Kurztitel: LEAD-ERA Ecomanindustry (Fostering industrial ecology and eco-efficiency in the manufacturing industry)

• Research unit: FOEN
• Project number: UTF 443.39.12

Key words (English)

resource efficiency, industrial management, linear value chain, single process efficiency, systemic spatial resource efficiency, environmental impact

Short description (English)

Present concepts of industrial management are based on a linear value chain of products and services. Input materials such as raw materials, water and energy are transformed into products and by-products but cogenerating significant amount of wastes and polluting emissions. Cleaner production approach, focusing on single process efficiency within companies, and industrial symbiosis approach, focusing on systemic spatial resource efficiency among different companies, are both contributing to reduce the environmental impact of the industrial production.

 

In this context, different tools to optimize industrial management have been developed, but none of them include both approaches. The aim of the present project is to combine both approaches in order to increase the overall resource efficiency of industrial processes within a system of different factories.

 

The project Ecomanindustry is part of the European research program ERA-Net LEAD-ERA. The following institutions are partners in the consortium engaged in this project:

 

Institution	Country	Funding organisation
FHNW	Switzerland	Bundesamt für Umwelt (BAFU)
UNIL	Switzerland	Bundesamt für Umwelt (BAFU)
SOFIES	Switzerland	Bundesamt für Umwelt (BAFU)
UNVER	Turkey	TUBITAK
ODAGEM	Turkey	TUBITAK

The present contract constricts on the part of FHNW, UNIL and SOFIES, funded by BAFU.

Results according to contract (English)

1     Development of the design concept for the CPIS-Tool, including the functionalities and boundaries of the software and the selection of the appropriate technologies to be implemented.

 

2     Software Development including a description of the functional specifications of the software, a definition of the system architecture, a detailed design of the various components, the development of the software code, the creation of a unit test of the software code and the elaboration of a basic user manual

 

3     Software Field test and two case studies including test of the user friendly and failure free functionality of a beta version of the developed CPIS-tool in a field test, and proof customer acceptance of the CPIS-tool application in the case studies. This includes a detailed list of malfunction of the CPIS-tool during field test and corresponding debugging and improvement together with a detailed report of customer and user feed backs for two field tests of the CPIS-tool.

 

4     Promotion and dissemination of the CPIS-tool and building of a community of users and service providers: Creation of a website describing software accessibility conditions, support documents and guidelines and a community forum able to capitalize users experience to be integrated in software updates as well as development and organization of coaching sessions and training courses for partners and service providers in concomittance with presenting the CPIS-tool to institutions and companies in Turkey and Switzerland as well as on international conferences.

 

5     Redaktion eines Schlussberichtes mit Darstellung der Ergebnisse aus 1 bis 4.

 

6     Bereitstellung von Textbausteinen und Illustrationen für die Erstellung eines Publikums-Factsheets

 

7     Präsentation der Ergebnisse an einem wissenschaftlichen Kolloquium beim BAFU mit  entsprechender Power-Point Darstellung

Project aims (English)

Overall goal of the program Ecomanindustry:

Development of a universal reproducible software based tool called CPIS for decision support integrating the existing experiences and methodologies of Cleaner Production (CP) and Industrial Symbiosis (IS). The CPIS-tool will facilitate inter-industrial assessment and communication for waste avoidance and reuse of materials based on the Software as a Service (SaaS) principles.

 

Specific goals of the swiss partners:

FHNW:

FHNW will be the coordinator of the overall Project and lead field tests and case studies. FHNW  will collect customer feedback on existing software and test user friendly and failure free functionality of a beta version of the developed CPIS-tool in a field test, and proof customer acceptance of the CPIS-tool application in two case studies.

 

UNIL:

UNIL will gather and valorize previous research and experiences of existing GIS-based decision support tools for the development of eco-industrial parks, design the concept, functionalities and boundaries of the software-based CPIS-tool, and choose the appropriate technologies to be implemented in the CPIS-tool.

