Sustainable Solutions for SCM

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Figure 6.8 Percentage of green labelled buildings in different branches [5]

Compared to offices or retailing facilities warehouses still have potential to get

greener.

6.4.4 Reducing the environmental impact of warehouses

The development of a sustainable warehouse can be developed in the micro-level

and macro level perspective. The micro-level perspective contains the uses of resources

in terms of energy, water, land and buildings. The macro-level perspective covers the

land use, the environment and the ecology. To get an energy efficient warehouse the

following aspects have to be taken in consideration:

• Lighting level.

• Lighting equipment.

• Heating level.

• Control of air changes.

• Battery maintenance.

• Efficient internal transport.

In addition to energy efficiency, the source of the energy supply has also to be

changed from the conventional one. All equipment in a warehouse has to be specified to

use energy-saving technology. For the energy supply, all kinds of renewable energy like

biomass, solar or wind energy and heat pumps are possible. This will result in decreasing

the CO

-emissions. From a green warehouse to a sustainable warehouse, social aspects

and a holistic management approach in terms of energy, resources like material, workers

and the neighbourhood must also be regarded [7].