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HOW TO... achieve eco-efficiency
Faced with rising energy and waste water discharge costs, Vancouver-based manufacturer of soy products, Sunrise Soya Foods Ltd., signed on for a pilot eco-efficiency program designed to improve both financial and environmental performance. The results were stunning on both fronts. The company has ended up saving $80,000 a year in energy, water and waste water costs -- all for a one-time investment of $40,000 in a new cooling system, insulation and other equipment. The concept of eco-efficiency is still not well-understood or welcomed by many businesses, said Steven Young, a director with sustainability consultants Five Winds International at their Guelph, Ont. office. "The traditional view of business is that environmental management or issues tend to be a cost or burden. Companies still treat their environmental practices from a compliance perspective -- they don't want to go to jail," added Young. "There are real financial benefits when a proactive stance is taken and companies see the opportunities through improving their environmental practices." Mark Jeffrey is manager of the Eco-Efficiency Partnership in Vancouver. It offers matching funds up to $6,000 for small- to medium-sized B.C. companies interested in exploring eco-efficiency possibilities within their manufacturing processes. "The premise is simple," said Jeffrey. "If a manufacturer uses less energy, water or materials to produce the same amount of produce, they cut costs and are more competitive." The Eco-Efficiency Partnership, piloted in 2001 and now a fully-fledged program, is funded through various federal, provincial and regional government organizations, provincial utilities, the Greater Vancouver Regional District and the Science Council of British Columbia. Eight companies, ranging from a fresh-juice manufacturer in Vancouver to a fish plant in Prince Rupert and a greenhouse operator in Delta, took part in the pilot program. Working with consultants recommended by the partnership, these companies registered savings from $10,000 to $100,000 a year in energy, water, hazardous materials and waste water costs. The program specifically targets the manufacturing sector, said Jeffrey. "These are relatively high consumers of one element of the input stream or another. Food processors are significant users of water and energy. Greenhouse operators again are heavy on the energy side." Consultants hired to report on improving eco-efficiency will begin with a review of the client's operations to identify opportunities where energy, materials or water use could be reduced. Site-specific options are identified and a final report with costs and projected savings is presented. The following are some of the tools suggested by Mark Jeffrey and Steven Young that can help a business achieve eco-efficiency. Identify a driver for the eco-efficiency process "If you are paying environmental fines, if you have image problems or struggles within the company, you may find that better management, getting ahead of issues instead of chasing them, is a driver," said Young. "Alternatively, your customers could be the driver because they are demanding your products are produced in an environmentally sound manner." A champion in the company who decides eco-efficiency is the right way to go, can also drive the process, he added. Look at your whole system "It is a failing of most companies that they do not look at the whole system and how it works and just focus on a single element," said Jeffrey. "Maybe one piece of equipment will be changed in the hopes of saving $10,000 but the upstream and downstream impacts won't be examined. Six months later, people will find out that it is costing $10,000 in maintenance to deal with the new equipment." Seek input from everyone in the organization "Take people from all levels and areas so you do find out about the impacts on the different sectors of the company, whether that is purchasing, shop floor, maintenance or management," said Jeffrey. "This increases the likelihood that you will have all the relevant information before making a decision and are aware of the broader impacts of the decision. This team approach also helps employees become involved in the process." Map your processes "Use diagrams to show your material, water and energy flows so you can see what is really happening. It is a discovery process that will show what your opportunities are," said Jeffrey. Conduct energy and waste audits "You will see how much your usage or generation of these is and come up with ways to reduce or recycle these," said Young. How to... |
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