Integration of environmental aspects in product development: a stepwise procedure based on quantitative life cycle assessment

Significant environmental improvements can often be achieved by integrating environmental properties as an optimisation parameter in product development together with more traditional values such as production costs, functionality, aesthetics etc. This paper presents a professional method intended for managers based on quantitative life cycle assessment to identify environmental ‘hot spots’ in a reference product's life cycle and to select new environmentally optimised solutions for a new product. The paper takes its starting point in traditional procedures for product development (idea, analysis, goal definition, concept development and detail development) and shows step by step how the environmental properties of the new product can be optimised and thus contribute to the overall competitiveness of the new product.     

The relationship between environmental analyses and the dialogue process in product development

Eco-design tools ought to be made more useful, so that they become effectively used in companies to support improvements of product systems. This article discusses the interconnections between environmental analysis and integrative cooperation in the product development processes. The study focuses on two different assessment tools, life cycle assessment (LCA) and environmental effect analysis (EEA), in three different combined uses. The discussion of the Eco-design methods focuses on integration in product development processes considering the relation to a product competitiveness perspective. The interviews indicate that the interconnection of methods is important as a key to real transformation of design practices.     

Functional and systems aspects of the sustainable product and service development approach for industry

The Sustainable Product and/or Service Development (SPSD) approach is a pragmatic industry support encompassing a range of strategies aimed at maximising environmental and social performance in all types of “offerings” whether they are “products”, “services” or Product Service Systems (PSS). Implementation of the approach was tested in industry and conclusions reached on the effectiveness of the strategies included in terms of developing an offering with improved sustainability performance as well as practical use as an industry approach. Two strategies incorporated are functional and systems thinking, as these are seen as key for increasing the environmental benefits of offerings. This paper summarises the SPSD approach, general industry testing results, describes how and why functional and systems strategies are incorporated in it and industry testing results relating to their use. This provides valuable information on how functional and systems related considerations can be practically and effectively included in sustainable offering development.     

基层环境监测站环境质量评价的现状分析与对策

对基层环境监测站的环境质量评价现状进行了分析,并对存在的问题提出了建议和对策。     

Assessment of environmental aspects and determination of environmental targets within environmental management systems (EMS) – development of a procedure for Volkswagen

Since the revision of EMAS (EMAS II), a central role within this EU-regulated environmental management system has been assigned to the assessment of significant environmental aspects as the basis for identification of an organisation's environmental targets. However, EMAS only provides some general guidelines on the assessment of environmental aspects. To comply with the requirements of EMAS II, Volkswagen AG initiated the development of a comprehensive systematic approach which is now to be applied throughout Volkswagen's production sites. This article describes the elements of this approach. A methodological section discusses issues concerning the scientific assessment of environmental aspects, taking into account reproducibility, scientific acceptance and geographical representativeness of existing methods as well as time consumption and understandability for decision-makers. In addition, practical procedures to define environmental targets were worked out during two audits of Volkswagen's production sites, focusing on collaborative workshops with environmental experts, process experts and decision-makers to identify production-integrated improvements and enhance environmental sensitivity throughout the company.     

Organising for environmental considerations in complex product development projects: implications from introducing a “Green” sub-project

This paper presents findings from a case study of a product development project in which environmental performance requirements were introduced. Focus is set on how the project was organised in order to ensure that the environmental performance requirements were considered. A specific “Green” sub-project was included in the project organisation. The analysis shows that such a sub-project can: (1) serve as a means to put environmental considerations on the agenda, (2) introduce a risk for confusion regarding who is responsible for fulfilling the environmental performance requirements, (3) act as an arena for communication about the environmental performance requirements, (4) serve as a platform for environmental champions to be active, and (5) serve as a means for environmental specialists to become part of established contact networks in the product development organisation.     

