A Roadmap for Optimizing Energy Consumption in Warehousing Operations: A Review and Strategic Directions for the Vietnamese Market
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54536/ajlsc.v1i1.6719Keywords:
As/Rs, Energy Efficiency, Order Picking, Smart Lighting, Vietnam, WarehousingAbstract
Warehousing is a growing share of logistics energy use as e‑commerce, automation, and service- level pressures rise. This paper synthesises peer‑reviewed evidence on energy‑saving measures inside warehouses spanning material handling, storage systems, building services, and digital optimisation. Drawing on recent studies, we highlight (i) operational levers such as energy‑aware order picking and workforce/activity scheduling; (ii) technology levers including high‑density automated storage, regenerative drives, and LED/controls; and (iii) strategic pathways to Net‑Zero logistics facilities via on‑site renewables and self‑consumption strategies. Using a structured methodology (2015–2025 focus) and examples that translate to Vietnam, we quantify impacts where available, discuss costs and payback qualitatively, and propose a phased roadmap distinguishing quick wins and CAPEX‑intensive upgrades. Limitations include uneven regional evidence and scarce primary metered data in the literature; we therefore note assumptions explicitly and prioritise sources with transparent methods.
Downloads
References
Atashi Khoei, A., Süral, H., & Tural, M. K. (2023). Energy minimizing order picker forklift routing problem. European Journal of Operational Research, 305(2), 622–639. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2022.08.038
Bank, R., & Murphy, R. (2013). Warehousing sustainability standards development. In V. Prabhu, M. Taisch, & D. Kiritsis (Eds.), Advances in Production Management Systems (IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology, Vol. 414, pp. 294–301). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-41266-0_36
Bartolini, M., Bottani, E., & Grosse, E. H. (2019). Green warehousing: Systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis. Journal of Cleaner Production, 226, 242–258. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.04.055
Bortolini, M., Faccio, M., Ferrari, E., Gamberi, M., & Pilati, F. (2017). Time and energy optimal unit-load assignment for automatic S/R warehouses. International Journal of Production Economics, 190, 133–145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpe.2016.07.024
Cannava, L., & Perotti, S. (2025). From warehouses to Net-Zero logistics facilities: A simulation-based roadmap to achieve carbon reduction and energy efficiency. Computers & Industrial Engineering, 110944. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cie.2025.110944
Carli, R., Digiesi, S., Dotoli, M., & Facchini, F. (2020). A control strategy for smart energy charging of warehouse material handling equipment. Procedia Manufacturing, 42, 503–510. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.promfg.2020.02.041
Ene, S., Küçükoğlu, İ., Aksoy, A., & Öztürk, N. (2016). A genetic algorithm for minimizing energy consumption in warehouses. Energy, 114, 973–982. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2016.08.045
Füchtenhans, M., Glock, C. H., Grosse, E. H., & Zanoni, S. (2023). Using smart lighting systems to reduce energy costs in warehouses: A simulation study. International Journal of Logistics Research and Applications, 26(1), 77–95. https://doi.org/10.1080/13675567.2021.1937967
Füchtenhans, M., Grosse, E. H., & Glock, C. H. (2021). Smart lighting systems: State-of-the-art and potential applications in warehouse order picking. International Journal of Production Research, 59(12), 3817–3839. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2021.1897177
Galgaro, A., Dalla Santa, G., Cola, S., Cultrera, M., De Carli, M., Conforti, F., Scotton, P., Viesi, D., & Fauri, M. (2020). Underground warehouses for food storage in the Dolomites (Eastern Alps – Italy) and energy efficiency. Tunnelling and Underground Space Technology, 100, 103411. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tust.2020.103411
Makris, P. A., Makri, A. P., & Provatidis, C. (2006). Energy-saving methodology for material handling applications. Applied Energy, 83(10), 1116–1124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2005.11.005
Popović, V., Kilibarda, M., Andrejić, M., Jereb, B., & Dragan, D. (2021). A new sustainable warehouse management approach for workforce and activities scheduling. Sustainability, 13(4), 2021. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13042021
Torabizadeh, M., Yusof, N. M., Ma’aram, A., & Shaharoun, A. M. (2020). Identifying sustainable warehouse management system indicators and proposing new weighting method. Journal of Cleaner Production, 248, 119190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.119190
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Ha Minh Hieu (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
