1. GREEN MANUFACTURING

“Green manufacturing involves making manufactured products and the manufacturing process safer for the environment and human health” (Cha).

What does this mean? Regarding Products The use of less toxic or nontoxic materials Post-consumer recycled content (containing materials that

consumers have used and recycled) Locally sourced materials (ex. Stone and granite from local

quarries rather than imported from around the globe) Products manufactured and used in renewable and energy

efficient systems (ex. Gearboxes used in small-scale wind turbines)

Regarding Process Improving operational energy efficiency Onsite recycling Employee occupational health and safety

1. GREEN MANUFACTURING (CONTINUED)

Example:Interface (Global Carpeting Company) Vision: “To be the first company that, by its deeds, shows

the entire industrial world what sustainability is in all its dimensions.” By 2020 the company hopes to have become restorative through the power of influence.

Green Manufacturing in action (steps that Interface has taken) Use bio-based raw materials such as fibers made from

PLA (Polylactic Acid) such as flax, hemp, and wool More than 27% of Interface’s global energy

consumption is derived from renewable sources Since 1995, the company has eliminated 50% of waste

cost per unit, resulting in $372 million in avoided waste costs

INTERFACE SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MODEL

2. DECONSTRUCTION“Deconstruction is the process of carefully

dismantling and removing useable materials from structures for reuse, recycling, and waste management” (Cha).

Advantages: Maximizes the recovery of valuable building

materials for reuse and recycling Minimizes the amount of waste destined for

landfills Alternative to demolition“A typical 13,300 square foot commercial demolition project

generates over 155 pounds per square foot or over 2 million pounds of waste;2 building-related projects in the U.S. alone generate an estimated 164 million tons of construction and demolition (C&D) material every year. Approximately 40% of this material is reused, recycled, or sent to waste-to-energy facilities, while 60 percent is sent to C&D landfills” EPA Report: Beneficial Use of Secondary Materials – Construction and Demolition Materials

2. DECONSTRUCTION (CONTINUED)

Experiment with “paneling,” large sections of row houses are removed intact for disassembly and reuse.

Example: Susquehanna Deconstruction Pilot Project

Unique architectural features such as a corner turret and radiators are retrieved from urban row houses and sold through local salvage business. Images courtesy of OSWER Innovation Project Success Story: Deconstruction

•Deconstruction pilot project to determine cost-effective methods for removing lumber and other valuable materials•The project successfully demonstrated that deconstruction can be cost-competitive with hand demolition when there are sufficient recoverable materials to offset the high labor costs.

3. REUSE“This subsector redistributes unwanted yet

perfectly usable materials and equipment, including items from demolished structures” (Cha).

Advantages Keeps goods and materials out of the waste

stream Advances source reduction Preserves the ‘embodied energy’ originally used

to manufacture an item Creates less air and water pollution than

making a new product or recycling Saves money in purchase and disposal costs

4. RECYCLING

“Recycling is the collection, sorting, and reprocessing of used material into new raw materials” (Cha).

5. REMANUFACTURING

“A process of disassembling worn-out or discarded equipment, recovering sound and usable parts, and reusing them to build new, complete products” (Cha).

Advantages: Promotes reuse and waste prevention Discourages the use of virgin materialsExample: