Ecodesign Is An Approach To Designing Products With Special Consideration For The Environmental

Ecodesign is an approach to designing products with special consideration for the environmental
impacts of the product during its whole lifecycle. In a life cycle assessment, the life cycle of a
product is usually divided into procurement, manufacture, use, and disposal.
Ecodesign is a growing responsibility and understanding of our ecological footprint on the planet.
Green awareness, overpopulation, industrialization and an increased environmental population
have led to the questioning of consumer values. It is imperative to search for new building
solutions that are environmentally friendly and lead to a reduction in the consumption of
materials and energy.
Overview[edit]
Stainless steel table with FSCTeca wood - Brazil ecodesign
As the whole product's life cycle should be regarded in an integrated perspective,

representatives from advance development, design, production, marketing, purchasing, and
project management should work together on the Ecodesign of a further developed or new
product. Together, they have the best chance to predict the holistic effects of changes of the
product and their environmental impact.
An eco-design product has a cradle-to-cradle life cycle ensuring zero waste is created in the
whole process. By mimicking life cycles in nature, eco-design is a fundamental concept in
achieving a truly circular economy.
Environmental aspects which ought to be analysed for every stage of the life cycle are:
Consumption of resources (energy, materials, water or land area)

Emissions to air, water, and the ground (our Earth) as being relevant for the
environment and human health
Miscellaneous (e.g. noise and vibration)
Waste (hazardous waste and other waste defined in environmental legislation) is only an
intermediate step and the final emissions to the environment (e.g. methane and leaching from
landfills) are inventoried. All consumables, materials and parts used in the life cycle phases are
accounted for, and all indirect environmental aspects linked to their production.
The environmental aspects of the phases of the life cycle are evaluated according to their
environmental impact on the basis of a number of parameters, such as extent of environmental
impact, potential for improvement, or potential of change.
According to this ranking the recommended changes are carried out and reviewed after a certain
time.
Environmental effect analysis[edit]
An electric wire reel reused as a center table in a Rio de Janeiro decoration fair. The reuse of materials is a
sustainable practice that is rapidly growing among designers in Brazil.
One instrument to identify the factors that are important for the reduction of the environmental
impact during all lifecycle stages is the environmental effect analysis (EEA).
For an EEA the following are taken into account:
Customers' wishes
Legal requirements, market requirements (competitors)
Data concerning the product and the manufacturing process
Applications in design[edit]
Ecodesign concepts currently have a great influence on many aspects of design; the impact
of global warming and an increase in CO emissions have led companies to consider a more
environmentally conscious approach to their design thinking and process. In building design and
construction, designers are taking on the concept of Ecodesign throughout the design process,
from the choice of materials to the type of energy that is being consumed and the disposal of
waste.
With respect to these concepts, online platforms dealing in only Ecodesign products are
emerging, with the additional sustainable purpose of eliminating all unnecessary distribution
steps between the designer and the final customer.[1]
EcoMaterials, such as the use of local raw materials, are less costly and reduce the
environmental costs of shipping, fuel consumption, and CO emissions generated from
transportation. Certified green building materials, such as wood from sustainably managed forest
plantations, with accreditations from companies such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), or
the Pan-European Forest Certification Council (PEFCC), can be used.
Several other types of components and materials can be used in sustainable buildings. Recyclable
and recycled materials are commonly used in construction, but it is important that they dont
generate any waste during manufacture or after their life cycle ends. Reclaimed materials such
as timber at a construction site or junkyard can be given a second life by reusing them as support
beams in a new building or as furniture. Stones from an excavation can be used in a retaining
wall. The reuse of these items means that less energy is consumed in making new products and a
new natural aesthetic quality is achieved.
Water recycling systems such as rainwater tanks that harvest water for multiple purposes.
Reusing grey water generated by households are a useful way of not wasting drinking water.
Off-grid homes only use clean electric power. They are completely separated and disconnected
from the conventional electricity grid and receive their power supply by harnessing active or
passive energy systems.
Active system[edit]
These systems use the principle of harnessing the power generated from renewable and
inexhaustible sources of energy, for example; solar, wind, thermal, biomass, and geothermal
energy.
Solar power is a widely known and used renewable energy source. An increase in technology has
allowed solar power to be used in a wide variety of applications. Two types of solar panels
generate heat into electricity. Thermal solar panels reduce or eliminate the consumption of gas
and diesel, and reduce CO emissions. Photovoltaic panels convert solar radiation into an electric
current which can power any appliance. However, this is a more complex technology and is
generally more expensive to manufacture than thermal panels.
Biomass is the energy source created from organic materials generated through a forced or
spontaneous biological process.
Geothermal energy is obtained by harnessing heat from the ground. This type of energy can be
used to heat and cool homes. It eliminates dependence on external energy and generates
minimum waste. It is also hidden from view as it is placed underground, making it more
aesthetically pleasing and easier to incorporate in a design.
Wind turbines are a useful application for areas without immediate conventional power sources,
e.g., rural areas with schools and hospitals that need more power. Wind turbines can provide up
to 30% of the energy consumed by a household but they are subject to regulations and technical
specifications, such as the maximum distance at which the facility is located from the place of
consumption and the power required and permitted for each property.
Passive systems[edit]
Buildings that integrate passive energy systems (bioclimatic buildings) are heated using
non-mechanical methods, thereby optimizing natural resources. The use of optimal daylight
plays an integral role in passive energy systems. This involves the positioning and location of a
building to allow and make use of sunlight throughout the whole year. By using the sun's rays,
thermal mass is stored into the building materials such as concrete and can generate enough
heat for a room.
A green roof is a roof partially or completely covered with plants or other vegetation. This
creates insulation that helps regulate the building's temperature. It also retains water, providing
a water recycling system. It also provides soundproofing.
In art and decorating[edit]

Recycling has been used in art since the early part of the 20th century, when cubist artist Pablo
Picasso (18811973) and Georges Braque (18821963) created collages from newsprints,
packaging and other found materials. The "Outside Art" movement is recognized as a genuine
expressive art form, and is celebrated because of the materials used and not in spite of them.
The same principle can be used inside the home, where found objects are now displayed with
pride and collecting certain objects and materials to furnish a home is now admired rather than
looked down upon.
There is a huge demand in Western countries to decorate homes in a "green" style. A lot of effort
is placed into recycled product design and the creation of a natural look. This ideal is also a part
of developing countries, although their use of recycled and natural products is often based in
necessity and wanting to get maximum use out of materials.

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Ecodesign is an approach to designing products with special consideration for the environmental

Stainless steel table with FSCTeca wood - Brazil ecodesign

As the whole product's life cycle should be regarded in an integrated perspective,

Consumption of resources (energy, materials, water or land area)

In art and decorating[edit]

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