SUPPLEMENT SUSTAINABILITY IN MANUFACTURING IOT AND THE FUTURE OF SUSTA
Businesses are increasingly recognising IoT as a critical driver of sustainability, and this
awareness must start from the device design stage to ensure environmental impact is
minimised. Paul Marshall, CCO of Eseye comments T
he rapid technological advances that followed the Industrial Revolution have been blamed for much of the damage
to our planet – climate change, deforestation, polluted waters, declining wildlife habitat, etc. Now, however, there’s another technological revolution – IoT – and it’s already helping us make the world a better place. IoT sensors are being deployed to monitor urban and remote environments, measuring everything from pollution to noise, smoke and pollen levels. Sensors can even be used to predict flood risk. Collected data then enables decision-makers to mitigate damage. In Spain, the dwindling Iberian Lynx population
was given a new lease on life when IoT technologies were used to create virtual fences and collar tags. These innovative solutions not only stopped the creatures from venturing onto roads but also tracked and monitored their movements, enabling wildlife experts and scientists to re-establish the population. This success story is a beacon of hope for the future of wildlife conservation.
PRIORITISING SUSTAINABILITY The World Economic Forum recognised the impact that IoT projects would have on our environment in 2015. This was further emphasised when the UN General Assembly cited IoT as a game changer when it announced the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals. These goals, which include clean water, sustainable cities, responsible consumption, climate action, life below water, and life on land, are crucial for the future of our planet – and IoT is a key enabler in achieving them.
The good news is that sustainability is now seen as a priority in commercially driven sectors. Eseye, a leading provider of IoT connectivity solutions, found in its 2024 State of IoT Adoption report that enterprises using IoT see sustainability as a top priority – 94% said the choice of materials was important when designing an IoT device, along with reducing their carbon footprint. The industries that stood out for their eco-conscious stance were EV charging and smart vending.
“Sustainability, which didn’t feature as one of the top three benefits of IoT in
previous years, has now taken centre
stage. This change is a promising sign
for the future of IoT and the planet”
Paul Marshall, CCO of Eseye, notes: “The
report results reveal a significant shift in industry priorities. Sustainability, which didn’t feature as one of the top three benefits of IoT in previous years, has now taken centre stage. This change is a promising sign for the future of IoT and the planet.” Of the industries included in the Eseye report,
Smart vending machines are inherently environmentally friendly
agritech saw the most significant sustainability benefits of IoTs, with 64% of respondents saying they contributed to their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals. The report also noted that 87% of those in the sector intend to increase the number of IoT devices on their estate within 18 months. Marshall says: “It’s no surprise that IoT is seeing such rapid growth in agriculture. A field fitted with sensors can tell a farmer exactly how much water their crops need. IoT can also ensure they use the exact amounts of fertilisers and pesticides required, thereby improving yields while reducing waste and
32 DESIGN SOLUTIONS - SUPPLEMENT DECEMBER/JANUARY 2025
A field fitted with sensors can tell a farmer exactly how much water their crops need. IoT can also ensure they use the exact amounts of fertilisers and pesticides
mitigating environmental damage.”
SMART SOLUTIONS One of the key findings of this year’s World Economic Forum Transforming Energy Demand report was that making buildings more energy efficient could cut global energy use by 12%. Thanks to smart devices, homeowners can adjust heating, boiler temperature and lighting remotely in real time, while commercial/industrial buildings can be retrofitted with sensors that optimise the use of space and monitor the environment. This means that HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems) can be adjusted accordingly. This is much more economical than demolishing older structures and creating new buildings. Another solution is smart vending machines, which are inherently environmentally friendly. They take up much less space than a shop and use less power. For example, Costa Express machines can squeeze into a space that’s just 2m high and 80cm wide and run on 210-420kWh per month, compared to 360-840kWh for commercial coffee machines in stores. IoT tech also allows for streamlined inventory management, which reduces waste. Additionally, it enables predictive maintenance, a technique that uses data analysis to predict when equipment will fail, thereby extending the life of machinery and proactively replacing parts before they break and cause downtime. Even though smart vending devices suffer more security breaches than any other industry (61%), respondents told Eseye that they plan to invest more in IoT technology. 32% intend to double the number of IoT devices they use, and 20% plan on raising budgets from 51 to 100%.
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