Design for Environment (DfE) considers the environmental impacts of a product throughout its entire lifecycle, from material sourcing to end of life. It emerged from end-of-pipe solutions and concurrent engineering to integrate environmental prevention at the design stage. DfE aims to reduce environmental impact through tools like life cycle assessment and designing for disassembly and recycling. It has led to industry benefits like cost savings, improved image, and compliance with environmental regulations and policies.

1. | DfE | Design For Environment
INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY | MSc. SUSTAINABILITY 09| UPC
Julián Patrón . Jordi Oliva . Andrea Díaz

2. What is Design for Different Approaches to solve the
environmental problem at industrial processes
Environment?
SOCIETY
INDUSTRIAL
Sistemic consideration of ECOLOGY
design related to safety,
health and environmental DfE
objectives along the whole
life cycle of the product
and the process DfX
(Processes)
Source: Group ID&EA _ UPV
INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY | MS. SUSTAINABILITY| UPC Julián Patrón . Jordi Oliva . Andrea Díaz

3. DfE = Ecodesign
Designing with Life Cycle in mind
Use of raw
manufacture distribution Product use End of life
materials
The Product Life Cycle
INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY | MS. SUSTAINABILITY| UPC Julián Patrón . Jordi Oliva . Andrea Díaz

4. …Evolution
The Design challenge
Design serving the
Economy
Design has faithfully
materialized the Industrial,
Consumer and Knowledge
economies
Source: Seven Ages of Man (2000) Will Murray
INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY | MS. SUSTAINABILITY| UPC Julián Patrón . Jordi Oliva . Andrea Díaz

5. …Evolution
The Design challenge
Design serving the Economy
 1950s – 1960s. Design and Survival
Richard Neutra´s survival through Design
 1970s. Victor Papanek´s “Design for the Real
World”. Design for disability
 1980s. Green Design – Design for Environment
 Mid1990s. Ecodesign – Eco.redesign
 2000. Design for Sustainability
Source: Seven Ages of Man (2000) Will Murray
INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY | MS. SUSTAINABILITY| UPC Julián Patrón . Jordi Oliva . Andrea Díaz

6. DfE | Ecodesign
1. How has the concept evolved?
 first introduced in the electronics field 1990s (Allenby1991a)
 As part of the DesignX set. (X stands for a desired characteristic
such as safety, testability, disassembly, manufacturing)
 AEA (American Elec. Association) created the DfE task force,
proposing a design methodology
 US EPA joined meetings and formed the Agency
 Research initiatives passed to IEEE
INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY | MS. SUSTAINABILITY| UPC Julián Patrón . Jordi Oliva . Andrea Díaz

7. DfE | Ecodesign
1. Some concepts
 Emerged out of the “end-of-pipe solution”
 first introduced in the electronics field 1990s
 Prevention as a first goal (from conceptual)
 Evolved from the Concurrent Engineering (product
development approach to reduce the time to bring the new product to the
market. Project oriented) while integrating environmental
considerations as core objective of the product design.
 Includes elements from design concept to end of life, having
in mind costs, quality, planning and user requirements
INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY | MS. SUSTAINABILITY| UPC Julián Patrón . Jordi Oliva . Andrea Díaz

8. DfE | Ecodesign
2. Advantages for Industry…
 Product development with less environmental impact
 Savings: costs and resources reduction, less taxes,
contamination
 Subsidies
 Eco-efficiency
 Eco-innovation
 EMAS Implementation – ISO 14000
 Enhacing company´s image
Product Life Cycle in Mind
INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY | MS. SUSTAINABILITY| UPC Julián Patrón . Jordi Oliva . Andrea Díaz

