Product-Specific Eco-Design Strategies
Identification of product purpose and user requirements.
By clearly determining the core functions of the product and what is required
by the end user at an early stage, unnecessary features (which ultimately
lead to resource wastage) can be screened out before time and financial
constraints render any changes prohibitive. Thorough market research and
intensive ergonomic testing methods, while initially costly, are nevertheless
essential and will ultimately lead to an improved sales revenue and comparatively
longer product life.
Modularisation of components. Separating components
into individual modules allows for greater flexibility within design,
allows for easier disassembly, and also allows for faster product development,
especially when incorporating new technology. Modularisation allows for
easier maintenance and re-manufacture at the product’s end-of life.
Convergence and multifunctionalism. Improvements in
technology and changing consumer trends mean that the advent of product
multifunctionalism is very much present. The benefits aren’t just
about convenience and adding value to the product. Fewer resources are
used per “unit function”, i.e. producing a single product
that allows you to fulfil two or more functions (e.g. camera-phone) uses
fewer resources than producing the several individual products the fulfil
the same number of functions. This includes both material use and energy
consumption in storage & transportation.
Design simplification. Simplification through the
reduction of parts and general form will not only reduce waste and provide
for easier end-of-life treatment, but will also reduce both assembly and
disassembly costs. It is important that the simplification of the design
does not compromise its function or structural integrity. It is also important
not to compromise the aesthetic qualities of the product, given how this
may affect the product’s perceived value and subsequent revenue.
Energy consumption feedback. It would be desirable
for products to incorporate a feedback mechanism to make the user aware
of the amount of energy used per single use of the product, in some relevant
form. For example, a kettle could display the temperature of the water
it contains, to prevent the user from unnecessarily re-boiling if the
water is at an already adequate temperature for use. It is through subtle
means such as this that we can perhaps educate consumers about their energy
consumption habits.
Design for partial capacity operation. Products are
rarely designed to operate constantly at full capacity. The product should
be designed to operate at maximum efficiency under its most common conditions.
If these conditions are subject to variation during its use, then the
product should be designed to run efficiently over the full range of conditions.
An example of such a system is the new Jeep Hurricane’s multi-displacement
system, which has 16 cylinders split into two engines for maximum power
on steep inclines, but is capable of de-activating three-quarters of its
cylinders when little torque is required (e.g. when at cruising speed).
Reduction of weight. Reducing the weight of the product
will lead to reduced material consumption and improved transportation
efficiency. In industries such as the automotive and aerospace industries,
the use of lighter engineering materials can lead to improved fuel economy.
However, there are certain health hazards presented by certain materials
(e.g. fibreglass) so it is important that manufacturing facilities dealing
with such materials have the safety procedures and equipment required
to protect the health and safety of workers.
Reduce consumable dependence. Products such as printers,
washing machines and strimmers require consumable goods in order to fully
perform their function. In an ideal world these products would operate
without the need for such consumables, but this is unlikely to be achievable,
both from a physical and financial point of view – companies gain
a steady income from the sale of these goods after the initial durable
good sale. Unfortunately the resources used in production are spiralling
upwards as a result. It is therefore important to try and reduce the quantity
of consumables used during the lifetime of the product, either through
improved efficiency or innovative design.
Design for disassembly. Designing for disassembly allows
for greater flexibility during product development, shorter development
timescales and reduced development costs. It also leads to reduced assembly/disassembly
costs, as well as ease of maintenance. Implementing DfD into a design
specification allows the product and its components to be better suited
for re-manufacture or recycling when it has reached its end of life, thus
reducing the scale of resources required to create new products.
Design using Active Disassembly. Active Disassembly
(using smart materials) significantly reduces disassembly times and the
level of energy expired per product disassembled. Active Disassembly ensures
a consistent disassembly, thus preventing damage to components which may
be retained for re-manufacture.
Design for longevity. Intended obsolescence plays a
large part in many businesses’ marketing strategies. From an environmental
perspective, designers should aim to improve the durability of products
and design for ease of upgradeability and repair. Incorporating less controversial
or radical aesthetic styling may also help to preserve the longevity of
the product in terms of desirability (e.g. certain classic cars are still
considered very desirable).
Use of renewable energy sources. This issue is already
quite important in countries where energy is not commonly available, although
it is likely to be more recognised in developed countries, given the limited
supply of fossil fuels. Solar powered and kinetic devices are improving
in terms of practicality, and despite their relatively bulky nature, are
an effective means of reducing non-renewable energy consumption.
