Resource efficiency

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Resource efficiency is the maximising of the supply of money, materials, staff, and other assets that can be drawn on by a person or organization in order to function effectively, with minimum

environmental impact
.

Resource management

Motivation

A 2014 report by

The Carbon Trust suggested that resource challenges are intensifying rapidly – for example, there could be a 40% gap between available water supplies and water needs by 2030, and some critical materials could be in short supply as soon as 2016.[needs update] These challenges could lead to disruptions to supply, growing regulatory requirements, volatile fluctuation of prices, and may ultimately threaten the viability of existing business models.[1]

Related concepts

Resource efficiency measures, methods, and aims are quite similar to those of resource productivity/resource intensity and of the slightly more environment-inclined concept of ecological efficiency/eco-efficiency.

See also: Sustainability measurement

Energy efficiency

Main article: Efficient energy use

Possible approaches

To achieve and optimize natural resource and

self-sustaining and respecting the carrying capacity of the economic or ecological
system.

Resource use measurement and identification of hotspots

A key tool in resource efficiency is measuring different aspects of resource use (e.g.

household consumption. [2]
WRAP have created a range of tools and guides to help improve business resource efficiency.[3]

Initiatives and programmes

UNEP

life cycle perspective for goods and services.[4]

Europe 2020

The resource-efficient Europe flagship initiative is part of the

sustainable growth via a resource-efficient, low-carbon economy.[5]

Tomsk Polytechnic University

In October 2012 Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU) launched the Development Program of Resource Efficient Technologies for the period 2013–2018.[6] That program was presented by TPU in 2009 at the Russian federal competition "National Research University". A key point of the program of TPU was announced the formation of high school as a world-class university-based staffing and development of technologies for resource-efficient economy.

TPU developed educational module "Resource Efficiency", prepared and published a textbook "Principals of resource efficiency", optional subject matter of the same name introduced in the curriculum (for all disciplines and areas of undergraduate).

TPU envisages university development in the field of resource-efficient technologies that unites six research and educational clusters:

  1. Safe Environment
    1. Non-destructive testing and diagnostics
    2. Materials for extreme conditions
    3. Domestic and industrial
      waste recycling
  2. Sustainable Energy
    1. energy production
    2. Nuclear and hydrogen fuel of the new generation
    3. Hybrid simulation in energy production
    4. Resource-efficient generation
  3. Medical Engineering
    1. Bioengineering
      materials and technologies
    2. Radiation technologies in bioengineering
    3. Electrophysical biomedical complexes
  4. Planet Resources
    1. Resource-efficient use of mineral resources
    2. Clear water
    3. Green chemistry
  5. Cognitive Systems and Telecommunications
    1. Cognitive software
      and hardware systems
    2. Wireless telecommunication
      systems and technologies
  6. Social Science and Humanities in Engineering
    1. Social science and humanities component of engineering
    2. Mechanisms of technical innovations initiation and engineering forethought

Resource Efficient Scotland

Resource Efficient Scotland is a Scottish government-funded programme that helps businesses and the public and third sectors save money by using resources more efficiently.[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Opportunities in a resource constrained world: How business is rising to the challenge". The Carbon Trust. February 2014. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  2. ^ "Hotspot data for 50 grocery products". Archived from the original on 2013-08-20.
  3. ^ "Business Resource Efficiency Hub".
  4. ^ "Welcome to Resource Efficiency - Resource Efficiency". www.UNEP.org. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  5. ^ "Resource Efficiency - Environment - European Commission". EC.Europa.eu. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  6. ^ "Resource Effisient Technologies Center of Exellence - Home". res-eff.TPU.ru. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
  7. ^ "Resource Efficient Scotland".
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