Sustainable Product Development
IDBM | Helsinki | 29102008
Sustainable Product Development | IDBM | Helsinki | 291008

In today’s matinee, tragic comedy in three acts
1. What is sustainability
2. How to design it
3. Why it’s important

Prelude:
A GOOD IDEA...

Material use
twice the normal

manufacturing
difficult and expensive

design makes the bottle
hard to use and reuse

because of design, the bottle
cannot be recycled

Act One:
WHAT?

We’re running on an enormous
ecological deficit:

By a moderate business-as-usual scenario, by 2050
we spend twice as much
as the Earth can produce.

...but, unfortunately,
right now, we’re running
on 140% capacity

PROFIT
PEOPLE
SUSTAIN
ABILITY
PLANET

PROFIT
Equitable
PEOPLE
SUSTAIN
ABILITY
Viable
Bearable
PLANET

Ecological modernization:
Our problems have to be
solved by developing
existing society further.

Act Two:
HOW?

Question:
Are people going to
change their habits?

Worldwide,
2% buy green for the
sake of green

To recap,
1. Price
2. Quality
3. Ease of use
4. Availability
5. Eco-friendliness

Traditional thinking says
eco = expensive.

Traditional thinking says
eco = expensive.

Ecologically friendly
ECO x ECO
Economically viable

No matter what you are doing,
materials, energy, transport
cost money

maximizing eco-efficiency
= minimizing expenses

...with one big if:
it must be designed from
the start.

PROFIT
PEOPLE
SUSTAIN
ABILITY
PLANET

BUSINESS
DESIGN
ENGINEERING

Two basic strategies:
1) Design for longevity
2) Design for disposal
(if the product is necessary at all)

Design for longevity
•Timeless, classical design
•Long lifespan
•Durability
•Designed for ease of repair and maintenance
• Designed for modularity
•Possibilities for reuse
•Possibility to upgrade with latest technology

Design for disposal
• Fashionable design
• Designed for takeback
• Designed for recycling
• Designed for eco-friendly disposal

Design for longevity Design for disposal
•Timeless, classical • Fashionable design
design • Designed for takeback
•Long lifespan • Designed for recycling
•Durability • Designed for eco-
•Designed for ease of friendly disposal
repair and maintenance
• Designed for modularity
•Possibilities for reuse
•Possibility to upgrade
with latest technology

LiDS Wheel
The LiDS Wheel
What 7. Optimized
•Also known as Eco-design End-of-life
Strategy wheel
1. Innovation
•Generative ideation tool, 6. Optimized
subjective
lifetime 7
6 1
When to use 5. Low 5 2 2. Low
•when there is little hard data impact use impact materials
4 3
available
•as a tool to stimulate ideation
4. Efficient 3. Optimized
•for evaluating the relative distribution manufacturing
impact of two different
products
SOURCE: Modified from the Lids Wheel, HanBrezet, et al, Promise Manual, Delft Universityof Technology /
Okala Design Guiden 2007
Vastuullinen & Poikkitieteellinen Tuotekehitys | IDBMPro | Lahti | 161008-17102008

Environmental Impact Assessment Methods
LCA Comprehensive
(Complete impact types
Comprehensive method to Qualitative and all lifecycle phases)
assess all impacts over all Matrix LCA
Life Cycle
Depends on
lifecycle. the knowledge Assessment
of users
Qualitative Matrix LCA
Pharos
Based on technical expertise Not yet fully
to evaluate impacts through developed
Subjective Objective
out the Lifecycle. (guessing, with often (physical measurement,
unrepeatable results) With repeatable results)
Pharos Ecological
Footprint
Based on health pollution, LiDS Not yet fully
resource use, social and wheel developed
MBDC
community indices Deficient global
Warning,
Total Beauty Missing lifecycle
Total phases
Five-topic method based on Beauty
subjective judgement. Incomplete
(few impact types
And/or missing lifecycle phases)
Vastuullinen & PoikkitieteellinenIDSA
SOURCE: Okala Design Guide 2007 /
Tuotekehitys | IDBMPro | Lahti | 161008-17102008

Trouble with LCAs
• Life cycle analysis is time-consuming
• Collecting data for the entire life cycle
can be difficult
Sustainable Product Development | IDBM | Helsinki | 291008

Single number LCA rides to rescue
Eco-99 takes into account:
•Health effects
•Ecosystem effects
•Resource depletion
Including
•Materials usage
•Production processes
•Energy generation
•Disposal & recycling
...and gives a single number
Sustainable Product Development | IDBM | Helsinki | 291008

