Enterprise input-output model for local sustainable development-the case of a tiles manufacturer in Italy [An article from: Resources, Conservation & Recycling]

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Description:
The analysis of relationships among socio-economic activities and the environment is fundamental to plan sustainable development at global and local level. Nevertheless, it is becoming evident that sustainability targets are best pursued within the confines of a local area. In the present work an enterprise input-output (EIO) analysis based on production processes is used to estimate energy and material flows (including pollutants/waste) in the supply chain of a tiles manufacturer located in the tiles Italian industrial district of Sassuolo, in north Italy. Tiles manufacturing is a sector of utmost importance for the Italian economy and it requires a great amount of energy. Monitoring energy/water use and pollution levels in this sector is useful to balance positive and negative impacts of energy uses thus providing a measure of resources consumption and environmental impact of the production processes. Also, the model allows to foresee better economy-energy-environment interactions that is possible to implement if alternative production technologies more efficient in terms of energy consumption are adopted.