Designing-in Sustainability in Industrial Projects and Processes

Abstract

Industrial projects represent significant potential for economic development in their host countries. Likewise, they also present the potential to cause significant social and environmental impacts. While much consideration has been put into the design for sustainability of products, there is still a significant gap in the integration of sustainability considerations into industrial projects and processes. Moreover, there is an additional need to bridge the theory of sustainable design and the " on-the-ground " needs of the designers of such projects. This paper discusses one framework which has been developed to help bridge this gap, as well as the results and learnings from its application to high impact " real world " projects. The paper discusses the problem from a range of perspectives including: what the gap between current and ideal practice is, what needs to be incorporated in a sustainable industrial project, what methods have been applied, and the relative theoretical and practical success of the current framework. Some of the key outcomes from the case studies to date have included the development of plans for the roll-out of integrated social and environmental initiatives to reduce cost and environmental impact while improving societal acceptance and resilience. Research learnings have indicated the need for a structured framework for identifying potential opportunities and risks, as well as the importance of timing and integration with existing project management systems.