Evolution of Sustainability in Design

course System Design for Sustainability
subject 1. Sustainable development and design: the reference
framework

learning resource 1.2
Evolution of sustainability within design

carlo vezzoli
politecnico di milano . INDACO dpt. . DIS . faculty of design . Italy

Learning Network on Sustainability

Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / INDACO dept. / DIS / Faculty of Design / Italy

CONTENTS

. increasing role of design (for sustainability)
. evolution of sustainability within design
. low environmental impact materials/energies
. product life cycle design/ecodesign
. (Product-Service) system design for eco-
efficiency
. design for social equity and cohesion
. design for sustainability: state of the art
. a “pluralism of aesthetics” for sustainability

Carlo Vezzoli

APPROACHES TO SUSTAINABILITY

- intervening after processes’ damages
intervening on processes
TIME

intervening on products and services
+ intervening consumption patterns (SCP)

INCREASING (POTENTIAL) ROLE FOR DESIGN

Carlo Vezzoli

INCREASING (POTENTIAL) ROLE OF DESIGN

emphasis on prevention
emphasis on socio-cultural dimension

> responsibility for:
the “technical” definition of the solutions
the “attractiveness” of solutions

Carlo Vezzoli

DESIGN FOR SUSTAINABILITY:
IS A DESIGN PRACTICE, EDUCATION AND
RESEARCH THAT, IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER,
CONTRIBUTES TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Carlo Vezzoli

WHAT DO THE DESIGN COMMUNITY (IN GENERAL)
KNOWS OF DESIGN FOR SUSTAINABILITY?

Carlo Vezzoli

cardboard seat

DESIGN WITH LOW ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT?

Carlo Vezzoli

Savonarola seat

walnut-wood, so far
500 years life span

MADE WITHOUT ANY
CONCERN FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, BUT …
Carlo Vezzoli

+ + + + + + +
…

+ + + + + + +
…

……………………………………………………………..
=

time
Carlo Vezzoli

Chadwick , Stumpf
Aeron, Herman Miller

seat steel and plastics,
12 years warranty
even
in use commodatum

DESIGNED TODAY WITH A
RIGHT CONCERN FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

Carlo Vezzoli

pen,
biodegradable material
(from corn starch)

HOW MANY (IN THE DESIGN COMMUNITY)
WOULD THINK IT IS WITH A LOW
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT?
Carlo Vezzoli

Pen,
MONTBLANC

DESIGNED WITHOUT ANY
CONCERN FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, BUT …

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+ + + + + + +
…

+ + + + + + +
…
…………………………………………………………….............
=

time
Carlo Vezzoli

“Natural” materials
HOW MANY
(IN THE DESIGN COMMUNITY)
WOULD THINK THEY ARE
ALWAYS WITH A LOW
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT?

Asbestos (amianto) is a natural material!
(and one of the most cancerogenic!)

Carlo Vezzoli

how many
persons within the
design community

?
would evalaute
correctly the
environmantal
sustaianbility?

“natural”
“njatural”
HOW MANY COULD
materials
materials
CORRECTLY DESIGN
FOR SUSTAINABILITY
(AND TEACH IT)?

Carlo Vezzoli

THE TRUTH IS …
... TODAY FEW WHTIN THE DESIGN COMMUNITY
ARE “EQUIPPED” WITH A SOLID KNOWLEDGE-BASE
AND KNOW-HOW (METHODS AND TOOLS) ON
DESIGN FOR SUSTAINABILITY

… TODAY THE DESIGN COMMUNITY (AS A WHOLE)
IS STILL MORE PART OF THE PROBLEM THEN PART
OF THE SOLUTION!

Carlo Vezzoli

EVOLUTION OF THE (POTENTIAL) ROLE OF DESIGN
FOR SUSTAINABILITY: (in industrially mature
contexts)

low impact
mat./energies

Product
Life Cycle Design
ecodesign

system design for
eco-efficiency
design for social
equity and
cohesion

Carlo Vezzoli

1. LOW ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
MATERIALS/ENERGIES
. NON-TOXIC
. “NATURAL”
. RECYCLABLE
. RENEWABLE
. BIO-DEGRADABLE

Carlo Vezzoli

2. PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE DESIGN
(ECODESIGN)
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

Carlo Vezzoli

LIFE CYCLE
APPROACH

other
product’s
life cycle

Carlo Vezzoli

FUNCTIONAL APPROACH

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

Carlo Vezzoli

METHODS/TOOLS
several have been developed for product life cycle design
(according to ISO/TR 14062:2002 Environmental management -
Integrating environmental aspects into product design and development)

