Eco-Design: Aligning Sustainability & Innovation in Product Development

An eco-design approach is part of the broader notion of sustainable design. Eco-design considers the environmental impact of a product, a service or a process during its entire lifecycle. We usually consider that sustainable design will also consider social impacts.

The eco-design approach can be presented in six steps:

1. Identification of the company’s objectives
2. Perform of an environmental analysis in a reference product to set a baseline.
3. Search for eco-design opportunities and evaluation of alternatives.
4. Comparison of alternatives to support the final decision.
5. Compare analysis between the reference product and the eco-design product to quantify reduction.
6. Market launch

Eco-design can be implemented on new products or new versions of existing products.

Here are some eco-design examples:

• Phone maker can design a repairable smartphones designed to last as long as possible and where users can fix parts themselves;
• The paperboard manufacturers can take advantage of digital solutions to innovate and develop new packaging designs that use less material. Other packaging companies aim to develop alternative materials.
• Car manufacturers can look for ways to use less primary raw materials and integrate more sustainable materials within their design.
• Home appliances and consumer goods are under scrutiny when it comes to energy efficiency. Manufacturers can significantly reduce the impact of their products during use phase by, for example, designing products that use minimal power when idle.

It has now become common knowledge that decisions made during the design stage can influence a product’s environmental impact by up to 80%. With that in mind, we can easily understand its importance: eco-design is a powerful approach that designers and engineers can leverage to minimize negative impact on the environment.

The first step would be to choose a reference product, usually one of the best-selling products, and assess the environmental impact of this product. The goal is to identify where are the biggest impacts on the environment occurs and understand the reason behind these major impacts.

The second step is to search and find eco-design alternatives for the reference product. It can be upstream transportation closer to the manufacturing site, improve the manufacturing process to produce less waste, integrate some recyclable materials, reduce the weight of the product.

The last and most important step is to set up best practices, using the learnings on the best-seller product, to replicate to the rest of the portfolio of existing products or include in the development of new products.

Eco-design in building and architecture focuses on reducing the environmental impact of structures by incorporating sustainable materials, optimizing energy efficiency, and enhancing durability. It involves designing buildings that use fewer resources during construction, minimize energy consumption throughout their lifecycle, and facilitate easy recycling or repurposing of materials. 

Eco-design and ecological design share common goals but differ in scope:

Eco-design focuses on reducing a product or a service environmental impact throughout its lifecycle, from creation to disposal, aiming for sustainability without sacrificing efficiency or cost-effectiveness.

Ecological design takes a more holistic view, integrating systems thinking and prioritizing harmony with natural ecosystems. It not only seeks to minimize environmental damage but also aims to regenerate ecosystems, often focusing on biodiversity and environmental health.