The document summarizes a guest webinar on ecodesign given at a summer course on green industry. It discusses how design impacts the environment and society. Ecodesign considers all environmental, social and economic impacts of a product over its full life cycle from material sourcing to disposal. Effective ecodesign requires assessing impacts, selecting strategies to address them, and communicating the environmental benefits. Common ecodesign approaches include rethinking needs, assessing life cycle impacts, selecting strategies, and communicating the brand's sustainability.

2. guest webinar on ecodesign
at a summer course on Green
Industry by Central European
University, in partnership with
UNIDO
July
2012

3. ecodesign
is
a
key
strategy
in
achieving
a
resource
efficient
global
economy
Dr
Frank
O’Connor
Director
@ecodesigncentre
@frank_oconnor
!

4. to
believe
in
something,
and
not
to
live
it,
is
dishonest.
Mahatma
Gandhi

5. !
can
design
be
good?
if
it
does
not
consider
all
of
the
key
environmental,
social
and
economic
impacts
throughout
the
life
cycle?

7. we
have
to
change

8.
98%
of
products
are
thrown
away
within
6
months
Is this the end user? source:
Edwin
Datschefski
&
United
NaOons
University
image
source:
Chris
Jordan

9. !
why
are
so
many
products
disposable?
why
do
we
choose
to
purchase
them?

10. !
social
crimes

11. air
pollu)on
kills
3
million
people
each
year,
mostly
in
poor
countries
responsibility
polluOon
source: WHO / BBC

12. between
100
and
1000
species
become
ex)nct
each
year,
because
their
habitats
are
changing
or
being
destroyed.
responsibility
degradaOon
source: UK Government

13. Image www.castlereagh.gov.uk
responsibility
so
much
waste

14. we
live
in
a
throwaway
society.
!
…………
but
there
is
no
‘away’!
illustration:
Nathan
Hallett

15. !
illustraOon:
Nathan
HalleT

16. !
society
has
to
change

17. over
1
billion
people
do
not
have
access
to
clean
drinking
water
source: UNDP

18. 80%
of
all
disease
in
developing
countries
is
caused
by
consump)on
of
contaminated
water
source: WHO

19. water access
3800
children die each day
from diseases associated
with lack of access to safe
drinking water, inadequate
sanitation and poor hygiene
source: UN / flickr

20. ageing population
population growth
source: engine group and UNFPA
source: engine group and UK statistics

21. emerging economies
1
billion
of these people are
living in slums, squats &
unofficial settlements
source: UNHABITAT

22. !
we
have
to
change

24. responsibility
health

25. responsibility
polluOon

26. we
over
consume
44
million
cups
per
day
in
US
source: Chris Jordan

27. unnecessary
choices

28. unnecessary
packaging

29. three
planet
living!
…
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.
source:
WWF
UK,
DEFRA

30. !
..
collecOve
unconscious
behaviour
…..
with
catastrophic
unintended
consequences!

31. source: ads-ngo.com

32. !
design
has
to
change

34. !
why
design?

35. !
sustainability
is
a
strategic
design
issue

36. !
it
affects
how
we
design

37. !
it
affects
why
we
design

38. designers interact
between industry, users
and other actors
industry
design
consumers

39. designers can influence
how people consume,
use, behave …
industry
design
consumers

40. ecodesign
source: adapted from Danish Design Council

41. 80%
of environmental
impacts
can be locked-in at
the design stage
(5% of product cost)

42. !
ecodesign
thinking
considers
the
materials,
processes
&
pracOces
of
a
company.
It
can
idenOfy
layers
of
waste
but
also
layers
of
value

43. !
effecOve
ecodesign
thinking
is
open,
process-­‐oriented,
mulOdisciplinary
and
cross-­‐funcOonal,
involving
people
as
well
as
stuff

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

47. !
every
product
tells
a
story

48. !
source: Nathan Hallett

49. "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

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

52. !
NO
MAGIC MATERIALS

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

54. !
…...individuals
act
primarily
on
issues
that
impact
their
personal
well-­‐being,
their
family,
and
their
immediate
community.
Unless
those
needs
are
tended
to,
most
individuals
won't
commit
to
causes
that
promise
to
benefit
the
world
at
large.
Catherine
Greener
source: WHO / BBC

55. !
common
ecodesign
strategies
/
approaches
/
tools

56. 1.
2.
3.
4.
rethink
assess
design
communicate
invesOgate
the
assess
the
select
ecodesign
develop
a
clear
brand
internal
and
external
environmental
strategies
that
will
and
markeOng
drivers
for
packaging,
impacts
of
the
allow
designers
to
strategy
to
reflect
and
product
or
service
(re) packaging
and
tackle
the
main
communicate
the
design.
product.
environmental
environmental
impacts.
improvements.
these
drivers
could
map
the
life
cycle
so
include
legislaOon,
you
understand
explore
the
consider
how
the
customers,
new
where
these
impacts
compromises
and
packaging
will
impact
technology,
occur.
idenOfy
where
trade-­‐offs.
involve
upon
the
brand.
compeOOon.
materials
and
energy
others
from
is
used
and
where
markeOng,
sales,
waste
is
produced.
producOon,
purchasing.

