New Product Development in an Era of Climate Crisis
Editor’s Note: This is the first in a series by crew members concerning business opportunities that would not exist if it weren’t for our rapidly changing climate. This Crew Commentary is authored by Scott Hamilton. Scott is a Board Advisor who manages Torastan, a consulting firm focusing on enterprise growth and sustainability located in Wokingham, England. And he’s a Crew Member on Spaceship Earth.
We’ve waited too long to take action. We are beyond the window of opportunity to address our climate crisis before major impacts are felt. Now we must adapt to severe weather events even as we reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.
Our climate crisis exposes us to massive risks, yet the other side of the risk coin is opportunity. Everything in our modern world needs to be redesigned for a zero carbon circular economy. New products are necessary to meet unprecedented needs. There are startups launching all over Spaceship Earth to fulfill those needs. This is the story of a technology that is benefiting from the effects of our climate crisis.
Laser Cleaning
Laser cleaning is an eco-friendly process used to remove rust, paint, oxide and other contaminants from metal surfaces. Because of its efficiency, it is being used in an increasing number of applications. Laser cleaning requires a pulsed fiber laser (typically 50 watts or more) and a comprehensive range of nonabrasive laser cleaning solutions designed to meet a variety of applications.
A laser cleaning rust from a metal surface.
Laser cleaning scrubs surfaces using laser light pulses with nanosecond durations that avoid damaging underlying materials. It can be used on a variety of surfaces with precision and accuracy. Laser cleaning is more environmentally friendly than traditional commercial methods for several key reasons:
- Laser cleaning produces minimal waste, as it vaporises or turns contaminants into tiny particles, whereas sandblasting generates large amounts of abrasive waste, and jet washing produces contaminated wastewater.
- Laser cleaning does not require chemicals and there are no after-use waste materials to dispose of.
- Laser cleaning is more energy-efficient due to advances in laser technology, while sandblasting and jet washing consume more energy.
- Laser cleaning produces less dust and fewer airborne contaminants, reducing health risks for workers.
- Laser cleaning can preserve objects that would otherwise be thrown away and replaced… thus reducing overall waste and replacement costs.
Insurance Industry
The insurance industry is experiencing an outsized impact on their business model from our climate crisis. In the insurance industry, the swift and effective restoration of properties affected by fire and water damage is a high priority. As insurers struggle to pay an ever increasing number of claims, they are searching for cost effective ways to deal with the aftermath of natural disasters. Laser cleaning offers insurers an innovative solution, providing a non-invasive, clean and precise method for restoring properties to their pre-damaged state. The insurance industry is an early adopter of laser cleaning technology.
Fire
When dealing with the aftermath of a fire, laser technology is a game-changer. It vaporises soot and burnt matter efficiently, avoiding secondary damage that can occur with traditional cleaning methods. Laser cleaning eliminates contaminants from a variety of surfaces without pushing them deeper, as water or chemicals can. Laser technology is adept at cleaning a variety of substrates affected by smoke, including bricks, paving and wooden beams, as well as delicate surfaces such as ornate and decorative pieces.
Flood
After flooding events, water damage cleaning is crucial to combat corrosion and prevent further deterioration. Laser cleaning can swiftly remove oxides and corrosion on critical equipment and infrastructure, enabling a quicker return to normal operations and preventing financial losses. It’s also effective for wall mould removal, offering a quick, efficient and mess-free alternative to traditional mould remediation methods.
The eco-friendly nature of laser cleaning aligns with the increasing environmental consciousness in the insurance industry. This method minimises waste, reduces the carbon footprint of the cleanup and eliminates the need for detergents or hazardous waste disposal.
Climate as Opportunity
Whether you are a well-established business looking for growth opportunities, or an entrepreneur wanting to launch a new business, massive opportunity awaits. Seek out new products and services that people, businesses and governments will need to outlast our climate crisis.
If you are engaged in the development of a new product or service designed to solve a problem caused by our climate crisis, please contact Bob Leonard bob@thisspaceshipearth.org to discuss a Crew Commentary about your initiative.
