Sustainable Design, Ecodesign and Design for Recycling DfR

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Sustainable Design, Ecodesign and Design for
Recycling (DfR)
Introduction Sustainable Development
Sustainable Design, Ecodesign and DfR First
Case Studies
presented by Ursula Tischner, Design Academy
Eindhoven econcept, agency for ecology and design
advice Cologne, Germany
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Sustainable Design
Sustainable Design aims at creating sustainable
value by meeting the triple bottom line
economical, environmental, social-ethical
benefits. Ecodesign aims at integrating
environmental aspects into product development
and design. Design for Recycling aims at closed
loop economy using natural resources including
energy as intensively as possible in the economy.
EcoDesign
Design for Recycling (DfR)
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Sustainable Development
A new paradigm formulated in 1987 by Brundtland
Comission, signed in 1992 by more than 170
Countries. The World Commission on Environment
and Development defined the new paradigm as
"Development that meets the needs of the
present without compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their own needs."
(World Commission on Environment and
Development 1987)
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Sustainable Development 3 dimensions
People Planet Profit
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Environmental Footprint of people in different
countries
Source Mathis Wackernagel and Redefining
Progress www.rprogress.org
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Environmental Footprint too big for the world
Source Mathis Wackernagel and Redefining
Progress www.rprogress.org
The current Ecological Footprint of average
Americans is about 10 hectares.
The worldwide average per capita footprints is
2.3 hectares. There are less than 2 hectares
available per person -- this means that our
overshoot is at least 20 percent.
How many people live on Footprints lower than the
world average?
!! 73 percent !!
How many people make up 80 percent of the world's
Footprint?
The 97.5 having a Footprint lower than 12.7
hectares per person. The other 2.5 of the world
population with a bigger Footprint take 20 of
the globe's Footprint. Without them, the
overshoot would go back to zero.
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If everybody wanted to live like we in the rich
countries do - we would need for
planetsSustainable Development needs
dematerialisation by a factor of 4 to 20.
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What makes your quality of life?
Source Mathis Wackernagel and Redefining
Progress www.rprogress.org
Gross Production (GDP) VS. Genuine Progress
Indicator (GDI) GPI adds in the economic
contributions of household and volunteer work,
but subtracts factors such as crime, pollution,
and family breakdown.
1950 to 1999 In 1996 Dollars
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Innovation is needed
As Einstein said, We cannot solve our problems
with the same ways of thinking that produced
them.
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products and the Environment
The life cycle of furniture ...
.... and aims for DfR Source US OTA
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Furniture and environment
Normally most of the negative environmental
impacts of furniture occure in raw material and
production, as well as end of life phase. In use
phase most of the furniture require only little
material and energy, here emissions are
relevant. Transportation and packaging are also
critical. Very important is the longevity of
furniture, the longer a piece of furniture lives
a useful life, the better in environmental terms.
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Raw material and production
What kind of raw materials do you use? Wood
from local and sustainable sources? Plastics,
metals, glass, aluminium? Where do they come
from and what are material and energy
consumption/ emissions related to excavation and
production? What kind of production technology
do you use? Material, energy efficiency?
Production waste? Emissions and toxic substances?
End of line rejection? ...
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Transportation and packaging
Where do your materials, pre-products, products
come from? How far did they travel? Where and
how do you distribute your furniture? What kind
of transportation means do you use? Energy and
material efficiency? What kind of packaging is
necessary? Do you take back and re-use packaging?
Avoid styrofoam beads or moulded foam blocks.
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Use/ emissions, e.g.
Formaldehyde and other airborne VOCs In
production and use of furniture formaldehyde and
VOCs are emitted which can cause allergic
reactions. (Materials, adhesives, surface
coating) The international VOC Protocol from 1991
requires a 30 reduction of VOC emissions by
1988-1999. Formaldehyde emissions should be
maximum 0.10 ppm in Germany (E1 standard). In the
U.S. and Canada there are no standards or
regulations governing the formaldehyde emissions,
only voluntary measures. Be aware of sick
building syndrome.
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Use/ longevity
Are your products useful? Do they meet and
exceed the needs of the customers? How long
will their potential and actual lifetime be?
Can they be adapted to changing user needs/
changing users? Can they be repaired and
maintained? What about fashion? Obsolescence
through fashionable design? Choose the right
durability for the expected life time.
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End of life/ Recycling
Do you take your products back? Do you employ
any recycling strategies upgrading, re-use,
remanufacturing, recycling of materials. Did
you design the product so that recycling is
easy? Construction for disassembly, material
composition, surface coating, avoid substances
that hinder recycling... In Germany more than 1
Mio. Tonnes of waste from furniture each year,
how much in Australia? Germany will not allow any
disposal of furniture on waste dump sites in the
future.
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To summarize a sustainable product...
and first examples...
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Questions so far ?
Then further to drivers
Then further to strategies
Then further to implementation
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Drivers for Ecodesign and Design for Recycling
Why do companies start doing it?
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Drivers part 1 pressure

