Eco-Design For Life - Essay Example

Eco-Design Introduction Eco-Design is the design and development of products that are both environment friendly and economically viable. The word derives its origins from the concept of a synergy between design, economy and ecology. (Miriam Borchardt, Leonel A.C.Poltosi, Miguel A Sellito and Gianfraco M.Pereira, 2009) A design which is able to satisfy all three requirements in an effective manner is said to be a successful eco-designed product. With the world globalising at a fast rate there has been a rapid increase in the both the demand and consumption of goods. New players emerging and competing in the global market, has put a severe strain on the available natural resources and the idea of creating a environment friendly product has been relegated to the background. The three basic issues that an eco-design addresses are (1) Reduce the consumption of non-renewable resources (2) Manage the existing renewable resources more effectively (3) Design products that are environment friendly and do not pollute the environment in any manner. (Eco-Design: European State of the Art, 2007) Forces Influencing Eco-Design Adoption The forces influencing Eco-Design adoption by companies are categorized into external factors and internal factors. The external factors are as follows (1) The new age customer is getting more information regarding the dangers of environment pollution. He is thus getting more informed regarding the choices he can make while selecting a product. Thus he is able to demand products that are safe and environment friendly which leads to a direct pressure on companies to come up with innovative and eco-friendly solutions to their products. (2) A government that is sensitive to the concerns of the environment shall bring out laws, stipulations and guidelines within which a product needs to function. Adherence to these guidelines necessitates manufacturers to refine and tune their product development strategies. Some of the notable international laws and regulations include the Hazardous Waste Act of Australia(1989) & the ‘Export and Import of Hazardous Waste and Hazardous Recyclable Material(2005) of Canada .(Eco-Design: European State of the Art, 2007) (3) The industry in itself tries to own up to its responsibility and moral obligation of providing its customers with products that are clean and which are within the framework of being called ecologically sustainable The internal factors that are influencing the market forces into eco-design are as follows (1) The process of developing eco-designs presents the design team and ultimately the manufacturer a host of opportunities to try out new variants of designs that serve to work out economically as well. (2) A rethink of the design aspect right from its inception stage may lead to an overall improvement in quality of the product. Apart from being in sync with the environment the overall efficiency of the product might increase leading to a win-win situation. (3) Environment friendly strategies in designs open up new markets and avenues for the company and impacts new target population. Scope of Eco-Design The Eco-Design concept that has been formulated and developed by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) formulates a proactive strategy for the development of an eco-design. (R.Nowosielski, M. Spika and A. Kania, 2007) Its formulates that at every stage of the life cycle of the product which begins from the mining out of the raw product, treating it into usable raw commodity, production, packaging, distribution, consumption and ultimately the reusability of the waste end product by recycling, should be conceptualised at the design stage itself. ISO 14001 which is the international standard for environmental management systems provides a framework for designing environment sustainable products. Market researches point that adherence to ISO 14001 is not an option but to be considered as a matter of survival. (Johansson, 1996) The scope of eco-design has been widely debated and the following points provide a wholesome argument to the scope and relevance of eco-design in today’s times. (1) Technology is something which never stagnates. It is continuously improving and one needs to innovate constantly to minimize cost and ultimately add value to the product. (2) The production cost can be greatly minimized if a proper system of check and balances are calculated at each stage of the design. The negative parameters are carefully weighed and the product is modified at each stage to cover design shortfalls. (3) Since the customer is always changing in nature and is looking at new alternatives in the market, ecologically designed products have an added attraction to the customer.(Martin Charter and Anne Chick, 1997) (4) These innovative designs ultimately reduce the burden on natural resources since both the material and the energy consumed is to an optimum. (5) The designs also help in considerably reducing the weight of the product adding a whole new dimension to its saleability. (6) The product designed is of a higher standard in terms of reliability and durability. This greatly reduces the amount of packaging that goes into transporting a product from an overseas location. Packaging a product while managing to create a brand name affects the environment by the waste that is invariably discarded upon receipt of the purchase. ( Eco-Design: European State of the Art, 2007) (7) The end products can be recycled and the part that cannot be reused is generally of benign nature posing no threat to the environment. In