7 Ways IoT Can Contribute to Sustainability
Discover these 7 innovative ways IoT can contribute to sustainability and reduce our environmental impact.
Since the mid-18th century, technological innovations have captured people's attention. Since then, they have been able to exploit natural resources on a larger scale. The increased use of raw materials, the increase in production, and the growth of the world's population have led to CO₂ emissions and resource scarcity.
However, the relationship between technology and the environment has changed, as the factors driving sustainability and digital innovation are no longer interconnected. This ecological and technological shift has been driven by a wide range of immersive technologies such as robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), and especially the Internet of things (IoT). All these technologies have the potential to transform commercial and industrial processes and make them more environmentally friendly.
Advancements in wireless connectivity and IoT sensor technologies have mutually reinforced sustainability and digital innovation. Companies are leveraging IoT technologies to implement eco-friendly practices, organize processes, and use resources responsibly.
How can IoT contribute to sustainability?
The following are the key IoT applications that positively impact the environment and help make our planet greener. IoT and sustainability are no longer topics of the future – we are in the midst of development.
Smart Energy Management
Today, customers place more value on sustainable technologies. IoT devices support the management of a wide range of supply chains. This includes power utilities, their energy consumption, and the supply by distributors and consumers. These smart energy management systems not only help reduce energy costs but also minimize carbon emissions. To monitor energy consumption, wireless electricity meters provide energy consumption data from buildings, individuals, and industrial facilities. This data-driven knowledge helps businesses and individuals monitor and optimize their energy consumption to become more sustainable.
Smart Waste Management
With the growing world population, the amount of waste produced by humans is also increasing. Researchers predict 3.4 billion tons of waste by 2050 – per year! Inconsistent and inefficient waste disposal exacerbates the situation. The Internet of things (IoT) can solve waste and garbage disposal problems with its network of wireless sensors by providing building managers with real-time data on waste containers. Building managers can decide which waste containers need to be emptied first when informed about the current fill level. With this information, waste management companies can optimize their collection schedules and reduce environmental impact.
Air Quality Monitoring
Air pollution is one of the growing global problems. According to a report by the World Health Organization, 7 billion people worldwide die prematurely due to indoor and outdoor air pollution. The pollutants in the air are also deadly to human health. Poor air quality has significant impacts on food and vegetation, renewable energy, weather, and water. Thanks to innovative and cost-effective IoT sensors, municipalities can monitor the air quality index. This way, the cause of air pollution can be tracked in real-time. Municipalities can take measures to reduce air pollution.
Insights into Fleet Management
Attention to the different types of fuels and their impact on the environment and air quality has increased significantly. Governments around the world are also placing great emphasis on reducing CO₂ emissions. This increases the pressure on fleet operators to optimize their fleet management and make it more environmentally friendly. The condition of the vehicles, driving behavior, idle times, fuel consumption, and location play an important role in calculating the fleet's total emissions. With the help of wireless IoT sensors and IoT-Trackers installed in the fleets, valuable insights into these metrics can be gained. The data from IoT devices can provide useful insights into vehicle maintenance, improve driving behavior, and optimize routes. IoT-Trackers offer, among other things, real-time location determination for more responsive and accurate route planning. This ultimately leads to a reduction in pollutant emissions caused by the time the vehicle spends idling in traffic.
Detecting Water Leaks and Shortages
Oxfam Germany assumes that there will be dramatic shortages in water supply in many parts of the world. This underscores the importance of solutions focused on water management that can significantly reduce annual water wastage. Nearly 20 to 30% of drinking water is wasted due to leaking pipes. Wireless connectivity and IoT sensors have significantly reduced the costs of collecting and analyzing data from various measurement points such as valves, pumps, or entire water processes, e.g., irrigation. Installing IoT sensors for leak detection in facilities or buildings enables the detection of water leaks, monitoring of water quality, and monitoring of fill levels. The smart system can immediately alert facility managers when a sign of a water leak is detected, allowing timely countermeasures to be taken. When these IoT systems are installed on a larger scale, they can reduce water wastage and protect the country from an increasing water crisis.
Smart Agriculture
The availability of natural resources such as arable land and freshwater is steadily decreasing due to the growing world population. The situation is exacerbated by the low annual yields of staple foods. The solution to meeting the global food demand lies in the concept of sustainable food production with smart agriculture, which can also reduce the ecological footprint and resource wastage. Smart agriculture systems based on IoT technologies can help achieve ecological sustainability. IoT devices collect data on factors such as soil conditions, etc., that contribute to plant growth. Analyzing the collected data provides useful information on various agricultural practices, such as fumigation, fertilization, irrigation, and sowing. This data-driven information helps farmers avoid conditions that could harm plant health. Furthermore, smart agriculture reduces error-prone and inefficient human interventions and minimizes the use of water, chemicals, and other resources. This ultimately leads to a smaller ecological footprint and higher production rates.
Management of Cold Chains
Nearly one-third of the food produced worldwide is wasted. This means that 1.6 billion tons of food are thrown away each year, resulting in a loss of $1.2 trillion. With the food, the energy and resources needed for cultivation, harvesting, and transportation are also wasted. These are also environmental issues to consider. The reason for these enormous losses lies in the inadequate recording of temperature in the food supply chain. Temperature is the most important factor that can affect food quality. Incorrect temperature settings can cause food to spoil and be wasted. Smart cold chains equipped with wireless IoT sensors can monitor the environmental conditions for food such as light intensity, air quality, humidity, and most importantly, temperature. Additionally, smart cold chains ensure that the quality and integrity of the food are not compromised.
Summary
In the past, technology could have negative impacts on the environment. Today, it helps make the planet greener. IoT technologies enable governments, businesses, and individuals to implement energy-efficient practices, organize processes, and use resources responsibly to achieve long-term ecological sustainability.