Energy efficiency is largely recognized as a major contributor for industrial sustainability. In order to improve their energy efficiency and thus industrial sustainability performances firms should implement energy efficiency measures (EEMs), that are not largely diffused yet. Hitherto, EEMs have been evaluated exclusively by looking at barriers from an energy efficiency decision maker’s viewpoint, thus not accounting for a broader sustainability perspective. When considering the latter, the Triple Bottom Line could be taken: within an industrial context, it can be identified with the areas of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) and Eco-efficiency (in which energy efficiency is gaining increasing relevance). For this reason, the present work is aimed at better understanding barriers to EEMs adoption, by analyzing them through different perspectives and insights offered by several responsible of single areas of industrial sustainability within a firm. To address this research gap, we have investigated through explorative case studies some firms within Northern Italy with a specific model on barriers to industrial sustainability measures,. The results seem to show that an EEM should be analyzed under different perspectives. New with respect to previous literature, a more proper perspective for analyzing an EEM should be that of industrial sustainability, and not just that of energy-efficiency, since it may result limited. Energy and Environmental managers may have a different perspective on barriers than the OHS’s one, highlighting barriers not perceived by just one area’s responsible. Moreover, an EEM may be stopped by reasons not knowledgeable to energy efficiency, rather to other areas, such as, e.g. OHS. Lastly, an EEM may have positive effects (co-benefits) on other areas of industrial sustainability, that may be perceived only by such areas. The study concludes with some remarks for policy and industrial decision- makers, and advice for further research.

Barriers to energy efficiency measures and the role of industrial sustainability

NERI, ALESSANDRA;CAGNO, ENRICO;TRIANNI, ANDREA
2016-01-01

Abstract

Energy efficiency is largely recognized as a major contributor for industrial sustainability. In order to improve their energy efficiency and thus industrial sustainability performances firms should implement energy efficiency measures (EEMs), that are not largely diffused yet. Hitherto, EEMs have been evaluated exclusively by looking at barriers from an energy efficiency decision maker’s viewpoint, thus not accounting for a broader sustainability perspective. When considering the latter, the Triple Bottom Line could be taken: within an industrial context, it can be identified with the areas of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) and Eco-efficiency (in which energy efficiency is gaining increasing relevance). For this reason, the present work is aimed at better understanding barriers to EEMs adoption, by analyzing them through different perspectives and insights offered by several responsible of single areas of industrial sustainability within a firm. To address this research gap, we have investigated through explorative case studies some firms within Northern Italy with a specific model on barriers to industrial sustainability measures,. The results seem to show that an EEM should be analyzed under different perspectives. New with respect to previous literature, a more proper perspective for analyzing an EEM should be that of industrial sustainability, and not just that of energy-efficiency, since it may result limited. Energy and Environmental managers may have a different perspective on barriers than the OHS’s one, highlighting barriers not perceived by just one area’s responsible. Moreover, an EEM may be stopped by reasons not knowledgeable to energy efficiency, rather to other areas, such as, e.g. OHS. Lastly, an EEM may have positive effects (co-benefits) on other areas of industrial sustainability, that may be perceived only by such areas. The study concludes with some remarks for policy and industrial decision- makers, and advice for further research.
2016
eceee Industrial Summer Study proceedings –Industrial Efficiency 2016 Going beyond energy efficiency to deliver savings, competitiveness and a circular economy
978-91-980482-9-2
energy efficiency measures, sustainability, environmental practices, barriers, decision-making process, occupational health and safety measures
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
2-046-16_Neri.pdf

Accesso riservato

: Publisher’s version
Dimensione 216.79 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
216.79 kB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11311/1018578
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 3
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? ND
social impact