fact, recyclability is one of the most preferred characteristic desired in a product. Methods and systems developed by companies to produce Eco-Design Products. The methods and systems used differ between companies. In smaller organizations capable and intuitive people might take the lead in researching and creating prototype of eco-products. In large multinational companies, there might be a different wing that is involved in the R&D of new products that are ecologically sound. These companies follow a system of brainstorming which allows a give and take policy between the innovators and the board management. There are several checklists that are followed at each juncture of the manufacture to assess its impact on the environment. The check lists formulated are then rated against the product and a grading scale of 1 to 10 is followed to assess each criteria of the product, 10 being the highest performance and 1 being the lowest.( R.Nowosielski, M. Spika and A. Kania, 2007) There are six stages that are followed by most companies to develop ecologically designed products. These are (1) Planning stage- This begins with the genesis of the idea and subsequently this idea is put forth among the design circle to develop on it. Since any new product involves a huge amount of investment in energy and capital from the management, the economic viability of such a product is first discussed before proceeding with the idea. Next the technological edge it might have over its competitor is deliberated upon and the any ecological concerns it might have are mulled over. This design planning might be for a totally new product or alteration of an existing product by adding new features to its existing model. The company’s environmental programs are also well documented in a methodological manner in the Environment Management System (EMS) which forms the basis of a company’s environment policy towards environment protection. (Martin Charter and Anne Chick, 1997) Once this phase is over, ways in which this product can be introduced into the market to meet the customer’s expectation is thought over. The parameters that need to be set when defining this product as having an edge over its competitors are also planned. (2) The conception stage – This stage involves methods in which the different aspects of the product are integrated into an efficient eco-designed product. From the planning stage, the deliberations proceed on to the action check list stage which actually goes about finding out in paper the technical and economical advantage the product would have. Specifications are thereafter tinkered with to get the right mix of the product that can be used to create a consensus among different departments. The potential suppliers are thereafter contacted to discuss the new product with and also to get a feedback and the probable concerns they might have in marketing these products. (R.Nowosielski, M. Spika and A. Kania, 2007) (3) The detailed design stage – The design that follows the conception stage is made to pass through a severe analysis and different eco-design tools are applied to the design to assess its performance and safety. Discussions are carried out regarding alternative materials that increase the performance, reduce the weight and at the same time keeps the product economically viable. (Herring, H and R. Roy, 2007) This however should not be at the cost of the safety of the product and the user. The process of assembly and disassembly of the product are designed in great detail since once the go ahead is received from the management and the product manages to strike a chord with a customer base, then a large scale production of the product would be imminent to reach out to wider market at one go before market interest fizzles out. (4) The product estimation stage – Information about this product is leaked to select target audiences and the feedback is assessed to gauge the success of the new product. A customer is an entity that is never satisfied and is always on the lookout for other options. To sustain customer interest and to make this product affordable to a wider audience, different variants of the product are decided upon. Also, technological inputs that could be added in the future are also discussed when the company feels that customer interest in the product might be on the wane. Companies remain guarded before the launch of a new product since rival companies are always on the lookout to poach a new idea. (5) Introducing the product into the market - To launch a new product into the market involves a carefully designed strategic approach. The customer consciousness needs to be increased as to the nature of the product, the technological advances that the company has managed to infuse into the product, the ecological sustainability of the product and the performance in terms of energy consumption. The hype that needs to be build around the product should be done gradually over a period of time so that when the D-day approaches the customer is eager to make the first purchase. (Herring, H and R. Roy, 2007) (6) Research and Prototype – This is the final stage in which apart from the check at intermediate stage a final analysis is carried out to gauge if all the objectives that were set out by the company have been achieved. Comparisons are made regarding the previous product innovation made by the company and the relative success or shortcoming made by the company in the present product. Case Study of Eco-Design adopted by Multinational Companies and Smaller Organizations (1) Philips Sound & Vision were one of the pioneering