Designing and Manufacturing Products for a Reduced Environmental Impact
Learn how organizations can achieve net zero by embracing a lifecycle approach to product design and manufacturing.
Climate change is the defining challenge of our lifetime and the action we take now will be the decisive event of our generation. Accelerating progress towards a sustainable world is key to addressing climate change, and organizations have an opportunity to drive positive change. One way organizations can make a positive impact is to build an understanding of best practice, innovate, and collaborate to reduce the impact their products have on the environment.
In 2015, world leaders pledged to try and prevent global temperatures rising by more than 1.5°C by signing The Paris Agreement. Achieving Net Zero is part of UK law, and every manufacturer of energy related products has a part to play to halve emissions by 2030 and achieve net zero carbon
emissions by 2050.
As product owners, we can go one step further and stay ahead of policy to accelerate progress for both people and planet. The emphasis is now on organizations to shift their focus to extending the life of products by designing for durability, reuse, refurbishment, and repair economies.
According to research undertaken by the John Lewis Ethics & Sustainability team as part of its Net Zero project, electrical products have a carbon footprint greater than home, fashion and beauty consumer goods combined. To help navigate and standardize the often complex and confusing world of existing sustainability standards, PAS 7770:2024 Energy-related consumer products – Environmental performance assessment – Guide is written as a framework to help organizations who design and manufacture electrical products navigate and standardise the often complex and confusing world of existing sustainability standards.
Due for release in September 2024 , the guide provides a roadmap for assessing a product's environmental impact across its entire life cycle , from design, to manufacture, to use and end of life. The principles can be applied by organizations of all sizes to understand and improve the environmental performance of their products, helping to meet both internal organization objectives and UK environmental targets.
The guide has considerations for all stages of the product lifecycle, including raw material extraction and processing, design, production, packaging, transportation, use and end of life. Although design and manufacture are just two stages in the life cycle of a product, design is the foundation that can unlock better environmental decisions later in the product lifecycle.
The newly published PAS can help to kick-start organizations with their net zero ambitions, aid those who are already continuing their journey to ultimately help consumers make more informed choices about products in the future. By designing a product with all future lifecycle stages in mind, making smarter and more informed decisions earlier can pay dividends in environmental performance later on in the cycle.
Embedding the principles of PAS 7770 by proactively planning for, rather than retrospectively applying lifecycle thinking and environmental impact methods, presents the greatest opportunities to improve the environmental impact of your products. The PAS calls attention to the Standard series BS EN ISO 14040 and BS EN ISO 14044, which can be used for the framework and principles of environmental management by effectively utilising lifecycle assessments.
Whilst designing for environmental impact can be a golden thread through all stages of the product life cycle, there are some key elements that can be considered.
Energy Efficiency
According to a research study undertaken by the John Lewis Ethics & Sustainability team as part of its Net Zero project, there is evidence that up to 62.3% of the lifetime CO2 emissions of a product can come after shipping and before end of life, just from the utilisation stage of energy using products. Therefore, the energy efficiency of a product is one of the most important elements of the product life cycle. This can be utilized to reduce the net impact of energy using products, even if it’s not specifically regulated by Ecodesign or Energy Information requirements.
Trade-Ins & Refurbished Products
In today’s linear economy, the extraction of finite resources, the production of goods, and the disposal of waste is inefficient and expensive, and increases energy consumption and CO2 emissions. A study done by the French Environment and Energy Management Authority (ADEME) and Arcep has shown that a new smartphone can have an environmental impact of 56 kg of CO2 and uses 45 kg of raw materials to produce . In contrast, a refurbished smartphone will have an impact of 11 kg of CO2, and use between 4-10 kg of raw materials, reducing CO2 impact by 80% and raw material use by up to 91% over the average lifespan of the product.
By embracing the principles of the circular economy, organizations can drive energy efficiency through trade-ins and refurbished products. This is good for consumers and for the planet. Meaning it’s more important than ever for manufacturers to consider customers’ future needs for both repair and refurbishment with modular, replaceable and upgradable parts when the product is being designed.
The EU’s new Battery Regulations are a great example of a progressive, phased framework to extend the usable life of a product by considering all the contributing factors of just one component. The priority for design consideration should be to extend the usable life of products to reduce the need for refurbishment in the first place. Where it’s not safe or right for consumers to replace or upgrade their own parts, refurbishment should be used to give the product a second life.
Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment
Taking a circular mindset to make better decisions about material use, durability, and recyclability at the design stage is also paramount for Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE). The principle of designing for end of life is an effective way to reduce the environmental impact of that product, especially when considering component processing and material separation at decommissioning.
Designing products with WEEE directives in mind can involve incorporating features such as modular design, easy disassembly, and the use of recyclable or reusable materials. Manufacturers can create electronics that are not only less impactful in production, but also easier to repair, upgrade, and recycle at the end of their life cycle. This proactive approach can more than reduce electronic waste by fostering a circular economy where resources are conserved and reused, ultimately contributing to a healthier planet for future generations.
Compromise
Compromise is critical in designing for lifecycle assessments to ensuring that the net effect of a design decision is always environmentally favourable. By making calculated trade-offs, it may be that a seemingly counter-intuitive decision at one stage can have a net positive effect overall by allowing better decisions to be made at a later stage. Conversely, over-optimising at one stage may have a net negative impact across the whole of the product life cycle.
As an illustration, the potential compromises between in-use energy efficiency and manufacturing resource consumption should be taken into account, and choices that provide the greatest net environmental impact benefit should be made. For example, losing 5% efficiency in material choices may unlock a gain of 10% in usable lifespan, resulting in a net positive impact. This can be understood by utilising the effective lifecycle assessment methodologies outlined in PAS 7770 and designing products with this in mind.
PAS 7770 can help product owners understand what these trade-offs are, how they are made, and how to evaluate them. It collates and calls attention to the standards and methods which should be followed to compare alternative processes and make better informed eco-efficiency assessment decisions.
By embracing a lifecycle approach to product design and manufacturing, organizations can significantly reduce their environmental impact, contribute to a circular economy, and drive positive change for both people and planet. This holistic perspective, supported by tools like PAS 7770, empowers businesses to make informed decisions, optimize resource use, and extend product lifespans. Through innovation, collaboration, and a commitment to sustainability, we can collectively accelerate progress towards a net-zero future.
PAS 7770 will be made available free of charge by BSI in September 2024. If you wish to receive a free copy once the standard launches, register your interest here.
