Sustainable Design checklist PDF
THE ECODESIGN CHECKLIST by Hans Brezet and Caroline van Hemel (1997)
Needs Analysis
How does the product actually fulfil social needs?
- What are the products main and auxiliary functions?
- Does the product fulfil these functions effectively and efficiently?
- What user needs does the product currently meet?
- Can the product functions be expanded or improved to fulfil users’ need better?
- Will this need change over a period of time?
- Can we anticipate this through (radical) product innovation?
Production and Supply of Materials and Components
What problems can arise in the production and supply of materials and components?
- How much, and what types of plastics and rubber are used?
- How much, and what types of additives are used?
- How much, and what types of metals are used?
- How much, and what other types of materials (glass, ceramics etc) are used?
- How much, and which type of surface treatments is used?
- What is the environmental profile of the components?
- How much energy is required to transport the components and materials?
In-House Production
What problems can arise in the production process in your own company?
- How many, and what types of production processes are used (including connections, surface treatments, printing and labelling)?
- How much, and what types of auxiliary materials are needed?
- How high is the energy consumption?
- How much waste is generated?
- How many products don’t meet the required quality norms?
Distribution
What problems arise in the distribution of the product to the customer?
- What kind of transport packaging, bulk packaging and retail packaging are used (volumes,
weights, materials, reusability)?
- Which means of transport are used?
- Is transport efficiently organised?
Utilisation
What problems arise when using, operating, servicing and repairing the product?
- How much, and what type of energy is required, direct or indirect?
- How much, and what type of consumables are needed?
- What is the technical lifetime?
How much maintenance and repairs are needed?
- What and how much auxiliary materials and energy are required for operating, servicing
and repair?
- Can the product be disassembled by a layman?
- Are those parts often requiring replacement detachable?
- What is the aesthetic lifetime of the product?
Recovery and disposal
What problems can arise in the recovery and disposal of the product?
- How is the product currently disposed of?
- Are components or materials being reused?
- What components could be reused?
- Can the components be disassembled without damage?
- What materials are recyclable?
- Are the materials identifiable?
- Can they be detached quickly?
- Are any incompatible inks, surface treatments or stickers used?
- Are any hazardous components easily detachable?
- Do problems occur while incinerating non-reusable product parts?
Source: Brezet, H. and van Hemel, C. Ecodesign, A promising approach to sustainable production
and consumption. Edited by UNEP. Paris, 1997.
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