Eco Redesign - Product/Industrial Designers Toolkit
Life Cycle Assessment
A Product Life Cycle Assessment (also known as Cradle to Grave assessment) allows Product Designers to analyze the impacts a product is having on the environment, A products life cycle considers
impacts at the stage of:
- Extraction and choice of Raw Materials (cradle stage)
- Production and Manufacture
- Product Use, and finally at
- End of life (grave stage)
An alternative to 'Cradle to Grave' is the 'Cradle to Cradle' approach which is considered to be more sustainable because it looks at ways of recycling and reuse of the product therefore eliminating waste into Landfill.
The illustration above shows the general flow of a life cycle. During this process Green House Gas emissions such as CO2 which contribute to Global Warming are commonly released polluting our environment.
It is a Product Designers role to understand where Green House Gas emissions are being produced through the Product Life Cycle and investigate ways of reducing the 'Carbon Footprint' (the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions contributed from a product, person or business). A life cycle assessment can be done very simply (streamlined) or very complex (using specialized software) depending on the set objectives of the project.
Quick Checklist for Selecting Materials
Another tool Product Designers have to help them make a product more sustainable is to fill out a simple checklist. Click the button below and consider what you have learnt from completing the materials and manufacture readings from this online research task of the iPhone 5 to complete the following checklist. (the items in red are for you to assess and modify based on your research).
Other Strategies for Eco Design
Click on the button below for an introductory video about other strategies for "Eco Design".
RAW MATERIAL STRATEGIES
Design for Resource Conservation
· using a minimum amount of material required
· using materials which are renewable
· avoiding materials which deplete limited natural
resources
· using recycled and up cycled material
· using waste by products
· using materials which are renewable
· avoiding materials which deplete limited natural
resources
· using recycled and up cycled material
· using waste by products
Design for low impact materials
· Avoiding materials made of toxic or hazardous substances
· Avoiding ozone depleting substances
· Minimizing use of greenhouse gases
· Using materials with low embodied energy
· Using materials which are easily reused or recycled
Use the websites below as a start to build your knowledge of some sustainable materials on the market!
· Avoiding ozone depleting substances
· Minimizing use of greenhouse gases
· Using materials with low embodied energy
· Using materials which are easily reused or recycled
Use the websites below as a start to build your knowledge of some sustainable materials on the market!
Great work people! Now we are going to fill out a crossword puzzle to test your new knowledge!
Click the button below and then once on the kubbu website click the activities link to find the 'Sustainable Plastics Crossword'. To start the cross word click the icon 'try this activity' complete the activity and print your results
log in using these details:
Kubbu Login : s00110678
Password: iphone
MANUFACTURING/PRODUCTION STRATEGIES
Design for cleaner production
· Minimizing the variety of materials
· Avoiding waste of materials
· Reducing the number of components and assemblies
· Integrating functions
· Simplifying assemblies
· Selecting low impact materials and processes
· Avoiding waste of materials
· Reducing the number of components and assemblies
· Integrating functions
· Simplifying assemblies
· Selecting low impact materials and processes
DISTRIBUTION
· Reducing the weight of the product and its packaging to save energy in transport
· Ensuring transport packaging is reusable or recyclable
· Maximizing the efficiency of packaging
· Choosing an efficient transport system
· Ensuring transport packaging is reusable or recyclable
· Maximizing the efficiency of packaging
· Choosing an efficient transport system
Have a look at these images of some mobile phones that have recently been designed with sustainability in mind, from your reading so far on Eco Redesign, think about what design strategies have been implemented here...
USE STRATEGIES
Design for minimal consumption
· How often should a product be replaced? For example the battery?
· How products can be recycled? E.g. collection points for batteries or old phones?
· How products can be recycled? E.g. collection points for batteries or old phones?
Design for service and repair
· Can the product be easily serviced and repaired?
END OF LIFE STRATEGIES
Design for reuse
· If the product is updated but still works is there a means for reuse?
Design for recycling
· Means materials could have a secondary use, either for the same product or a different product.
· Plastic products should be clearly marked with recycling codes
· Ensuring hazardous parts are easily removed
· Minimize the number of different materials
Please now watch the two videos below then take the 'Recycling Quiz' on the activities page (use the same login details as you did earlier to log in to Kubbu)
· Plastic products should be clearly marked with recycling codes
· Ensuring hazardous parts are easily removed
· Minimize the number of different materials
Please now watch the two videos below then take the 'Recycling Quiz' on the activities page (use the same login details as you did earlier to log in to Kubbu)