Procurement & Resource Management
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Sustainable procurement and resource management (material, water and energy) go hand-in-hand.
- Resource management begins with only purchasing the amount that’s needed (of both the desired item and the packaging). Procurement staff and end-users must work together to optimize this effort.
Not buying an item in the first place saves material, energy AND water resources that are expended all the way from resource extraction, processing, manufacturing, transportation, and operation through end-of-life. - Procurement specifications and decisions determine end-of-life opportunities for resource management (recyclability, product design, toxicity, manufacturer take-back, etc.)
- The procurement process must consider both the initial purchase cost and the resource consumption of that item during its operating lifetime (energy, water, consumable supplies, as well as durability of the item itself).
- Managing resources requires a procurement infrastructure that provides a record of how much and what type of items are purchased.
Procurement:
Sustainability-preferable purchasing supports health, the local economy and the environment. In addition to the facets mentioned above, procurement includes such aspects as the procurement infrastructure and procurement of services and contract management. Procurement choices can drive markets by demonstrating demand for sustainable products, packaging and practices, and requesting use of the same by vendors.
Resource Management - Material:
Material resource extraction, the energy production needed to support this extraction, and manufacture of goods from these raw materials, all impact our environment and communities. To achieve sustainability we need to greatly reduce our consumption of materials, eliminate waste and recycle or compost. The EPA reported in 2003 that every stage of a product's life cycle - extraction, manufacturing, distribution, use, and disposal - directly or indirectly contributes to the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Even landfills produce greenhouse gases and will eventually leak toxic leachate. As an added bonus, reducing consumption and waste saves money.
Resource Management - Water:
Water is a finite resource, as the ever-increasing water shortages have made clear. We must utilize it such that there’s enough to support the natural systems around us. Water use is impacted by plumbing fixture design and maintenance, facilities equipment design, occupant behavior as well as landscaping practices. Reducing hot water use reduces both water and energy use. Also, in some geographic areas there is a significant amount of energy needed to pump water long distances.
Resource Management - Energy:
The source and quantity of energy used must be sustainable. There are usually many opportunities for reducing energy needs, which directly result in cost savings while simultaneously reducing environmental and human health impacts such as greenhouse gases, air particulates, habitat destruction and water pollution. Each kilowatt-hour of energy saved eliminates 1 pound of air pollution. Ultimately all energy sources must be clean and renewable.