Chemical Engineering July 2023 - 31

Feature Report
Keys to Designing Sustainable
Production Facilities
Using the food-and-beverage industry as an example, these considerations can help
engineers design new facilities with sustainability built in
David Ziskind
NextGen Ag
R
apid population growth
and geopolitical tensions
continue to keep food
security a top priority for
nations all over the world. These
challenges are compounded by the
increasingly visible impacts of climate
change, which escalate foodsecurity
concerns. In recent years,
severe storms, droughts, heat waves
and unprecedented cold weather
events have had serious impacts on
the operations of many commercial
and industrial organizations, including
food-and-beverage producers.
Extreme weather events continue
to destroy critical assets and crops
around the world, disrupting processes
and supply chains.
In response, many companies
are prioritizing climate resilience as
one of the key methods to reduce
business
risks.
Companies
No discussion about corporate
sustainability yet
History of environmental stewardship and social awareness,
but haven't view it through the sustainability lens
Pursuing or have obtained sustainability related certifications
(e.g. B Corp Certification, Fair Trade Certified, LEED)
Talking about getting started
Establishing Goals
Benchmarking existing solutions
Identifying sustainable solutions
Developing schedule & Related budget
Identifying architectural, civil, structural, electrical and/or
mechanical services required to achieve desired design
Sustainable material selection, sourcing,
handling and recovery techniques
Implementing new materials/produts/solutions
Measuring impact of changes
Goal achieved!
Black & Veatch
FIGURE 1. Responses to a recent survey [1] asking the question: Where is your company
today in the process of establishing benchmarking, executing and/or achieving
your overall corporate sustainability goals?
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
JULY 2023
that
manage their climate change risks
more quickly and thoroughly will be
more likely to survive in the coming
decades and may also uncover
significant competitive advantages.
These companies will be better prepared
to take advantage of new opportunities
in a fast-changing global
business environment.
Improving the capacity of assets,
buildings and processes to withstand
direct harm and disruption
from extreme weather is the primary
goal of climate resilience. It includes
improving overall flexibility and preparation
to handle the unpredictability
that climate change may bring to
supply chains, distribution, costs for
goods and commodities, labor, public
safety and consumer markets.
Sustainability roadmap
Achieving sustainable food-andbeverage
operations starts with determining
the
objectives,
priorities
and
focus areas. Key sustainability
priorities to
consider
include: energy
conservation;
water
and wastewater
management;
heating
and
cooling systems;
and
zero-emission
delivery
and industrial
vehicles.
N e x t
,
screen the
shortlisted
p ri or it i es
using a
framework,
such
as
a
decarbonization
roadmap. Decarbonization
roadmaps help
businesses
identify
and implement the optimal mix
of technologies, low-carbon fuels,
advanced processes and recovery
systems to meet identified sustainability
goals over a specific timeline.
For instance, many companies have
broadly identified a 30% reduction in
greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
In efforts to scale up production,
developing pilot facilities to test climate
technology solutions and procedures
help to ensure that production
at existing manufacturing
facilities is not disrupted. Such pilot
facilities can help producers examine
how their activities interact with surrounding
regions, particularly in terms
of energy, water and wastewater.
Sustainability by design
Sustainability opportunities can
exist even before the design stage
and goals can be incorporated into
site selection. The site location itself,
the logistics or transportation
options and the surrounding landscape
can all be viewed from a sustainability
perspective.
For example, ambient quality,
such as air, noise and traffic, can
be improved. In terms of transport
options, using alternative modes of
transportation can be incentivized.
Leveraging the surrounding landscape,
stormwater can be managed
more efficiently by reducing, controlling
and treating stormwater runoff.
Vegetated channels can be designed
to convey stormwater runoff
while removing debris and pollution.
Such features also support groundwater
recharge. The canopies of
heritage trees and wood trellis can
help to shield buildings and areas
from direct sunrays, making it easier
to regulate indoor temperatures.
Additionally, rooftop vegetation can
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Chemical Engineering July 2023

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