Industrial Revolutions are the seismic shifts in technology which prompt an equally sweeping shift in the way people do business and the way the business world functions¹.

Scholars would tell you that the world has already experienced three so far: the advent of the steam engine, the implementation of mass production and science, and the boom in digital and cloud technology.

Roughly 50 years on from the last, which followed the rise of programmable chips and computers, Industry 4.0 – also known as the 4^th Industrial Revolution – is now upon us.

Thanks to their growing ability to optimise energy use, enhance waste management processes and provide expanded access to renewable resources, they're also increasingly helping to power a greener and more sustainable approach to business.

To put things in perspective: by 2025, market researchers IDC predict that more than 55.7 billion devices will be connected and talking to one another² and generating a staggering 80 zettabytes of data (one zettabyte is approximately equal to a thousand exabytes, a billion terabytes, or a trillion gigabytes).

Under an Industry 4.0 operating model, all sorts of these systems will suddenly be capable of sharing info amongst each other and using this data to make intelligent choices.

Industry 4.0 solutions are already doing far more than simply helping companies discover new ways to become more carbon neutral, green their operating or transportation models and shift to eco-friendlier or more recyclable materials and solutions. They're also increasingly helping business leaders to identify strategies allowing them to adopt lower-impact approaches to global industrialisation, implementing more energy-efficient buildings and facilities, and leveraging more affordable and clean energy solutions.

But in the future, you won't just see office buildings capable of dimming lights and adjusting heating and cooling to match workers' schedules, or that are growingly capable of tapping into solar, wind, and water-powered energy sources as needed and as available. 

You'll also see entire businesses using Industry 4.0-powered solutions to make positive changes at worldwide scale. In just one striking example of Industry 4.0's potential impact, hundreds of firms throughout Europe are already thinking about how to radically re-imagine transport logistics and reduce day-to-day consumption by utilising fleets of self-driving electric vehicles and warehouses full of artificially intelligent drones.

According to researchers from Hungary to South Africa, it's no surprise that every sector of business is now seeking to adopt Industry 4.0 principles. Moreover, these principles have changed the way business and production are now conducted in their entirety³.

Imagine entire industrial buildings designed using virtual reality 3D modelling and data analytics software to be optimised for energy-efficiency. Now picture these structures being constructed with materials incorporating eco-friendly self-healing bacteria⁴ that can self-repair any damage. Mind you, that's before you factor in the presence of IoT sensors capable of tracking if workers are on-site or gone for the evening and telling environmental control systems to shut off the lights and air conditioning – then analysing data to spot patterns and do so more efficiently with each passing day.

This isn't the stuff of science fiction either: all of these solutions are already possible today thanks to Industry 4.0 solutions.

Manufacturing is yet another area where Industry 4.0 capabilities are rewriting the rules of engagement. See the rise of smart factories staffed by robots that leverage the power of machine learning to computerise assembly lines or self-diagnose in the event of equipment failure.

Alternately, facilities equipped with intelligent filtration sensors that, on detecting a rise in pollutants or chemicals, can automatically take steps to mitigate environmental concerns and protect workers.