An Approach for Identifying and Customizing the Effective Ecodesign Tools for Environmentally Sustainable Product Development

Abstract

Producing environmentally benign products has now become one of the key challenges of companies across the globe. It can be achieved by utilizing the ecodesign tools in product development process for reducing the environmental impact of products during the design stage itself. Although, the ecodesign tools are available in abundance but there is a lack of studies that can help companies to identify suitable tools. A novel approach has been developed in this study which assists companies to identify and adopt effective ecodesign tools. In this study, three companies related to different product categories are included for testing the proposed approach. Results show that ‘Ecodesign Checklist,’ ‘Material, Energy, Toxicity (MET) Matrix’ and ‘Life Cycle Design Strategy (LiDS) Wheel’ are the three most effective ecodesign tools among the tested tools. Also, it is realized that if these three ecodesign tools are customized and integrated together in a specific sequence then it can be used by the designers, especially novice designers, as an ecodesign methodology. This methodology has the potential to guide designers in the form of a step by step approach during environmentally conscious product development.