9. DfE | Ecodesign
3. Tools for Implementing DfE
 Evaluation of Environmental Impact: LCA
 Evaluation of life cycle product costs: LCCA (life cycle costing
assesment)
 Pollution Prevention and General Environmental Improvement
 Specific Environmental Improvement tools
• Materials selection
• Demanded energy reduction
• Df Recycling, Df Disassembly, Df Assembly
Product Life Cycle in Mind
INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY | MS. SUSTAINABILITY| UPC Julián Patrón . Jordi Oliva . Andrea Díaz

10. DfE | Ecodesign
4. ECODESIGN STRATEGIES
There are diverse strategies for products development:
 EPA´s LCD (USA)
 EDIP. Developed by the Technical University of Denmark
 Van Hemel´s Strategies Classification (wich is one of the most
complete and structured strategies)
Product Life Cycle in Mind
INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY | MS. SUSTAINABILITY| UPC Julián Patrón . Jordi Oliva . Andrea Díaz

11. 4. ECODESIGN STRATEGIES: Van Hemel
7.Optimization of end-of-life system 1.Selection of low-impact materials
6.Optimization of initial lifetime
2.Reduction of materials usage
5.Reduction of impact during use 3.Optimization of production techniques
4.Optimization of distribution system
Ecodesign strategy wheel
INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY | MS. SUSTAINABILITY| UPC Julián Patrón . Jordi Oliva . Andrea Díaz

12. 4. ECODESIGN EXAMPLES
The improvements for the
MX16 are: weight 6%,
energy usage 18%,
packaging 37% and the
environmental impact in
the whole life cycle as
measured with the
EcoScan tool is reduced
by 21%.
Phillips Design
Function integration.
Components reduction,
savings on water
consumption. Recycled
material.
Rolani Design
INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY | MS. SUSTAINABILITY| UPC Julián Patrón . Jordi Oliva . Andrea Díaz

13. DfE | Ecodesign
5. ECO-LABELLING
3 categories
Type I. Certified eco-labels (complying with ISO 14024)
Different market penetration
AENOR European Blue Angel Swan Organic
(Spain) ecolabel (nordic countries) products
Some Examples In Europe
INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY | MS. SUSTAINABILITY| UPC Julián Patrón . Jordi Oliva . Andrea Díaz

14. DfE | Ecodesign
5. ECO-LABELLING
3 categories
Type II. Product-Self Declarations Type III. Defined by ISO/TR 14025
No certified by third parties. ISO 14021 Provide standarised LCA-based
information on a product or service
Improvement of Roland DG NHO European
environmental Corporation
performance
Norway ecolabel
Some Examples In Europe
INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY | MS. SUSTAINABILITY| UPC Julián Patrón . Jordi Oliva . Andrea Díaz

15. DfE | Policies EU
6. Working Plan of the EU Ecodesign Directive
Priority for 10 group products (energy using products):
Air-conditioning and ventilation systems Network, data processing-storing equip.
Electric and fossil-fuelled heating equipment Refrigerating and freezing equipment
Food-preparing equipment Sound and imaging equipment
Industrial and laboratory furnaces and ovens Transformers
Machine tools Water-using equipment
Product Life Cycle in Mind
INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY | MS. SUSTAINABILITY| UPC Julián Patrón . Jordi Oliva . Andrea Díaz

16. DfE | Ecodesign
Bibliography
1 Capuz Rizo S., & Gómez Navarro, T. (2004). Ecodiseño: Ingeniería del ciclo de vida para el
desarrollo de productos sostenibles. Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. Alfaomega.
Valencia
2 Allenby, B.R.& Graedel, T.E (1995). Industrial Ecology. Prentice Hall. New Jersey.
3 Eco-management and Audit Schemes. European comission. http://europe.eu.int/environment
4 Fiskel, J. (2004). Ingeniería de diseño Medioambiental. DfE. McGraw-Hill. Madrid. 1996
5 Environmental Protection Agency. EPA. www.epa.gov
Product Life Cycle in Mind
INDUSTRIAL ECOLOGY | MS. SUSTAINABILITY| UPC Julián Patrón . Jordi Oliva . Andrea Díaz