Case Studies

1/29/2010John Wischmeyer

Sustainable Industry

What is Sustainable Industry

Business that has ecological innovation as a core part of their business model whose products come from a ‘green’ manufacturing facility

May be defined as companies that provide a product or service whose use results in greater resource efficiency and/or a reduced negative impact on the environment

Perhaps the best definition is a combination of the two

Sustainable Industry

Why use Sustainable Industry

Old manufacturing facilities have left many cities with brown fields

Industrial

Sector

Fosters social equity

Supports the 

economy

Propels

Innovation

Builds Economic Resilience  Revitalize older cities

Industries can still operate and manufacture at the same rate while having smaller environmental and social impacts

More attractive to residents

Sustainable Industry

Theory

Sustainable industry CREATES NETWORKS• From the local scale all the way up to the global scale• Through resources, to the distribution of the product

Maintaining sustainable practices with efforts that include:

• industry-wide cooperation• governmental openness• and education reform

Sustainable Industry

Green Facility vs. Green Products

Green Facility• Generate energy through , photo voltaic cells, solar, wind•Skylights to reduce electricity•Lights are energy efficient and dimmable •Rainwater collected for toilet flushing and irrigation•Building materials (regional)•Water efficiency •Building Reuse•Construction and Waste Management•Recycled Content•Air quality•Daylight and views

Green Products• Green building products/design•Recycled products•Sustainable agriculture•Environmental remediation•Energy industries

* These are not completelists, just examples

Sustainable Industry

The Ford River Rouge plantDearborn, Michigan

• Originally Built 1917

• Cost of Redevelopment $2 billion

• Complex of 1,100 acres will have a 20 year build out

• Upcoming improvement include ‘smart tools’ , and a storage and retrieval systems building

Photo Source: Nelson, Byrd, Woltz Landscape Architects http://www.nbwla.com/portfolio/institutional/corporations/ford_rogue.html

Storm Water Management Plant 2000 ‐ lead Architect William McDonough + Partners collaborated with landscape architect Nelson Byrd Woltz and D.I.R.T. Studio

Manufacturing  2003 ‐ lead Architect William McDonough + Partners collaborated with Arcadis Giffels, Architect of Record, Civil MEP and Structural Engineers, and Construction Manager, Walbridge Aldinger

Sustainable Industry

The Ford River Rouge plant – Storm Water Management PlanCompleted in 2000

Dearborn, Michigan

• Hedgerows lined with swales provide filtration for rainwater

10 acre green roof

• Covered with sedum, a low maintenance perennial

• Provides insulation

• Absorbs large amounts of carbon dioxide

• Catches rainfall runoff Photo Source: William McDonough + Partners

http://www.mcdonoughpartners.com/projects/view/ford_rouge_center_landscape_master_planl

Sustainable Industry

Dearborn, Michigan

• Pollution reducing practices

• Natural lighting, skylights

• Energy efficient heating, cooling, and ventilation

• Increased recycling by 37%

•Wood flooring to reduce stress on workers’  feet and legs

Manufacturing, Administration, Employee AmenitiesPhase 1 completed in 2003 – Ford’s 100th anniversary

Photo Source: William McDonough + Partnershttp://www.mcdonoughpartners.com/projects/view/ford_rouge_center_landscape_master_planl

Sustainable Industry

Dearborn, Michigan

Sustainable Redevelopment So Far

Photo Source: William McDonough + Partnershttp://www.mcdonoughpartners.com/projects/view/ford_rouge_center_landscape_master_planl

The facility is becoming more sustainable but the product has yet to catch up

Sustainable Industry

Melink CorporationMilford, Ohio

• Founded in 1987

• 2004 Founder, Steve Melinktransformed the company in to an ultra sustainable corporation

• Headquarers is LEED Gold Certified

•25% of energy used on‐site is generated with wind and solar power

Renewable SolutionsSolarWindGeoThermal Heat Pumps

Ventilation Solutions

Energy Consulting

Photo Source: Melink Corporationhttp://www.melinkcorp.com/index.php

Sustainable Industry

Melink Corporation

Economic Growth

Energy Independence

Environmental Health

Milford, Ohio

• Leases a fleet of hybrid cars

• Offers incentives for employees to live green

• 5% of profits go towards development in renewable energy technologies

TripleBottomLine

• “walks –the‐talk” with their business model and everyday actions

• Green facility AND green products

• Small business 

Bibliography

Bonilla, Silvia, and Biagio Giannetti, Donald Huisingh Cecılia Almeida. "The roles of cleaner production in the sustainable development of modern societies: an introduction to this special issue." Journal of Cleaner Production, 2009: 1-5.

Bronstein, Zelda. "Industry and the Smart City." Dissent, 2009: 27-34.

Clean Technology and Sustainable Industries Organization. About Clean Technology and Sustainable Industries Organization. 2010.http://www.ct-si.org/about/ (accessed January 25, 2010).

Conics Limited. Conics Limited | Sustainability Services. 2008. http://www.pmm.com.au/home/inner.asp?pageID=62&mainID=0 (accessed January 26, 2010).

Engineering News Record. "The Rouge Goes Green: Ford Showcases Sustainable Design in Revamp of Historic River Rouge plant." Engineering News Record, November 11, 2002: 35-37.

Melink Corporation. Melink | Who We Are. 2009. http://www.melinkcorp.com/about_mission.php (accessed January 27, 2010).

Portland Development Commission. Sustainable Industries - Target Industry Development - Portland Development Commission. 2010.http://www.portlanddev.org/bus_serv/target_industries/sustainable.asp (accessed January 25, 2010).

Renner, Michael. "Home: Vital Signs Global Economy." WorldWatch Institute: Vision for a Sustainable World. July 8, 2008. http://www.worldwatch.org/node/5821 (accessed January 25, 2010).

Satterfield, M. Barclay, and et al. "Overcoming Nontechnical Barriers." Environmental Science & Technology, 2009: 4221–4226.

The Greenroof Projects Database. Greenroofs.com Projects | Ford Motor Company's River Rouge Plant. 2006.http://www.greenroofs.com/projects/pview.php?id=12 (accessed January 26, 2010).

William McDonough + Partners. Ford Rouge Center Landscape Master Plan | William McDonough + Partners. 2010.http://www.mcdonoughpartners.com/projects/view/ford_rouge_center_landscape_master_plan (accessed Janary 27, 2010).