 

SOFIES:

SOFIES will build a community of users and service provider, ensure the long term development of the CPIS-tool, promote the dissemination to other countries and elaborate adequate user guide and training to facilitate dissemination.

Description of results (English)

This project has aimed on supporting a circular, resource efficient and cleaner economy. For this reason a generic, industrial sector independent web-based platform has been developed to provide expertise and facilitate collaboration and implementation of combined Cleaner Production (CP) and Industrial Symbiosis (IS) approaches. The platform can help to increase the overall eco-efficiency of industrial processes within a regional system of different factories. A beta version of the envisioned web-based platform has been developed which allows to:

1.  Facilitate in-house CP scoping by performing a CP potential identification;

2.  Facilitate IS expertise by performing IS potential identification for input-output and infrastructure symbiosis and creating Supply-Demand-Match-Making-Networks;

3.  Support decision-making by providing cost-benefit analysis of CP and IS options and scenarios;

4.  Foster and facilitate implementation of selected improvement options;

5.  Enable collaboration and knowledge transfer.

 

An early beta version under the name CELERO is currently available for selected beta-test-users. Once the testing is finished and still required improvements have been implemented target users, such as intermediaries of industrial parks/regions or consultants and researchers will be able to register and use CELERO free of charge, but are expected to join a user and developers' community to provide best practice examples and contribute to continuous improvements of the functionalities.

Further currently achieved results of the project are several case studies on resource efficiency in industry, dissemination materials, a description of the functionalities of the beta version, and development propositions towards a broader dissemination in a next step. 

Transfer and application (English)

The early beta version is currently under evaluation to improve user friendliness, automatization of workings steps, and of data security. The transfer of the platform from a server in Turkey to Switzerland is nearly completed. Users from the research team and selected external users (e.g. from Kaunas University of Technology in Lithuania) are testing the platform and have provided feedback for further improvements but also have broadened knowledge on the applied methodologies to improve resource efficiency in industries. Several cases from the Swiss network on resource efficiency REFFNET are ready to be fed into CELERO as soon as the software transfer has been completed. The early beta version of CELERO will be also used to train students for Life Sciences Technologies on methodologies such as Cleaner Production (CP), Industrial Symbiosis (IS) and cost benefit analysis (CBA). 

Follow up (English)

The main objectives of the next steps are to develop CELERO into a version which can be released to all interested users nationally and internationally, to establish a Non-Profit Organization which ensures the platform's maintenance and upgrade, coordination of a user and software developer community, and to ensure financial viability. Revenues to cover the costs are expected to be generated by related services for industries and clusters in combination with the application of CELERO in consulting for industries and regions.

The concept of free access of users to CELERO and the platform development on the basis of open access software shall ensure a long-term continuous improvement and application of the CELERO tool. 

A first proposal from a consortium of three Swiss Universities which also includes further development of CELERO was elaborated and submitted to a recent NRP call. 

Another proposal which focus on the improvement of the beta version of CELERO and the foundation of a Non-Profit Organization is currently in preparation.

Publications / Results (English)

1.  T.Çaglar Gümüs, C.Hugi, D.Hengevoss, S.E.Kiliç, G.Massard, M.Özbayoglu, H.Ö.Ünver. Conceptualization of a web-based software platform that enables cleaner production and industrial symbiosis. UMTIK Conference in Izmir, Turkey, 30.6-3.7.214

2.  G. Massard, D. Hengevoss. Oral and poster presentation of the Ecoman project at giz Conference on Industrial parks in Ankara, Turkey, 2014 (UNIL, FHNW)

3.  G. Massard, H. O. Unver, D. Hengevoss, M. Malinauskiene (2015). Web-based software platform «REIS»: Toward resource efficiency by combining cleaner production with industrial symbiosis (Oral presentation), Proceedings from the Taking Stock of Industrial Ecology - ISIE Conference, July 7 – 10, Surrey, United Kingdom

4.  D. Hengevoss. Presentation Results Case Study in St. Gallen Winkeln at energienetz gsg meeting, April 28, 2016