Building Technology
Why do companies go green?
LONDON and NEW YORK – The strongest drive toward green technology is not public awareness and support, but rather economics, according to a study conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers titled: Technology Executive Connections: Going Green: Sustainable Growth Strategies.
Fully 40% of technology executives claim the green movement creates significant market opportunities for their companies, as evidenced by a noticeable increase in customer demand for green products and services. Additionally, 60% of respondents cite energy savings as one of the most important factors in their company's environmental decision-making process.
According to the survey, 61% of executives feel it is very important (29%) or important (32%) that their companies take steps to reduce their environmental impact. This shift towards green products, services, and business operations is having a direct impact on the level of collaboration and innovation found throughout the entire technology value-chain including marketing, HR, R&D processes, manufacturing, and supply chains.
As organizations continue to evaluate their own business practices, they are paying closer attention to the actions of their partners and suppliers as well. One in five executives (18%) claim their companies practice environmentally preferred purchasing, where organizations select products and services that have a lesser effect on the environment than competitive products and services. Within the next two years, this figure will rise to more than half (53%).
Technology organizations are also taking steps to safeguard themselves from stringent government legislation and regulations in the future by proactively imposing their own green-oriented controls. Fully 20% of survey respondents say their companies maintain a formal and widely distributed environmental policy. This figure will increase significantly over the next two years, jumping to 48%. To further reduce the risk of government regulations, technology companies are implementing a range of other environmental processes such as auditing internal green practices, appointing senior executives to oversee green programs, and creating a clearer linkage between green initiatives and performance.
A number of technology companies are also issuing Sustainability Reports. Within an organization, these reports can be used to manage operations more efficiently, while minimizing risks. Externally, technology companies can use these reports to highlight their environmental advantage in the marketplace with competitors, regulators and consumers.
While global organizations across all sectors are striving to become more environmentally responsible, the effects of the green movement on hardware manufacturers compared to software companies varies substantially. The statistics demonstrate greater interest and associated green activity from technology manufacturers relative to service-oriented businesses, such as software providers and content developers. According to the survey, 60% of technology manufacturers are developing green products and services, compared to only 33% of non-manufacturers.
Technology manufacturers are taking aggressive steps to expand their portfolio of green products and services by pursuing energy efficiency, implementing designs that reduce or eliminate the use of hazardous materials, using recycled or recyclable materials, building products that last longer, and creating packaging that meets or exceeds global environmental standards. A growing focus on reducing the weight of products and improving their capacity for recycling is also helping manufacturers better address "end of life" issues such as the recovery and disposal of products that have run their course.
The green movement also presents software and service-oriented technology companies with sizeable growth opportunities. The need for green technology consulting services and software aimed at helping organizations conduct business virtually to reduce travel and thus the carbon footprint will increase substantially in the coming years. For more information, visit: www.pwc.com/techconnect
[ page top ]
Small businesses grow big technologies
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program is giving $1.75 million in SBIR contracts to 25 small businesses to research and develop new environmental technologies.
The majority of U.S. new technologies are developed by America’s 25 million small businesses, which also employ more than 50% of workers. To participate in EPA’s SBIR program, a small business must have fewer than 500 employees, and at least 51% of the business must be owned by U.S. citizens.
The recent awards will help small businesses develop new technologies in five areas: nanotechnology and pollution prevention, biodiesel and ethanol biofuels, solid and hazardous waste, air pollution control, and homeland security. For more information on the SBIR program, see www.epa.gov/ncer/sbir
[ page top ]
Tech aids in tackling climate change
LONDON – Intellect, the trade association for the UK technology industry, has published a report examining the role of technology in tackling climate change.
The report, entitled High Tech: Low Carbon, discusses the impact of technology on other sectors, stating that if we do not implement low-carbon technologies soon, we will cause irreparable harm to the environment.
According to the report, the energy use related to ICT (information communications technologies) currently accounts for about 2% of global carbon dioxide emissions. If all else remained equal, a straight-line projection based on growth in both sectors would suggest that by 2050, we could see a five-fold increase in emissions related ICT and a six-fold increase in the emissions related to consumer electronics (CE).
However, we are already seeing massive improvements in the energy efficiency of both sectors, which is already helping to mitigate this risk. Intellect believes the industry can exceed the target set by the CBI Climate Change Task Force for a 30% improvement in the efficiency of electrical equipment by 2030. Indeed many products will exceed these targets by 2010. These efficiency improvements will be related to when products are both in on mode and standby mode.
The report also identifies 26 different technologies that can be applied by other sectors of the economy to reduce their carbon emissions. These technologies are not simply ICT-related but encompass related fields such as engineering and biotechnology. It concludes that innovation and the intelligent use of technology will be key to reducing carbon emissions across the economy. The technology sector should take a leading role in these two areas.
