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Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) represent a promising solution to mitigate carbon emissions by road transportation. However, life cycle assessment (LCA) studies on BEVs have demonstrated that batteries are responsible for around 30% of the vehicle's environmental impacts. Therefore, the integration of circular economy (CE) criteria in battery design and life cycle management is key to improve resource efficiency and environmental sustainability. Nevertheless, literature analysing the implementation of CE design criteria in BEVs´ battery development is scarce. Focusing on Li-ion batteries (LIB) for BEVs, this paper examines the potential for implementation of life cycle-based CE design criteria. Accordingly, a CE design assessment tool, including a list of 53 relevant design criteria gathered from the literature, industrial practice and EU legislation, with application to BEVs´ batteries, was shared with industrial stakeholders from the H2020 LIBERTY project (LC-BAT-10-2020 No. 963522) to receive feedback. The industrial stakeholders were asked to evaluate the potential implementation of each CE design criteria based on the relationship between importance and viability by providing scores from 0% to 94%.The results indicate that the most important CE design criteria are related to the manufacturing stage of LIBs, including innovations oriented to increase the performance and quality of the final product by anticipating to new legislation requirements, including resource and environmental aspects, for BEVs. On the other hand, design criteria related to the end of life (EOL) management of LIBs show low implementation potential due to low viability scores. The benefits of considering CE design criteria in LIB development are discussed as well as the potential trade-offs in order to support well-informed decision-making. This includes an analysis of the causes for the low score for some CE design criteria and the opportunities to improve their implementation potential to increase the resource efficiency and environmental performance of BEVs´ LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Design is preponderant in the world economy; it allows competition and enhances the development of innovations in the market. The expansion of product offerings provides options to satisfy the user's needs, which is an undeniable advance driven by design. However, this has led to a significant increase in the production of solid waste related to design, which generates environmental deterioration. Additionally, the supply of design products has been concentrated in the most economically favored sector, leaving out a large part of the world's population which are not met because they are not a market of interest for the productive industry in general. The content of this paper is the result of a collective debate from the authors, based on the analysis of documentary sources and their own experience as academics. Our objective is to encourage discussion for the creation of a common front oriented towards a design practice focused simultaneously on social development and environmental care; a design practice based on ethics and commitment to the environment and society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For many modern products, the use phase is intensive and poses a serious environmental impact because of the energy and resources consumed. This could be resolved by optimizing the product's environmental impact by improving the understanding of the users' relationship with it. In this work, we propose a model that can be used to include the use phase and the eco-oriented strategies in the environmental impact assessment of a product. This model takes into account the changing nature of the interactions between the user and the product over time. An indicator designated mitigation rate is introduced to help model this change. It acknowledges the loss in performance of eco-oriented strategies over time. This work presents the methodology to understand, model, and select among different eco-oriented strategies with different time frames. A case study is also presented, where four alternative models considering different eco-oriented strategies are shown and compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Packaging industry's raw material producers face continuous challenges of sustainable development. Besides raw material and energy consumption mitigation, essential functions of product protection must be maintained. Re-use and recycling of waste materials must be provided, which is required by the European Union directives as well. Multi-beverage carton recycling is even more difficult due to the use of various materials, due to their diverse properties and qualities. The introduced paper is part of a complex study, which aims to prove that utilizing dry-grinding technology and no additives, semi-finished products can be produced for the packaging industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even though the relevance of solid waste management goals for our societies becomes more and more acknowledged around the globe, one of the major challenges is to get the level of attention needed from those who are responsible for making the decisions. Waste management is one issue among others of the issues policy-makers do have to take care of, but many times other issues seem to have a higher priority. This prioritization often is also based on the aim of achieving short term effects and does not take into account infrastructural synergies that may be realized when tackling waste management issues as well as middle and long-term effects of addressing or neglecting waste management challenges, even though when basic waste management needs are addressed there are interfaces between the waste sector and the producing sectors that need to be handled in a reasonable way in order to allow for securing that pollutants and