Use of rechargeable batteries. Using rechargeable batteries
reduces the number of batteries ending up in landfills after use, and
subsequently reduces the leakage of heavy metals into the environment.
Another benefit is the convenience factor which adds value to the product.
Re-manufacturing, re-distribution. Products with very
short life cycles (e.g. mobile telephones, laptop computers) are strong
candidates for re-manufacturing and re-distribution. It is often the case
where the internal components are still in full working order or only
a small component has malfunctioned and/or the external casing is out
of date, with regards to the current styling trends at the time. Re-manufacturing
products reduces waste and resource consumption, and also reduces production
costs, provided the testing facilities and labour are available for re-manufacture,
and the product is suitably designed for ease of re-manufacture.
Material-Specific Eco-Design Strategies
Minimisation of Material types. Reducing the number
of materials used within an assembly makes the processing and separating
of materials for recycling at the product’s end of life much simpler,
faster, and therefore more cost-effective. Reducing material types can
also lead to better compatibility for recycling. It is important, however,
to eliminate materials which are key towards the product’s function.
Use of Recycled Materials. Using recycled materials
prevents non-biodegradable waste ending up in landfills. They also require
less energy in terms of processing, and provided there is no contamination
from other materials, can last several cycles before becoming obsolete.
Schemes operating within businesses which encourage consumers to send
back old products can help to save waste disposal and material costs,
and prevent material contamination in the recycling process. Reducing
the number of additives used in materials can help reduce contamination
and retain material properties.
Use of Biodegradable materials. The collection and
composting of biodegradable materials at the product’s end-of-life
is often a more effective alternative to recycling, which in itself requires
a considerable amount of energy to propagate. The ability to decompose
and return nutrients back to the earth is beneficial, provided the facilities
are present to store decomposing biodegradable materials (e.g. biogas
chambers) – measures already exist to turn such materials into effective
fuel alternatives. Unfortunately biodegradable materials do not always
have the physical qualities that are required in today’s products,
although technologies are emerging (e.g. paper circuit boards) which will
make biodegradable materials more commonly used in the future.
Glass Considerations. Glass is produced from a renewable
resource, is non-toxic and relatively easy to recycle. It can add value
to a product in terms of aesthetic appeal (thus lengthening the product
life) and is relatively durable when maintained in normal conditions.
However, due to its heaviness, it is not economically or environmentally
practical to transport, nor is it safe during handling. It can also cause
long-term damage to recycling facilities given its relative hardness.
Minimisation of composite material use. Composites
are mixtures of materials which have been chosen to achieve a particular
set of properties – examples being glass reinforced plastics (GRPs),
Carbon composites, and MDF. They are (generally) more expensive than standard
materials, require specific production techniques and are generally difficult
to recycle. However, given their structural properties, they should not
be replaced with sub-standard materials for high-performance or safety-critical
applications. Use of renewable material sources. It is becoming more common
for plastics to be replaced with renewable materials such as woods from
sustainable forests, particularly in the area of packaging and point-of-sale
displays. Advertising that the product is produced from materials from
renewable sources adds perceived value to the product, and can reduce
waste if the material stems from agricultural waste.
Material Identification. Materials need to be adequately
identified in order to be properly sorted and recycled (or in the case
of biodegradable materials, composted). Improper labelling can lead to
contamination within the recycling process. Hazardous materials must also
be clearly marked, with some instruction given with regards to the safe
disposal of the product. Etching/moulding identification into the material
will help to prevent the loss of identification marking over time.
Avoidance of Toxic Material Sources. Toxic substances,
including Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and heavy metals, should be
avoided where possible, as they pose a hazard to human health and the
environment. Contamination of water supplies is a high risk, and implementing
safety systems to handle the substances properly can be very costly. A
full list of toxic substances and descriptions is available at: http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/toxfaq.html
Process-Specific Eco-Design Strategies
Elimination of Hazardous waste production. As part
of a waste reduction plan, the volume and type of hazardous waste should
be identified at the source of generation. For each process that generates
waste, the raw material inputs, processes, equipment, useful output (product)
and waste should be clearly outlined. Implementing a technically and economically
viable solution to reduce waste is likely to take time, and the externalities
considered. Will there be a significant benefit to the external environment
by eliminating the waste altogether? In some cases this is not possible,
and the transportation of waste for safe disposal has to be considered.
Use of Clean Technologies. This includes both technologies
used for production and in the product itself. There are significantly
better alternatives to certain materials now then there have been ten
years ago; e.g. lead-free solders and biodegradable inks/dyes. Solar power,
electromechanical power and hydrogen-cell technology are examples of clean
technologies, all of which play a significant role in reducing emissions.
