes an opportunity for total customization. With a combination of careful planning, thoughtful design choices, and due diligence on research, you’ll be able to create your ideal dream home!

A new build home is typically more energy efficient and has better insulation than a resale home

When it comes to choosing a new home, many people find themselves weighing the benefits of buying an existing resale property versus building a new one. It’s true that a resale property can offer advantages like more immediate availability and established neighborhoods, but there are some key advantages to consider when opting for new construction.

A major consideration is the energy efficiency and insulation offered by a newly built home — features that don’t always come standard with a resale.

New homes are constructed up-to-date with insulation standards and energy-efficient appliances, meaning they require less energy to heat or cool than older homes. Additionally, you’ll often find higher quality windows on newer models, which helps to seal in the air more effectively than pre-existing single-pane glass technology that may be found in older homes.

So while there may be a temptation to buy existing due to the convenience factor, don’t overlook the importance of investing in modern insulated architecture that could give you substantial cost savings over time.

You can personalize your home to fit your unique lifestyle and needs

Any home is a reflection of its owner and the activities that are taken place there. It makes sense to personalize your living space in such a way that it compliments your habits and lifestyle. By making thoughtful design choices and adding personalized details, you can make your home unique while expressing who you are.

Adjustments to suit your family’s lifestyle will also help you create an environment conducive to productivity, relaxation, and inspiration. A few simple changes, like painting the walls a different color or changing the style of windows, can make all the difference in how your home feels.

Add lighting fixtures that fit each room’s mood and decorate according to what you enjoy looking at. Prioritizing storage solutions and organizing items can help reduce clutter, creating a more comfortable atmosphere for everyone who lives in the house.

Personalizing your living space is one of the best ways to ensure you get precisely what you want out of life.  With just a few minor adjustments here and there, anyone can make their house feel more like home in no time at all!

A new build home will likely appreciate in value more than a resale home in the same neighborhood

When it comes to making a real estate investment, deciding between building a new home or purchasing an existing one can be challenging.

Appreciation over time

On the one hand, buying an existing home allows you to move into it right away and can often come with desirable features like mature landscaping and a larger lot size. On the other hand, building a new home may provide more appreciation over time- especially considering that many resale homes remain stagnant in terms of value or sometimes even decline over time.

Boosted curb appeal

In most neighborhoods, resale homes will have reached their peak value once purchased from the previous owner and won’t go up much in price until significant renovations are done. Meanwhile, constructing a new residence means buyers can pay for all sorts of modern updates and enjoy the boosted curb appeal before prices take off in the area.

So, if you’re looking for long-term economic security and stability, a new build home may be worth considering over other real estate options available in the same neighborhood.

You don’t have to worry about repairs or renovations with a new build home

Moving into a new home can be a hugely exciting experience. But when you move into a resale property, you’re never entirely sure if the previous owner was completely honest about the home’s condition until you move in.

building your own home

With a new build home, you can have the peace of mind that comes from knowing there won’t be any hidden problems or expensive repairs to worry about. Instead, you’ll get to start out with a high-quality and modern home, so everything is fresh and up-to-date.

All in all, when considering the pros and cons of choosing a newly built home versus a pre-owned one–the advantages of having no repairs or renovations needed easily win out!

Our Roundup

So, if you’re considering buying a new build home, here’s our summary of the top reasons why you should go for it:

  1. You will get to choose everything about your home
  2. It will also be more energy efficient
  3. It’ll appreciate in value over time.

You won’t have to worry about any repairs or renovations that may need to be completed once you’ve moved in.

Why Passive Homes Will Be the Future of Home Building

As individuals and companies alike begin to consider more sustainable building options, Passive Homes are an excellent solution. Referred to as “Passivhaus” in German, this construction concept focuses on airtight insulation to create a living space that does not require additional heating or cooling.

Developed in the 1970s, developers have incorporated the PassivHaus design in homes all over the world and in a variety of climates. As an affordable, eco-friendly and versatile construction solution, these homes will play an essential role in the future of homebuilding.

Affordable

Professionals often regard eco-friendly building solutions as too expensive. While construction costs for passive homes can cost 5 to 10% more upfront than a traditional build, these fees are negligible compared to future savings. As sustainable options become standard, these costs may drop. Passive Homes rely on design principles that promote peak energy efficiency without external systems.

With a focus on proper insulation and minimizing air leakage, homeowners can save on conventional heating costs without needing to invest in expensive forms of renewable energy. While solar panels or other types of eco-friendly power are popular, because of the efficiency of the Passive House, their usage is minimal.

Adaptable

People build Passive Houses all over the globe in a variety of climates. The five main principles of passive homebuilding are versatile and can be altered depending on the environment. The airtight construction utilizes proper heat balance, ensuring that warm air remains inside in cooler climates, and properly ventilates in warmer ones.

