Environmentalism is a way of life, but it is affecting all areas of our lives. We cannot ask individuals to make major changes and ignore the manufacturing sector. Manufacturing remains a pillar of the economy, a major user of resources, and a large producer of waste. Fortunately, there are already solutions to reduce the environmental impact of factories without shutting them down. Here are four ways to make your factory greener.

Start Collecting Metrics

There’s an old adage that what gets measured gets managed. Your business won’t know what areas to target for improvement. This requires collecting far more information than how much electricity you’re paying for. How much energy is being used on each assembly line or in each sector of the warehouse? Identify those processes and pieces of equipment that are drawing the most energy, so you know where to focus on conservation. The next step is an energy audit to identify the best places to start.

Determine Where Upgrades Are in Order

There are things that we know draw a lot of energy like boilers, heaters, motors, air compressors, and chillers. These technologies have been evolving for some time, and advancements in energy efficiency allow new models to get by with a fraction of the power of prior versions.

While you can invest in insulation and motor control systems, perhaps the best choice is getting new equipment. New equipment may use resources more efficiently and have higher throughput as well. For example, if you install Maxon gas valves that turn off the gas within a fraction of a second, you’ll minimize the fuel used by industrial gas burners. This technology also helps you meet the highest air quality standards for carbon monoxide and NOx.

In other cases, installing programmable thermostats and lighting controls allows you to use equipment you already have but trims their energy requirements. This should be done on top of the standard advice of replacing old fashioned light bulbs with LED lights.

Start Using Recycled Materials

While you may be recycling as much waste as possible, you can take it further by buying recycled materials for use in your operations. Don’t assume that recycled materials will harm the quality of your end product. This is rarely the case anymore. Recycled metal, for example, is as good as the raw material.

Find out if you can use recycled paper in your packaging, helping close the recycling loop. Also, look for ways to use discarded materials in your own facility. You save money on transportation costs and resource usage if you can clean and reshape materials on site instead of sending it off to a recycling centre. If recycled materials aren’t an option, look for ways to use environmentally friendly materials instead.

Use Renewable Energy

Factories draw a lot of power. Reducing energy usage lowers that total draw, but you still need electricity to run the factory. You can make the factory greener by choosing to use renewable energy instead of simply drawing power from the grid. You don’t have to put solar panels on the roof. Simply work with an energy provider who uses green energy instead of fossil fuels.

Conclusion

Going green has been a rallying cry for years. It is becoming a necessity for manufacturers if they want to stay in business. Implement a few of the points we’ve outlined to reduce your environmental impact and even save money.