Integrating the environmental and sustainable development agendas into minerals education

Changing public perceptions of the environmental acceptability of mining and minerals processing facilities have changed the industry and mining schools have started to respond by adding environmental content to their minerals curricula. Proactive and preventive environmental strategies, including Cleaner Production and sustainable development, are preferred but mining and minerals processing companies and mining schools generally have limited know-how in those areas. Vice versa, Cleaner Production specialists generally have limited experience in the mining and minerals processing sectors, and should endeavour to employ their expertise and know-how to address the environmental and sustainable development challenges in those sectors. The critical task for mining schools is to educate environmentally literate graduates who are able to recognise potentially adverse impacts of mining and minerals processing on the environment and to contribute from a sound background in geology, mining or metallurgy, to the characterisation, minimisation and management of these environmental impacts. This paper focuses on integrating the environmental and sustainable development agendas in minerals tertiary education. It highlights trends in employers' recruitment criteria and in minerals curricula, and argues in favour of strengthening the environmental component of minerals curricula. The paper provides a framework for integrating the environmental and sustainable development agendas in minerals tertiary curricula. Integration of environmental aspects into core disciplinary courses, by means such as environmental examples, cases and problem-solving tasks, is critical to make environmental literacy programmes successful.     

Development of environmental performance indicators for textile process and product

The increasing demand for environmental performance evaluation of industry requires development of sector-specific environmental performance indicators (EPIs). For the consumer product manufacturing industry, in this case the textile industry, the need to evaluate environmental performance both from process and product life cycle perspectives leads to development of EPIs of process and product dimensions. Such types of EPIs have been developed, with best achievable values being identified, by this study for cotton woven products and wet processing. An in-depth discussion has been presented concerning problems in developing and applying EPIs, while areas for further research are also recommended.     

The feasibility of including sustainability in LCA for product development

The feasibility of combining the concept of sustainability principles and the methodology of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is examined. The goal is to achieve an operational tool that incorporates sustainability in product development and strategic planning. While the method outlined has the structure of LCA, it emphasises aspects and parameters often omitted from traditional LCA. The analysis and results can be either qualitative or semi-quantitative. Although a qualitative analysis is less time consuming, it can still highlight the important issues. Qualitative information, which is easily lost in a quantitative analysis, can be emphasised. One of the conclusions is that the method is well suited for screening analysis.     

环境监测与环境监测技术的发展

环境监测是环境保护的基础,环境监测为环保工作提供了科学依据和技术支持,环境监测技术使人们能够更为及时、有效地监测、判断环境状况,进而探究环境保护的方法和途径,明确环保工作的方向和目标,制定科学、正确的环保制度和政策。在环境问题日益严重的现代社会,环境监测技术已经成为一项不可或缺的现代科学技术。本文首先分析了环境监测的涵义和发展过程,然后分析了环境监测技术的发展概况以及未来发展趋势。     

Systemic thinking in environmental management: support for sustainable development

Our society has been undergoing a transition process from a mechanicist to a systemic or ecological paradigm. Within the environmental context, this transition represents an issue of survival for man and for the biosphere itself, which is being constantly assaulted by man's productive activities and as a result of this has been suffering great physical changes.The currently adopted development model is highly consumerist and predatory. A systemic vision of the world and its application in the process of environmental management is essential to transcend our present day development model and to reach a fair and ecologically correct social model or, in other words, sustainable development (SD).     

Sino British cooperation for urban environmental enhancement and sustainable development

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Handling trade-offs in Ecodesign tools for sustainable product development and procurement

Trade-off situations often occur in the product development and procurement processes when alternative solutions emphasize different aspects that have to be balanced against each other. Ecodesign tools can be used in both product development and purchasing, for example to prescribe design alternatives, assess environmental impacts or to compare environmental improvement alternatives. However, it is not always clear what should be chosen in trade-off situations. In this study, 15 different Ecodesign tools were analyzed to ascertain whether a valuation is included in the tools, in what way the tools give support in different types of trade-off situations and whether the tools provide support from a sustainability perspective.Nine of the 15 tools analyzed included a valuation and were able to provide support in a trade-off situation, but the support was not sufficient. The valuation should include a life cycle perspective and a framework for sustainability. Otherwise, it can lead to strategically incorrect decisions from a sustainability perspective with concomitant risks of sub-optimized investment paths and blind alleys. However, all the analyzed tools can be complemented with other tools and methods based on strategic planning towards sustainability in order to include a framework for sustainability.     

The diffusion of environmental management in Greece through rationalist approaches: driver or product of globalisation?

