> Educational Resources
> Introduction to Eco-Design
EcoDesign is the idea of integrating environmental considerations into the design process (although it is also referred to as: environmentally conscious design [ECD], design for the environment [DfE], design for sustainability [DfS or D4S], green design, environmental product development [EPD], and sustainable design).EcoDesign is primarily about effective design decision making, resulting in the implementation of a variety of environmentally beneficial design decisions that ensure the development of products that have a reduced environmental impact. In order for EcoDesign to be effective as a tool for greening product development, it is vital that a life-cycle approach is taken.Professional designers are uniquely positioned to directly and indirectly lock-out negative environmental qualities (eg. avoidance of toxic substances, premature obsolescence), while simultaneously locking-in positive features and attributes (eg. water efficient clothes washers, energy efficient computers). This can be done through assessing the environmental impact areas (where does the main impact occur? During the manufacture, use or disposal?), and then applying EcoDesign strategies (see below) to design products that reduce the environmental burden across the products life. Its actually not as hard as it sounds!Realistically there are no quick fix solutions to the ongoing environmental degradation linked to our current and unsustainable production and consumption patterns. Each and every one of us needs to take responsibility for the contribution that we make to environmental degradation, and designers are uniquely placed to make significant changes to the environmental impacts associated with modern life.
EcoDesign is the idea of integrating environmental considerations into the design process (although it is also referred to as: environmentally conscious design [ECD], design for the environment [DfE], design for sustainability [DfS or D4S], green design, environmental product development [EPD], and sustainable design).
EcoDesign is primarily about effective design decision making, resulting in the implementation of a variety of environmentally beneficial design decisions that ensure the development of products that have a reduced environmental impact. In order for EcoDesign to be effective as a tool for greening product development, it is vital that a life-cycle approach is taken.
Professional designers are uniquely positioned to directly and indirectly lock-out negative environmental qualities (eg. avoidance of toxic substances, premature obsolescence), while simultaneously locking-in positive features and attributes (eg. water efficient clothes washers, energy efficient computers). This can be done through assessing the environmental impact areas (where does the main impact occur? During the manufacture, use or disposal?), and then applying EcoDesign strategies (see below) to design products that reduce the environmental burden across the products life. Its actually not as hard as it sounds!
Realistically there are no quick fix solutions to the ongoing environmental degradation linked to our current and unsustainable production and consumption patterns. Each and every one of us needs to take responsibility for the contribution that we make to environmental degradation, and designers are uniquely placed to make significant changes to the environmental impacts associated with modern life.
> Life Cycle Assesment
Without addressing the environmental impacts from the entire life cycle of a product, one cannot resolve all the environmental problems accruing from both the production and consumption of the product- EcoDesign Best Practice ISO/TR 14062What is LCA?LCA stands for 'life cycle assessment' and is a technical standardised (ISO 14040) process of assessing the environmental impacts of a product or service across its entire life. This holistic approach allows for a real understanding of the major environmental impacts that occur during resource extraction, manufacturing, transportation, and the use and end of life of a product, so that decisions can be integrated to create environmentally preferable outcomes. There are different types of LCAs that can be conducted, all with varying levels of complexity, cost and opportunity to communicate the results to the public. A good life cycle assessment needs to be conducted by a professional LCA practitioner and interpreted by an EcoDesign professional in order to maximise the capacity to understand and reduce environmental impacts. What are the main life cycle stages?Material extraction - getting stuff out of the environment such as mining or harvestingManufacturing - this includes the manufacturing of the raw resources into materials as well as the materials into products Packaging & Transport - this can include component transport to manufacturing as well as product is transported from point of manufacture to point of sale Use - this includes the resources such as energy and water required during the use of the productEnd of life - it can be recycled, reused, used for landfill or incineratedWhy get an LCA?An LCA will help you understand the main environmental impacts associated with your product, and then by using good design decision making you can reduce the impacts and achieve environmentally preferable products. Want to get an LCA?If you are interested in finding out more about LCAs then contact us and we can help decide if its right for your product, and point you in the right direction...What is life cycle thinking?Life Cycle Thinking (LCT) is the process of thinking about the entire life of something (not just one aspect such as materials or end of life). By understanding the entire life of something, you can get a clearer picture of the environmental impact areas, and also be empowered to make decisions that will reduce these. A life cycle approach to design seeks to encompass all aspects of a products life through the use of analyses that identify the main impact areas, then use EcoDesign strategies to reduce the environmental impacts across the entire life of the product.