harmful substances are being concentrated in the waste management sphere and a portion of secondary materials as high as possible is being recycled. This paper shows examples of the challenges addressed and proposes how these could be handled in the future for the sake of the implementation of a circular economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, due to the growing importance of eco-design and tightening EU regulations entrepreneurs are required to implement activities related to environmental protection. It influences the development of methods and tools enabling the implementation of eco-design into practice, which are increasingly used by modern information technologies. They are based on intelligent solutions that allows them to better match the requirements of designers and allows for the automation of processes, and in some cases they are able to do the work themselves, replacing designers. Details are useful in areas that require calculations, comparisons and making choices, which is the process of eco-design. The paper describes methodology of pro-ecological product design oriented towards recycling, based on agent technology, enables the design of environmentally friendly products including recycling. The description of the methodology was preceded by a literature analysis on the characteristics of tools supporting eco-design and the process of its development was presented. The proposed methodology can be used at the design stage of devices to select the best product in terms of ecology. It is based on the original set of recycling indicators, used to evaluate the recycling of the product, ensure the ability to operate in a distributed design environment, and the use of data from various CAD systems, allows full automation of calculations and updates (without user participation). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the simultaneous design of product and its supply chain (SDPSC), the main criteria that is usually used to choose a product design is product cost since it is assumed that up to 70% of product cost is determined during the design phase. However, some researches recognise that product design decisions also affect the environmental impact of the product throughout its supply chain. Consequently, merging eco-design tools with the joint DPSC can develop a better understanding of the product and its environmental interactions to achieve green product development. In this paper, we present a literature review dealing with environmental principles' integration into the SDPSC, then we investigate tools for green product design selection using multi-criteria decision making (MCDM). We compare suitability of three selected MCDM methods, namely Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), Preference Ranking Organization Method for Enrichment Evaluations (PROMETHEE), and Multi-Attribute Value Theory (MAVT). Two case studies were selected from literature, and a sensitivity analysis is applied for each selected method. Results suggest that although all methods are convenient and can be used in practice, TOPSIS method was more stable towards weighting changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The service sector has the potential to play an instrumental role in the shift towards circular economy due to its strategic position between manufacturers and end-users. However, there is a paucity of supporting methodologies and real-life applications to demonstrate how service-oriented companies can implement circular economy principles in daily business practice. This paper addresses this gap by analysing the potential of service-oriented companies in the information and communication technology (ICT) sector to build and implement circular economy business models. To this end, the Backcasting and Eco-design for the Circular Economy (BECE) framework is applied in an ICT firm. BECE, previously developed and demonstrated for product-oriented applications, has been developed further here for applications in the service sector. By shifting the focus from a product-oriented approach to a user-centred eco-design, the paper shows how ICT firms can identify, evaluate and prioritise sustainable business model innovations for circular economy. The two most promising business model innovations are explored strategically with the aim of designing circular economy models consistent with the company's priorities of customer satisfaction and profitability. The findings suggest that ICT companies may be able to support the deployment of a circular economy in the service-oriented technology sector. Importantly, micro and small organisations can play a fundamental role if provided with macro-level support to overcome company-level barriers. Finally, the BECE framework is shown to be a valuable resource to explore, analyse and guide the implementation of circular economy opportunities in service-oriented organisations. Further research to verify the application of the findings to other service-oriented organisations is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing the ecological footprint of the machine tool is one of the great challenges in terms of the global sustainable development goals. Eco-design of the machine tool is now regarded as one of the effective methods to reduce the environmental pollution from the source. This paper proposes an ecological sensitivity analysis method enabling ranking of the alternative eco-design measures in a time efficient way regarding the life-cycle environmental impact to support eco-design decision making of machine tool. Based on the presented frameworks and procedures, the potential ecological improvement measures can be identified and the ecological improvement potentials of these measures with various options could be quantified. Realization of this method is analyzed by a case study of gear hobbing machine. The goal of this paper is expected to give a complementary support for decision-making on eco-design