Tips to Increase the Environmental Sustainability of your Warehouse

People are becoming more environmentally conscious than ever before.  These methods will make your warehouse more sustainable at every level of the supply chain.

Sustainability is a major concern in most industries because of the very real challenges of climate change. The logistics sector of the economy shares the same concern. Warehouses support the logistics sector and the economy, yet many generate garbage and waste energy. So, it is important to be more socially conscious by using green warehouse practices. Going green may seem like a waste of time and money at first, but it will save you a lot of money and time in the long term.

The issue is that some warehouse managers are unaware of how to be environmentally conscious. So, here are some tips to make your warehouse eco-friendlier:

What Is an Environmentally Sustainable Warehouse?

A sustainable warehouse aims to move products as cheaply and quickly as possible through the supply chain to end consumers while minimizing or eliminating adverse environmental and social effects. It is built on three pillars:

i) Financial sustainability

If you’re running an environmentally friendly business, you’ll need to make sure that you’re maintaining a profit margin to keep your shareholders happy as well as your staff happy.

ii) Environmental sustainability

A warehouse should aim to limit its greenhouse emissions as much as possible. More than 80% of consumer goods companies are accounted for emissions. To put it another way, as the world’s population and GDP growth, so does its overall consumption.  So, a sustainable warehouse can help us reduce our carbon impact.

iii) Social sustainability

A sustainable warehouse upholds human rights. Child labor and forced labor are not acceptable practices in the workplace of a responsible company. If a supply chain is not concerned about social sustainability, your company’s brand image may be negatively affected.

Tips to Increase the Environmental Sustainability of Warehouse

1.  Maintain Heat

Insulation has a huge impact on metal constructions. To avoid wasting heat in both winter and summer, adding a layer of insulation to the material is necessary. As a result, the amount of energy required to maintain a stable temperature in your warehouse can be reduced by installing proper insulation as well as upgrading your doors and windows.

This step will avoid downtime and save money on heating and cooling bills. Additionally, if you’re dealing with commodities that need a dry atmosphere, better warehouse insulation will assist you in controlling humidity levels.

2.  Minimize Using Paint

Painting is common in many factories, and employees are exposed to a range of solvents, chemicals, and volatile organic compounds. Through inhalation or skin absorption, the paint may enter the body.

Depending on how much oxygen is available, certain paint fumes are acceptable for workers. Even at small doses, several of these chemicals can have substantial long-term health consequences if employees are exposed to high quantities in tight places.

To improve the air quality in your warehouse, you can use non-toxic paints, sealants, wood products, adhesives, and carpeting. Also, you can use reflector tape for parking lot markers in the warehouse. This concrete tape is perfect for marking industrial floors so that your employees, customers, visitors, and community are safe. It also allows you to create permanent and temporary installations both indoors and out.

3.  Install HVLS fans

When you have integrated HVLS (high volume, low-speed) fan systems, huge columns of air move very slowly, keeping your facility at the right temperature all year long.  Therefore, you can leave your warehouse’s air-conditioning systems off even on the hottest summer days.

These fans are enormous fans that help enhance warehouse heating and cooling. This saves energy and money on heating and cooling. The greatest part is that these fans can be regulated centrally, saving you up to 50% on heating and cooling expenditures while keeping your employees comfortable.

4.  Polished Concrete Flooring

Warehouse floors are usually made of concrete. It is unnecessary to use harsh or toxic chemicals to apply or maintain polished concrete. It’s denser than other options, which means it’s more energy-efficient. It’s also sealed and resistant to damage, so you don’t have to worry about costly repairs or replacements. Another way to cut down on waste is to make concrete only as much as you need.

Even though polished concrete looks high-end, it’s cheaper than most other options. The start-up and long-term costs are about the same as other inexpensive options, like carpet.

5.  Save Water

Warehouses are known for using resources, especially water. Many managers are unaware they can save money. Install low-flow faucets and toilets. Consider taps for flush valves. You’ll easily save a year’s worth of expenses despite the charges.

Start collecting greywater from washing machines, baths, showers, and sinks. It’s not clean, but it’s safe. Warehouses can utilize this water instead of dumping it. This water can be used to flush toilets, irrigate lawns, and more.

Rainwater collection is a simple method to become green. Tanks may be stored on or below ground.

Insulate all pipelines and tanks. When water pipes aren’t properly insulated, people have to wait longer for hot water to come out of the faucets, which wastes a lot of water. Immediate hot water access saves money.

6.  Make Use of Natural Lighting

You can save a lot of electricity by using natural light. Consider using double-pane glass to keep your warehouse warm and protected from the elements.

If you don’t have access to natural light, LED lighting may save you up to 80% on your electricity bill. Because they last much longer than traditional lighting options, LED bulbs will save you money and are better for the environment.

7.  Get Rid of Paper

To be eco-friendly, you have to give up paper. Switch to digital options and get rid of the old invoices. If you make a mistake, you can fix it right away with a computer. If you want, you can also scan in data with a handheld scanner or an app on your cell phone.

There are many places where you can use digital tools. The change might surprise you. Make a list of all printing expenses, including ink and paper.  Then, look at how much it costs to start up a digital system, which doesn’t need to buy new things all the time. While a paperless system might cost more now, it will save a lot of money in the long run.

8.  Cut Down on Waste

Waste is the most important issue if you want to decrease your environmental impact. Packaging and wrapping materials, lubricants, chemicals, adhesives, and batteries are some of the waste products that warehouses generate.

While dumping them in the trash is the simplest choice, attempt to take waste products to recycling centers or even reuse them inside your organization. Some waste products can also help to generate electricity.

9.  Make Use of Environmentally Friendly Packaging

The trash generated by your warehouse is directly related to the quantity of packaging it consumes. Insisting on lightweight, low-cost shipping packaging may help decrease the amount of energy used to carry it and the resulting waste.

Consider using biodegradable packaging materials instead of conventional ones. On the other hand, biodegradable materials are frequently engineered to decay in a matter of weeks or months. It will help in creating an eco-friendlier and more responsible business.

10.  Use Hydrogen Fuel Cell-Powered Forklifts

Forklifts are one part of warehouse operations that needs extra care. Traditional forklifts are powered by lead-acid batteries, which conserve energy. Hydrogen fuel cell forklifts use hydrogen and don’t make any harmful fumes at all.

Traditional forklift batteries are changed every three to four years, but hydrogen fuel cells generally last ten years. In addition to lowering costs, hydrogen fuel cells are expected to boost output.

Conclusion

It’s no secret that manufacturing and transporting consumer goods are energy-intensive activities that are essential in our economy. However, going green isn’t a choice – it’s a must. It may be stressful for many organizations.  But, maintaining a sustainable warehouse operation offers several advantages, from lowering energy costs to enhancing staff comfort and productivity.