companies that introduced eco-design after it faced a backlash from the public regarding the use of certain prohibited substances in its manufacture. Also, several questions were raised regarding the disposal of the electronic and electrical waste. The company owing its moral responsibility had then after the 1973 global oil crisis brought about the first energy saving campaign. This was brought about more as a reaction to the public outcry and there always remained a degree of scepticism among the people regarding the real intentions of Philips. Thereafter a manual that serves as a guide regarding the use of materials that could be used in the designing of the product was brought about which was universally accepted by everyone. Major innovations followed thereafter significant among them being the Green Television. Minimum energy consumption with total recyclability of end product was some of the key areas addressed in this effort. In 1991 Philips published its first environment policy and has been one of the leaders in the forefront of eco-design. (Miriam Borchardt, Leonel A.C.Poltosi, Miguel A .Sellito and Gianfraco M.Pereira, 2009) (2) Eco-Tourism – The tourism ministry in private participation has brought about a bubble boat which could act as a small submarine for the tourists. The speciality of such a design is that the boat is totally eco-friendly with the electric drive system of the boat operated by batteries that are charged by solar panels built onto the roof. Since this boat is not engine driven the problems of environment pollution caused by oil leakages and the disturbances caused by engine sound are also avoided. This serves as a great boon for tourists visiting the Australian coral reefs as the noise that is an irritant to sea life is greatly avoided. (Australian Bubble Boat, 2007) The dangers posed to the reefs due the harmful effects of oil are also mitigated. One of the other advantages of this exercise was the almost zero dependency on fossil fuels. The solar panels had an initial capital investment. However, the daily maintenance cost and running cost of the boat was minimal since there was no cap in the energy from the sun. Charging of the battery using the solar panels was the only requirement. These panels being were very robust were capable of charging batteries even in rainy weather. (3) Eco-design in the auto industry – There are several constraints for the auto industry to adopt eco-design practices. This is because the production of single automobile fundamentally breaks all rules set by eco-design. About 15 tonnes of raw material and 40,000 litres of water are required to manufacture a car. (Eco-Design: European State of the Art, 2007) Since cars invariably run on fossil fuel, and cannot be done without there is always a degree of pollution like oil leakage, Carbon dioxide leakage etc associated with car maintenance. Since safety and the power are prime reasons that customers look while selecting a car, a promising eco-designed car on the other hand will not find too many takers. However car manufactures are now concentrating on trying out hybrid engines and using parts that have been manufactured using recycled composite materials. Lubricating oils now used are of higher durability which thereby reduces the number of oil changeovers. Suppliers to automobile companies are being provided with ‘white lists’, ‘gray lists’ and ‘black lists’. White lists identify materials that can be used. Grey lists identify materials that have the potential to be used if certain conditions are met and waivers are obtained. Black lists identify materials that are prohibited. (Miriam Borchardt, Leonel A.C.Poltosi, Miguel A Sellito and Gianfraco M.Pereira, 2009) Conclusion Companies in the present age are recognising the need to produce and market environment friendly products. With the technology boom and information dissemination regarding the hazards of environmental pollution, today’s generation is more circumspect about selecting a new product that is not eco friendly. Moreover the government should play a more pro-active role in holding companies that are not working in line with the safe considered practices as far as environment safety is concerned. Also different governments in different countries have different guidelines as to what are the allowable limits of pollution. Unless a coherent strategy can be evolved between all member countries it would be difficult to bring all the countries under a single uniform code. However, Environment Life Cycle Assessment (ELCS) (R.Nowosielski, M. Spika and A. Kania, 2007) is now being introduced in all major manufacturing companies more as a way of design principle so that when new concepts are being formulated at the initial stage itself, the importance of the design being eco-friendly stands in the forefront instead of being relegated to the background. Reference Lists 1. R.Nowosielski, M. Spika and A. Kania, July 2007, Methodology and Tools of Ecodesign, pp.91-94 2. Martin Charter and Anne Chick, April 1997, The Journal of Sustainable Product Design, p.8 3. Miriam Borchardt, Leonel A.C.Poltosi, Miguel A Sellito and Gianfraco M.Pereira, 2009, Environment Quality Management, pp.7-22 4. Herring, H and R. Roy, Technological innovation, energy efficient design and the rebound effect, 2007, pp.194-203, Wiley Periodicals Limited. 5. Eco-Design: European State of the Art, 2007, Available at ftp://ftp.jrc.es/pub/EURdoc/sps00140.pdf, [ Accessesd 9th November 2010] 6. Australian Bubble Boat, 2007, Available at: http://www.sail-world.com [Accessed 10th November 2010] Read More