Abstract
Academics and policymakers now argue that social and environmental externalities, which for many years had simply been excluded from the purview of businesses, must be carefully considered, if shortcomings affecting the company’s competitiveness are to be avoided, and growth opportunities are not to be lost. So, what can drive this change? Although some exemplary sustainablefactories demonstrate advantages that outweigh mere profit making, economic benefits are certainly crucial in pushing this change. This chapter therefore begins with a description of the direct and indirect economic benefits, with a particular focus on those that stem from resource and energy savings, incentives, green marketing and territorial attractiveness. In addition to these benefits, this chapter will examine the enhanced competitiveness that derives from an improved corporate image and an increase in sustainability communications, both in terms of the visual and perceived quality of the facility, and also of the care of its occupants and the local community. Finally, this chapter will consider the entrepreneurs’ own sense of responsibility, impact understanding and the awareness that might drive the enhancement of a business' sustainability performance. In this framework, practical support to companies can also facilitate change. To this end, some tools have been developed to help companies assess and mitigate their impact, or even to turn their weaknesses into opportunities. Green Building Rating Systems and visual impact assessment tools are among the most common. However, these are generally too sectorial, and often fail in achieving an integrated approach to the topic.
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Notes
- 1.
System thinking consists in considering the world, including the built environment, as a series of relationships in which all parts influence each other.
- 2.
Integrative process aims at supporting high-performance, cost-effective project outcomes through an early analysis of the interrelationships among systems.
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Marchi, L. (2022). Potential Drivers of the Change. In: Designing Sustainable Factories. Advances in Global Change Research, vol 72. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-92227-6_3
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