Another nice feature of Passive Home construction is the ability to modify each project aesthetically. Unlike other forms of sustainable building, such as straw bale homes or shipping containers, professionals can construct Passive Homes using a variety of eco-friendly building materials. This style does not limit builders to certain architectural styles. Because supplies can vary, many homeowners choose to add to the overall sustainability of their homes by using post-consumer building materials.

Eco-Friendly

Passive Homes are eco-friendly by design. In Europe, it’s the standard building practice of the future. According to The Resolution of the European Parliament, its implementation will be mandatory in new home construction by all member states in 2021.

The elements of Passive Homes are sustainable by default and do not require relying on alternative energy systems for primary energy. The standard principles are the result of research at the Passive House Institute, and include:

  • Airtight structures
  • Double and triple-insulated windows
  • Continuous insulation
  • Thermal sealing
  • Air quality management

Passive Home design principles do not rely on renewables as a primary source of energy, focusing instead on insulation and passive solar to maximize heat efficiency. They’re also the most affordable way to achieve zero-carbon, resulting in energy savings of up to 90% compared to conventional energy systems.

Passive Building for the Future

Passive Home design incorporates efficient ventilation, heat recovery and super insulation to create a high-quality structure that is not only efficient but also extremely comfortable. A contractor can adapt these buildings to any climate or design preference. While Passive Homes are already a standard — and future mandated — construction in Europe, they’re also becoming more popular in the United States.

Thanks to a U.S. Department of Energy “Building America” Grant, the PassivHaus Institute established new building standards that take into account market and climate variables throughout North America, including comfort and performance.

Any architect or contractor can easily utilize the Passive Home style, and the building standards are available via online distribution. As consumers and developers look towards a more sustainable and eco-friendly future, this style of building should be at the forefront of construction.

4 Tips On How Smart Manufacturing Can Reduce Environmental Impact

Manufacturing accounts for a massive portion of global carbon emissions, almost a quarter of direct global carbon emissions. The Environmental Protection Agency reports a 23 percent contribution from manufacturing companies in the United States. Varying factors drive this output, but there could be a way businesses could lessen their environmental impact.

Smart manufacturing improves many of these problem areas, leading to better environmental results. Here are four ways smart manufacturing could make a splash by lessening its environmental impact.

How Smart Manufacturing Could Lessen Environmental Impact

How Smart Manufacturing Could Lessen Environmental Impact

Global climate change has evolved into one of the most prominent concerns around the world today. The connection between manufacturers and global climate change is undeniable, leading to understandable concern in worldwide industrialization and economic development.

The manufacturing industry isn’t going anywhere, so changes need to be made. Smart manufacturing can repair and improve areas that affect environmental impact, allowing facilities to remain efficient, productive, and cost-effective without sacrificing the environment.

1. Reducing Production Waste

Many facilities produce enormous amounts of waste every year. By reducing waste output, intelligent technologies can minimize the environmental effect. There are a few ways to implement innovative technology toward lessening production waste:

  • Adopt lean manufacturing to reduce waste production with assured quality.
  • Implement an advanced manufacturing process to minimize wasted material used to make a product. 3D printing is an excellent way to reduce production waste.
  • Incorporate automation in certain areas of the process to minimize the dependence of the process on human intervention. Automated devices can reduce the regularity of human error and defection, resulting in less waste.
  • Utilize greener cleaning materials with water- and bio-based cleaners to reduce water waste.

2. Improved Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency is another significant piece of the puzzle. A facility can become more energy efficient in varying areas by incorporating greener, high-end equipment designed to reduce energy consumption in specific tasks.

Additionally, internet-connected sensors can improve the performance of energy management systems, allowing facilities to reduce their energy consumption without impacting production. Intelligent scheduling and AI can also help in the efficiency process, whether at the base equipment level or covering the entire supply chain. IoT-consulting services can enable industrial manufacturing systems to be more intelligent.

robotics in sustainable manufacturing

3. Working Toward Sustainability

Sustainability is a critical factor in reducing a facility’s environmental impact. Facilities can incorporate remanufacturing to restore damaged or defective products to full functionality, allowing the product to become useable again and reducing waste.

Reconfigurable manufacturing, although initially designed to improve responsiveness to a fluctuating market, can help facilities improve and manage wastewater and emissions via system reconfiguration.

4. Adjusted Manufacturing Processes

Changing the nature of the beast is one of the most promising ways to lessen environmental impact. Facilities could switch from a chemical to a physical or biological process, reducing emissions. Additionally, facilities can directly use smart technologies to reduce specific emissions from industrial processes, such as GHG emissions.

Greener inputs can replace traditional forms of energy, such as fossil fuels, which are rapidly depleting and produce carbon dioxide as a byproduct. Alternative renewable energies, such as hydrogen, biobutanol, and bioethanol, could replace fossil fuels.

Bottom Line

Smart manufacturing has the potential to improve manufacturing drastically. It could be the way of the future, increasing sustainability, productivity, and cost-efficacy to reduce environmental impact.