The maintenance and asset management sector plays a critical role in the sustainability transition. Well-planned and well-executed maintenance does not just keep assets running. It enables energy and resource efficiency, prolongs equipment life, safeguards operational resilience, and supports the shift to low-carbon and circular business models.

The Future of Sustainability 2025 study, which I authored, identified 87 trends and 5 megatrends shaping the coming decades. Many of these developments are directly relevant for maintenance strategies and point to the sector’s growing influence in achieving both operational and sustainability goals.

From linear to circular maintenance models

The transition from a reactive “repair when broken” approach to proactive, circular maintenance models is gathering pace. Manufacturers are increasingly designing equipment for multiple life cycles, modular upgrades, and easy refurbishment.
For maintenance teams, this means finding ways to extend asset lifespans through predictive analytics, remanufacturing components instead of replacing them, and working with suppliers to enable take-back and reuse.

These approaches reduce waste, minimise the need for virgin materials, and lower the overall environmental footprint of operations. For example, some industrial pump manufacturers now offer full-service models where pumps are monitored remotely, refurbished on schedule, and kept in continuous rotation, reducing downtime, optimising energy use, and conserving materials.

Digital twins as a core tool

Digital twin technology is rapidly moving from pilots to everyday practice, giving maintenance teams a powerful tool for both operational and sustainability performance. Real-time virtual representations of assets make it possible to simulate wear, stress, and performance under a variety of conditions. This capability allows for earlier detection of issues, optimal scheduling of interventions, and more efficient use of spare parts.

A Nordic energy company, for instance, used digital twins of its wind turbines to reduce maintenance costs by 20 percent, extend service intervals by more than 30 percent, and optimise power output, demonstrating the direct link between maintenance innovation and improved energy efficiency.

Climate-resilient infrastructure

As climate change increases the frequency of extreme weather events and shifts operating conditions, the role of maintenance in ensuring resilience becomes more strategic. Maintenance teams are now expected to not only keep assets in service but also enhance their ability to withstand heat, flooding, and other environmental stresses.

This may involve using more heat-resistant materials, elevating critical systems above potential flood levels, or adjusting inspection and service intervals to match new climate realities. These measures protect operational continuity, reduce downtime, and help safeguard both economic performance and environmental outcomes.

Upskilling the workforce

Sustainability-driven changes require new skills for maintenance professionals. Technicians now work with AI-driven analytics tools, understand material recycling and circular processes, and incorporate sustainability metrics into maintenance decisions.

Leading companies are investing in training that combines traditional mechanical knowledge with data literacy, environmental awareness, and systems thinking.

This integration allows maintenance teams to make operational choices that directly improve resource efficiency and environmental performance, while also strengthening their organisation’s ability to adapt to emerging challenges.

The business case for action

When viewed through a sustainability lens, the benefits of advanced maintenance strategies become even more compelling. Circular models reduce total cost of ownership and material demand. Digital tools increase uptime and energy efficiency. Climate resilience protects productivity and reduces risk.

Skilled teams can deliver higher-value services that align with both operational excellence and environmental responsibility. Maintenance is not only a technical function. It is a strategic enabler of efficiency, resilience, and sustainable value creation.

Where to start

A practical first step is to assess your asset base in terms of both operational performance and sustainability potential. Identify opportunities where circular approaches can replace linear ones, where digital tools can boost efficiency, and where climate adaptation is most urgent.

Start with pilot projects, track measurable outcomes, and scale successful initiatives. Engaging maintenance teams from the outset is critical, as they often hold the most valuable insights into how to achieve these goals in practice.

The future of maintenance will belong to organisations that integrate sustainability into every aspect of asset care, using maintenance not just to keep things running, but to drive efficiency, resilience, and long-term business success. The opportunities are already here. The challenge is deciding who will lead the way.

About the Author:

Michael Hanf is a sustainable business strategist and the lead author of the Future of Sustainability 2025 study, published by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland. He has over 25 years of international experience in strategy, innovation, and sustainability, working with companies, policymakers, and research organisations to help integrate sustainability into core business strategies. Michael is also the host of two podcasts, The Circular Coffee Break and The Future of Sustainability, which explore the trends, innovations, and leadership approaches shaping a sustainable future.

 

Text: Michael Hanf   Pictures: Image II taken from a video of a Grandlund semina – image I Ira Hanf