How we think about sustainability

Global changes in economies, population and climate result in a demand for more efficiency and more sustainability. At the same time, technological advances make it possible to develop technical solutions increasingly more applications. Cities are facing challenges in terms of infrastructure, traffic, energy use, pollution and safety while resources are increasingly scarce. The agricultural sector also faces challenges in terms of water, land use and more scarce resources. Advanced IoT solutions and developments in sensor technology form the backbone of a smart connected environment to monitor and improve efficiency and sustainability.

The starting point for all our actions is contributing to a sustainable society. We do this on several levels:


  1. PRODUCTS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO A SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT'

  2. SUSTAINABLE PRODUCT DESIGN

  3. REDUCE OWN FOOTPRINT

Products that contribute to a sustainable environment

Our mission is to provide realtime monitoring dashboards to improve efficiency and sustainability. All our smart sensor solutions enable our customers to improve their impact on sustainability. Some examples by which our products are distinctive:

  • Encouraging sustainable mobility such as bicycles and trains
  • Higher and better utilization of current infrastructure and facilities
  • Reduction of driving movements through remote monitoring and optimization of logistical processes
  • More efficient use of 'natural resources' and reducing the use of pesticides.

Sustainable product design

Product lifetime. When designing, Abel Sensors always focuses on optimized lifetime. We use ultra low power communication technologies so the technical lifetime of our products is typically 10 to 20 years.

Circularity. Abel Sensors designs its products to be as circular as possible. Thus, when sensors are damaged or fail, each component (battery, controller, sensor component, connectivity module) can be replaced separately. In addition, when a product is removed from the field, and is no longer needed for new deployment, the modules can be reused in our other products.

Recycling. Components replaced during product maintenance are first of all always overhauled and thoroughly tested for suitability for reuse. Only when revision is no longer possible are components recycled by our partner ReNeWi.

Supplier selection. In the selection of components we look at the environmental impact of the materials used and the degree to which they can be recycled. In the selection of suppliers, we look at a number of points. An important aspect is the location of suppliers, whereby we keep a grip on environmental aspects and transport can be kept to a minimum. In addition to the location of suppliers, we naturally also look at the available relevant environmental certifications of the suppliers themselves.

Maintainability. With remote monitoring we can in many cases avoid having to perform maintenance on site. Software can in many cases be updated remotely. This allows us to reduce driving movements and burden on the environment.

Reducing our own footprint

Abel Sensors aims to be energy neutral itself by 2030.
To this end, we set medium-term goals every three years. Each year we quantify our ambitions, compile an emissions report and draw up an action plan and measures to minimize our environmental impact. We apply the five concepts of insight, reduction, transparency, monitoring and participation.


CO2 performance ladder certification.
Our approach to reducing energy consumption and CO2 emissions is certified by the CO2 performance ladder. Our approach includes concrete targets and measures for CO2 reduction in the areas of heating, electricity consumption and travel.