Without addressing the environmental impacts from the entire life cycle of a product, one cannot resolve all the environmental problems accruing from both the production and consumption of the product
- EcoDesign Best Practice ISO/TR 14062
What is LCA?
LCA stands for 'life cycle assessment' and is a technical standardised (ISO 14040) process of assessing the environmental impacts of a product or service across its entire life. This holistic approach allows for a real understanding of the major environmental impacts that occur during resource extraction, manufacturing, transportation, and the use and end of life of a product, so that decisions can be integrated to create environmentally preferable outcomes. There are different types of LCAs that can be conducted, all with varying levels of complexity, cost and opportunity to communicate the results to the public.
A good life cycle assessment needs to be conducted by a professional LCA practitioner and interpreted by an EcoDesign professional in order to maximise the capacity to understand and reduce environmental impacts.
What are the main life cycle stages?
Why get an LCA?
An LCA will help you understand the main environmental impacts associated with your product, and then by using good design decision making you can reduce the impacts and achieve environmentally preferable products.
Want to get an LCA?
If you are interested in finding out more about LCAs then contact us and we can help decide if its right for your product, and point you in the right direction...
What is life cycle thinking?
Life Cycle Thinking (LCT) is the process of thinking about the entire life of something (not just one aspect such as materials or end of life). By understanding the entire life of something, you can get a clearer picture of the environmental impact areas, and also be empowered to make decisions that will reduce these.
A life cycle approach to design seeks to encompass all aspects of a products life through the use of analyses that identify the main impact areas, then use EcoDesign strategies to reduce the environmental impacts across the entire life of the product.
> Eco-Design Strategies
Design for Reuse: Consider how you can give your product a second life by adding a reuse to it. This is especially important with disposable and short lived products. Design for Upgradeability: Consider how you can design a product that can be fixed, repaired and upgraded instead of replaced. This might include having a modular product or allowing for technological upgrades. Design for Recyclability: Consider how you can encourage your product to be recycled at the end of life. What are the recycled options on the use country and how can the user be encouraged to recycle the product. Design for Durability: Longer lasting durable goods mean less environmental impacts in the production of new products, so always consider how you can great durable and long lasting productions.Design for Disassembly: Consider how your product can be taken apart for recycling and reuse at the end of life. Will your product get shredded? If so, are there contaminants in the product that will inhibit this? Design for Dematerialisation: Design products so that they use the least possible materials and maintain their integrity and quality. Look for new innovative engineering techniques that allows for light weighting.
Design for Reuse: Consider how you can give your product a second life by adding a reuse to it. This is especially important with disposable and short lived products.
Design for Upgradeability: Consider how you can design a product that can be fixed, repaired and upgraded instead of replaced. This might include having a modular product or allowing for technological upgrades.
Design for Recyclability: Consider how you can encourage your product to be recycled at the end of life. What are the recycled options on the use country and how can the user be encouraged to recycle the product.
Design for Durability: Longer lasting durable goods mean less environmental impacts in the production of new products, so always consider how you can great durable and long lasting productions.
Design for Disassembly: Consider how your product can be taken apart for recycling and reuse at the end of life. Will your product get shredded? If so, are there contaminants in the product that will inhibit this?
Design for Dematerialisation: Design products so that they use the least possible materials and maintain their integrity and quality. Look for new innovative engineering techniques that allows for light weighting.
> Eco-Design Books
Since the 1960s, there have been several key theorists and writers who have focused on the need for industrialised society to be environmentally responsible in the way consumer goods are not only produced, but also consumed and discarded. Most significantly, these include; Vance Packard's The Waste Makers (published in 1960) which predicted that there would come a time when landfills would be mined to extract the valuable resources discarded by the developing throw away society of the time; Victor Papanak authored The Green Imperative (1983) and Design for the Real World (1985), both of which are a MUST read for every designer and Small is Beautiful by E.F Schumacher, which was first published in 1973. Since the 1960s, there have been several key theorists and writers who have focused on the need for industrialised society to be environmentally responsible in the way consumer goods are not only produced, but also consumed and discarded. Most significantly, these include; Vance Packard's The Waste Makers (published in 1960) which predicted that there would come a time when landfills would be mined to extract the valuable resources discarded by the developing throw away society of the time; Victor Papanak authored The Green Imperative (1983) and Design for the Real World (1985), both of which are a MUST read for every designer and Small is Beautiful by E.F Schumacher, which was first published in 1973. Whilst these books all seam geriatric these days, they are absolutely inspiring and amazing books, they where then and still are now quite revolutionary in their message. The Green Imperative provides the foundation for ecodesign and details what is now known as the eco design strategies. The Waste Makers is chillingly correct in its predictions of the type of society that will eventuate is out-of-control consumption was not dealt with better and the thing is, lots of what he predicts, is the case today. Most good libraries have these or get one 2nd hand from an online book shop...