of the machine tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental managers attempt to increasingly incorporate precautionary principles into decision making. The literature lacks Machine Learning -based approaches for forewarning lifecycle environmental impacts. This paper proposes a method to support electric vehicle design. The main innovation of the work lays in merging Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Machine Learning foundations to provide support and awareness to designers. The present approach overcomes the present literature because it provides a method for the design phase, is based on a well-established methodology (LCA) and provides quantitative results from little inputs. The approach exploits machine Learning Methods to develop models with the design features of a generic electric vehicle (such as vehicle mass and distance traveled) in six phases (Problem definition; Data collection; Data Preparation; Modeling; Model evaluation; Model interpretation). Differently from existing environmental analyses, all stages of the product life cycle have been considered in building the database; moreover, the model provides quantitative results. Regression models and supervised algorithms were used. The obtained model can be used by product engineers, as well as those not experts on LCA. Moreover, the model guarantees the database and hypothesis's uniqueness, ensuring the results coherence and comparability. The level of accuracy obtained in the case study (error or 17%) is comparable with studies handling full environmental analysis (that should be more accurate), and outstanding, as the present case is for the design phase. Future works will focus on additional significative indicators, similar electric vehicle design and integration with prospective LCA approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Additive manufacturing is an innovative manufacturing process that enables rapid manufacturing of functional products and parts. On the other side, considering environmental aspects in design is beneficial as it leads to lower costs, improved product quality, new business opportunities. Thus, in order to foster the potential of AM in product innovation and product manufacturing in the light of environmental concerns, a new design method is necessary. This paper proposes a method in the context of Design with Additive Manufacturing, to take into account the specificities of this manufacturing process in a Design to Environment approach. The method is focused on the Early Design Stages (EDS) of the product development process, which are crucial not only for choices regarding the product characteristics but also for the environmental parameters that need to be taken into consideration. The implementation of the proposed method in creativity session of the EDS underlined the need for dedicated supports in terms of environmental decisions. More and specifically the need for providing tools to capitalize the decisions made focusing on each Life Cycle Stage of the product was identified as a requirement for this support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Power electronics plays a key role in the management and conversion of electrical energy in a variety of applications, including the use of renewable energy sources such as solar, wind and hydrogen energy, as well as in electric vehicles, industrial technologies, homes and smart grids. These technologies are essential for the successful implementation of the green transition, as they help reduce carbon emissions and promote the production and consumption of cleaner and more sustainable energy. The present work presents a new generation of power electronic devices and systems, which includes the following main aspects: advances in semiconductor technologies, such as the use of silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN); nanomaterials for the realization of magnetic components; using a modular principle to construct power electronic devices; applying artificial intelligence techniques to device lifecycle design; and the environmental aspects of design. The new materials allow the devices to operate at higher voltages, temperatures and frequencies, making them ideal for high-power applications and high-frequency operation. In addition, the development of integrated and modular power electronic systems that combine energy management, diagnostics and communication capabilities contributes to the more intelligent and efficient management of energy resources. This includes integration with the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) for automated task solving and work optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As cities strive to become sustainable, it is imperative to consider even the smallest components of the urban environment and prioritize sustainability. Ensuring the sustainability of urban furniture, especially the numerous benches found in cities, is crucial. This study proposes an alternative solution to the sustainability issue in cities regarding urban furniture. This is because a review of the literature indicates that while efforts have been made to evaluate the sustainability of urban amenities and furniture, studies conducting life cycle analysis specifically for urban furniture are lacking. This study will contribute to the identified gap in the literature by analyzing 14 different seating elements in recreational areas located in the city of Rize, Turkey, using the Ccalc program to calculate their carbon footprints. In the subsequent phase of this study, an eco-design process will be conducted based on the findings, aiming to create an eco-seating unit design. Based on the data obtained, materials with high environmental impact were identified, material replacement recommendations were made, and consequently, a model proposal was presented. The potential reduction in carbon footprints with the use of transformed materials was discussed. The findings