Globalisation trends in economy and governance have resulted in a change in policy instruments towards harmonised initiatives, which are considered to a great extent pivotal for countries to engage with. ISO14001 is seen as constitutive of these wider concepts and is the focus here in explaining their diffusion in national contexts.This article questions the extent to where the adoption of ISO14001 in Greece is motivated by environmental sustainability or processes of economic globalisation. It indicates that in order to facilitate progress towards sustainability through environmental management, proper institutional arrangements and a legal framework must be established and executed by the government and society at large.     

China''s environmental scientific research and technology development: review and envisage

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环境规划参与“多规合一”多种模式的思考与建议

基于对环境规划参与"多规合一"不同模式的归纳总结与评价,提出环境规划深入参与"多规合一"的模式建议。研究表明:环境规划"点状式"参与,是环境规划参与"多规合一"的主要问题。"多规合一"需理顺各规划的职责与定位,环境规划应系统确立环境保护的底线,多方位参与"多规合一"进程。     

A new teaching tool in education for sustainable development: ontology-based knowledge networks for environmental training

This paper presents a prototype model for the design and development of environmental training materials, where both the multimedia objects used in training scenarios and the knowledge built into them are captured and fully reusable. Knowledge found in the logic, the structure and the ways of use of environmental literacy is represented as a knowledge network (a collection of educational scenarios), based on an ontology. A prototype environmental pollution ontology and three self-contained sample educational scenarios have been developed. The training approach helps students to understand the contemporary global environmental issues, how they are linked and interrelated and to consider the differing views of these issues, before reaching a decision or judgment.     

The V-Cycle for system innovation translating a broad societal need into concrete product service solutions: the multifunctional centre Apeldoorn case

In this paper a system innovation project is presented in which a sustainable future vision with a long-term perspective was developed and translated into short-term commercial innovation opportunities, which in turn can benefit the longer-term vision of society.The case described is a three-year innovation project, in which TNO worked together with a local care organisation De Woonmensen, and a SME company My Bodyguard BV. Starting with the challenges related to the aging society, future visions were developed that focussed upon the need of elderly people to continue living independently for a longer time, instead of moving to an expensive in-house care facility. During the process, the long-term vision was translated into short-term innovation concepts or solution elements on the individual user level, which focussed on the problem of elderly patients wandering off and getting lost. On the micro technological level, this resulted in the development of a personal localization system to enable caregivers to know where a certain patient is, based on a combination of GPS and GSM technology, the ‘Guide Me’ system.The four challenges addressed in this analysis focus on the relation between the broad future vision and the separate solution elements, the detailed design of the solution elements, the distinction between the design, implementation and evaluation of the elements, and the changing role of actors during the system innovation process. To deal with these issues, the V-Cycle of system innovations model was introduced that distinguishes between the various complexity or abstraction levels of the system in combination with the time perspective needed for change. Introducing this model proved to be helpful to clarify the four issues mentioned and was found to be a useful tool to evaluate system innovation projects after they were implemented, as well as supporting the projects before and during their implementation.     

经济开发区不确定性环境规划方法与应用研究

经济开发区是一种具有很强不确定性的系统，对它的环境规划一直是规划界面临的难题，针对原有方法的缺陷，以经济开发区环境经济系统的集合性、多目标性、动态性和不确定性为出发点，提出了适用于经济开发区的环境经济系统规划方法框架，构造了不确定性多目标混合整数规划（IMOMIP）模型，开发了相应的模型算法，而后应用提出的模型方法对海沧投资区进行了环境规划研究。     

Identification of environmental aspects in an EMS context: a methodological framework for the Swedish National Rail Administration

Environmental aspects are basic elements in an Environmental Management System (EMS). The identification of environmental aspects is, however, recognized as one of the most complicated parts in establishing an EMS and has been subject to criticism concerning, e.g., lack of transparency and reproducibility. This paper evaluates the Swedish National Rail Administration's (Banverket) current practice for the identification of environmental aspects. A better link between activity, aspect and impact is needed. A more stringent identification procedure would improve Banverket's environmental management. The paper proposes a structured framework for the identification of environmental aspects at Banverket.