Assessing the impact of smart lighting systems and on-site renewable generation in a distribution warehouse: a simulation-based approach

In the arena of logistics management, green warehousing has been achieving increasing attention from both practitioners and academia. On the one hand, practitioners – e.g., Logistics Service Providers (LSPs), manufacturers, and retailers – have been looking for solutions to decrease the environmental impact of their logistics facilities and incorporate measures towards greener warehousing processes. However, on the academic side, although a rising number of papers have been found addressing logistics sustainability, a need has emerged to focus on warehouses by analyzing the impact of the energy efficiency measures in place, and the related effects on warehouse consumption and environmental performance. This contribution aims at addressing this research gap. The paper proposes a simulation model based on DesignBuilder and EnergyPlus software and examines the impact of both interventions on the lighting systems and the introduction of on-site renewable generation in a distribution warehouse. Three different scenarios are proposed, and the related performance are examined in terms of consumption figures and CO2eq emissions. A discussion on the roadmap towards net-zero logistics facilities is offered, and streams for future investigation are highlighted.