The report also supports carbon accounting. It believes that making carbon accountable will help drive demand for energy efficient products and services, iron out perverse incentives and create a level playing field for energy efficient manufacturers and will stimulate investment in low carbon technologies. The report is available at www.intellectuk.org/hightechlowcarbon
[ page top ]
NRCA forms new center
ROSEMONT, Ill. – With an understanding that the built environment faces long-term, irreversible market trends that demand a focus on environmental stewardship, the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) has established the Center for Environmental Innovation in Roofing (CEIR), a separate 501(c)(6) organization, to promote the development and use of environmentally responsible, high-performance roof systems.
Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the center's core purpose is to establish a forum that will draw together the entire roofing industry into the common cause of promoting and increasing the knowledge base of environmentally friendly roof systems. Although still in its early stages, the center has received substantial support from across the industry. To date, "Founding Member" financial commitments to the center include Firestone Building Products Co. LLC; Carlisle SynTec Inc.; Tremco; GAF Materials Corp.; Sika Sarnafil Inc.; D.C.Taylor Co.; Nations Roof; Advanced Green Technologies; DRI Cos.; Tecta America Corp.; and William Wallace Collins LLC. The organization's objectives include:
- Serving as a repository for information pertaining to energy, the environment and roofing
- Coordinating and encouraging objective research
- Serving as a research link between academia and industry and providing a forum for ongoing peer review of such research
- Safeguarding jurisdiction to ensure new roofing products, systems and services remain within the sphere of the roofing industry
- Expanding market opportunities
- Advancing science-based advocacy on behalf of the industry
- Coordinating standards and codes in the U.S. and abroad
Three beliefs underlie the center's philosophy. First, the building industry will increasingly use "green" building materials—those that contribute to energy efficiencies and environmental stewardship. Second, this undertaking will succeed only if the entire industry acts in concert. Third, encouraging dialogue about what is possible will shift attention away from perceived limitations.
Rather than succumb to the instincts of command-and-control solutions that emphasize limits in the face of environmental and energy challenges, the center aims to advance innovative solutions and does so with the understanding that collaboration is a critical ingredient of innovation. For more information about the center, see www.roofingcenter.org/
[ page top ]
Clean-tech investment in the UK
SURREY, England – Foresight Group, an investor in unquoted companies, and Mouchel, the consulting and business services group, have formed a strategic partnership to invest in cleantech infrastructure projects in the UK.
The initial aim of the partnership is to invest up to £50 million in small-scale, local plants across the UK in key cleantech sectors such as waste processing, water and wastewater management, recycling, and renewable energy generation.
Utilities companies are under increasing pressure to meet ambitious emission reduction targets and the deployment of technology and the development of infrastructure required to support this effort is a key issue across the industry.
- Water – the water industry has seen its energy costs double in the last five years and in 2005/06 used 7,700 GWh of energy in its total operations, accounting for 2% of the total UK consumption (350.4 TWh).
- Waste – an estimated £5–7 billion will be invested in municipal waste technology in the UK in the next five-to-seven years. According to the Defra Waste Strategy (May 2007), the aim is to reduce household waste that is not reused, recycled, or composted to 15.8 tons-a-year by 2010 (22.2 tons in 2000). Waste spending by English local authorities was £2.44 billion, an increase of 33% on the 2001/02 spend of £1.65 billion.
- Renewable energy – in 2005 electricity generation contributed to 19% of the UK’s total carbon dioxide emissions. Following an agreement by the European Council in March 2007, renewable energy must grow to provide 10% of the UK’s energy needs by 2010 (4.4% in 2006) and 20% by 2020. The report also states that there is a clear need to guarantee energy supply at a time when an estimated 80% of the UK’s fuels are expected to come from abroad by 2020.
For more information, see www.mouchel.com
[ page top ]
Mocana recognized for innovation
PALO ALTO, Calif. —Frost & Sullivan recognizes Mocana Corporation with the 2008 North American Frost & Sullivan Technology Innovation of the Year Award. The Award specifically highlights Mocana's Device Security Framework, a holistic approach for securing all aspects of connected devices.
Mocana's approach addresses current and emerging requirements of securing any networked device as we rapidly move towards the 'Internet of things' – a catch phrase to describe a network of intelligent devices connected to the Internet and each other. Mocana believes the 'Internet of things' is the next critical wave of computing. Its impact will far exceed the disruptive impact of the web, affecting all industries including datacom, mobile computing, consumer electronics, healthcare, retail, aerospace and defense, automation and control, and automotive. For more information, see www.frost.com/prod/servlet/press-release.pag?docid=117654168
[ page top ]
|
