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Decision Support through Mass and Energy Flow Management in the Vehicle‐Refinishing Sector
Author(s) -
Geldermann Jutta,
Rentz Otto
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
journal of industrial ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.377
H-Index - 102
eISSN - 1530-9290
pISSN - 1088-1980
DOI - 10.1162/1088198043630504
Subject(s) - industrial ecology , legislation , environmental economics , process (computing) , business , process engineering , computer science , risk analysis (engineering) , sustainability , engineering , economics , ecology , political science , law , biology , operating system
In the past few decades, major advances in environmental protection within the coating application industry have been made. In spite of this technological progress, approximately 50% of industrial‐solvent emissions still come from the paint‐application sector. The advances made in reducing emissions for plants requiring licensing have unfortunately had no influence on the environmental efforts of smaller companies. Solvent‐reduced painting systems, such as high‐solid paints, water‐based coating, and powder coating have not been able to achieve acceptance, nor have innovative application technologies. The principal arguments against a conversion to these ecologically more favorable alternatives were related to cost and quality. Recently, the EU Solvent Directive (1999/13/EC) went into effect, aiming to significantly reduce industrial‐solvent emissions. Up until this point, however, instruments enabling smaller companies to determine their solvent emissions and to simultaneously develop process‐improvement potentials while keeping costs in mind have been missing. Using the mass and energy flow‐management approach, cost structures and environmental benefits can be made transparent to the entrepreneur. The primary result of the research projects presented here is the computer‐based mass and energy flow model called the individual computer‐aided mass and energy flow model for the vehicle‐refinishing sector (IMPROVE). It can be used as a detailed business‐consultancy tool. Based upon this, practical guidelines were developed for easy orientation and activity planning. They can be used by companies to help them fulfill the requirements of environmental legislation and to display the benefits that can be achieved by various emission‐reduction measures.