revealed that carbon footprint values were particularly high in the seating units where concrete and polypropylene materials were used. Additionally, it was determined that solvent paint, especially varnish, affects the carbon footprint, and it was recommended that would be used in its natural form, which is eco-friendly. In conclusion, the recommendations developed for the sustainability of urban furniture in coastal areas will contribute to the future of cities and humanity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developed economies have become highly dependent on a range of technology metals with names such as neodymium and terbium. Stakeholders have warned of the impending scarcity of these critical materials. Difficulties in materials supply can affect the high-tech industries as well as the success of sustainable innovation strategies that are based on sophisticated technology. Industrial designers and engineers should therefore increase their awareness of the limits in availability of critical materials. In this paper, it is argued that materials’ criticality can give a fresh impetus to the higher education of industrial design engineers. It is important to train future professionals to apply a systems perspective to the process of technology innovation, enabling them to thrive under circumstances of constrained material choices. The conclusions outline ideas on how to weave the topic into existing educational programmes of future technology developers. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

For a growing number of firms, it is important that life-cycle assessments (LCAs) as well as the interpretation of the results obtained be carried out directly by the design teams. Unfortunately, the complexity of these two elements hinders the development of really eco-designed products. In this paper, we propose a generic approach allowing a company to develop a specific environmental assessment tool which enables designers to carry out simplified environmental assessments during the design process. To be more precise, the generic approach is based on the creation of two main features: impact functions to simplify the inherent complexity of LCAs and an environmental categorisation per product range to facilitate the use of environmental assessment results by the design team. This paper presents the development of such tool (named EcoT) in the context of automotive part suppliers and demonstrates its technical robustness on two case studies (dashboards and door panels). At the end of the paper, we discuss the usability and appropriability of the EcoT tool based on handling tests carried out by the company design team. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The aim of the article is to present the environmental effects of changes in material composition in selected internal combustion engines used in passenger cars using LCA analysis. The levels of energy consumption and emissions of pollutants related to material inputs occurring at the stage of engine production have been determined. The simplified LCA model presented in the paper shows the energy consumption and total CO2 and SO2 emissions on the basis of the mass of materials from which the engine is made. The research results presented in the paper give a picture of a modern passenger car engine on the basis of wear and the degree of recovery of materials used for its construction.

Background, aim, and scope Lightweight design is a common means of reducing a passenger car's fuel consumption. In order to calculate the resulting fuel savings, one has to estimate the total energy that is needed to move a certain weight over a defined distance in a distinct way, and express this energy in liter of gasoline or diesel. This can be accomplished by the so-called fuel reduction value (FRV) and based on a standardized driving cycle, e.g., the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC). The aim of this paper is to explain the theoretical background of the calculation of fuel savings in automotive lightweight life cycle assessments (LCAs) of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles in greater detail than it has been done before, to describe the resulting factors and their different applications, and to point out some notable particularities that need to be taken into account when conducting this type of LCA study. Materials and methods The first part of the paper explains the theoretical background of the FRV based on physical correlations and simulations. Based on these findings, its application in the context of automotive LCAs is described. The respective characteristics and preconditions are explained in detail. Results It is shown that for LCAs that deal with automotive parts or assemblies, it is not permissible to multiply their respective net weight by the FRV under the assumption that the vehicle's performance remains unchanged. However, the consideration of secondary lightweight effects concerning engine displacement or gear ratio is only possible under this assumption. This entails a significantly higher FRV, but in turn only allows for the calculation of the net fuel reduction, which is zero for the reference part and carries a negative sign for all lightweight design options. In practice, both FRV (0.12 and 0.28 l/ (100 km*100 kg) for diesel vehicles resp. 0.15 and 0.35 l/ (100 km*100 kg) for gasoline vehicles) are equally likely in case that no comprehensive information is available about whether a weight-induced power train adaptation will take place or not. This approach stresses the decision makers' responsibility to ensure such measures. Discussion It appears to be indicated from a scientific point of view to include power train adaptations in automotive lightweight LCA studies in order to preserve functional equality in terms of the vehicle's driving performance. Yet, in practice this adaptation will most likely not take place if the weight difference is rather small. If there is