Design
Designing products with sustainability in mind means potential impacts on
the environment are 'designed out' at the beginning of the product's lifecycle.
This could involve choosing biodegradable materials over non-biodegradable materials; using renewable energy sources in the manufacturing process; and making sure the product is recyclable at the end of its useful life.
Designing products for sustainability can save your business money by incorporating recycled material in the product. Design engineers claim that 'real' savings are made during the design phase of a project and that these greatly outweigh the savings made through changes during the operations phase. Sustainable design can also help businesses comply with regulations that target business impacts on the environment.
Take a look below at some of the products that have undergone scrutiny in the design stage.
Case studies
B_E_E products (B_E_E)
B_E_E has designed household cleaning products that are environmentally friendly. They are the only range of cleaning products in New Zealand to have achieved Environmental Choice accreditation.
Designing an Eco-car (Toyota)
Toyota has been actively developing new technologies from the perspective of achieving energy security and diversifying energy sources, necessitated by the dwindling supply of petroleum resources. In 1997, Toyota first announced the completion of a new hybrid system for use in cars which combines a gas engine and an electric motor. Prius, the first mass-produced hybrid passenger vehicle in the world, was launched in Japan.
Formway
Formway aims to reduce the environmental impacts of their furniture products and services by implementing life cycle thinking, and using environmental factors as a source of innovation and inspiration.
Sustainable Product Design Case Studies
The sustainable product design case studies showcase leading examples of sustainable product design in New Zealand. The case studies consider how companies leading in sustainable design have considered environmental and sustainability elements as part of new product design and development processes. The case studies show case how sustainable design can improve brand and market share as well as assist innovation.
Guides
Business-Ecodesign Tools [PDF, 1.12 MB] (Industrial Designers Society of America)
This guide provides a concise and practical toolkit for designers to improve the environmental performance of products.
Design for Sustainability resources (Sustainability Victoria)
The Design for Environment Quickstart Series provides concise, easy to digest information sheets that can assist designers and product developers with integrating environmental factors into new product design projects. This includes a Quickstart Guideline on Furniture Sustainability by Design (PDF 335KB).
Eco-labels: a short guide for New Zealand producers [PDF, 120 KB] (Landcare Research)
This document provides an overview of the main eco-label categories, their meaning and specifications, and explores their use in a trade context.
FutureProof: A guide towards sustainable publishing (Ministry for the Environment)
This guide is designed to help you consider the effects printing can have on the environment and on occupational health, and helps you to make improvements.
Government Procurement: Timber and Timber Products Policy Guidelines (Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry)
These Guidelines aim to ensure that all Government agencies buy only legally sourced timber and timber products and strongly encourages Government use of sustainably produced timber. Available resources include model clauses for procuring wood products and information on timber certification schemes.
HDPE Plastic design and recycling guide [PDF, 184 KB] (NZ Business Council for Sustainable Development)
A guide to assist package designers and fillers. It identifies and reduces HDPE packaging contaminants that inhibit the recycling process and ensures HDPE packaging recovered by industry and sponsored collection programmes is able to be recycled.
Health, Safety and Environment Guide for the Boat Building Industry
This guide addresses many of the issues faced by the boat building industry, by providing practical tools for the user. It is designed to help the boat building industry be known for both producing top quality boats and for producing them in a clean and responsible manner.
The guide is available from the Marine Industry Association, phone (09) 360 0056 or email info@bia.org.nz.
Product Innovation: The Green Advantage (Australian Department of the Environment and Heritage)
This Australian guide introduces business to Design for the Environment by outlining economic, operational and marketing benefits. Case studies are included, as well as strategies for applying Design for the Environment.
Organisations
Centre for Design (Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology)
The Centre for Design focuses on sustainability and eco-efficiency as a source of innovation and responsible business development. The Centre has a directed programme of research, consultation, professional development and knowledge sharing for design methods and tools that support sustainable product design.
Centre for Sustainable Design (UK)
The Centre for Sustainable Design facilitates discussion and research on eco-design and environmental, economic, ethical and social considerations in product and service development and design.
Institute for Lifecycle Environmental Assessment (ILEA)
The ILEA site helps you understand more about environmental life cycle impacts of products and services. ILEA measures the environmental impacts of each phase of a product's lifecycle by measuring the total energy consumed during that phase.
NZ Society for Sustainability Engineering and Science
The objectives of the NZ Society for Sustainability Engineering and Science are to: inform members of the Group on important national and international developments and issues that lie within the domain of sustainability engineering and science; contribute to knowledge development in the domain of sustainability engineering and science; support the identification of good engineering practice within the sustainability engineering.
Plastics NZ
Plastics NZ offers information on the sustainable design of plastics, including design guidelines for recyclable plastics.
Scion Research
Formerly known as Forest Research, Scion is focused on applying a deep knowledge of plantation forestry, wood and fibre to the development of new biomaterials from renewable plant resources. This includes exploring sustainable consumer products.
Sustainability Victoria
Sustainability Victoria works in partnership with business and industry, community, schools and government to help reduce waste in Victoria, Australia. Sustainability Victoria's website provides overview information, guidance and resources on Design for Environment, including case studies.
TU Delft (Netherlands University)
TU Delft (Netherlands University) is a world leader in sustainable design, and has some useful links, resources and papers.
Other resources
EnviroSmart®
EnviroSmart® is a council funded initiative focused on improving the environmental performance and resource efficiency of business throughout New Zealand.
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
The Forest Stewardship Council has an international labelling scheme for forest products, which provides a credible guarantee that the product comes from a well-managed forest.
Recycling Signs (Recycling Operators of NZ)
Go here to get your recycling symbols. The New Zealand Recycling Symbols is an initiative to standardise recycling signage throughout New Zealand, enhance public participation in recycling and ensure the correct separation of materials.
Websites
Better by Design programme
This is a programme to implement the NZ 'design strategy', and is a major government initiative. Better by Design's aim is to build New Zealand's awareness of, and expertise in, design-led business.
Information Inspiration
Information Inspiration is an ecodesign resource that supports industrial designers involvement in environmentally focussed projects. This resource combines relevant design information and inspiring ecodesign case studies to show how ecodesign is possible, and is already being achieved by both SMEs and large organisations.
O2 Network
The O2 Network is an international network of designers with an interest in sustainable design.
The Natural Step
The TNS, an international environmental education organisation, works with business on environmental, social and economic aspects of their business. The TNS uses a strong science based methodology known as the Natural Step Framework. The TNS framework helps organisations understand why addressing sustainability is important for their business, to decide where they want to move to in the future, and provides a framework to assess what other tools will be useful.
Think something should be added to Simply Sustainable? Send your suggestion to webmaster@mfe.govt.nz.