Since the 1960s, there have been several key theorists and writers who have focused on the need for industrialised society to be environmentally responsible in the way consumer goods are not only produced, but also consumed and discarded.
Most significantly, these include; Vance Packard's The Waste Makers (published in 1960) which predicted that there would come a time when landfills would be mined to extract the valuable resources discarded by the developing throw away society of the time; Victor Papanak authored The Green Imperative (1983) and Design for the Real World (1985), both of which are a MUST read for every designer and Small is Beautiful by E.F Schumacher, which was first published in 1973.
Whilst these books all seam geriatric these days, they are absolutely inspiring and amazing books, they where then and still are now quite revolutionary in their message. The Green Imperative provides the foundation for ecodesign and details what is now known as the eco design strategies. The Waste Makers is chillingly correct in its predictions of the type of society that will eventuate is out-of-control consumption was not dealt with better and the thing is, lots of what he predicts, is the case today.
Most good libraries have these or get one 2nd hand from an online book shop...
> Planned Obsolescence
Planned obsolescence in products Gils Slade knows what's really going on in the big wide world of industrial production and consumption. In his 2007 book, Made to Break, he provides an intriguing history of planned obsolescence, and paints a bleak picture for the future if the practice of intentionally shortening the operating life of a product does not stop. Slade refers to planned obsolescence as the catch-all phrase used to describe the assortment of techniques that artificially limit the durability of a manufactured good, in order to stimulate repetitive consumption. Essentially, planned obsolescence is the intentional failings of a product (after a defined period of use) so that the consumer will be required or persuaded to consume a new unit. This is a significant contributor to worldwide environmental degradation as more and more products are produced and consumed to facilitate the industrialised economies every growing needs. American industrial designer Books Steven is cited by Slade as providing the first definition of planned obsolescence: instilling in the buyer the desire to own something a little newer, a little better, a little sooner than is necessary. The modern definition according to the Macquarie Dictionary (2005: 1459) of planned obsolescence is: "The deliberate policy of making a product become rapidly out of date or unserviceable, as by changing minor characteristics of a model, in order to ensure continual sale of new goods. "This method of stimulating consumption through manipulating the product is discussed openly in 1950s industrial design journals, where designers of the time boasted that they would make products become obsolete as fast as possible, and yet still allow for consumer faith in the product so that they will continue to purchase newer versions (Leandord 2006).The historical development of both how planned obsolescence was viewed and developed, demonstrates the importance that economic markets have played in the perpetuation of consumption (Slade 200). One of the first identified instances of planned obsolescence in products was when King Camp Gillette. In 1920, they developed the disposable mans razor, as a way of stimulating the sluggish US economy through continual consumption, with the agenda of implementing a formula for facilitating continual production (Slade 2006). Aesthetic or style obsolescence was first presented through the use of model changes in the automobile market in the United States during the early nineteenth century. The post Second World War economic turmoil was a primary catalyst for the paternalistic stimulation of consumption through the use of planned obsolescence (Brain 2005 and Whitley 1987). What started out as a counter culture, turned into mainstream consumer behaviour, embedded in many industrialised countries, and aspired to by developing nations (Slade 2006). In the 1960s, Vance Packard published The Waste Makers, and criticised the throw-away society that was developing at the time. He claimed that Americans would be mining landfills for old tin cans in the future if they did not stop their wasteful consumption.
Planned obsolescence in products
Gils Slade knows what's really going on in the big wide world of industrial production and consumption. In his 2007 book, Made to Break, he provides an intriguing history of planned obsolescence, and paints a bleak picture for the future if the practice of intentionally shortening the operating life of a product does not stop.
Slade refers to planned obsolescence as the catch-all phrase used to describe the assortment of techniques that artificially limit the durability of a manufactured good, in order to stimulate repetitive consumption. Essentially, planned obsolescence is the intentional failings of a product (after a defined period of use) so that the consumer will be required or persuaded to consume a new unit. This is a significant contributor to worldwide environmental degradation as more and more products are produced and consumed to facilitate the industrialised economies every growing needs.
American industrial designer Books Steven is cited by Slade as providing the first definition of planned obsolescence: instilling in the buyer the desire to own something a little newer, a little better, a little sooner than is necessary.
