Title: Is ecodesign really good design?
Presenter: Frank O’Connor
Conference: Impact 2008 Conference
Date: 17th June
Venue: Glasgow Caledonian University

“We aim to encourage ecodesign
and sustainable production and
consumption in Wales”
Environment Strategy for Wales 2026,
Welsh Assembly Government, 2006

Wales will be an internationally renowned ecodesign led
nation with ecodesign embedded as a sustainable
competitive core value within all relevant government
strategies and support services, industry, the design
community and higher education.
Ecodesign Centre Wales, 2006

Ecodesign Centre Wales
established in September 2006, core funding from Welsh
Assembly Government, team of 5
our role
build capacity and capabilities so that effective ecodesign
can happen in Wales
we believe ecodesign can enable a positive difference
www.edcw.org

“ We need to get radical about design
education.
“
Dr Emma Dewberry, cited in Design Week, June 2008

education vision
“in 5 to 10 years all design graduates in Wales will be literate in
sustainability and ecodesign thinking and practice. These professional
graduates will carry these skills and knowledge through to industry thus
contributing to sustainable development in Wales and beyond”

education activity
working in partnership with course leaders and lecturers from the four
universities in Wales that offer product design degrees to provide a platform
for the sharing of skills and knowledge with a view to mainstreaming
ecodesign and sustainable development issues within existing design
curricula.

what is ecodesign?

design for disassembly design for recycling
design for environment sustainable design
LCA, SLCA, LCI IPP / Producer Responsibility /
WEEE / RoHS (Chinese RoHS) /
Remanufacturing EuP / IPPC / REACH / Packaging
Regs....
what is ecodesign?
ECMA 341
ISO/TR 14062:2002
matrices ethnography
guidelines / handbooks
LiDS strategy wheel
Eco-labels
checklists
Ecomapping Eco-Indicator 99
concept demonstrators Life cycle accounting and costing

ecodesign is concerned with reducing
environmental &
social impacts
of a product or service through better design
80%
of environmental
impacts
of a product or service
can be locked-in at
the design stage

ecodesign requires life cycle thinking
most designers are concerned with these stages
take make buy/use waste
recycle re--manufacture re-use

we believe ecodesign is just good design

and ecodesign is good business practice

common approaches

design for…. recycling/reuse
disassembly, servicing, upgrade, reduced material mix
image source: Hermann Miller

design for….
disassembly
recycling, servicing, end-of-
life, upgrade, lean
manufacturing, cleaner
production, down-cycling,
material segregation,
image source: Panasonic

design for…. low impact materials
recycled, recyclable, bio materials, compatibility, compostable,
renewable, sustainable
image source: inhabitat, Worn Again, Moscardino, Remarkable, Sony

design for…. eco-packaging
natural, returnable, reusable, multifunction, biodegradable

design for…. renewable power
human powered, solar, wind, bio, re-chargeable
image source: Philips, Freeplay, Solio

design for….
manufacture &
assembly
lean manufacturing, cleaner
production, servicing, upgrade,
image source: steelcase

design for…. durability
longevity, durability, desire
image source: dualit, kitchenaid

design for…. full life cycles
life cycles, nutrient cycles, material selection, cradle to cradle
image source: mc donagh / braungart

design for…. fair &
just production
health and safety, employees
rights, unions, forced labour, child
labour, discrimination,
image source: martin charter / CFSD

design for….
product systems
returnable, remanufacture,
re-use, closed-loop, end-of-life,
product-service-system
image source: RSA

WHY ARE THERE
CONFLICTS BETWEEN
ECODESIGN AND
TRADITIONAL DESIGN?

reason no.1
ecodesign is perceived as
an an optional extra.

air pollution kills 3 million
people each year, mostly
in poor countries
source: WHO / BBC

waste
3
million
tonnes
of plastic waste is
dumped each year
in the UK, most of
which is put in
landfill
source: Wales Environment Trust, Queenstown Lake District Council

reason no.2
we live in a global
economy.

"Sonicare Elite 7000“
produced at 11 locations and in five time zones, comprised of 38 components,
parts supplied by Japan, France, China and Malaysia, materials and production
in Austria, Sweden, assembly in Philippines and United States, when fully
assembled and packaged in Seattle the components have travelled a full
27,880 kilometres, two thirds of the Earth's circumference.
source: SPIEGEL Magazine

responsibility
50
million tonnes
of e-waste is produced
annually. Much of this
waste is dumped in
countries such as China
and Africa
source: RSA

reason no.3
over-consumption is not
being addressed.

“If everyone in the world were to consume natural
resources and generate carbon dioxide (CO2) at the
rate we do in the UK, we'd need three planets to
support us”
WWF UK

resources
1.8
tonnes
the amount of raw
material are required
to manufacture the
average desktop PC
and monitor
98% of products are
thrown away within
6 months
source: Chris Jordan and CKS recycling

60,000
tonnes
of Christmas decorations
were imported into the UK
from China in 2006

reason no.4
true life cycle costs are
not considered.

pollution
1000
pollution incidents
had a serious impact
on the environment
in England and Wales
in 2005
source: Edward Burtynsky and environment agency UK

between 100 and 1000
species become extinct
each year, because their
habitats are changing or
being destroyed.
source: UK Government

Image www.castlereagh.gov.uk
cost
£32
Landfill tax in the UK has
risen from £7.00 per tonne
in 1996 to £32.00 in 2008

reason no.5
not everyone embraces
change.

image source: The Independent Online

transport
1976 - 2005
cost of motoring
fell by 10%
cost of public
transport rose by 50%
Source: Observer, June 08

who is claiming to be doing it?

image source: M&S

leaders?

Philips EcoVision & Green Flagship Products
• More than 200 Green Flagships products on the market
• 24% more Green Flagships in 2006
• Total sales of Green Flagships of EUR 2.2 billion
image source: philips

Philips EcoVision & Green Flagship Products
To achieve Green Flagship status
• product must be investigated in at least three Green Focal Areas
• Life Cycle Score needs to be calculated and improvement criteria met
image source: philips

DECT 525
• consumes 54% less energy
• uses 14% less packaging
• 33% lighter
• improves recycling and disposal by 12%.
• eliminated cadmium, lead and mercury
image source: philips

what about our clients?

image source: Orangebox

general observations for SMEs
• need inspiration to engage with ecodesign
– non-standard drivers
• expect local knowledge from Business Support Organisations or
intermediaries
• benefit from long-term relationships (not dependency)
– negotiating risks, trust, confidence, building capacity
• not just about champions
• benefit from partnerships
– industry as service provider
• listen to appropriate language
• require flexible financial support

we see opportunity

designers interact
between industry and
consumers
industry
design
consumers

designers can influence
how people consume
products
industry
design
consumers

“ Self-preservation for productthe way is
likely to mean innovating all
designers
down the line, from concept to
•“
consumption.
Emily Pacey, Design Week, June 2008

“ Thebe green and sustainable 20 years time
will
only businesses around in •“
businesses
Richard Branson, Virgin, 2008

thank you
www.edcw.org
frank@edcw.org