PLM and Climate Change

Goals of the Climate Change Community

The goal of the PLM Green discussion forum and working group on Climate Change, led by Klaus Brettschneider, is to investigate and validate the use of PLM-enabling business strategies and software technologies that can reduce human-generated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. We hope to clearly answer the question of what is the role, potential, and value of PLM in addressing the most important challenge facing humankind this century, climate change.

Moderator

Focus & Objectives

Product Lifecycle Management strategies and systems allow organizations to manage a product’s lifecycle in all its aspects including structures, components, materials, suppliers, and ingredients. Managing the lifecycle from inception to disposal allows organizations today to optimize manufacturing processes, to document its material or ingredients composition and to make sure that products comply with local or international regulations.

We firmly believe that PLM can help organizations to understand and analyze the effect of its product design, methods of production, and supply chain choices on their carbon footprint. Accordingly, we seek to educate, collaborate, and advocate for the role of PLM business strategies, enabling technologies, software solutions, and professionals in addressing climate change due to human-generated greenhouse gas emissions.

This includes how the application of PLM tools, processes, and best practices can help assess, reduce, mitigate, and adapt our industries, communities, and economies to the rapidly-intensifying effects of climate change. For example, candidate topics from which we hope to research and document the use of PLM-enabling technologies include:

• Make products and processes more efficient, sustainable, and green
• Understand the impact of design and production decisions on carbon footprint
• Provide data and processes for performing Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
• Decarbonize industries and economies
• Develop new sources of renewable green energy
• Store and transmit alternative energy supplies
• Reduce or sequester human-made carbon emissions

Invitation to Participate & Collaborate

To participate in our PLM and Circular Economy group, we invite you to first, if you have not yet done so, to join the PLM Green Global Alliance LinkedIn Group, then contact our moderator Klaus Brettscneider to share your special interest and expertise.

References & Resources

Here we have started creating a curated list of featured white papers, blog posts, presentations, case studies, webinars, and recorded interviews on the role of PLM-enabling technologies in addressing climate change. We invite you to send us examples you have come across in your own work, company, industry, or country to info@plmgreenalliance.com.