no reliable information available that a weight-induced power train adaptation is guaranteed to take place, then a scenario without power train adaptation should be presented to the decision makers as well in form of an equally probable best and worst case. Conclusions It has been shown that the fuel consumption in order to move a mass of 100 kg over 100 km can be obtained based on the NEDC driving cycle and the differential efficiency of gasoline and diesel engines. If possible secondary measures are taken into account (gear ratio and engine displacement) the resulting values can be augmented significantly. It has also been shown that it is advisable to utilize mass differences rather than mass ratios when calculating the lightweight effect on fuel consumption during the use stage. This implies that the resulting fuel saving of a lightweight component compared to the reference component carries a negative sign, while a lightweight vehicle's fuel consumption is positive. Recommendations and perspectives It is strongly recommended to follow the proposed calculation procedure in future automotive lightweight studies. The authors further recommend the use of both FRV (with and without secondary measures) and the appropriate and explicit communication of the resulting implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the relatively new discipline of design education we have the opportunity to frame the way that design education is formulated. The relative lack of theorists in the field of design education studies leaves unquestioned the relevance of conventional practices of design education that are premised on only tangentially relevant Art, Science and Information Technology models. There is a gap in design education development regarding how to mediate ecological concerns with techno-scientific imperatives. Environmental education researchers can influence this new field by challenging existing approaches to design education with particular attention to the ways design either contributes to or hinders the development of a sustainable society. In order to enter this discussion with environmental education researchers we identify three ecological issues faced by designers and design educators, here we pay particular attention to Industrial Design. The question for this paper is, can environmental education researchers offer advice to the design education area that may help us develop ecologically sustainable design-based programs. The newness of ecological concerns in the design research and design education areas means that we have a great deal to learn. If environmental education researchers are able to assist us with our reflections on designing curricula that in turn encourages a more ecologically aware design profession then this would be a worthwhile contribution to design practice in Australia, and indeed the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of government policies on the selection of recycling channels has been widely discussed, but there are few studies from the perspective of product Eco-design. This paper examines the recycling channel options for a manufacturer applying Eco-design under government environmental regulation. We consider a system that includes a retailer, a manufacturer, and a government, and develop a three-stage Stackelberg game model. The government firstly decides whether to impose environmental regulations. Next, the manufacturer decides whether to recycle by himself or delegate the recycling task to the retailer, deciding both the wholesale price of the product and the collected price (recycled by the manufacturer) or the recycling compensation to the retailer (recycled by the retailer), and the retailer decides the retail price of new products and the collection price (recycled by the retailer). Our study finds that for the regulator, the optimal policy is not to implement environmental regulation because the manufacturer has implemented the product Eco-design. For the manufacturer, the choice of recycling channel depends on the recycling cost of the manufacturer and the retailer. When the manufacturer's recycling cost is below a certain threshold, he will prefer to recycle the waste products by himself, and when the cost increases beyond this threshold, the manufacturer will transfer the recycling task to the retailer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work deals with a multi-objective optimisation approach to incorporate up-to-date financial models in the multidisciplinary conceptual design of a commercial aircraft. Design optimisations based on financial objective functions are compared to standard performance-based optimal solutions. The main novelty is in the extension of the financial models to the long-term investments of a wider group of stakeholders. The rationale underlying this research stems from two considerations: (i) the environmentally sustainable development of the air transportation system in the next 20 years is subordinate to breakthrough technologies, since the consolidated ones have reached their saturation point; (ii) the economic impacts of highly innovative concepts on the stakeholders chain is still uncertain. The problem is addressed at the conceptual design level and the analysis is performed within a comprehensive multidisciplinary framework, adopting all the technical constraints required in aeronautical design. The Pareto fronts obtained using performance and financial merit factors, reveal that the proposed financial model yields highly efficient, technically sound concepts. The design space point corresponding to the negative cash flows minimum turned out to be very close to the one corresponding to minimum acoustic emissions, confirming that the financial model drives the optimiser towards environment-friendly designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discussion on the new strategies related to the sustainable product development process has required a new perception of strategies