FDBusiness.com

Manufacturers and operators of plants should choose a particularly comprehensive approach for energy and media efficiency. This takes into account the delivery of raw materials and supplies, optimisation of the water system, and treatment of waste water or design of disinfection systems. Reasonable standards for operations and design processes are needed.

Savings are hidden in many plant components. TÜV SÜD has developed the Energy and Media Efficiency, Environmental Sustainability (EME) standard for evaluating the energy and media efficiency of manufacturing plants. This also takes the environmental impact into account. The standard supports the development of energy and resource efficient- as well as environmentally friendly- industrial systems and manufacturing processes.

In a first step to certification the business integration of energy and resource efficiency and environmental friendly practices is assessed. This is done since corporate structures must ensure that employees operate plant facilities with regard to maximum efficiency. This requires, for example, a responsible officer of energy, the use and awareness of the best available technology and education and training to sensitise the staff to the three key aspects (Energy and Media Efficiency, and Environmental Sustainability). This is crucial to ensure that savings potential can be identified and tapped at all levels.

In a second step, TÜV SÜD experts examine the plant and its components. The focus lies on key questions like: Are modern drives and pumps with a high degree of efficiency and energy saving features installed and optimally dimensioned? Is waste heat used for other processes intelligently? Are the quantities of materials used known and have steps been taken to minimise them? Subsequently, the plant is assessed at the system level. Here it is analysed whether further savings are possible with the components and system as a whole. If the efficiency criteria are met, individual certificates or system certificates are awarded. In the first case, the properties of a specific machine is analysed and certified. In the second case, TÜV SÜD experts examine and certify overall business process.

Case Study

The Krones AG pushed through the development of efficient and environmentally sound production plants with their “Enviro program”. The company designs, develops and manufactures machines and complete plants in the areas of process, filling and packaging technology. The use of media, such as water and compressed air, as well as lubricants, detergents and disinfectant is taken into account and examined in reference to whether the substances selected according to their environmental impact and are optimally mixed. TÜV SÜD certified the development and production system of Krones AG according to the EME standard and thus found that they meet the requirements, derived from the use and awareness of best available technology. Energy, water, media consumption, and the need for additional resources for different operating conditions were determined. This creates transparency for the future costs of operations, and also sets a benchmark for the industry.