…
UNEP-TUD (D4S) POLIMI-DIS (MPDS)
Carlo Vezzoli

… BUT SUSTAINABILITY ASK FOR A RADICAL
CHANGE

RADICAL INNOVATIONS (DISCONTINUITY)
PROMOTE (EVEN) SUSTAINABLE SYSTEM
INNOVATION

Carlo Vezzoli

3. (PRDUCT-SERVICE) SYSTEM DESIGN FOR
ECO-EFFICENCY

Carlo Vezzoli

DEFINITIONS OF PRODUCTS-SERVICES SYSTEMS
autors year definition
(country)
Goedkoop, van 1999 a Product Service System (or combination of products and services) is a set of
Halen, te Riele, marketable products and services jointly capable of fulfilling a need for a client. [...]
Rommens (The The PSS may lead to a benefit for environmment in connection with the creation of a
Netherland) (new) business
Mont (Sweeden) 2001 PSS is a system of products, services, networks of actors and supporting
infrastructure that continuously seeks to be competitive, satisfy customer needs and
have a lower impact of traditional business models
UNEP- Manzini, 2002 result of an innovative strategy that shifts the center of the business design and sale
Vezzoli (world- of products only (physical) systems offer products and services that are jointly
wide) capable of satisfying a given application
Brandsotter 2003 PSS is a product of material and intangible services designed and combined so that
(Austria) both jointly are able to satisfy a specific need of a user. In addition a PSS may reach
sustainability targets
UE, MEPPS (AA. 2005 result of an innovation strategy focused on the design and sale of a system of
VV.) products and services that are jointly capable of fulfilling a specific customer demand
(Cranfield) Evans 2007 PSS is an integrated offering of a product and a service that provides a value. When
et al. (UK) using a PSS offers the opportunity to decouple economic success from material
consumption and thus reduce the environmental impact of economic activity
UNEP-Tischner, 2009 system of products and services (and infrastructure), jointly cope with the needs and
Vezzoli (world- demands of customers in a more efficient and better value for both businesses and
wide) customers, compared to only offer products [...].
PSS can decouple the creation of value from the consumption of materials and energy
and thus significantly reduce the environmental impact in the life cycle of traditional
systems of product

Carlo Vezzoli

PRODUCT-SERVICE SYSTEM: A DEFINITION
“designing and providing a system of
products and services (and related
infrastructure) which are jointly
capable of fulfilling client needs or
demands more efficiently and with
higher value for both companies and
customers than purely product based
solutions. […]
PSS could decouple the creation of
value from consumption of materials
and energy and thus significantly
reduce the life-cycle environmental
load of current product systems.”

[UNEP, Tischner, Vezzoli, 2009]
free pdf: http://www.d4s-sbs.org/

Carlo Vezzoli

AN EXAMPLE OF
ECO-EFFICENT SYSTEM INNOVATION

Carlo Vezzoli

ARISTON + ENEL: PAY-PER-USE
payment is based on number of
washes and includes: delivery of a
washing machine at home (not
owned), electricity supply (not directly
paid), maintenance, up-grading and
end-of-life collection.

the innovative interaction between the two
companies and the client, make the companies’
interest to design and provide (and design) high
efficient, long lasting, reusable and recyclable
washing machines
Carlo Vezzoli

SYSTEM INNOVATION: CHARACTERISTSICS

WIN-WIN POTENTIAL: SYSTEM ECO-EFFICIENCY
innovation in which is the company/companies’
economic and competitive interest that leads to an
environmental impact reduction (system eco-
efficiency)

STAKEHOLDERS’ INTERACTIONS INNOVATION
radical innovation, not so much as technological
one, but rather as innovative
interactions/partnership/services among the
stakeholders of a particular satisfaction system

Carlo Vezzoli

SYSTEM DESIGN FOR ECO-EFFICIENCY:
A DEFINITION
“the design for eco-efficiency of
the system of products and
services that are together able
to fulfil a particular demand of
(customer) “satisfaction”, as
well as the design of the
interaction of the stakeholders
directly and indirectly linked to
that “satisfaction” system (or
value production system)”
[VEZZOLI, 2010]

Carlo Vezzoli

SYSTEM DESIGN FOR ECO-EFFICIENCY: NEW APPROACH
A. “SATISFACTION-SYSTEM” APPROACH
design the satisfaction of a particular demand
(satisfaction unit)

B. “STAKEHOLDER CONFIGURATION” APPROACH
design the interactions of the stakeholder of a
particular satisfaction-system

C. “SYSTEM ECO-EFFICIENCY” APPROACH
design the interactions of the stakeholder (offer
model) leading them for economic-competitive
reasons towards the innovation reducing the
environmental impact
Carlo Vezzoli

[for such a new apporach] NEW DESIGN SKILLS:

- design an integrated system of products and
services fulfilling a particular demand for
“satisfaction”
- design/promote/facilitate new socio-economic
stakeholder interactions (configurations)
- promote/facilitate participated design between
different stakeholders
- ORIENTATE THE ABOVE PROCESSES TOWARDS
ECO-EFFICENT SOLUTIONS

Carlo Vezzoli

[for such an new skills] NEW METHODS/TOOLS
some methods/tools developed to orientate system
design towards eco-efficent solutions:

HiCS, Highly MEPSS, MEthodology ProSecCo, Product SusProNet, Network Design4Sustainability
Customerised for Product Service Service Co-design on sustainable PSS Step by step
Solutions System development [2005] development approach
[see Manzini et [see van Halen et al. [see Tukker [see Tischner &
al. 2004] 2005] &Tischner, 2006] Vezzoli, 2009]
METODI
DESIGN
STRUMENTI

Storyboar Diagnosis module
d SDO toolkit Opportunity Bl portfolio diagram
Solution elements Offering module u
Implementation
diagram
Interaction module
System
assessment table

Carlo Vezzoli

MSDS PHASES/PROCESSES
METHODS/TOOLS BY LeNS:
STRATEGIC ANALYSIS
METHOD FOR SYSTEM ANALYSIS OF THE PROJECT PROMOTERS

DESIGN FOR ANALYSIS OF THE REFERENCE CONTEXT
ANALYSIS OF THE REFERENCE STRUCTURE
SUSTAINABILITY (MSDS) ANALYSIS OF BEST PRACTICES
DEFINITION OF SUSTAINABILITY DESIGN PRIORITIES

EXPLORING OPPORTUNITIES
IDEAS GENERATION ORIENTED TO SUSTAINABILITY
DEVELEPMENT OF THE SUSTAINABILITY DESIGN
ORIENTING SCENARIO - VISIONS/CLUSTERS/IDEAS

SYSTEM CONCEPT DESIGN
VISIONS, CLUSTERS AND IDEAS SELECTION
SYSTEM CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
ENV., SOC. & ECON. CHECK

SYSTEM DESIGN (AND ENGIN.)
SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT (EXECUTIVE LEVEL)

SDO toolkit:
environmental system design orientation COMMUNICATION
on-line use, free access:www.sdo-lens.polomi.it DOCUMENTS EDITING
free download Carlo Vezzoli
open: www.lens.polimi.it > tools

4. DESIGN FOR SOCIAL EQUITY

where various forms of social inequality are
directly addressed in the design process

Carlo Vezzoli

MAIN APPROACHES OF DESIGN FOR SOCIAL
EQUITY AND COHESION

. product design for low-income contexts and basics
needs (design for BOP, etc.)

. system (stakeholder interaction) design joining
eco-efficiency with social equity and cohesion
. … of lacally-based and network-structured
enterprises/initiatives
. … of path for local autonomy

Carlo Vezzoli

UNEP, 2002: PSS FOR ALL
“a product-service system innovation
(approach) may act as a business
opportunity to facilitate the process
of a social-economical development
in an emerging context - by jumping
over the stage characterised by
individual consumption/ownership of
mass produced goods - towards a
“satisfaction-based” and “low
resource-intensity” advanced
service-economy.”

free pdf at: http://www.unep.fr/scp/publications/details.asp?id=WEB/0081/PA

Carlo Vezzoli

(INFORMAL) LENS-UNESCO patronised, 2005
[update of UNEP, 2002]

“a system innovation (approach) may act
as a business opportunity to facilitate the
process of a social-economical
development in an emerging context - by
jumping over the stage characterised by
individual consumption/ownership of
mass produced goods - towards a
“satisfaction-based” and “low resource-
intensity” advanced service-economy,
characterized by the development of
local-based and network-structured
enterprises and initiatives, for a
sustainable re-globalisation process
aiming at a democratisation of access to
resources, goods and services”.

Carlo Vezzoli

AN EXAMPLE OF
SOCIO-ETHICAL + ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILE
SYSTEM INNOVATIONS

Carlo Vezzoli

DISTRIBUTED SOLAR HOME KITS, BRASIL

TSSFA offers to Brasilian rural people a
solar home kits that include the hardware
needed to generate solar energy, plus the
installation service and products that use
the electricity, such as lighting and
electrical outlets. All of the tangible
inputs are owned by the provider and
only the service supplied by these
materials are leased to customers. TSSFA
customers sign a three-year service
contract.