in the design process. In this context, this paper proposes a method for integrated product development process oriented to sustainability. The method presents a logical sequence to promote the interaction between the definitions of product category, and the selection of design for environmental strategies for the product design. The proposed method consists of three steps: (i) definition of product category and phases most impacted by the strategies; (ii) definition of design for environment strategies for the product; and (iii) definition of recommendations for design. Its logical sequence promotes the interaction between the involved areas and its adoption does not depend on the integrated product development process model selected and does not generate any additional costs. Four case studies were developed to evaluate the method and the results showed that it is a comprehensive and practicable method that promotes significant reduction on resources and energy consumption in the product manufacturing processes. The method has great potential to support decision-making in the design process of a sustainable product since it guides the design towards the development of more efficient products and anticipates the visualization of critical points and the improvements that need to be addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eco-design practices are still incipient in Brazilian furniture industries, although some improvement can be identified in recent years. This paper describes the performance of an industrial furniture cluster located in Southern Brazil regarding such practices. An embedded case study involving four companies - two manufacturers and two suppliers - was carried out using in-depth interviews. It enabled to depict particularities of how these companies deal with sustainable aspects of design in their respective business. Critical issues identified as obstacles for eco-design implementation in these industries were: control of both, productive process and product durability; product distribution; rational use of space for transportation and storage. Minor difficulties were identified regarding the lack of renewable energy sources and the scarcity of knowledge dissemination. Such hurdles could provide opportunities and support future eco-design strategy implementation, improving the competitiveness and contributing for the eco-efficiency of the Brazilian furniture industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circular economy ambitions demand considering lifecycle of products within product development. From the perspective of the circular economy, environmental considerations should, for example, increasingly entail product's use phase not only to increase product's energy-efficiency, but also to prolong the time in use. This paper investigates how these considerations are addressed within information and communications technology (ICT) sector. Drawing from previous research in constructing the hypotheses, it is examined how companies report about their quantitative environmental targets for products, and what topical areas are in focus for their environmentally conscious practices related to products' reuse. Then, relationships with these published quantitative targets and environmental performance are assessed. Content analysis method is used to derive data from 43 sustainability reports. Our results suggest that being mature enough to publish quantitative environmental targets for products is positively associated with lifecycle thinking, considering the durability of products, and remanufacture. This exploratory study reveals among others, that although published, quantitative environmental targets for products are not yet dominantly present; they are positively associated with environmental performance measures. This includes capability to report quantitatively on flows of reclaimed products, and positions in external ranking. But, we also highlight the need for more discussion around reuse alternatives that are not commonly published among companies in this sample. The paper concludes by discussing the applicability of this research method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological, green- or sustainable architecture describes environmentally conscious design techniques within a larger discourse of sustainability. It seeks to minimize the negative environmental impact of buildings by enhancing efficiency, local and sustainable materials, and develop opportunities for improvements within buildings structure. The aim of the present paper is to understand how to encourage more affordable ecohousing by learning from examples at home and overseas. The aim of the research were to identify successful examples of low cost eco-housing across a variety of different environments and contexts, understand how such developments have overcome the problems they faced (such as planning, local resistance, finance, or using nonconventional materials), and identify common successful strategies in creating affordable eco-homes which could be adopted even in Romania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Power Electronics (PE) is pivotal in fostering renewable energy. However, focusing on usage efficiency shifts environmental impacts across its life cycle, leading to excessive resource extraction and waste accumulation. Integrating environmental impact indicators in PE development is crucial for informed design decisions. Nevertheless, the current literature lacks the provision of adequate understanding of the PE product development process for successful ecodesign in PE industry. To effectively tackle the industrial integration aspect of ecodesign that enable functional and system innovation, this study employs empirical research, combining literature analysis with in-depth interviews with PE designers. Requirements for an ecodesign support to integrate ecodesign practices into the Product Development Process (PDP) of PCB-based Power Electronic Components (PECs) is proposed in this paper based on the interview results. These specifications are delineating the necessary working and decision-making steps. Subsequently, a parameterized Functional Block-based Life Cycle Analysis (FB-LCA) model is proposed under the requirement. A five-step methodology is proposed to operationalise the implementation of the FB-LCA model, aiming to supporting the definition of functional structure, configuration of technical solutions and choice of hardware components by considering environmental impacts generated all along life cycle, from manufacturing, transport, use, circularity scenario, end-of-life .The case study of a PCB-based boost converter design is conducted in collaboration with a PE engineer to test the practical implementation of FB-LCA model.

