Frequently Asked Questions on Sustainability

To get the literal meaning of the word, you just have break it up into its two parts – “sustain” and “ability.” It simply means being able to sustain something for a long time.

Nowadays, sustainability is most often used in connection with the environment. Here it refers to the ability to live (or do business) in a way that does little or no harm to the environment. If that is possible, then the respective activity can go on indefinitely.

The three pillars of sustainability are the environment, economy, and society. These fundamental aspects are interconnected and influence one another - they do not stand alone.

• The environmental pillar focuses on conserving resources and reducing waste.
• The economic pillar seeks sustainable growth that doesn't harm social or environmental well-being.
• The social pillar emphasizes fair labor practices, human treatment, and community development.

A process or business that does not deplete resources is sustainable. That not only means materials but also energy or water. It is important to note that this does not mean that a process or a business cannot use materials at all. However, to be sustainable, the required resources should be offset somehow. For example, this may happen through the use of renewable energy, the recovery of heat, or the recycling of materials. 

A common misperception is that green production is automatically expensive. But let's consider that sustainability largely involves using resources efficiently and minimizing waste.

It is true that one major component of a sustainable production is the use of energy-efficient equipment. This may require an initial investment and a lot of state-of-the-art machines are not cheap. 

However, it is very important to not only look at what they cost but also how much they save. In many cases, this equipment will preserve so much energy that the initial investment is very quickly recouped. And, the higher energy prices are, the faster the investment pays off. 

Finally, greater sustainability also offers additional benefits – some of which cannot be measured in euros or dollars.  

These include reducing carbon emissions, meeting customer demand for environmentally responsible products, and complying with government regulations.

No. As noted above, investments in greener technology are just one component of a successful sustainability strategy. There are plenty of other things any person or business can do to reduce their energy consumption.

For example, let’s go back to compressed air. Did you know that, on average, 20% of all compressed air is wasted because it escapes through leaks in the air system? 

Identifying and plugging these leaks is not expensive. In fact, you can do a leak detection test using only some soapy water. The potential savings, on the other hand, can be massive.

So there are many things, big and small, a business can take to become less wasteful and more sustainable. 

In many cases, smart technology is green technology. That is because a lot of it is specifically designed with sustainability in mind – both on the hardware and the software side. 

Here, too, compressed air technology is offering us a perfect example. A connected compressor can now be monitored and, in some cases, controlled from afar. At the same time, it collects lots of data that can be used to optimize its performance. 

All of this can help to greatly reduce the energy a compressor consumes.

No. Businesses that do not transition to a sustainable operation, will eventually struggle to meet regulatory, industry, and customer standards anymore.

Do you want to discuss steps to transition your operation? At Atlas Copco, we offer many services, solutions, and tips you can benefit from when planning to optimize your production line.