Resource management and sustainable production / 2.6 /
Eco Design
Embedded Files
Eco-design considers the design of a product throughout its life cycle (from cradle to grave) using lifecycle analysis. Consideration of the environmental impact of any product, service or system during its life cycle should be instigated at the earliest stage of design and continue through to disposal. Designers should have a firm understanding of their responsibility to reduce the ecological impact on the planet. Eco-design concepts currently have a great influence on many aspects of design.
Following the IB DP interpretation of terminology: In contrast to green design, eco-design is a more holistic approach to design that considers the environmental impact of a product or service throughout its entire life cycle. Green design is a more focused approach that focuses on reducing the environmental impact of a product or service during its use phase.
2.6.1 | Timescale for implementing eco-design
2.6.1 | Timescale for implementing eco-design
The general timescale for implementing eco-design varies depending on the complexity of the product or service being redesigned. For simple products or services, eco-design principles can be implemented relatively quickly, within a few months or even weeks. For more complex products or services, such as buildings or appliances, it may take several years to implement eco-design principles. The timescale might be influenced by
Availability of technology: If new technologies are needed to implement eco-design principles, it may take longer to redesign the product or service.
Cost: Implementing eco-design principles may require additional investments in new materials, technologies, or manufacturing processes.
Regulatory requirements: If there are any regulatory requirements that must be met, this may also impact the timescale for implementing eco-design.
Here are some examples of the timescale for implementing eco-design in different industries:
Automotive industry: It may take 3-5 years to develop and launch a new car model that incorporates eco-design principles.
Electronics industry: It may take 1-2 years to develop and launch a new electronic product that incorporates eco-design principles.
Building industry: It may take 2-5 years to design and build a new commercial building that incorporates eco-design principles.
Food packaging industry: It may take 6-12 months to develop and launch a new food packaging product that incorporates eco-design principles.
Of course, these are just general estimates. The actual timescale for implementing eco-design will vary depending on the specific product or service being redesigned.
2.6.2 | The “cradle to grave” and “cradle to cradle” philosophy
2.6.2 | The “cradle to grave” and “cradle to cradle” philosophy
Cradle to grave is a philosophy that views products and materials as having a linear life cycle, from raw material extraction to manufacturing, use, and disposal. This philosophy has dominated the way we design and produce products for centuries. However, it has also led to a number of environmental problems, such as pollution, resource depletion, and climate change.
Cradle to cradle on the other hand, is a philosophy that views products and materials as having a cyclical life cycle, from cradle (raw material extraction) to cradle (reuse or recycling). This philosophy is based on the principle of biomimicry, which is the practice of designing products and materials that mimic the natural world. In nature, there is no such thing as waste. Everything is reused or recycled, either by living organisms or by the natural environment.
2.6.3 | Life cycle analysis (LCA)
2.6.3 | Life cycle analysis (LCA)
Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) is a technique used to assess the environmental impacts associated with all of the stages of a product's life. generally, the product life cycle consists of five phases:
Raw Material Extraction
Manufacturing & Processing
Transportation
Usage & Retail
Waste Disposal
A life cycle analysis can identify the parts of the manufacturing and production process that can be adapted to be more sustainable and mitigate any waste from the process. This can be taken throughout the whole cycle and analysed to see how to ‘close the loop’.
Based on the stages you’re interested in or have data available on, you can choose to leave in or take out phases. There are usually 4 product life cycle models you can choose for your LCA.
Cradle-to-grave - When you analyze a product’s impact along the 5 product lifecycle steps – this is called cradle-to-grave. Cradle being the inception of the product with the sourcing of the raw materials, grave being the disposal of the product. Transportation is mentioned as step 3, but can, in reality, occur in between all steps.
Cradle-to-gate - Cradle-to-gate only assesses a product until it leaves the factory gates before it is transported to the consumer. This means cutting out the use and disposal phase. Cradle-to-gate analysis can significantly reduce the complexity of an LCA and thus create insights faster, especially about internal processes. Cradle-to-gate assessments are often used for environmental product declarations (EPD).
Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) - Environmental Product Declarations are standardized certifications of a life cycle assessment, used mostly to verify impact data from business to business.
