Abstract
Extensive research on ecodesign, mainly in the areas of strategy, methodology, and tools, has been carried out by research organizations and industrial companies in recent years with significant advancements achieved. However, the practical application of these tools and methods as well as their implementation, within the day-to-day decision making processes in product development, are still limited. In order to improve this situation, and to proliferate the practice of ecodesign in industry, 24 case studies of the European electr(on)ics industry have been analyzed and structured in order to provide practical 'real-world' examples and experiences. This work, which is a collaboration of several research institutes and 14 companies from the European electrical and electronics industry was carried out within the EU Thematic Network Ecolife from 1998 to 2001. The result, which has been published as a comprehensive internet guide, allows ecodesign non-specialists (e.g. product designers) to learn about this field and to stimulate their understanding and creativity. The Ecolife network highlighted a large number of diverse ecodesign case studies, from which the general conclusions on implementation in practice and obstacles can be drawn.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Afnor (1998), Prise en compte de l'environnement dans la conception des produits-Principes généraux et application. Paris (France), Association Française de Normalisation: 16p., may 1998, FD X 30–310.
Brezet, H. and C. Van Hemel (1997), Ecodesign: a promising approach to sustainable production and consumption. Paris (France), UNEP.
Charter, M. and U. Tischner (2001), Sustainable solutions. Sheffield (UK), Greenleaf Publishing, ISBN 1–874719–36–5.
CIRP (2002), Integrated Product Policy-Chance and Challenge. 9th International Seminar on Life Cycle Engineering, Erlangen (Germany), ISBN 3–87525–167–9.
Clark T. and M. Charter (1999), Eco-design checklists. Farnham (UK), Centre for Sustainable Design, Mai 1999, [http://www.cfsd.org.uk/etmuel/ ecocheck695.doc].
Dubots, P. (1998), Un outil d'aide à la conception des produits. Techniques de l'Ingénieur, Paris (France) G6100.
EC (2001), Green paper on Integrated Product Policy. Commission of the European Communities, Brussels (Belgium), 32 pp.
ECOLIFE (2002), [http://www.ihrt-.tuwien.ac.at/sat/base/ecolife/].
EU (2000a), Proposal for a directive of the European parliament and of the council on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment. Brussels (Belgium), European Union, 13 june 2000.
EU (2000b), Proposal for a directive of the European parliament and of the council on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment. Brussels (Belgium), European Union, 13 June 2000.
EU (2001), Draft proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the impact on the environment of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE). Brussels (Belgium), European Union, February 2001.
EUROMAT (2002), [http://www.euroMat-online.de].
Feldmann, K., O. Meedt, S. Trautner, H. Scheller, and W. Hoffman (1999), The Green Design Advisor: a tool for design for environment. Journal of Electronics Manufacturing Vol. 9 (1): pp. 17–28.
Ferrendier, S., F. Mathieux, G. Rebitzer, M. Simon and D. Froelich (2002), Environmentally improved product design-Case studies of the European electric and electronic industry. Technical report of the European thematic network Ecolife, 133p., free download from [http://www.ihrt.tuwien.ac. at/sat/base/ecolife/ECOIndex-.html/].
Fleischer, G., J. Becker, U. Braunmiller, F. Klocke, W. Klöpffer and W. Michaeli (2000), Eco-Design-Effiziente Entwicklung nachhaltiger Produkte mit euroMat. Berlin (Germany), Springer Verlag, ISBN 3–540–65814–9.
Gabillet, J.P. and M. Heude (2000), New energy saving cooling architecture for switching equipment. Electronics Goes Green (EGG), Berlin (Germany), pp. 691–695, ISBN 3–8007–2569–X.
Hunkeler, D. and E. Vanakari (2000). Ecodesign and LCA-Survey of current uses of environmental attributes in product and process development. International Journal of LCA Vol. 5(3): pp. 145–151.
ISO (2002), Environmental management-Integrating environmental aspects into product design and development. International Standard Organisation, ISO 14062.
Janin, M. (2000), Démarche d'éco-conception en entreprise. Un enjeu: construire la cohérence entre outils et processus. PhD thesis, Institut Conception, Mécanique et Environnement, ENSAM, Chambéry (France), 423 pp. download on [http://www.chambery. ensam.fr/new/pages-en/recherche-en/web_marc-fr/marc-_janin.htm].
Lewis, H. and J. Gertsakis (2001), Design + Environment. Sheffield (UK), Greenleaf Publishing, ISBN 1–874719–43–8.
Mathieux, F., D. Froelich and P. Moszkowicz (2001), Development of recovery indicators to be used during product design process: method, potentialities and limits. EcoDesign 2001–Second International Symposium on Environmentally Conscious Design and-Inverse Manufacturing, Tokyo (Japan), pp. 281–286, ISBN 0–7695–1266–6, IEEE.
Quella, F. (1998), Umweltverträgliche Produktgestaltung-Planung, Werkzeuge, Umsetzung, Beispiele. Berlin (Germany), Publicis MCD Verlag, ISBN 3–89578–090–1.
Rebitzer, G. (2001), Working Paper for the Ecolife Network.
Rebitzer, G. (2002), Integrating Life Cycle Costing and Life Cycle Assessment for Managing Costs and Environmental Impacts in Supply Chains. In: Seuring, S.; Goldbach, M.: Cost Management in Supply Chains. Heidelberg: Physica Publishers, pp. 127–146
Rebitzer, G. and W.P. Schmidt (2002), Design for Environment in the Automotive Sector with the Materials Selection Tool euroMat. Submitted for Review, Scientific Online Journal Gate to Environmental and Health Sciences-Life Cycle Management-Desing for Environment.
Rose, C.M. (2000), Design for environment: a method for formulating product end-of-life strategies. PhD thesis, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford (USA), 175 pp.
Simon, M., S. Evans, T.C. McAloone, A. Sweatman, T. Bhamra and S. Poole (1998), Ecodesign Navigator, Manchester Metropolitan University, Cranfield University & EPSRC, ISBN 1–871315–74–3.
Simon, M., S. Poole, S. Evans, T. Bhamra, T. McAloone (2000), Environmental priorities in strategic product development. Business Strategy & the Environment 9(6): pp. 367–377.
Slagmulder, R. (2002), Managing Costs Across the Supply Chain, in: Seuring, S., Goldbach, M., Cost Management in Supply Chains. Heidelberg: Physica Publishers, 2002, pp. 75–88
Stevels, A. (1996), Inaugural address, TU Delft, Delft (The Netherlands), September 4.
Stevels, A. (2001), Application of Ecodesign-Ten Years of Dynamic Development. EcoDesign 2001–Second International Symposium on Environmentally Conscious Design and Inverse Manufacturing, Tokyo (Japan), pp. 905–915, ISBN 0–7695–1266–6, IEEE. ANALYSIS
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Mathieux, F., Rebitzer, G., Ferrendier, S. et al. Ecodesign in the European Electr(on)ics Industry – An analysis of the current practices based on cases studies – An analysis of the current practices based on cases studies. The Journal of Sustainable Product Design 1, 233–245 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024670630297
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024670630297