Activity - 13 April 2022
Gesteco has chosen Enel X to measure and increase its level of circularity
With the drafting of the Circular Economy Report, Gesteco has obtained a snapshot of the state of its sites and plants with the aim of increasing its level of circularity
"We are aware – claims President Adriano Luci – that it is not possible to improve an activity without first monitoring its processes and results; for this reason, we have started a collaboration with Enel X to assess the circularity level of Gesteco."
The drafting of the Circular Economy Report by Enel X has allowed the Luci Group to obtain a snapshot of the state of the art and, consequently, to develop targeted solutions tailored to the company's reality. The Circular Economy Report, in fact, carries out a qualitative and quantitative analysis capable of assessing the circularity level of a company based on multiple factors, from energy and procurement policies to waste management, providing a wide range of useful information for the client.
At a corporate level, the calculation of the initial circularity level for the entire Luci Group returned a value of 30.4%, offering the company several improvement opportunities.
In terms of corporate strategy, the analysis by Enel X acknowledged that Gesteco, focused on the waste sector, has always aimed to reduce the quantity of resources used and waste generated, integrating the activity of its internal Divisions with a perspective closely aligned with that of the circular economy.
Although a proper Sustainability Report has not been produced yet, the company has already conducted a serious research aimed at framing the contribution of its actions towards achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the UN, creating a document titled "Gruppo Luci X Agenda 2030". This document has highlighted what has been undertaken so far in support of SDGs 3 ("Good Health and Well-being"), 4 ("Quality Education"), 8 ("Decent Work and Economic Growth") and 12 ("Responsible Consumption and Production"), and has outlined future commitments, also in support of other SDGs.
Among the main strengths identified by Enel X, there is the design area: "Regarding this sector, we promote a new conception of workspaces – comments Luci – and our architectural projects are considered highly innovative. Investing in material research, reducing the environmental impact related to their transportation, improving the brightness and air conditioning conditions of buildings, and increasing energy savings are the commitments that have made us, year after year, increasingly competitive and able to enter prestigious, demanding, and potentially rich markets."
The five sites examined
The five sites of Gesteco have been analyzed: the treatment and disposal plant for non-hazardous waste, located in Gorizia; the dredging sludge recovery plant, located in Monfalcone; the head office and Gesteco laboratory, located in Povoletto; the Aggregates Division, located in Pradamano; the Prefabricated Division, located in Magnano.
Each of the analyzed sites has been assigned a circularity score, and possible areas for improvement have been identified.
Let's take the example of the Monfalcone site where the dredging sludge recovery plant and waste identified by several other EER codes are located, unique of its kind: from the treatment of the sludge, it obtains sand, gravel, and silt, which can be reused as an economic resource and represent 85-95% of what is recovered. This approach allows Gesteco not only to significantly reduce the amount of waste to be disposed of in landfills, but also to reduce the consumption of natural resources: for example, the raw material obtained from recovery operations can be used both in Gesteco's construction sites and for beach replenishment, environmental restoration, and embankment and levee construction. The circularity score of the site is 17.3%, and could be improved to reach 48.7% by investing in solutions related to monitoring and improving energy consumption.
The report has helped us to deepen the energy aspects of each location and from the analysis carried out by Enel X - says President Luci - a need has emerged that we consider a priority, in line with the increase in energy bills and the problem of the cost and availability of raw materials, that is the introduction of a precise consumption monitoring system. The best energy saving that can be implemented is in fact to avoid wasting energy.
Reducing and optimizing consumption will contribute to achieving those energy efficiency objectives which, together with the current commitment to purchasing energy with a certificate of origin and the continuous implementation of photovoltaic plants in our locations, will allow us to continue on the path towards carbon neutrality.
Improve and increase the level of circularity
The company already partially covers its energy consumption through self-owned photovoltaic plants, but has decided to further expand in a green perspective by powering the remaining part of the consumption through the purchase of electricity with Guarantee of Origin, which ensures that the same amount of energy consumed by Gesteco is produced from renewable sources in another part of the world, ultimately reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
"With the purchase of energy with Guarantee of Origin, we have already implemented the first of the proposals by Enel X professionals. - states Luci - We can consider it an intermediate step towards the ultimate goal: making all of our plants self-sufficient by autonomously producing renewable energy."
The Circular Economy Report, by scientifically and objectively quantifying the level of circularity of the company, has allowed to calculate that switching to green energy would avoid the emission of about 572 tons of carbon dioxide per year.
Another potential area of improvement is related to logistics and distribution: at the moment, there are no electric or hybrid vehicles within the company's fleet. "As for electric mobility, we know that it can be a turning point in the years to come - acknowledges the President - but it is important to consider that our fleet is mainly composed of trucks and earthmoving machinery, for which electric power is not yet a widespread solution. Despite this, we are considering the purchase of electric company cars. In the meantime, we have worked on logistics, both downstream of the supply chain, optimizing the movements of our trucks, and upstream, working on suppliers.
In 2020, we appointed a logistics manager to monitor and, therefore, improve, company travels: this decision allowed for fuel and emissions savings, resulting in a gain also in environmental terms."
The collaboration between Gesteco and Enel X is thus bringing multiple results, and, thanks to the evidence highlighted in the report, it will be possible to achieve further goals. "We are pleased to have embarked on this path with Enel X, which has allowed us to have an external and objective view of our reality. - concludes President Luci - Also given the historical context in which we find ourselves, characterized by a strong market energy instability, we believe it is truly essential for every company to be aware of its consumption and the possibilities for improvement."
At this link read the complete article by Enel X.