2.6
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.
The smart phone is an innovative example of converging technologies that combines multiple technologies into one space-saving device. The resultant reduction of materials, and energy used in production and distribution has environmental benefits.
The smart phone is an innovative example of converging technologies that combines multiple technologies into one space-saving device. The resultant reduction of materials, and energy used in production and distribution has environmental benefits.
Eco-design is a more comprehensive approach than green design because it attempts to focus on all three broad environmental categories--
materials, energy and pollution/waste. This makes eco-design more complex and difficult to do. |
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Timescale for implementing eco-design
Some factors that can influence it, such as:
Some factors that can influence it, such as:
- cost,
- available technology,
- radical or whole system overhaul,
- eco-design is more complex, etc all of which can add to the timescale.
The “cradle to grave” and “cradle to cradle” philosophy
Cradle to grave design considers the environmental effects of a product all of the way from manufacture to use to disposal.
Cradle to grave design considers the environmental effects of a product all of the way from manufacture to use to disposal.
Cradle to cradle design is a key principle of the circular economy.
Cradle to Cradle ® (C2C) is a holistic approach to design popularized by Professor Michael Braungart and William McDonough. According to their website (www.c2ccertified.org):
“The target is to develop and design products that are truly suited to a biological or technical metabolism, thereby preventing the recycling of products which were never designed to be recycled in the first place”
Cradle to Cradle ® (C2C) is a holistic approach to design popularized by Professor Michael Braungart and William McDonough. According to their website (www.c2ccertified.org):
“The target is to develop and design products that are truly suited to a biological or technical metabolism, thereby preventing the recycling of products which were never designed to be recycled in the first place”
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How designers use LCA to assess and balance environmental impact over a product’s life cycle.
LCA stages:
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Pre- production is the obtaining of natural resources; it can be very polluting (strip-mining) or can have a smaller effect on the environment (shaft mining), includes transporting the raw material to processing industries.
Production is the processing of the resources and shaping etc. to make the product. Once again it could be damaging to the environment (such as a large factory spewing out smoke) or have a small impact (a carpenter hand crafting children’s toys)
Distribution and packaging includes taking the product from the factory to the warehouse, from the warehouse to the store, and the package. It could have a large impact (as is the case with an imported object from around the world in a Styrofoam box) or a very low impact (made and sold in the same place with a biodegradable box or no packaging)
Utilisation is about the product’s use and the effect that has on the environment. A diesel generator for example will pollute air and make noise pollution while a solar panel will make next to none.
Disposal depends on both the product and the method of disposal. Recycling one aluminium can will make less environmental problems than throwing one away even if they are identical. Biodegradable objects can be reused, recycled, or left to be broken down and add nutrients to the soil, depending on the object one or the other would be preferable. Paper is best recycled because of the chemicals used to make it and the logging of forests to obtain the pulp while a banana peel is completely useless for anything but compost.
Environmental impact assessment matrix
Another valuable tool for designers of eco-products and systems is the use of an environmental impact assessment matrix.
Another valuable tool for designers of eco-products and systems is the use of an environmental impact assessment matrix.
ENVIRONMENTAL AREA: AIR POLLUTION
RISK IMPACT RATING (CIRCLE ONE NUMBER IN EACH ROW)
Pre-production: Transport of all materials to factory 5 4 3 2 1 0
Production: Manufacturing process waste output 5 4 3 2 1 0
Distribution: Transport of product to retailers 5 4 3 2 1 0
Distribution: Manufacturing of packaging 5 4 3 2 1 0
Utilization: Use of product during working life 5 4 3 2 1 0
Disposal: Disassembly and recycling of materials 5 4 3 2 1 0
RISK IMPACT RATING (CIRCLE ONE NUMBER IN EACH ROW)
Pre-production: Transport of all materials to factory 5 4 3 2 1 0
Production: Manufacturing process waste output 5 4 3 2 1 0
Distribution: Transport of product to retailers 5 4 3 2 1 0
Distribution: Manufacturing of packaging 5 4 3 2 1 0
Utilization: Use of product during working life 5 4 3 2 1 0
Disposal: Disassembly and recycling of materials 5 4 3 2 1 0
Four main stages
There are four main stages of the product life cycle which are, introduction, early, mature and late. During the early stages the product has just recently been introduced into the market and tends not to sell well and maybe overpriced in order to break-even. It also undergoes many changes. During the Mature stages of the product cycle the product is now reached its peak where little changes to its design occur and sells very well. During the late stage the product’s sales decline and becomes obsolete. |