ESG (environment, social and governance) in the food industry is considered a crucial hill to climb because of the sector’s impact on the planet, people and standards of governance. As a result, food and beverage manufacturers invested nearly $9.5 billion to support more than 1,400 ESG-related projects in 2022 (Industrial Info Resources).
One way to address ESG is through green building design, which is the practice of creating structures and using processes that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building’s life-cycle from design to operation. This practice accounts for economic concerns, utility, durability and comfort. ESI Group USA uses many different methods to achieve an environmentally friendly building that lowers the environmental footprint and saves operational costs.
Timothy Gibbons, vice president of ESI Design Services, Inc., says: “A good environmental design solution weighs costs against benefits and makes choices based off empirical data, not ‘let’s feel good about ourselves’ choices.” Such a cost-benefit analysis should be performed whenever possible to consider the maintenance of a system, the initial cost and expected life. “It does not serve the client well if a system saves one aspect of performance, but increases the use of energy elsewhere,” he says.
Designing and constructing a building that is 100% environmentally friendly is extremely difficult, if not impossible, as there are so many internal and external factors. ESI likes to start with the “low hanging fruit” that can offer a large impact. For example, higher efficiency systems, like refrigeration, can use natural refrigerants like CO2 and NH3. While this may incur a higher upfront cost, the longer life span results in a lower operating cost, explains Gibbons.
Processing equipment with high-efficiency motors can also have a positive environmental impact in the long run. “Today’s processing equipment promotes accelerated production rates and sanitation, leading to less waste, which by nature makes them more environmentally friendly,” he says.
Gibbons adds that some clients want to see green materials in their design such as solar panels, bamboo, recycled steel, green steel and green concrete. The latter is a type of concrete that substitutes a portion of traditional cement with eco-friendly industrial waste materials, such as fly ash, blast slag and silica fume. The product is often used for footings and foundations.
“Many of our clients are also looking for the capability of adding solar, so they are asking for extra roof capacity, heavier roofing membrane and additional space in the electrical rooms,” he says. “It’s always easier to add capacity in the design stage than modifying the building following construction.”
Many of these sustainable materials are in line with the price of their traditional counterparts due to market demand. Other simple “green” additions to a design include construction waste diversion, the use of products from sustainable manufacturers, low-flow fixtures and using native and strategic landscaping.
Current inflation and interest rates, however, are having a negative effect on spending power. Construction costs rose almost 15% from 2020 to 2023. Last year, construction costs for non-residential buildings in the US increased by 6% (Statista), dissuading the industry from improving or replacing existing, older, inefficient buildings.
Gibbons says many projects are being shelved or delayed indefinitely due to the rising cost of construction. “This has also had an effect on improving the efficiency of the buildings, forcing our clients to put a band aid on inefficient plants rather than replacing old systems with new more efficient ones.” Facility owners can offset the rising costs by applying for government incentives aimed at improving older facilities systems.
Quick Facts
- Green cement market value will jump from $36.1B to $86.2B by 2033 (Allied Market Research).
- US structural steel typically contains 90% or more of recycled steel.
- 2023 solar panel installations reached 440 GWdc, up 89% from 2022 (Department of Energy).
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