A Systems Approach to Corporate Sustainability in Energy Management of Industrial Units

This paper presents a ldquoproof of conceptrdquo system methodology for the energy management of industrial units examining them as socio-technical systems. The cybernetic viable system model (VSM) of Beer is used to consider an industrial unit as a viable organization and through this consideration to diagnose the technical and managerial gaps identifying the Best Interventions Plan according to principles of sustainability. Based on a case study concerning a Fertilizers Production Plant, a framework is developed that could be extensively used for energy management of industrial units. The systems approach of this framework emerges as a unique available tool to implement the principles of sustainability in industrial energy management.