How do you assess the eco-friendliness of your designs?

1 Life Cycle Assessment

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a systematic method of quantifying the environmental impacts of a product or service from cradle to grave. It considers all the stages of the life cycle, such as raw material extraction, manufacturing, transportation, use, and disposal. LCA can help you identify the hotspots of environmental impact, compare different design alternatives, and communicate the benefits of your design to stakeholders. You can use LCA software, such as SimaPro or OpenLCA, to conduct your own analysis, or consult with experts who can provide guidance and verification.

2 Circular Design Principles

Circular design principles are based on the idea of designing products and services that can be reused, repaired, remanufactured, or recycled, instead of being thrown away. They aim to reduce waste, extend the life span of materials, and preserve natural resources. Circular design principles can help you create more eco-friendly designs by applying strategies such as designing for durability, modularity, disassembly, and compatibility. You can use circular design frameworks, such as the Circular Design Guide or the Circularity Toolkit, to guide your design process and inspire your creativity.

3 Eco-Design Standards and Labels

Eco-design standards and labels are voluntary or mandatory criteria that define the environmental performance of a product or service. They can cover aspects such as energy efficiency, water consumption, emissions, toxicity, and recyclability. Eco-design standards and labels can help you assess the eco-friendliness of your designs by providing benchmarks, guidelines, and best practices. You can use eco-design standards and labels, such as the EU Ecodesign Directive, the EPEAT rating system, or the Cradle to Cradle certification, to comply with regulations, gain recognition, and increase customer trust.

4 User Feedback and Behavior

User feedback and behavior are essential sources of information that can help you evaluate how your designs are used, perceived, and valued by the end-users. They can reveal insights into the user needs, preferences, satisfaction, and loyalty, as well as the potential environmental impacts of the user behavior. User feedback and behavior can help you assess the eco-friendliness of your designs by enabling you to test your assumptions, validate your results, and identify opportunities for improvement. You can use user feedback and behavior tools, such as surveys, interviews, observations, or analytics, to collect and analyze data from your users.

5 Life Cycle Costing

Life cycle costing (LCC) is a method of calculating the total cost of owning and operating a product or service over its life span. It includes not only the initial purchase price, but also the costs of maintenance, repair, replacement, energy, water, and disposal. LCC can help you assess the eco-friendliness of your designs by showing the economic implications of your design decisions, and how they affect the environmental impact. You can use LCC tools, such as the Life Cycle Costing Tool or the LCC Calculator, to estimate and compare the life cycle costs of different design options.

6 Sustainability Reporting

Sustainability reporting is a process of disclosing the environmental, social, and economic impacts of your design activities to your stakeholders. It can help you communicate your sustainability goals, achievements, and challenges, as well as demonstrate your accountability and transparency. Sustainability reporting can help you assess the eco-friendliness of your designs by providing indicators, metrics, and standards that measure and monitor your performance. You can use sustainability reporting frameworks, such as the Global Reporting Initiative or the Sustainable Development Goals, to structure and present your sustainability report.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?