carlo vezzoli politecnico di milano . INDACO dpt. . DIS . faculty of design . Italy Learning Network on Sustainability course System Design for Sustainability subject 2. Introduction to product Life Cicle Design (LCD) learning resource 2.1 Product Life Cycle Design

CONTENTS Product design environmental requirements Damaging environmental effects Life cycle assessment (LCA) Life Cycle Design approach: life cycle + functional Product Life Cycle Design criteria Resources minimisation Low impact resources selection Product life optimisation Material life extension Design for disassembly

the discipline integrating ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS within the product design process: (product) LIFE CYCLE DESIGN (or eco-design, design for the environment, …)

the discipline integrating

ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

within the product design process:

(product) LIFE CYCLE DESIGN

(or eco-design, design for the environment, …)

PRODUCT DESIGN ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS - RELATED TO: (DAMAGING) ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS - ASSOCIATED HOW (TO A PRODUCT): > LIFE CYCLE AND FUNCTIONAL UNIT

ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS EACH ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECT IS BASED ON A SUBSTANCE’S EXCHANGE ( IMPACT ) BETWEEN THE NATURE /ENVIRONMENT AND A ( ANTHROPIC TRASFORMATION) PROCESS OF A PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION SYSTEM input : substance extraction from the environment output : substance emission in the environment (not all impacts damage with the same entity)

EACH ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECT IS BASED ON A SUBSTANCE’S EXCHANGE ( IMPACT ) BETWEEN THE NATURE /ENVIRONMENT AND A ( ANTHROPIC TRASFORMATION) PROCESS OF A PRODUCTION AND CONSUMPTION SYSTEM

INPUT AND ITS (DAMAGING) EFFECTS RESOURCES EXHAUSTION ALTERATION OF THE ECOSYSTEMS’ BALANCE (damaging outputs of extractive processes)

RESOURCES EXHAUSTION

ALTERATION OF THE ECOSYSTEMS’ BALANCE

(damaging outputs of extractive processes)

OUTPUT AND ITS (DAMAGING) EFFECTS global warming (greenhouse effect) ozone layer depletion eutrophication acidification smog toxicity wastes ...

global warming (greenhouse effect)

ozone layer depletion

eutrophication

acidification

smog

toxicity

wastes

...

serra greenhouse effect

ozono ozone la yer deplation

eutrhophication

acidification

toxici ty

rifiuti wastes

CAN WE ASSOCIATE THE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS TO A PRODUCT? AND HOW? CRITERIA: - PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE - FUNCTIONAL UNIT EVALUATION METHOD: - LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT DESIGN ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS

use service manufac . assemb . finish collection resource’s achieving mater. energy produc. package trasp. storage PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE APPROACH USE PRODUCTION DISPOSING PREPRODUCTION DISTRIBUTION landfill incineration composting recycling reuse comp. reuse remanufactoring other product’s life cycle biosphere geosphere

FUNCTIONAL UNIT ( APPROACH) IS NOT THE PRODUCT TO BE ASSESSED ( DESIGNED) BUT, THE WHOLE OF THE PROCESSES ASSOCIATED WITH THE FULFILLMENT OF A GIVEN FUNCTION

FUNCTIONAL UNIT ( APPROACH)

IS NOT THE PRODUCT TO BE ASSESSED ( DESIGNED) BUT, THE WHOLE OF THE PROCESSES ASSOCIATED WITH THE FULFILLMENT OF A GIVEN FUNCTION

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF PRODUCT LCA: LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT a quantitative method to assess the environmental effects of the life cycle of a given product/service in relation to its functional units ISO 14040

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF PRODUCT

LCA: LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT

a quantitative method to assess the environmental effects of the life cycle of a given product/service in relation to its functional units

ISO 14040

e.g. LCA upholstered seat (8 years life span) PRE-PROD. PRODUCTION DISTRIBUT . USE DISPOSAL

e.g. LCA refrigerator (10 years life span) PRE-PROD. PRODUCTION DISTRIBUT . USE DISPOSAL

e.g. LCA refrigerator (10 years life span)

PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE DESIGN: APPROACH an extended design horizon from product design to the design of the product LIFE CYCLE stages the design “reference” from product design to product’s “ FUNCTION ” design

PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE DESIGN: APPROACH

LIFE CYCLE DESIGN ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMETS: MINIMIZE THE INPUTS AND THE OUTPUTS quantitatively qualitatively in relation to life cycle and functional unit

LIFE CYCLE DESIGN

ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMETS:

MINIMIZE THE INPUTS AND THE OUTPUTS

quantitatively

qualitatively

in relation to life cycle and functional unit

LCD: ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA RESOURCES MINIMISATION LOW IMPACT RESOURCES SELECTION PRODUCT LIFE OPTIMISATION MATERIAL LIFE EXTENSION DESIGN FOR DISASSEMBLY

LCD: ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA

RESOURCES CONSERVATION for future generations (ENVIRONMENTAL) IMPACT AVOIDANCE pre-production, production, distribution and disposal of the not used resource quantitative RESOURCES MINIMISATION quantitative impact reduction (life cycle/function) DESIGN FOR:

RESOURCES CONSERVATION for future generations

(ENVIRONMENTAL) IMPACT AVOIDANCE pre-production, production, distribution and disposal of the not used resource quantitative

RESOURCES CONSERVATION/RENEWABILITY for the future generation RESOURCES NON TOXICITY AND HARMFULNESS in all life cycle phases LOW IMPACT RESOURCES SELECTION qualitative impact reduction (life cycle/function) DESIGN FOR:

RESOURCES CONSERVATION/RENEWABILITY for the future generation

RESOURCES NON TOXICITY AND HARMFULNESS in all life cycle phases

RESOURCES RENEWABILITY DEPENDS ON: - RE-GROWING SPECIFIC SPEED - EXTRACTION FREQUENCY a resource is renewable if: a context related anthropic consumption rate < natural re-growing rate

RESOURCES RENEWABILITY

MATERIALS’ ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT A RANKING FROM THE BEST TO THE WORST IS (USUALLY) “ MISLEADING ” DEPENDS ON: - MATERIAL-SPECIFIC CHARACTERISTICS - CHARACTERISTICS GIVEN TO PRODUCT

MATERIALS’ ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

PRODUCT LIFE OPTIMISATION DESIGN FOR : EXTEND ING PRODUCT (COMPONENT) LIFE SPAN INTENS IFYING PRODUCT (COMPONENT) USE

PRODUCT LIFE OPTIMISATION

DESIGN FOR :

EXTEND ING PRODUCT (COMPONENT) LIFE SPAN

INTENS IFYING PRODUCT (COMPONENT) USE

same function in time USE AVOIDED IMPACTS LIGHTER IMPACTS short product/component life extended product/component life PRODUCTION DISTRIBUTION USE PRE-PRODUCTION NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND TECHNIQUES WITH LOWER USE CONSUMPTION USE DISP. P-PROD. PROD. DISTRIB. UPDATING OF THE COMPONENTS CAUSING CONSUMPTION PRE-PRODUCTION PRODUCTION DISTRIBUTION USE DISPOSAL PRE-PRODUCTION PRODUCTION DISTRIBUTION USE

LIFE INDIPENDENT FROM LENGHT OF USE AVOIDED IMPACTS products/components not intense life product/component intense life PRE-PROD. PROD. DISTR. DISPOS. use (function) during time PRE-PROD. PROD. DISTR. DISPOS. PRE-PROD. PROD. DISTR. DISPOS. PRE-PROD. PROD. DISTR. DISPOS. B 1 B 2 B 3 A 1 A 2 A 3 C 1 C 2 C 3 A 1 A 2 A 3 B 1 B 2 B 3 C 1 C 2 C 3

PP P Dt PP P Dt PP P Dt PP P Dt Ds use (function) during of time NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND TECHNIQUES WITH LOWER USE CONSMPTION NEW PRE AND POST CONSUMPTION TECHNOLOGIES WITH LOWER IMPACT LIFE FUNCTION OF LENGHT OF USE not intense life products/components intense life products/components LIGHTER IMPACTS LIGHTER IMPACTS Ds Ds Ds PP P Dt Ds PP P Dt Ds

MATERIAL LIFE EXTENSION DESIGN FOR : RECYCLING ENERGY RECOVERY COMPOSTING

MATERIAL LIFE EXTENSION

DESIGN FOR :

RECYCLING

ENERGY RECOVERY

COMPOSTING

material non-extended life material extended life AVOIDED IMPACTS ADDITIONAL IMPACTS PRE-PRODUCTION PRODUCTION DISTRIBUTION USE LANDFILL PRODUCTION DISTRIBUTION USE PRE-PRODUCTION PRODUCTION DISTRIBUTION USE RECYCLING COMBUSTION COMPOSTING PRE-PRODUCTION

POST-CONSUMPTION RECYCLING PHASES: (COMBUSTION, COMPOSTING) . collection . transportation . separation (disassembly a/o crushing) . identification . cleaning . secondary raw material’s production

MATERIALS’ RECYCLABILITY (COMB., COMP.) DIPENDS ON: - SPECIFIC MATERIAL’S CHARACTERISTICS performances recovery (and process costs) - PRODUCT’S ARCHITECTURE - RECYCLING PHASES

MATERIALS’ RECYCLABILITY (COMB., COMP.)

> of parts/components PRODUCT LIFE OPTIMISATION > of materials MATERIAL LIFE EXTENSION DESIGN FOR DISASSEMBLY

> of parts/components PRODUCT LIFE OPTIMISATION

> of materials MATERIAL LIFE EXTENSION

FOR DECISION MAKING (DESIGNING) identify the (environmental) design PRIORITIES: > CRITERIA relevance (relative) per product type > most promising criteria related GUIDELINES INTERRELATIONS BETWEEN ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA/GUIDELINES FOR A GIVEN PRODUCT: - some have HIGHER RELEVANCE than others - can be SYNERGETIC or CONFLICTING

FOR DECISION MAKING (DESIGNING)

identify the (environmental) design PRIORITIES:

> CRITERIA relevance (relative) per product type

> most promising criteria related GUIDELINES