57. detailed design / launch
guidelines /
standards carbon
footprint
benchmarking Life Cycle
Assessment
rules of thumb checklists /
material
LiDS Wheel
selection
MET Matrix
stakeholder driver
assessment ECO-Indicator
analysis
analysis/strategy
Life Cycle
applied Costing
strategy market ethnography
tools analysis
qualitative quantitative
ecodesign tools

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

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

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

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

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

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

65. !
a
marketable
set
of
products
and
services
capable
of
fulfilling
a
user’s
need
(Goedkoop
et
al.)
product
service
systems

66. !
…
also
known
as
a
funcOon
oriented
business
model
(e.g.
Xerox)
product
service
systems

67. !
consider
what
products
lend
themselves
to
product
service
systems?

68. no
ownership
!
hire
lease
/
service
individual
shared
consumer
cooperaOve
goods
full
ownership
product
service
systems
(adapted
from
Cooper
et
al.)

69. product
service
systems
source: ser_is_snarkish

70. !
choose
a
product
to
ecodesign?
explain
your
choice
(of
product)
and
approach
(i.e.
key
strategies).

71. !
disconnect
between
people
and
between
planet
and
people

72. source:
Banksy

74. source: wiki.umd.edu / getty images source: Chris Jordan

75. design

76. car
components

77. speakers
source: WHO / BBC source: Harman

78. neodymium
source: Harman & wiki

79. polluOon
source: hybridcars.com

80. toxicity,
health
source: dailymail.co.uk

81. low
carbon
/
high
on
criOcal
materials
source: mywindpowersystem.com

82. !
more
industry
case
examples

87. lifestraw
source: design21, Lifestraw

89. howies

90. !
choose
an
item
of
clothing
and
map
out
its
story
/
life
cycle?
how
would
you
re-­‐ecodesign?
explain
your
decision
making.

91. SILVER

92. Orangebox

93. Cradle to Cradle
“remake the way we
make things” thinking about the materials we use, how
our products are designed and assembled, and their cycles
of use with our customers.
No matter how good your products are, there comes a time
when their first useful life comes to an end. In considering
product life cycles Cradle to Cradle asks us to re-think the
commonplace approach of “take, make & waste” and this
prompted us to act.
During the early stages of the design of Ara we established a
relationship with one of Cradle to Cradle’s authors, renowned
industrial chemist Micheal Braungart. Throughout the
development we have been working with EPEA, Micheal’s C2C
organisation based in Hamburg.
We’ve always very carefully considered the materials that we use
in our products but our aim in working with EPEA is to ensure
that what we’re using is truly safe, for humans and the
environment alike, and successful in technical cycles of reuse.
ecodesign
is
good
design
This means looking in much more detail at every chemical
tested it like mad.
other plastic bases
a base without a c
Smart design and c
difficult to remove.
not so great when
the base. Great for
collar moulded into
sense they are, and
plastic chair bases a
ourselves the quest
Not the most comp
recyclable.
Do something rea
we’ve ever made.
armrest that’s robu
with a separate in
more effectively. Th
than ever, using ma
Our goal was to de
Arm support that’
ingredient in the materials we use; to determine which inhibit
this aim and need to be substituted or remove as a result.

94. !
designed,
made,
remade
in
Wales.
zero
waste.
only
resource

95. Orangebox

96. !
other
examples

97. source: inhabitat, Droog, Jens Praet

98. source: Droog, Tejo Remy

99. source: Droog, Do Hit

100. sustainability is not a problem waiting for a solution

101. it
is
an
environmental,
cultural
and
poliOcal
phenomenon

102. it requires us to re-shape the way we think
source: Pierre Vivant

103. it requires collaboration and co-development

104. it requires a heavy dose of creativity

105. !
illustration:
Nathan
Hallett

106. !
what
is
the
one
thing
you
would
do
to
make
ecodesign
happen?

107. generic
first
steps
!
decide
not
to
stay
where
you
are
find
something
that
you
love
to
do,
believe
in,
are
passionate
about
take
responsibility,
lead
don’t
accept
‘that’s
the
way
it
is’
don’t
be
afraid
to
fail
learn
from
your
mistakes

108. generic
first
steps
!
clearly
define
your
values
set
a
clear
vision,
mission
seek
to
understand,
empathise,
trust
focus
on
building
capacity
‘walk
the
talk’
keep
it
simple,
do
it
now

109. ecodesign
steps
!
think
‘resource’
instead
of
‘waste’
think
‘use’
instead
of
‘consume’
transform
‘stuff’,
don’t
destroy
it
think
system,
people
&
true
cost
understand
your
own
role
ensure
you
are
contribuOng,
relevant

110. our
responsibility
is
no
longer
to
acquire,
but
to
be
Rabindranath
Tagore

111. to
be…
We
cannot
just
be
by
ourselves
alone.
We
have
to
inter-­‐be
with
every
other
thing.
Thich
Nhat
Hanh

113. !
consider
the
role
of:
§ government?
§ industry?
§ educaOon?
in
an
world
where
ecodesign
is
the
norm.

114. !
a
journey
of
a
thousand
miles
must
begin
with
a
single
step.
Lao
Tzu

115. !
today
is
one
step
………..
good
luck!

116.
Dr
Frank
O’Connor
Director
@ecodesigncentre
@frank_oconnor
!
frank@edcw.org
www.ecodesigncentre.org
www.ecodesignnetwork.org
www.edcshare.org