What “light” LCA is good for
For initial stages of design & development:
• Benchmarking
• Evaluating concepts
• Testing assumptions
• Comparing products, firms
and industries
DO NOT USE FOR
• Marketing claims
• Greenwashing
• Any public claims
Sustainable Product Development | IDBM | Helsinki | 291008

Light LCA: Eco-99 Manual
• Developed for designers
• From Netherlands
• Based on European averages
• Gives one indicator value(Single-score LCA)
• In “Points” = 1/1000 of average European
consumer’s yearly environmental footprint
• FREELY DOWNLOADABLE, www.pre.nl
Sustainable Product Development | IDBM | Helsinki | 291008

Using LCA
1. Establish the purpose of the calculation: product, product component,
comparing two different products...
2. Define the life cycle: draw a diagram
3. Quantify materials and processes; make assumptions where needed
4. Fill in the data
5. Interpret the results; MAKE A STRESS TEST!
Sustainable Product Development | IDBM | Helsinki | 291008

Example: Life cycle of a coffee maker
Coffee beans Paper Polystyrene Aluminium Steel Glass
Transport & Injection Press
Filters Extrusion Blowing
processing molding forming
Assembly &
Water transport
Electricity USE Packaging
Package Coffee Filter Device
disposal disposal disposal disposal
Sustainable Product Development | IDBM | Helsinki | 291008

Systems view: Coffee maker
Purpose:
• Make coffee and keep it hot
System includes
• All products and processes that are
needed to produce coffee in a
home during the lifetime of the
device.
Assumptions:
• Lifetime 5 years
• 5 cups of coffee twice a day
• Kept warm for 30 minutes
Sustainable Product Development | IDBM | Helsinki | 291008

Fill in the form...
Sustainable Product Development | IDBM | Helsinki | 291008

Fill in the form...
Estimate
energy use 4 MJ
for glass
blowing
Sustainable Product Development | IDBM | Helsinki | 291008

Fill in the form...
Find
5.3 indicator
value for 4
megajoules of
electricity
Sustainable Product Development | IDBM | Helsinki | 291008

Fill in the form...
What
has the
biggest
impact?
Sustainable Product Development | IDBM | Helsinki | 291008

Fill in the form...
What
has the Total mfg.
biggest 536 mPts
impact? Electricity
13 875
mPts
Sustainable Product Development | IDBM | Helsinki | 291008

If you get stuck:
• Check whether the missing
value has significant impact
• Use similar indicators
• Analyze from e.g. electricity
usage
• Get help
Sustainable Product Development | IDBM | Helsinki | 291008

Complex products
Analyze in parts, add up
the results
Sustainable Product Development | IDBM | Helsinki | 291008

Complex products
Analyze in parts, add up
the results
Sustainable Product Development | IDBM | Helsinki | 291008

Uncertainties and how to deal with them
Uncertainties arise from
• correctness of the model:
assumptions, attitudes, values
• data uncertainties:
absolute and relative
uncertainties
Sustainable Product Development | IDBM | Helsinki | 291008

Uncertainties and how to deal with them
Products, materials,
manufacturing processes
• Similar = relative error,
doesn’t hurt (by much)
• Different = results uncertain!
Rule of thumb:
• Similar processes: 10-50%
difference in results
• Different processes: at least
100% difference required!
Sustainable Product Development | IDBM | Helsinki | 291008

Difference matters!
Total mfg.
536 mPts
Electricity
13 875
mPts
Sustainable Product Development | IDBM | Helsinki | 291008

Esimerkki: MacBook Pro chassis
Sustainable Product Development | IDBM | Helsinki | 291008

Esimerkki: MacBook Pro-kotelo
1. Rajataan tehtävä pelkän kotelon vertailuun
Sustainable Product Development | IDBM | Helsinki | 291008

Esimerkki: MacBook Pro-kotelo
1. Rajataan tehtävä pelkän kotelon vertailuun
2. Määritetään elinkaari: pelkkä tuotanto
Sustainable Product Development | IDBM | Helsinki | 291008

Esimerkki: MacBook Pro-kotelo
1. Rajataan tehtävä pelkän kotelon vertailuun
2. Määritetään elinkaari: pelkkä tuotanto
3. Materiaalit ja menetelmät
• Oletetaan 6061-alumiini, josta neitseellistä materiaalia 70%
• Menetelminä lastuava työstö vs. prässääminen
• Lastut kierrätetään
Sustainable Product Development | IDBM | Helsinki | 291008