Cradle-to-cradle - Cradle-to-cradle is a concept often referred to within the Circular Economy. It is a variation of cradle-to-grave, exchanging the waste stage with a recycling process that makes it reusable for another product, essentially “closing the loop”. This is why it is also referred to as closed-loop recycling.
Gate-to-gate - Gate-to-gate is sometimes used in product life cycles with many value-adding processes in the middle.
Well-To-Wheel - Well-to-wheel is used for the Life Cycle Assessment of transport fuels and vehicles. Because there are a lot of steps in between – the “Well-to-tank” and “Tank-to-wheels”, this approach is more precise in calculating and assigning greenhouse gas emissions and energy usage for the different stages.
Environmental Impact Assessment - Environmental Impact Assessment is an analysis that is often conducted in the public sector, to look at the potential impact of a new construction project.
Note that, besides defining the exact phase of the cycle the analysis applies to, you also need to determine what you are actually assessing. This could for instance be:
Raw materials or resources (e.g. water or labour)
Different types of energy (e.g. electricity)
Emissions to air, land, or water by substance (e.g. CO2)
Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a tool that can also be used to compare the environmental impacts of different products or services. LCA data can be used in a number of ways to communicate with clients and outside agencies. For example, LCA data can be used to:
Demonstrate the environmental benefits of a product or service. LCA data can be used to show clients that a product or service has a lower environmental impact than other comparable products or services. This can be a valuable selling point for businesses and organizations that are trying to market their products and services as sustainable.
Identify opportunities for environmental improvement. LCA data can be used to identify the stages of a product's life cycle that have the biggest environmental impact. This information can then be used to develop strategies for reducing the environmental impact of the product.
Communicate with outside agencies about the environmental performance of a product or service. LCA data can be used to communicate with government agencies, environmental organizations, and other stakeholders about the environmental performance of a product or service. This can help businesses and organizations to demonstrate their commitment to environmental sustainability.
2.6.4 | Environmental considerations
2.6.4 | Environmental considerations
Air pollution:
Smog
Particulate matter
Ozone
Nitrogen dioxide
Sulfur dioxide
Water pollution:
Chemical pollution
Nutrient pollution
Pathogenic pollution
Thermal pollution
Land pollution:
Heavy metals
Pesticides
Fertilizers
Solid waste
Climate change:
Greenhouse gas emissions
Rising sea levels
More extreme weather events
Biodiversity loss:
Habitat destruction
Overexploitation
Pollution
Invasive species
Resource depletion:
Water scarcity
Mineral depletion
Fossil fuel depletion
Other environmental impacts:
Light pollution
Noise pollution
Soil erosion
Deforestation
2.6.5 | Environmental impact assessment matrix
2.6.5 | Environmental impact assessment matrix
An environmental impact assessment (EIA) matrix is a tool used to identify, assess, and mitigate the environmental impacts of a proposed project or development. It is a systematic way of evaluating the potential environmental impacts of a project, and developing measures to reduce or eliminate those impacts.
EIA matrices are typically used by environmental professionals, but they can also be used by project developers, community members, and other stakeholders. EIA matrices typically include the following components:
Project activities: A list of all of the activities that will be involved in the project, from construction to operation to decommissioning.
Environmental components: A list of all of the environmental components that could be affected by the project, such as air quality, water quality, wildlife, and human health.
Impact assessment: A rating of the potential impact of each project activity on each environmental component, using a scale such as "low", "medium", or "high".
Mitigation measures: A list of measures that can be taken to reduce or eliminate the potential impacts of the project on the environment.
EIA matrices can be used to assess the environmental impacts of a wide range of projects, including:
Infrastructure projects, such as roads, bridges, and dams
Energy projects, such as power plants and transmission lines
Mining projects, such as coal mines and metal mines
Forestry projects, such as logging and replanting
Agricultural projects, such as irrigation and livestock production
Urban development projects, such as housing and commercial buildings
EIA matrices are an important tool for ensuring that projects are developed in a sustainable way. By identifying and mitigating potential environmental impacts, EIA matrices can help to protect the environment and human health
For an extensive EIA, it can be helpful to use life cycle analysis to identify all stages of a product's (or system's) production, use and end-of-life. At each of these stages there is of course environmental impact. EIA of the full life-cycle of a product is usually complex, time-consuming and expensive.