In the context of large museum centers, numerous national and international methodological experiments show the need to consider, in wayfinding design, both the intangible issues of experience arising from perception and involvement (user-centered design), and social and environmental issues (environment-centered design). The aim of this research is to propose a tool for organizing integrated information on so-called smart materials that takes both perspectives into account. This study was performed by conducting a two-phase systematic literature and library review of materials. Specifically, 63 scientific articles—selected by keywords, publication date and content—and 7 national and international material libraries were investigated. The investigation highlighted how the sensory characteristics of wayfinding materials in museums are treated separately from the environmental characteristics and how the quality of the technical information of the materials filed in the material libraries could be improved. The result of the research concerns the structuring of a 'standard sheet' for the cataloguing of materials that integrates technical (sensory and environmental) information while also offering a contextualization of the material within wayfinding application cases in known museums. The proposed tool facilitates designers in the selection of materials to be adopted in the wayfinding project, offering information both on their ability to offer alternative communication channels in response to different users' sense–perceptual functioning and on their quantitative environmental impact properties. This study conducted through the integration of different multidisciplinary fields (technological approach to design, inclusive design, environmental psychology, material science, visual communication, environmental protection related to people's well-being) offers a significant contribution in the context of museum wayfinding design, providing stakeholders with practical tools to select materials that promote inclusion and sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The consideration of environmental factors is common in current product design. For the purpose of the assessment of recycling properties of a product, quantitative measures have been defined in the literature. The main obstacle in using these measures in practical design is lack of data in typical product models. In this article, a Recycling Product Model (RPM) is presented. The RPM enables calculations of quantitative assessment measures defined in the literature directly from a CAD 3D product model. The term RPM and elements of the RPM are described. The functionality of the software dedicated for the RPM is presented. The use of the RPM is demonstrated based on a case study of an actual CAD 3D product model. The article concludes by outlining the potential use of the RPM for other purposes; the limitations of the RPM are elucidated in the conclusions of the article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Driven by growing environmental concerns and regulations, cosmetic companies are seeking reliable methods to promptly assess the possibility of replacing high-impact ingredients with sustainable alternatives. In this work, we exploited rheological and texture analyses to evaluate the possibility of using natural and biodegradable raw materials for reformulating three commercial oil-in-water skin care emulsions from an eco-design perspective. Synthetic texturizers, like nylon-12 and PMMA, were replaced with starch, maltodextrin, and silica, while acrylic rheological modifiers were substituted with polysaccharide associations of sclerotium gum, xanthan gum, diutan gum, and carrageenan. Plant-based emollients and a biodegradable elastomer were used as alternatives to silicone oils. The flow and viscoelastic properties of the samples were characterized using rheological tests under continuous and oscillatory flow conditions. The immersion/de-immersion texture analysis allowed us to measure the mechanical properties of firmness, adhesiveness, and stringiness. A double-blind sensory test assessed the products' application and sensory characteristics. The results revealed that rheology and texture analysis are complementary and correlated techniques, useful for predicting cosmetics' sensory characteristics. While perfect replication of the original formulas might not be achievable, this protocol can aid formulators in selecting new eco-friendly ingredients ensuring the products' desired application and sensory properties without compromising consumer experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving product sustainability is becoming an increasingly significant challenge for modern enterprises. A growing number of manufacturers are interested in enhancing product sustainability throughout the product life cycle. This study is concerned with using case-based reasoning to identify ways of improving product sustainability and select variables for model specification. Parametric models are applied to search for opportunities to improve product sustainability. This can be achieved through changes introduced at the product design