National Industrial Symbiosis Programme
Encyclopedia
National Industrial Symbiosis Programme (NISP) is a free innovative business opportunity programme delivering triple bottom line, environmental, economic and social benefits across the UK
. As a holistic program, NISP impacts across the entire resource hierarchy, delivering industrial CO2
reductions by adoption of industrial symbiotic approaches to business. NISP has rapidly established itself as a leading agency for resource efficiency across all forms (i.e. energy, water, virgin minerals and waste materials).
The industrial symbiosis
(IS) approach, a component of the much wider field of Industrial Ecology
, facilitates the identification of sustainable business opportunities by working across traditional industry and sector boundaries.
NISP is the only IS initiative in the world on a national scale and is delivered across the entire UK through a network of 12 regionally based offices in England
, Scotland
, Wales
and Northern Ireland
. In addition to this, NISP has been launched in China, Mexico and Brazil, where similar results are expected.
With power production and resource consumption being the single largest contributor to global climate change NISP’s approach to industrial innovation has attracted international attention. The UK approach has been praised by the United States
and NISP recently assisted the setting up of an IS programme in the State of Illinois
. NISP is cited as an exemplar programme by the European Commission
for potential replication in Europe and beyond.
As well as reducing over 1.30 million tonnes of CO2 emissions in its 18 months since its was launched in April 2005, NISP also made a significant impact on the UK economy; engaging industry across the UK the programme generated more than £65 million in additional industry sales, saving businesses up to £145 million and being instrumental in securing private investment in reprocessing and recycling facilities to the tune of £32.1 million. NISP also diverted more than 1.6 million tonnes of waste from landfill, saved over 1.8 million tonnes of virgin materials and reduced industrial water use by over 387,000 tonnes.
NISP brings together companies and organisations of all sectors and sizes, generating cost reductions and new sales, as well as creating significant environmental benefits such as reduced greenhouse gases. This encourages economic activity which generates further social benefits with the creation of new businesses and jobs, and stimulates process improvements by industry through innovation and new technologies, the use of sustainable fuels and fuel substitution, and greater production and logistic efficiency. Such innovation will, in turn, also create opportunities for UK businesses to penetrate global environmental technology markets.
By being business led and commercially focused, NISP is helping its members drive through long-term business cultural change that support them in reducing their carbon footprint
.
The programme is part funded through the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs'
Business Resource Efficiency and Waste (BREW) programme, which uses money derived from increases in Landfill Tax to encourage, support and help businesses improve their resource efficiency.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. As a holistic program, NISP impacts across the entire resource hierarchy, delivering industrial CO2
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of two oxygen atoms covalently bonded to a single carbon atom...
reductions by adoption of industrial symbiotic approaches to business. NISP has rapidly established itself as a leading agency for resource efficiency across all forms (i.e. energy, water, virgin minerals and waste materials).
The industrial symbiosis
Industrial symbiosis
Industrial symbiosis can be defined as sharing of services, utility, and by-product resources among diverse industrial actors in order to add value, reduce costs and improve the environment. Industrial symbiosis is a subset of industrial ecology, with a particular focus on material and energy...
(IS) approach, a component of the much wider field of Industrial Ecology
Industrial ecology
Industrial Ecology is the study of material and energy flows through industrial systems. The global industrial economy can be modeled as a network of industrial processes that extract resources from the Earth and transform those resources into commodities which can be bought and sold to meet the...
, facilitates the identification of sustainable business opportunities by working across traditional industry and sector boundaries.
NISP is the only IS initiative in the world on a national scale and is delivered across the entire UK through a network of 12 regionally based offices in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. In addition to this, NISP has been launched in China, Mexico and Brazil, where similar results are expected.
With power production and resource consumption being the single largest contributor to global climate change NISP’s approach to industrial innovation has attracted international attention. The UK approach has been praised by the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and NISP recently assisted the setting up of an IS programme in the State of Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. NISP is cited as an exemplar programme by the European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
for potential replication in Europe and beyond.
As well as reducing over 1.30 million tonnes of CO2 emissions in its 18 months since its was launched in April 2005, NISP also made a significant impact on the UK economy; engaging industry across the UK the programme generated more than £65 million in additional industry sales, saving businesses up to £145 million and being instrumental in securing private investment in reprocessing and recycling facilities to the tune of £32.1 million. NISP also diverted more than 1.6 million tonnes of waste from landfill, saved over 1.8 million tonnes of virgin materials and reduced industrial water use by over 387,000 tonnes.
NISP brings together companies and organisations of all sectors and sizes, generating cost reductions and new sales, as well as creating significant environmental benefits such as reduced greenhouse gases. This encourages economic activity which generates further social benefits with the creation of new businesses and jobs, and stimulates process improvements by industry through innovation and new technologies, the use of sustainable fuels and fuel substitution, and greater production and logistic efficiency. Such innovation will, in turn, also create opportunities for UK businesses to penetrate global environmental technology markets.
By being business led and commercially focused, NISP is helping its members drive through long-term business cultural change that support them in reducing their carbon footprint
Carbon footprint
A carbon footprint has historically been defined as "the total set of greenhouse gas emissions caused by an organization, event, product or person.". However, calculating a carbon footprint which conforms to this definition is often impracticable due to the large amount of data required, which is...
.
The programme is part funded through the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs'
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is the government department responsible for environmental protection, food production and standards, agriculture, fisheries and rural communities in the United Kingdom...
Business Resource Efficiency and Waste (BREW) programme, which uses money derived from increases in Landfill Tax to encourage, support and help businesses improve their resource efficiency.
See also
- Energy use and conservation in the United KingdomEnergy use and conservation in the United KingdomEnergy use in the United Kingdom stood at 3,894.6 kilogrammes of oil equivalent per capita in 2005 compared to a world average of 1,778.0. In 2008, total energy consumed was 9.85 exajoules - around 2% of the estimated 474 EJ worldwide total...
- Department for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsDepartment for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsThe Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is the government department responsible for environmental protection, food production and standards, agriculture, fisheries and rural communities in the United Kingdom...
(Defra) - The Carbon TrustThe Carbon TrustThe Carbon Trust is a not for dividend company limited by guarantee created by the UK government to help businesses and public organisations to reduce their emissions of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, through improved energy efficiency and developing commercial low carbon technology...
- Department of Trade and Industry
- Environment AgencyEnvironment AgencyThe Environment Agency is a British non-departmental public body of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and an Assembly Government Sponsored Body of the Welsh Assembly Government that serves England and Wales.-Purpose:...
- Waste & Resources Action ProgrammeWaste & Resources Action ProgrammeWRAP works with businesses, individuals and communities to help them reap the benefits of reducing waste, developing sustainable products and using resources in an efficiency way....