2.6.6 | The role of the Designer, Manufacturer and User
2.6.6 | The role of the Designer, Manufacturer and User
The role of the designer throughout the product's life-cycle is fairly obvious, as they are in essence, responsible for everything. The designers have to design how it is constructed, used, and how it avoids obsolescence.
The manufacturer has less involvement with the life cycle of the product, as it is mainly responsible for the production, packaging and distribution of the product.
The user has no involvement whatsoever in the making and selling of the product. The only thing the user is directly involved with is the utilisation and disposal of the product.
2.6.7 | UNEP Manual on Eco-design
2.6.7 | UNEP Manual on Eco-design
The United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) Manual on Eco-design is a comprehensive guide to designing products and services that minimize their environmental impact throughout their entire life cycle. The manual covers a wide range of topics, including:
Life cycle assessment (LCA): A method for assessing the environmental impacts of a product or service throughout its entire life cycle, from raw material extraction to disposal.
Eco-design principles and strategies: A set of principles and strategies that can be used to design products and services with a reduced environmental impact.
Eco-design case studies: Examples of how eco-design has been applied to a variety of products and services.
The major considerations of the UNEP Manual on Eco-design are:
Reduce the creation and use of toxic materials: This can be done by using recycled materials, designing products to be durable and reusable, and using materials that are non-toxic and biodegradable.
Increase recyclability: This can be done by designing products to be easily disassembled and recycled, and by using materials that are recyclable.
Reduce energy consumption: This can be done by designing products to be energy-efficient, and by using renewable energy sources where possible.
Increase use of renewable resources: This can be done by using renewable materials in the production of products, and by designing products to operate on renewable energy sources.
Increase product durability – reducing planned obsolescence: This can be done by designing products to be durable and repairable, and by using high-quality materials.
Reduce material requirements for products and services: This can be done by designing products to be lightweight and compact, and by using materials that are efficient in their use of resources.
2.6.8 | Design for the Environment software
2.6.8 | Design for the Environment software
Design for the environment (DfE) software is used to assist designers in the assessment of environmental implications and particular facets of a design by providing a variety of tools and resources, including:
Life cycle assessment (LCA) tools: DfE software can be used to conduct LCA, which is a method for assessing the environmental impacts of a product or service throughout its entire life cycle, from raw material extraction to disposal. LCA tools can help designers to identify the environmental hotspots of their designs and to develop strategies for reducing their environmental impact.
Materials databases: DfE software can provide designers with access to databases of materials and their environmental impacts. This information can help designers to select materials that have a lower environmental impact and to avoid materials that are hazardous or difficult to recycle.
Design for disassembly (DFD) tools: DFD tools can help designers to design products that are easy to disassemble and recycle. This can help to reduce the amount of waste that is generated at the end of the product's life cycle.
Environmental impact calculators: DfE software can provide designers with calculators to estimate the environmental impact of particular aspects of their designs. This information can be used to compare different design options and to select the option with the lowest environmental impact.
2.6.9 | Converging technologies
2.6.9 | Converging technologies
Converging technology is the merging of distinct technologies, creating new possibilities and innovations. This can involve combining different types of technology, such as hardware and software, or integrating technologies from different fields, such as biotechnology and information technology.
Key aspects of converging technology:
Integration: It involves bringing together separate technologies to work together seamlessly.
Innovation: It often leads to the development of new products, services, and processes.
Transformation: It can significantly change industries and the way we live and work.
Examples of converging technology:
Smartphones: These devices combine the functionality of a mobile phone, a computer, a camera, and more.
Wearable technology: Smartwatches and fitness trackers merge computing, sensing, and communication technologies.
Biotechnology: Genetic engineering and synthetic biology combine biology with engineering principles.
Nanotechnology: This field integrates chemistry, physics, and materials science to create materials and devices at the nanoscale.
Impact of converging technology:
Economic growth: It can drive innovation and create new industries.
Improved quality of life: It can lead to advancements in healthcare, communication, and other areas.
Social change: It can alter the way we interact, learn, and access information.
Challenges of converging technology:
Ethical concerns: Some converging technologies raise ethical questions about privacy, safety, and unintended consequences.
Regulatory hurdles: Existing regulations may not be suitable for new converging technologies.
Workforce adaptation: Workers may need to acquire new skills to keep up with the changing landscape.
Page updated
Report abuse