The modern definition according to the Macquarie Dictionary (2005: 1459) of planned obsolescence is:
"The deliberate policy of making a product become rapidly out of date or unserviceable, as by changing minor characteristics of a model, in order to ensure continual sale of new goods. "
This method of stimulating consumption through manipulating the product is discussed openly in 1950s industrial design journals, where designers of the time boasted that they would make products become obsolete as fast as possible, and yet still allow for consumer faith in the product so that they will continue to purchase newer versions (Leandord 2006).
The historical development of both how planned obsolescence was viewed and developed, demonstrates the importance that economic markets have played in the perpetuation of consumption (Slade 200). One of the first identified instances of planned obsolescence in products was when King Camp Gillette. In 1920, they developed the disposable mans razor, as a way of stimulating the sluggish US economy through continual consumption, with the agenda of implementing a formula for facilitating continual production (Slade 2006).
Aesthetic or style obsolescence was first presented through the use of model changes in the automobile market in the United States during the early nineteenth century. The post Second World War economic turmoil was a primary catalyst for the paternalistic stimulation of consumption through the use of planned obsolescence (Brain 2005 and Whitley 1987).
What started out as a counter culture, turned into mainstream consumer behaviour, embedded in many industrialised countries, and aspired to by developing nations (Slade 2006).
In the 1960s, Vance Packard published The Waste Makers, and criticised the throw-away society that was developing at the time. He claimed that Americans would be mining landfills for old tin cans in the future if they did not stop their wasteful consumption.
> Sustainable Consumption
Most environmental problems can be linked to our patterns of production and consumption. The environmental impacts associated with everything we create and do are significant, and have local, as well as global, implications. Not only is all our consumption unsustainable, but its pretty unfair as well, with the richest 20% of the world's population (all the industrialised countries) consuming 80% of the worlds resources. There is an alarming amount of pollution, and significant depletion of natural resources resulting from the way we have been creating and consuming since the start of the Industrial Revolution. It is now common knowledge that human induced climate change is threatening all of Earths inhabitants. Consumption-based societies give rise to several complex environmental problems such as the depletion of natural resources, species extinction, biodiversity loss, persistent chemicals, climate change and the contamination of land and water. The reality is that the earth has only a finite (limited) capacity to sustain continuous growth and therefore it is vital that human activity operates within the limits set by nature so that there is equality and equity for current and future generations (WCED 1987). Design and sustainable consumption With its insatiable appetite for the mass extraction of resources, the mass production of goods and the mass accumulation of waste, the design of products has traditionally not taken a conscious approach to reducing the negative impacts associated with design, production and consumption. Today, design has become a highly integrated part of society from the clothes we wear, to the things we buy, the houses we live in, and even the food we eat has been designed. Thats why it's vital that products are designed to have the least impact on the environment.
Most environmental problems can be linked to our patterns of production and consumption. The environmental impacts associated with everything we create and do are significant, and have local, as well as global, implications.
Not only is all our consumption unsustainable, but its pretty unfair as well, with the richest 20% of the world's population (all the industrialised countries) consuming 80% of the worlds resources.
There is an alarming amount of pollution, and significant depletion of natural resources resulting from the way we have been creating and consuming since the start of the Industrial Revolution. It is now common knowledge that human induced climate change is threatening all of Earths inhabitants.
Consumption-based societies give rise to several complex environmental problems such as the depletion of natural resources, species extinction, biodiversity loss, persistent chemicals, climate change and the contamination of land and water.
The reality is that the earth has only a finite (limited) capacity to sustain continuous growth and therefore it is vital that human activity operates within the limits set by nature so that there is equality and equity for current and future generations (WCED 1987).
Design and sustainable consumption
With its insatiable appetite for the mass extraction of resources, the mass production of goods and the mass accumulation of waste, the design of products has traditionally not taken a conscious approach to reducing the negative impacts associated with design, production and consumption.
Today, design has become a highly integrated part of society from the clothes we wear, to the things we buy, the houses we live in, and even the food we eat has been designed. Thats why it's vital that products are designed to have the least impact on the environment.
