Why is Green Warehousing an Investor-Friendly choice?

Buildings that are environmentally friendly and use fewer natural resources are crucial in the effort to combat climate change. 

Unfortunately, some companies place their sustainability goals and green initiatives on hold because of the high upfront costs necessary to implement eco-friendly practices.

If you're among the businesses considering investing in eco-friendly warehouses, it's important to know the benefits of sustainable warehouse practices. 

Besides mitigating the harmful effects on the environment and promoting public health and safety, green warehouse operations can lower your operating costs in the long run and improve your financial performance. 

Moreover, adopting these practices can build brand recognition and appeal to customers who value sustainability.

But before jumping at the opportunity, it's essential to understand the green warehouse trends that can make your business more efficient and profitable while remaining sustainable.

What is green warehousing?

In traditional warehousing, various factors, such as storage space, packaging materials, shipping schedules, and delivery vehicles, are considered to ensure inventory is moved through the distribution center on time.

In contrast, green warehousing initiatives urge fulfillment centers to strategically put sustainable supply chain practices in place before the execution of the logistics chain. 

The aim is to integrate and implement eco-friendly operations to reduce harmful CO emissions, minimize resource consumption, and increase the ecological value of facilities while ensuring faster fulfillment.

Five factors to consider when making green warehouse investments

If you're part of a warehouse management team or own a facility, there are some practical ways you can start making your warehouse more environmentally friendly. 

Check out the strategies below to get started!

1. Optimize waste management 

Waste management in large warehouse facilities is a complex challenge. Even a small mistake can be costly in terms of environmental and financial footprints.
 
Managing waste in your warehouse can be manageable by following the 3Rs principle of reduce, reuse, and recycle.

Following the 3Rs principle can optimize the entire process.

Sort the waste at the source by placing marked bins for gathering different types of waste at easily accessible points in the warehouse.

Facilities with large-scale clean-out requirements can consider renting a certified dumpster for regular offloading at scheduled intervals. 

Identify the different types of waste produced in your facility to choose the right kind of waste management equipment, such as a garbage or trash compactor. 

Train your employees on the waste disposal and management process. Place clear sign boards at relevant spots indicating the waste handling protocols.

Identify the opportunities for reducing, reusing, and recycling waste in your facility. Introduce reusable product packaging materials which the customers can return for reuse. 

Lightweight and compact packaging materials that can be reused or recycled can save your shipping costs and energy and reduce waste and associated expenses. 

2. Switch to energy-efficient lighting

You can reduce your typical energy consumption by switching to LED lamps instead of power-consuming fluorescent and HID lamps.

LED light bulbs are an eco-friendly option that lasts longer, uses less electricity, and are typically brighter than traditional incandescent or fluorescent lamps.

They can meet all types of lighting needs of a warehouse. They can be paired with motion detectors and light sensors to optimize energy usage and save costs.

The time and investment required for installing LED lamps and corresponding fixtures will pay off through reduced monthly electricity bills. 

3. Use electric forklifts

Standard propane-fuelled forklift engines burn a lot of natural gas and fossil fuels, increasing your facility's carbon footprint.

Choosing an electric or battery-powered forklift over one that runs on fossil fuels is a more environmentally friendly option. 

Battery-powered electric forklifts lower energy costs by consuming only the energy they truly need to operate. 

Rechargeable electric forklifts are gentle on the ears and cause no harm to the health of your warehouse staff. 

Electric forklifts usually run on 24 or 80 volts powered batteries, ensuring zero emission. 

4. Install rooftop solar panels

Solar energy is one of the most reliable and renewable natural sources that will reduce energy costs.

Warehouse buildings relying entirely on solar energy generated at their source (rooftop) generally have lower short and long-term operating expenses than their counterparts who depend on traditional energy sources.

Warehouses with space on their rooftops can install solar panels to generate natural electricity. 

Moreover, the solar panel installation process will not affect your facility's work shifts or delivery schedules since the entire construction happens on your rooftop.

Solar panels generate electricity without causing any air or carbon pollution. No inputs other than sunlight are required to generate solar energy. 

The initial investment in buying and installing photovoltaic (PV) panels will pay off over time through reduced monthly utility bills.

If you intend to sell your warehouse property in the future, installing solar panels on your roof can increase your property's value. 

5. Create a paperless warehouse environment

Going paperless can significantly reduce the kind of paper waste generated during the warehousing processes, making it more eco-friendly.

Consider switching to a cloud-based warehouse management system to efficiently automate and manage your regular warehouse tasks like order processing, inventory management, return handling, and accounting.

A warehouse management software can help you get rid of piles of paperwork, guarantee precise data entry instantly, and encounter fewer information delays.

Going paperless will make you more eco-friendly, as you can considerably reduce the amount of paper waste accumulated from the warehousing processes. 

Tracking the location of your packages and receiving delivery updates in real time is made easy with a paperless warehouse system. In case of customer inquiries about the status of their orders, finding and handling them takes just a few minutes.

You can also save your storage space and costs by going digital. You no longer have to buy extra paper, ink, printers, or filing cabinets, as all your data is saved digitally. 

By adopting sustainable initiatives, you can create a more eco-friendly operation and improve working conditions for your employees. Plus, it can attract a more loyal customer base! 

It's essential for distribution and fulfillment centers to recognize these benefits and make sustainable practices a priority.