• Companies must do so,
• because the law requires it (product take back
  regulations, laws on emission and pollution
  control and pollution monitoring, etc.)
• because the customers (commercial buyers,
  consumers, and buyers in the public sector)
  demand it
• because they wish to improve their (somewhat
  tattered) public image
• because some of their products may have appeared
  in the headlines due to environmental or health
  problems

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Drivers part 2 benefits

• It is worth it, because
• they can reduce costs by reducing consumption of
  materials and energy and by removing wastes and
  contaminants in production
• their market position can be improved by
  environmental innovations, putting them just a
  little ahead of the competitors
• their products are then easier to sell in
  existing and new markets
• they will receive good PR and thus free
  advertising in the news media
• they reduce their liability risk by avoiding
  contaminants
• dealing with environmental problems at source is
  cheaper than retrofit
• practising proactive environmental protection
  reduces the need for regulatory pressures

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Drivers part 3 Corporate S..R..

• Companies wish to do so, because
• they wish to preserve the world for children and
  grandchildren
• they wish to assume responsibility for their
  actions and products
• they have committed themselves not simply to the
  short-term success of the company but rather to a
  successful company strategy over the long run
• employees work with greater enthusiasm and
  commitment if their company is eco-sensitive and
  willing to take responsibility for its actions

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EU directives and national laws
EU Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment
(WEEE) and Restriction of the Use of Certain
Hazardous Substances in EEE (ROS) Directives
Adopted by EU http//europa.eu.int/comm/environme
nt/docum/00347_en.htm Draft "New Approach"
Directive from DG Enterprise on The impact on the
environment of electrical and electronic
equipment (EEE) Under discussion http//europa.eu.
int/comm/enterprise/electr_equipment/eee/index.htm
End of Life Vehicles Directive (EOLV) adopted
by EU German Packaging Directive gt The green
dot system
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Labelling/Green Labelling
Labels of Companies
Labels of business associations /sectors
Independent labels
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Health and safety labels and standards
e.g. Safety Labels
e.g. Standards for indoor air quality
e.g. Standards for Office-Ergonomics
e.g. ISO TR 14062
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Eco-Labels, e.g.
Blue Angel (Blauer Engel), developed and
organised by German EPA, covers several product
groups and standards (safety, ergonomic) and
environmental issues. Available for wooden
products, paint and lacquer. Gives guidelines for
industry to develop environmentally friendly
products and guides the consumers to buying
Eco-Goods.
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The goal of
FSC, an international body, is to promote
environmentally responsible, socially beneficial
and economically viable management of the world's
forests, by establishing a worldwide standard of
recognized and respected Principles of Forest
Stewardship. The FSC's Principles and Criteria
(PC) apply to all tropical, temperate and boreal
forests. Many of these PC apply also to
plantations and partially replanted forests.
www.fscoax.org
FSC
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Drivers are real !

• Societal concerns such as over genetically
  modified organisms (GMOs), Shell and the disposal
  of the Brent Spar oil platform, Nike and child
  labour ...
• Several governments and large companies are
  starting to establish green procurement
  initiatives, ask for product take back.
• The Asian countries take up Ecodesign very
  quickly! (e.g. Japanese Ecodesign programme
  driven by MITI)
• There are a range of Ecodesign activities within
  multinational companies e.g. Lucent Technologies
  recently developed a programme using ISO 14001
  that involved the training of 400 designers on
  eco-design issues.

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Success is real !

• Business benefits a sustainable competitive
  advantage can be gained by manufacturers by
  adopting eco-efficient designs.
• DfR and Ecodesign done in the right way are
  likely to lead to benefits not just regarding
  improved image and reduced risk of the company
  but also in direct cost reductions, better market
  position compared to competitors, increased
  innovation etc.
• Studies showed that pro-active companies doing
  Ecodesign are more successful on the market and
  have less economic problems than others.