It is environmentally sustainable because
it uses the solar energy, as well it is
socioethically sustainable because give to
poor people access to useful services.
Carlo Vezzoli

A NEW (POTENTIAL) ROLE FOR DESIGN:
strategic skills in system innovation aiming at
promoting network-structured and local-based
sustainable enterprise/initiatives

Carlo Vezzoli

[for such a new apporach] NEW DESIGN SKILLS:

- design an integrated system of products and services
fulfilling a particular demand for “satisfaction”
- promote/facilitate new socio-economic stakeholder
interactions/partnerships
- design/promote/facilitate participated design between
different stakeholders
- ORIENTATE THE ABOVE PROCESSES TOWARDS AN
SUSTAINABLE (IN ALL DIMENSIONS) SOLUTION

Carlo Vezzoli

[for such a new skills] NEW METHODS/TOOLS
some methods/tools developed to orientate system
design towards sustainable solutions:

…
MEPSS, UE RESEARCH UNEP, RESEARCH D4S, UNEP RESEARCH
van Halen, Vezzoli & UNEP - TUD, Design Tischner, Vezzoli,
Wimmer, Methodology for for Sustainability: A Product-Service Systems;
product service system Practical Approach Tools
innovation, for Developing and cases Design for
Van Gorcum, Assen, The Economies, UNEP- Sustainability, UNEP/TU
Netherlands, 2005 DTI, 2006 Delft, 2009

Carlo Vezzoli

MSDS PHASES/PROCESSES
METHODS/TOOLS BY LeNS:
STRATEGIC ANALYSIS
METHOD FOR SYSTEM ANALYSIS OF THE PROJECT PROMOTERS

DESIGN FOR ANALYSIS OF THE REFERENCE CONTEXT
ANALYSIS OF THE REFERENCE STRUCTURE
SUSTAINABILITY (MSDS) ANALYSIS OF BEST PRACTICES
DEFINITION OF SUSTAINABILITY DESIGN PRIORITIES

EXPLORING OPPORTUNITIES
IDEAS GENERATION ORIENTED TO SUSTAINABILITY
DEVELEPMENT OF THE SUSTAINABILITY DESIGN
ORIENTING SCENARIO - VISIONS/CLUSTERS/IDEAS

SYSTEM CONCEPT DESIGN
VISIONS, CLUSTERS AND IDEAS SELECTION
SYSTEM CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT

SYSTEM DESIGN (AND ENGIN.)
SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT (EXECUTIVE LEVEL)

SDO toolkit:
socioethical system design orientation COMMUNICATION
on-line use, free access:www.sdo-lens.polomi.it DOCUMENTS EDITING
free download Carlo Vezzoli
open: www.lens.polimi.it > tools

SUSTAINABILITY IN DESIGN ROLE: STATE OF THE ART
(in industrially mature contexts) … aim at
100%
(education and practice)
DISSEMINATION

low impact
mat./energies

Product
Life Cycle Design
ecodesign

system design for
eco-efficiency
design for social
equity and
cohesion

new
research 0 CONSOLIDATION 100%
frontier … (research achievements on knowledge-base and know-how)

Carlo Vezzoli

IN THIS COURSE (SYSTEM DESIGN FOR
SUSTAINABILITY) WE WILL SEE:
DESIGN KNOWLEDGE-BASE AND KNOW-HOW IN
SYSTEM DESIGN FOR BOTH ECO-EFFICENCY AND
SOCIAL EQUITY AND COHESION

Carlo Vezzoli

SYSTEM DESIGN FOR SUSTAINABILITY
… aim at
100%
(education and practice)
DISSEMINATION

low impact
mat./energies

Product
Life Cycle Design
ecodesign

system design for
eco-efficiency
design for social
equity and
cohesion

new
research 0 CONSOLIDATION 100%
frontier … (research achievements on knowledge-base and know-how)

Carlo Vezzoli

… BUT SUSTAINABILITY REQUIRE A
DIFFUSED (RADICAL) CHANGE

DIFFUSED INNOVATION
PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE (SYSTEM) INNOVATION
FEASABLE AND “ATTRACTIVE”

Carlo Vezzoli

AN AESTHETIC FOR SUSTAINABILITY?
the aesthetic has a fundamental role!

A “ICONIC-ENVIRONMENTALIST AESTHETIC”?
a mass of “green-recycled-panda” products?

A “PLURALISM OF AESTHETICS FOR
SUSTAINABILITY”
arise from the sustainability’s (new) values that take
the expressions in a multiplicity of forms

Carlo Vezzoli

AN NEW AESTHETIC FOR
PRODUCTS
as well as
SERVICES AND INTERACTIONS BETWEEN
SOCIO-ECONOMIC STAKAHOLDERS

Carlo Vezzoli

DESIGNER: A SOCIO-CULTURAL “INNOVATOR”?

A DESIGNER MAY …
… observe emerging/new types of demands
(coherent with sustainability) and transforming
them into products, services and systems

… A DESIGNER MAY …
… induce new quality criteria (coherent with
sustainability) throughout the offer of (more)
attractive products, services and systems

Carlo Vezzoli

Evolution of Sustainability in Design

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