Facility layout problem with auxiliary systems for energy efficiency

In the Facility Layout Design (FLD), little research considers the energy costs even though increasing attention is placed on the energy consumption related to auxiliary systems (i.e. electrical supply, process heat, refrigeration and compressed air). The approaches to solving the Facility Layout Problem (FLP) traditionally consider the costs related to the material flows, while the auxiliary systems are designed after the definition of the facility’s placement. However, the arrangement of departments/machines influences the investment cost, associated with the installation of the auxiliary systems and their operating costs which, in several cases, represent a relevant part of the overall costs. Considering an energy-efficient solution, the FLD should be based not only on the material flows but also on the auxiliary systems. The objective of this study is to present a novel approach to FLP that jointly allows the optimization of the machines arrangement by considering both investment and operating costs related to the electrical service jointly to material flows. A solution algorithm to address the positioning of the electrical panel board and the selection of electrical cable sections are presented. The results obtained show an overall total cost minimisation with consistent savings compared to the traditional FLP approach.