Esimerkki: MacBook Pro-kotelo
1. Rajataan tehtävä pelkän kotelon vertailuun
2. Määritetään elinkaari: pelkkä tuotanto
3. Materiaalit ja menetelmät
4. Lasketaan materiaalit ja menetelmät, tehdään oletukset
• 1,133 kg alumiinia, josta poistetaan 1 kg, vs. 0,25 kg alumiinilevyä
• Oletus: 30 % kierrätettyä = valmistuksen ympäristövaikutus (780 * 0,7 + 60
* 0,3) = 564 mPts/kg
• Lastuavan työstön ympäristövaikutus 800 mPts/dm3 poistettua materiaalia
• Alumiinin tilavuus 2,7 kg/dm3 joten lastutaan 1 kg / 2,7 kg/dm3 = 0,37 dm3
1. Prässäämisen ympäristövaikutus 23 mPts/kg muokattua materiaalia
2. Oletetaan että lastuista kierrätetään 95 %, vaikutus -720 mPts/kg
Sustainable Product Development | IDBM | Helsinki | 291008

Esimerkki: MacBook Pro-kotelo
1. Rajataan tehtävä pelkän kotelon vertailuun
2. Määritetään elinkaari: pelkkä tuotanto
3. Materiaalit ja menetelmät
4. Lasketaan materiaalit ja menetelmät, tehdään oletukset
5. Tehdään laskelmat: lastuava työstö
• Alumiinin valmistus: 564 mPts/kg * 1,133 kg = 639 mPts
• Työstö: 0,37 dm3 * 800 mPts/dm3 = 296 mPts
• Lastujen kierrätys: (95 %): 1 kg * 0,95 * -720 mPts/kg = - 684 mPts
1. Yhteensä 639 mPts + 266 mPts - 684 mPts = 257 mPts
Sustainable Product Development | IDBM | Helsinki | 291008

Esimerkki: MacBook Pro-kotelo
1. Rajataan tehtävä pelkän kotelon vertailuun
2. Määritetään elinkaari: pelkkä tuotanto
3. Materiaalit ja menetelmät
4. Lasketaan materiaalit ja menetelmät, tehdään oletukset
5. Tehdään laskelmat: prässääminen
• Alumiinin valmistus: 564 mPts/kg * 0,25 kg = 141 mPts
• Prässääminen: 23 mPts/kg * 0,25 kg = 6 mPts
• Yhteensä 147 mPts
Sustainable Product Development | IDBM | Helsinki | 291008

Esimerkki: MacBook Pro-kotelo
1. Rajataan tehtävä pelkän kotelon vertailuun
2. Määritetään elinkaari: pelkkä tuotanto
3. Materiaalit ja menetelmät
4. Lasketaan materiaalit ja menetelmät, tehdään oletukset
5. Tehdään laskelmat
6. Vertaillaan:
• Lastuava työstö 257 mPts
• Prässääminen 147 mPts
• Eroa 57 %
Sustainable Product Development | IDBM | Helsinki | 291008

Esimerkki: MacBook Pro-kotelo
1. Rajataan tehtävä pelkän kotelon vertailuun
2. Määritetään elinkaari: pelkkä tuotanto
3. Materiaalit ja menetelmät
4. Lasketaan materiaalit ja menetelmät, tehdään oletukset
5. Tehdään laskelmat
6. Vertaillaan
7. Tarkastetaan oletukset
• Onko tulos realistinen?
• Mitä puuttuu?
• Mitä vaikutuksia oletusten muuttamisella on?
• Onko ero riittävän suuri?
Sustainable Product Development | IDBM | Helsinki | 291008

Act Three:
WHY?

By 2025,
75% reduction

By 2050,
93% reduction

However,
There’s some good news

namely,
everything needs to be
redesigned.

75% reduction means
2 x endurance
2 x less inputs

Question:
What you get when you
have:

a) new technologies

b) new user needs

c) new markets

d) new business plans

If you have:
a) new technologies
b) new user needs
c) new markets
d) new business plans...?

...what you get is
new opportunities to
get cleanly rich
(as opposed to filthy rich)

What qualities are important in consumer goods?
Title
Innovativeness 73%
Environmentally friendly 70%
Quality design 56%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

In addition,
There’s also some new
sources of inspiration

...like
biomimicry
Insecta, (c) Shao Yung Yeh 2008

Other hot ideas:
Breaking the cost barrier
Constraint-based design
Cradle to Cradle