CRAFTS: A Compass to Refine and Align Factory Performance towards Sustainability

• Main Authors: Stenger, Rebecca, Thomaes, Tom, Westphal, Marius
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: Blekinge Tekniska Högskola, Institutionen för strategisk hållbar utveckling 2017
• Subjects: Facility Planning; Retrofitting; Decision Making; Decision Support Tool; Strategic Sustainable Development; Sustainable Manufacturing; Environmental Engineering; Naturresursteknik
• Online Access: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:bth-14437

The manufacturing industry must align business values with sustainability to preserve a healthy socio-ecological environment, that ensures access for future generations to necessary resources. To better understand the interactions between business strategies and facility operations, this research aims to adopt a more holistic perspective of sustainable facility planning processes, applying the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development. By using relevant environmental and social principles, methods, knowledge, and industrial practices, a strategic decision support was developed as a foundation for the manufacturing industry to improve their sustainable performance. This research (1) collected and analysed existing concepts and processes for sustainability in the industry; (2) developed a practical decision support tool; (3) reviewed the design by experts in the field; and (4) redesigned the tool by implementing expert recommendations. Based on the findings, it is crucial for decision makers to embed a strategic and holistic approach when considering facility design options. Therefore, the strategic decision support tool (CRAFTS) enables opportunities for a broader scope of possible improvements within the confines of the manufacturing facility by guiding experts in the field to decide between retrofitting and new construction. CRAFTS supports the industry to refine and align their business strategies and facility operations with sustainability.