Limits of ecodesign: the case for open source product development

Abstract

In pursuit of coping mechanisms for the challenges of sustainable manufacturing, systematic methods have been developed to allow engineers to improve the ratio between products’ utility and environmental impact. These necessary efforts remain however limited if the surrounding production and consumption practices are not called into question at the same time. This article introduces open source product development as a potential approach for unlocking the limits of existing sustainable product design practices and to lead towards alternative and eco-efficient production and consumption practices termed as participative production. First, it discusses the potential advantages of this emerging practice in terms of environmental sustainability. Second, it provides a screened qualitative environmental analysis of 18 exemplary open source hardware products. Specific sustainable design principles implemented by these products are highlighted and discussed in order to identify challenges for further common research in the field of open source and sustainable product development.     

Eco-design practices towards sustainable supply chain management: interpretive structural modelling (ISM) approach

Due to increasing emphasis on sustainable practices, many organisations have attempted to leverage their supply chain performance towards balancing triple bottom line dimensions (economic, environmental and social perspectives). This paper, therefore, determines the priorities of sustainable supply chain management focusing on eco-design. Interpretive structural modelling (ISM) and Matriced’ Impacts Croise’s Multiplication Appliquée a UN Classement (MIMAC) are used to identify the hierarchical structure of the relationships among eco-design dimensions, and to analyse characteristics power of each dimension on supporting eco-design practices. The relationships and characteristics power of each dimension are used to determine indicators that are effective in enhancement of eco-design practice, evaluated through sustainable supply chain performance. Results indicate that product deployment is an important approach for improving eco-design practice towards sustainable supply chain management. This emphasises the purpose and impact of eco-design on sequential supply chain activities at deployment phase. Further research is required to make an overall assessment of eco-design practices across range of manufacturing industries, given the current research is based on inputs from a limited number of experts of selected organisations.     

生态工程研究进展

生态工程的概念提出已经有40余年，在其发展过程中，研究的理论、方法不断创新，在近脾的发展趋势中，模型研究以及生态工程评价成为研究的重点，面新技术的应用以及跨尺度的研究已经开始，本文对这些发展趋势进行了总结，并指出生态工程发展过程中仍然存在的不足之处，同时认为生态学理论与传统技术的结台，以及哲学观念的转变将使生态工程前途光明。     

我国生态经济产业的实践及发展趋势

介绍了我国生态经济产业在农业、工业两大领域的实践情况,从生态设计、技术体系、管理体系和生态产业链的角度探讨了今后我国生态经济产业的发展趋势。     

Benefits and challenges of streamlined life-cycle assessment for SMEs – findings from case studies on climate change impacts

ABSTRACT

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have a substantial role in the economy and job creation, but they are a remarkable source of environmental impacts. SMEs often lack skills and resources to compile environmental impact assessments; Streamlined Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) can provide efficient tools for this. An application of streamlined LCA relying heavily on database data, LCA clinic, was developed and tested on 23 SMEs in Finland. The climate change impacts were mainly caused by the production of raw materials, electricity and heating, whereas packaging and transportation were not influential. A significant amount of emissions were indirect, i.e. caused by production of raw materials. Thus, decreasing emissions from raw material production or selecting raw materials with a smaller environmental load could be a more efficient way to decrease emissions than reducing direct emissions such as those from electricity use. Lack of data in the LCA-databases was considered a challenge. An access to regionally customised datasets is important for the implementation of LCA clinics. Company feedback indicated that LCA clinics were useful in climate-friendly product design and increased environmental awareness, but did not lead to immediate actions to reduce emissions because of inadequate investment capabilities. Company managers had limited possibilities to use the results in marketing as comparative assessments would require a full LCA. Many company managers were willing to pay a fee sufficient to cover the costs of an LCA clinic, but some considered that the costs should be covered by external funding sources.     

Life cycle assessment and environmental improvement of residential and drinking water supply systems in Hanoi,Vietnam

In many Asian cities the public water supply is characterised by low pressure, frequent interruptions and occasional contamination. Hence, private households have to store water and increase pressure individually to ensure an uninterrupted supply at sufficient pressure and water for drinking has to be boiled or supplied separately in bottles. In this study the present water supply system in Hanoi and a number of modification options were analysed from an environmental point of view through life cycle assessment (LCA) in order to identify the most sustainable solutions for future water supply. It was found that the boiling of water for drinking was the largest source of impacts in the present system. Impacts could be reduced significantly if the public supply network was improved and private pumping and storage could be avoided and if the water could be used directly for drinking. It was also found that impacts could be reduced if consumers used bottled water for drinking instead of boiling tap water. Finally, it was demonstrated that even if drinking water cannot be supplied directly through the public network, a reliable public water supply at high pressure is environmentally advantageous. Sensitivity analyses revealed that the conclusions of this study are likely to be applicable to other cities with similar water supply systems.     

Contribution to the characterisation of eco-design projects

Lots of eco-designed projects were carried out successfully, and eco-designed products are now on the market. However, it is very difficult for designers and engineers to compare their design projects to those already done and consequently to reuse the knowledge gained. In a more general perspective, a method to take advantage of previous experiences in eco-design is needed. This paper is a contribution to develop a standard for eco-design practices and proposes a framework to characterise both eco-design projects and eco-tools. Forty case studies from the literature were exploited to extract criteria and options to define the framework. The proposed usage-oriented classification of eco-tools, associated with the practical analysis frame of the design projects, was implemented and finally robust enough to characterise 40 projects.     

生态设计:汽车工业可持续发展的新视角

随着世界汽车工业的飞速发展,汽车工业发展与环境保护之间矛盾日益凸现。从企业可持续发展论和生态设计定义谈起,提出了汽车工业生态设计的理念,并探讨了生态设计的内涵和战略,从汽车产品生态设计和汽车企业环境经营两个方面提出了实现汽车工业可持续发展的思路和建议,以期为更好地解决汽车工业与环境保护之间的矛盾提供借鉴。     

核电厂温排水余热综合利用方案设计的初步研究

核电厂温排水（循环冷却水）余热的充分利用,可以使原本要排放到大气或水域中的热量大大减少,甚至能实现电厂余热的＂零排放＂,在节约能源、产生巨大经济效益的同时,也达到了保护电厂温排水受纳水体免遭热污染的目的。在国内外温排水余热利用途径调研的基础上,运用生态工程理论和生态设计的理念,进行温排水余热综合利用方案设计的初步研究。     

Environmental impact of two electrical products with reference to the energy-using products directive

High energy consumption is one of the major factors that contributes to global warming. Connected to this, a directive has been approved by the European Union for establishing a legal framework to govern eco-design of energy-using products. This technical note reveals life cycle analysis of two electrical products, which rely on the same rechargeable battery system (i.e. the same energy source) for operations, with respect to the requirements of the aforementioned directive. Results concur with the argument that energy consumption of this sort of product plays a dominant role in terms of a variety of environmental impacts (like emission to air). Based on the results of this study, eco-design alternatives can be derived accordingly so that energy consumption and the existing solution can be benchmarked, as required by the directive.