Title: Is ecodesign really good design?
Presenter: Frank O’Connor
Conference: Impact 2008 Conference
Date: 17th June
Venue: Glasgow Caledonian University
“We aim to encourage ecodesign and sustainable production and consumption in Wales”
Environment Strategy for Wales 2026, Welsh Assembly Government, 2006
Wales will be an internationally renowned ecodesign led nation with ecodesign embedded as a sustainable competitive core value within all relevant government strategies and support services, industry, the design community and higher education.
Ecodesign Centre Wales, 2006
Ecodesign Centre Wales
established in September 2006, core funding from Welsh Assembly Government, team of 5
our rolebuild capacity and capabilities so that effective ecodesign can happen in Wales
we believe ecodesign can enable a positive difference
www.edcw.org
We need to get radical about design education.
Dr Emma Dewberry, cited in Design Week, June 2008
“ “
education vision“in 5 to 10 years all design graduates in Wales will be literate in sustainability and ecodesign thinking and practice. These professional graduates will carry these skills and knowledge through to industry thus contributing to sustainable development in Wales and beyond”
education activity
working in partnership with course leaders and lecturers from the four universities in Wales that offer product design degrees to provide a platform for the sharing of skills and knowledge with a view to mainstreaming ecodesign and sustainable development issues within existing design curricula.
what is ecodesign?
what is ecodesign?ISO/TR 14062:2002
checklists
guidelines / handbooks
LCA, SLCA, LCI
concept demonstrators
ethnographymatrices
design for disassembly
Remanufacturing
Eco-labels
IPP / Producer Responsibility / WEEE / RoHS (Chinese RoHS) /
EuP / IPPC / REACH / Packaging Regs....
Life cycle accounting and costing
ECMA 341
Ecomapping Eco-Indicator 99
sustainable design
design for recycling
design for environment
LiDS strategy wheel
ecodesign is concerned with reducing
environmental & social impactsof a product or service through better design
80%of environmentalimpactsof a product or service can be locked-in at the design stage
ecodesign requires life cycle thinking
take make wastebuy/use
re-usere--manufacturerecycle
most designers are concerned with these stages
we believe ecodesign is just good design
and ecodesign is good business practice
common approaches
design for…. recycling/reusedisassembly, servicing, upgrade, reduced material mix
image source: Hermann Miller
image source: Panasonic
design for…. disassemblyrecycling, servicing, end-of-life, upgrade, lean manufacturing, cleaner production, down-cycling, material segregation,
design for…. low impact materialsrecycled, recyclable, bio materials, compatibility, compostable,renewable, sustainable
image source: inhabitat, Worn Again, Moscardino, Remarkable, Sony
design for…. eco-packagingnatural, returnable, reusable, multifunction, biodegradable
design for…. renewable powerhuman powered, solar, wind, bio, re-chargeable
image source: Philips, Freeplay, Solio
design for…. manufacture &assemblylean manufacturing, cleaner production, servicing, upgrade,
image source: steelcase
design for…. durabilitylongevity, durability, desire
image source: dualit, kitchenaid
design for…. full life cycleslife cycles, nutrient cycles, material selection, cradle to cradle
image source: mc donagh / braungart
design for…. fair & just productionhealth and safety, employees rights, unions, forced labour, child labour, discrimination,
image source: martin charter / CFSD
design for…. product systemsreturnable, remanufacture,re-use, closed-loop, end-of-life,product-service-system
image source: RSA
WHY ARE THERE CONFLICTS BETWEEN ECODESIGN AND TRADITIONAL DESIGN?
reason no.1ecodesign is perceived as an an optional extra.
air pollution kills 3 million people each year, mostly in poor countries
source: WHO / BBC
3million tonnesof plastic waste isdumped each yearin the UK, most of which is put in landfill
waste
source: Wales Environment Trust, Queenstown Lake District Council
reason no.2we live in a global economy.
"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
50million tonnesof e-waste is produced annually. Much of this waste is dumped in countries such as China and Africa
source: RSA
responsibility
reason no.3over-consumption is not being addressed.
“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”
WWF UK
98% of products are thrown away within 6 months
source: Chris Jordan and CKS recycling
the amount of raw material are required to manufacture the average desktop PC and monitor
1.8tonnes
resources
60,000tonnesof Christmas decorations were imported into the UK from China in 2006
reason no.4true life cycle costs are not considered.
1000pollution incidentshad a serious impact on the environment in England and Wales in 2005
pollution
source: Edward Burtynsky and environment agency UK
between 100 and 1000species become extincteach year, because their habitats are changing or being destroyed.
source: UK Government
Image www.castlereagh.gov.uk
£32Landfill tax in the UK has risen from £7.00 per tonne in 1996 to £32.00 in 2008
cost
reason no.5not everyone embraces change.
image source: The Independent Online
1976 - 2005 cost of motoringfell by 10%cost of publictransport rose by 50%
transport
Source: Observer, June 08
who is claiming to be doing it?
image source: M&S
leaders?
Philips EcoVision & Green Flagship Products
• More than 200 Green Flagships products on the market• 24% more Green Flagships in 2006• Total sales of Green Flagships of EUR 2.2 billion
image source: philips
Philips EcoVision & Green Flagship Products
To achieve Green Flagship status
• product must be investigated in at least three Green Focal Areas• Life Cycle Score needs to be calculated and improvement criteria met
image source: philips
DECT 525
• consumes 54% less energy • uses 14% less packaging • 33% lighter• improves recycling and disposal by 12%. • eliminated cadmium, lead and mercury
image source: philips
what about our clients?
image source: Orangebox
general observations for SMEs
• need inspiration to engage with ecodesign– non-standard drivers
• expect local knowledge from Business Support Organisations or intermediaries
• benefit from long-term relationships (not dependency)– negotiating risks, trust, confidence, building capacity
• not just about champions• benefit from partnerships
– industry as service provider• listen to appropriate language• require flexible financial support
we see opportunity
designers interactbetween industry and consumers
industry
consumers
design
designers can influencehow people consume products
industry
consumers
design
Self-preservation for product designers is likely to mean innovating all the way down the line, from concept to consumption.
Emily Pacey, Design Week, June 2008
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The only businesses around in 20 years time will be green and sustainable businesses
Richard Branson, Virgin, 2008
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thank you