stage. Simulations are performed using constraint-satisfaction modeling to identify conditions for achieving the sustainability targets of new products. Constraint-satisfaction modeling provides a suitable framework for finding all possible sustainability-enhancing changes (if any) during the new product development process. These changes may support R&D specialists in identifying opportunities to improve the sustainability of new products. We demonstrate the usefulness of the proposed approach with an example in which our method enabled a reduction in the product failure rate and an increase of battery lifespan for a robot vacuum cleaner line. We analyzed several factors affecting two targets of product sustainability: minimizing the product failure rate and maximizing battery lifespan. Our findings indicate that R&D staff size is the biggest factor in reducing the product failure rate, and that battery capacity is the most significant factor in battery lifespan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines a series of art and design installations in the public realm that aim to raise awareness or activate change regarding pressing ecological issues. Such works tend to place environmental responsibility on the shoulders of the individual citizen, aiming to educate but also to implicate them in the age of the Anthropocene. How and what these works aim to accomplish, are key to a better understanding the means of knowledge transfer and potential agents of change in the Anthropocene. We study three cases in this paper. These are examined through: (1) their potential to raise awareness or activate behavior change; (2) how well they are capable of making the catastrophic situations, which are invisible to most people, visible; and (3) how well they enable systemic change in the catastrophic situations. In the three cases studied, we find that they are successful in helping to raise awareness and even change individual behavior, they are successful in rendering the invisible visible, but they are incapable of engendering any systemic change of the catastrophic situations depicted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a new wind turbine design which can be implemented for home, office and public buildings. Also, this article presents specific steps taken by the designer to develop the product. A honeycomb design has been implemented for modularity reasons. Certain measures have been taken to ensure the quality of the design including, but not limited to: an emphasis on design principles, product development and shapes described by and found in nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Design for Environment (DfE) and Design for Disassembly (DfD) have been recognized as an effective sustainable manufacturing approach to reduce environmental impact during product's life cycle. Although Malaysian manufacturers have long demonstrated a strong global market presence, the implementation of DfE and DfD among manufacturers are found lacking. This paper attempts to investigate the current state DfE and DfD implementation and the local driving force in the local Malaysian industry by addressing four research questions (RQ): RQ1 – How do Malaysian designers value the importance of DfE? RQ2 – What are the current approaches used by designers to incorporate environmental issues during product development stage? RQ3 – What difficulties are experienced in the implementation of DfE and DfD in the product development stage? RQ4 – What are the approaches needed to enhance the engagement of DfE and DfD into product design practices? Targeting product designers in Malaysia, a multiple approach using survey and interview is conducted shown that the current state of implementation and awareness within the local industry is fairly low. The soft approach of the local legislation does not contribute much towards seeing a major change in attitude as will be discussed further in the paper. The above two concerns are major challenges that require immediate attention. However, there seems to be growing concern from the industry and the government that pushes the need for options that could leapfrog the current situation. This presents an opportunity for the local research community to come up with various strategies that will be discussed. Finally, the paper proposes a more comprehensive strategy that is tailored to the local business environment in order for the local industry to be capable of maintaining its market presence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diffusion of the culture of sustainability and circular economy increasingly pushes companies to adopt green strategies and integrate circular business models in the corporate agenda. It assumes higher relevance in the packaging industry because of the growing plastics demand, the increasing awareness of consumers on single-use-products, the low recyclability performance and last but not least, the challenge of urban littering and microplastics dispersion in marine ecosystem. This paper presents the case of a small-medium enterprise that implemented a decision-making process to rethink the design of frozen food packaging in accordance with systemic and life cycle thinking. Eco-design and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) have been simultaneously used to test and validate the redesign process, thus fostering the substitution of the plastic "open and close" cap with a closing method entirely made of cardboard. Results shows how using an integrated decision-making system at the design stage have allowed to get up many benefits at multiple levels, including sustainable and safe supply chain, efficient logistic operations, better recyclability, and lower energy consumption. Moreover, even if it cannot be assessed by the existing tools, the solution provides a strong contribution to the reduction in the consumption of plastics and the prevention of marine pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]