Aiming for optimum efficiency. This involves preventing
wastage at all levels and ensuring there are no leaks in a manufacturing
system. Total Quality Management (TQM) is a valid method of maintaining
such efficiency. Quality Standard ISO 9001 and environmental standard
ISO 14001 are possible benchmarks for an efficiently-run manufacturing
system.
Recycling/reusing waste in manufacturing. Minimising
waste within the manufacturing process is important, but not completely
avoidable. In some cases waste can be useful and retained for recycling
purposes; e.g. excess flash trimmed from thermoplastic mouldings can be
retained and recycled for re-use.
Design for manufacture/assembly techniques. Designing
for manufacture and assembly reduces the time required for manufacture,
and in doing so, reduces the level of resources used in production. This
may involve designing parts which require less machining, tessellation
of parts cut from a sheet to prevent wastage, creating part symmetry,
and so on. Good design for assembly will also ensure that the product
is sufficiently resilient to damage during manufacture (e.g. by having
bosses and ribs), so that little or no wastage occurs.
Minimise packaging requirements. Products should be
designed with packaging in mind at the beginning of the design process,
as a means of integrating the packaging with the product; hopefully this
would lead to reduced resources used in packaging. Also helpful is to
analyse the packaging functional requirements, then attempt to transfer
these requirements to other forms (e.g. information can be made available
online as opposed to printed on the packaging) which could ultimately
lead to changes in branding, distribution and availability of the product.
Disposal instructions. Disposal instruction should
be displayed clearly on the product, clearly detailing the material types
used and any hazard warnings where necessary. Contact information regarding
end-of-life collection schemes can prove useful in these situations and
should be made available from an up-to-date source (e.g. website).
Recycling/reuse at end-of-life. This is generally only
effective where the infrastructure is available to maintain a long-term
recycling system. Indeed the resources involved in transporting products
for recycling can outweigh the benefits of recycling. However, in the
long run there are likely to be more facilities available as the demand
for recycled goods increases.
Long-term Eco-Design Strategies
Product Service Systems. Systems which lend a product
to the customer, who then pays for an associated service, can be described
as a product service system. Examples include vending machines, and at
a consumer product level, mobile telephones. The benefits of such systems
are that the customer does not have to worry about maintenance, does not
have to pay for the expense of the product itself, and can change the
product (at the end of the contract) if circumstances change. Manufacturers
then have an incentive to re-use or re-manufacture the products after
the end of a life, and can significantly save production costs.
Supplier selection. Manufacturers need to ensure that
the suppliers they choose to source their components/raw materials from
are environmentally responsible and maintain strict environmental regulations,
as well as being flexible, efficient and communicative. Companies such
as Canon Electronics (Japan) employ a rigorous supplier selection program
to ensure that they are getting the best from their suppliers.
Planning for change. Designing for durability and longevity
has been discussed in these guidelines, and while they may be effective
eco-design solutions, designers should bear in mind that maintaining the
life of outdated or inefficient products can be equally as hindering.
They should be able to think at least two steps ahead, which may have
an influence in the technical design of the product. Will the existing
casing of a product be able to accommodate technology currently in development?
We are increasingly looking at a more upgradeable environment, which exists
not only in the pc industry but also in other sectors.
Green Labelling. Products such as refrigerators have
energy-efficiency labels prominently displayed on them. The key to better
energy consumption may be in educating the public in the choices that
are available and letting them make the right decisions. Products which
meet various environmental standards (and display this to consumers) ultimately
have a higher perceived value then those which don’t.
Analysis of Energy Consumption. Analysing energy consumption
is an effective method of determining whether a recycling system is effective
or not, and where changes can be made to reduce energy consumption within
the product’s life. Reducing transportation distances and reducing
weight are valid means of reducing energy consumption, bearing in mind
that energy is equal to effort multiplied by distance travelled. What
must also be considered is the energy required in processing materials
(i.e. changing from one state to another). In general terms it is better
to choose materials which require minimal or no energy input for processing.
Designing with LCA in mind. Designing with LCA in mind
allows the designer to gain a broader perspective in terms of the product’s
life from raw material extraction to re-use and/or recycling. Analysing
the product life cycle early in the design process is important as designers
may find that later on there are fewer opportunities for implementing
effective changes. Analyses can be both qualitative and quantitative,
the latter being highly effective in terms of justifying significant changes. |