Design Process Optimization for EcoDesign

Abstract

The importance of the environmental sustainability of industrial products has become significant both because of the ever-stricter environmental legislation in the field, and the increased demand of customers concerning environmental issues. The development of sustainable products leads engineers to take into consideration environmental aspects in concurrency with traditional technical and economical aspects from the very beginning of design activities. Thus, the role of designers is clear in integrating environmental considerations into the product design activities, increasing the efficiency of the product, reducing waste of materials and energy, and controlling costs of all its life cycle stages. The output of the study consists of the development of an integrated design process model, called Operative EcoDesign Process, which is able to indicate in practice to designers the addresses that can be followed for a more effective and efficient action.