• Sharing networks, for instance where networks are shared through the formation of
distribution communities, shopping communities, etc.;
In practice, the principles of a circular economy form the basis of action in industrial environments to create win–win situations between
industrial partners. Businesses might have different motivations to create industrial symbiosis.
The main reason and decisive factor is the economic advantage that the respective company
receives from the symbiosis. Motivations for
industrial symbiosis can be manyfold, including
(von Hauff 2012; von Koerber 2016):
• economic advantage (monetary);
• strengthening environmental sustainability;
• image improvement;
• reduction of dependence on external resources; and
• strengthening corporate cohesion;
1.2 Industrial Ecology as Background
for the Symbiosis
of Business Activities
According to Isenmann (2008), it is important
not only to focus on the efficient use of raw
materials such as water sharing and reduction of
emissions and waste but also to accept the view
that nature is a viable ecological system. This
process of changing perspectives from nature as
a business object to a management model shows
the actual path that industrial ecology pursues.
Building on the approach of Lifset and Graedel
(2001) three conceptual approaches have been
developed:
Zero Emission Park (ZEP): The goal of Zero
Emission Parks is to reduce environmental pollutants and emissions in the production of goods,
to zero. The requirement to reduce emissions and
waste to zero is to be understood as the ideal
case. The approach here is a systematic
strengthening of circular perspectives in order to
remove all avoidable emissions and waste arising
in the production of goods usable for other
companies. The Zero Emission Approach is also
used as a management standard (von Hauff
2012).
Eco-Industrial Park (EIP): The EcoIndustrial Park concept is a further development
of the Zero Emission Approach, where companies in a commercial or industrial area cooperate
in various fields such as environmental management, resource management, energy management, water and material management.
Through the company’s cooperative approach,
synergies are used to reduce and overcome
obstacles to industrial protection of the environment. The Eco-Industrial Park approach aims,
above all, to protect the environment within an
industrial park and in particular substance and
energy flows. The success of this concept is
strongly dependent on individual projects or
individual measures, which are characterized by
the three main strategies of avoiding, reducing
and recycling (von Hauff 2012).
Sustainable Industrial Zones (SIZ): Sustainable Industrial Zones are further developed from
Eco-Industrial Parks. Ecological and economic
approaches are expanded in some areas such as
rainwater management or the use of renewable
energy. In addition to the ecological and economic aspects, social aspects are also taken into
account (von Hauff 2012).
Transmission mechanisms are divided into
two levels: social and regional industrial systems.
At the societal level, the following relevant factors, in particular, have emerged: coercion, imitation,
self-initiative
control
models,
demonstration projects and learning and professionalization strategies (von Hauff 2012). At the
level of regional industrial systems, institutional
capacity building is in the foreground. The
results can be determined by changes to social
systems and surrounding ecosystems and quantified by indicators. In addition, the framework
for industrial symbiosis in the mechanisms
shows that the institutional capacity must be
supported or promoted, since without them it is
difficult to realize the potential of industrial
symbiosis (von Hauff 2012). A physical link
between the individual actors, whose economic
Nexus-Oriented Approach for Sharing Water Resources …
205
distribution communities, shopping communities, etc.;
In practice, the principles of a circular economy form the basis of action in industrial environments to create win–win situations between
industrial partners. Businesses might have different motivations to create industrial symbiosis.
The main reason and decisive factor is the economic advantage that the respective company
receives from the symbiosis. Motivations for
industrial symbiosis can be manyfold, including
(von Hauff 2012; von Koerber 2016):
• economic advantage (monetary);
• strengthening environmental sustainability;
• image improvement;
• reduction of dependence on external resources; and
• strengthening corporate cohesion;
1.2 Industrial Ecology as Background
for the Symbiosis
of Business Activities
According to Isenmann (2008), it is important
not only to focus on the efficient use of raw
materials such as water sharing and reduction of
emissions and waste but also to accept the view
that nature is a viable ecological system. This
process of changing perspectives from nature as
a business object to a management model shows
the actual path that industrial ecology pursues.
Building on the approach of Lifset and Graedel
(2001) three conceptual approaches have been
developed:
Zero Emission Park (ZEP): The goal of Zero
Emission Parks is to reduce environmental pollutants and emissions in the production of goods,
to zero. The requirement to reduce emissions and
waste to zero is to be understood as the ideal
case. The approach here is a systematic
strengthening of circular perspectives in order to
remove all avoidable emissions and waste arising
in the production of goods usable for other
companies. The Zero Emission Approach is also
used as a management standard (von Hauff
2012).
Eco-Industrial Park (EIP): The EcoIndustrial Park concept is a further development
of the Zero Emission Approach, where companies in a commercial or industrial area cooperate
in various fields such as environmental management, resource management, energy management, water and material management.
Through the company’s cooperative approach,
synergies are used to reduce and overcome
obstacles to industrial protection of the environment. The Eco-Industrial Park approach aims,
above all, to protect the environment within an
industrial park and in particular substance and
energy flows. The success of this concept is
strongly dependent on individual projects or
individual measures, which are characterized by
the three main strategies of avoiding, reducing
and recycling (von Hauff 2012).
Sustainable Industrial Zones (SIZ): Sustainable Industrial Zones are further developed from
Eco-Industrial Parks. Ecological and economic
approaches are expanded in some areas such as
rainwater management or the use of renewable
energy. In addition to the ecological and economic aspects, social aspects are also taken into
account (von Hauff 2012).
Transmission mechanisms are divided into
two levels: social and regional industrial systems.
At the societal level, the following relevant factors, in particular, have emerged: coercion, imitation,
self-initiative
control
models,
demonstration projects and learning and professionalization strategies (von Hauff 2012). At the
level of regional industrial systems, institutional
capacity building is in the foreground. The
results can be determined by changes to social
systems and surrounding ecosystems and quantified by indicators. In addition, the framework
for industrial symbiosis in the mechanisms
shows that the institutional capacity must be
supported or promoted, since without them it is
difficult to realize the potential of industrial
symbiosis (von Hauff 2012). A physical link
between the individual actors, whose economic
Nexus-Oriented Approach for Sharing Water Resources …
205