> Website Links
Design Victoria EcoDesign How To Kit: Great online resource (developed by yours truly when I was at CFD) it has downloadable ecodesign quick guides for each design profession... check it out Bindarri: Australian Designers for Positive Change is a fantastic website with lots of, articles information and inspiring actions of others!Forest stewardship council (FSC): International non-profit forest certification body, an FSC label indicates that the wood product has been extracted sustainable or that the paper is recycled.CHOICE Australia: Green Consumer Guide will help you make greener purchasing decisions on bike ticket items like washing machines and fridges. Tree Hugger: browse through a large collection of interesting sustainable products.Eco Design Centre Wales: EDC is at the cutting edge of ecodeisgn research and have some great recent case studies of ecodeisgn projects on their websitePRe Consulting: PRé have a really useful set of Ecodesign Tools and Guidelines, including the handy Ecopoints system. Design 21 Social Design Network: great online forum and community of designers from all over the world committed to making a difference through design. This project is funded by the United Nations. Designer's Accord: Make a commitment to do with design!World Changing: Online sustainable design forumChange Design Foundatio: based in Sydney and formally known as the Eco Design Network the website has some good information. O2 Network: Online Sustainable Design NetworkGreener By Design: has a great Eco-Design books section, information about materials for designers, and some interesting sustainable product case studies.The Natural Step: a non-profit that advises corporations on sustainable development. In addition to having some big clients, such as Nike, McDonalds, and Home Depot, they regularly hold workshops, and conferences.Sustainability Victoria: State Government Department supporting Sustainable DesignGlobal Foootprint Network:Check out your ecological footprint here Green Card Training: Provides online training courses in how to reduce your environmental impact at home and in the office.
Design Victoria EcoDesign How To Kit: Great online resource (developed by yours truly when I was at CFD) it has downloadable ecodesign quick guides for each design profession... check it out
Bindarri: Australian Designers for Positive Change is a fantastic website with lots of, articles information and inspiring actions of others!
Forest stewardship council (FSC): International non-profit forest certification body, an FSC label indicates that the wood product has been extracted sustainable or that the paper is recycled.
CHOICE Australia: Green Consumer Guide will help you make greener purchasing decisions on bike ticket items like washing machines and fridges.
Tree Hugger: browse through a large collection of interesting sustainable products.
Eco Design Centre Wales: EDC is at the cutting edge of ecodeisgn research and have some great recent case studies of ecodeisgn projects on their website
PRe Consulting: PRé have a really useful set of Ecodesign Tools and Guidelines, including the handy Ecopoints system.
Design 21 Social Design Network: great online forum and community of designers from all over the world committed to making a difference through design. This project is funded by the United Nations.
Designer's Accord: Make a commitment to do with design!
World Changing: Online sustainable design forum
Change Design Foundatio: based in Sydney and formally known as the Eco Design Network the website has some good information.
O2 Network: Online Sustainable Design Network
Greener By Design: has a great Eco-Design books section, information about materials for designers, and some interesting sustainable product case studies.
The Natural Step: a non-profit that advises corporations on sustainable development. In addition to having some big clients, such as Nike, McDonalds, and Home Depot, they regularly hold workshops, and conferences.
Sustainability Victoria: State Government Department supporting Sustainable Design
Global Foootprint Network:Check out your ecological footprint here
Green Card Training: Provides online training courses in how to reduce your environmental impact at home and in the office.
> Eco-Design Videos
Why do we need EcoDesign?
Story of Stuff
This is only a small part of this great video
Click here to go to the Story of Stuff website >>
Introduction to Eco Lables
What is wrong with these products?
Example Degradable Bags LCA
Visit the Eco Innovators YouTube Channel
> Consuming Australia
According to the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) most of an Australia's Impacts come from the products that we consume! The 2007 report 'Consuming Australia' demonstrated that most negative impacts on the environment actually come from the pollution created, and the water and land used, in the production and distribution of the goods and services we purchase. The authors go on to warn that if we really want to reduce the environmental impacts associated with our lifestyles, we need to address the indirect impacts of our consumption patterns - these being the impacts embodied in the goods that are produced and consumed. Thus, to sustain societal development within the constraints of Earths finite resource base, action is urgently required to reduce the environmental impacts associated with mass-produced goods.Read more of the ACF report here ...Check out the ACF Consumption Atlas here ...Do your ecological footprint here...
According to the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) most of an Australia's Impacts come from the products that we consume!
The 2007 report 'Consuming Australia' demonstrated that most negative impacts on the environment actually come from the pollution created, and the water and land used, in the production and distribution of the goods and services we purchase.
The authors go on to warn that if we really want to reduce the environmental impacts associated with our lifestyles, we need to address the indirect impacts of our consumption patterns - these being the impacts embodied in the goods that are produced and consumed. Thus, to sustain societal development within the constraints of Earths finite resource base, action is urgently required to reduce the environmental impacts associated with mass-produced goods.
Read more of the ACF report here ...
Check out the ACF Consumption Atlas here ...
Do your ecological footprint here...
> Recommended Resource Sites
Bindarri Online Network
The Secret Life of Things
EPA Eco Footprint Calculator
Worldchanging
State of Design
Design Victoria What is EcoDesign Kit
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