Teaching Chapter 12: Design for Environment
Timing
Since Design for Environment (DFE) concepts are useful even during the concept development phase, it would certainly be helpful to place this session near the beginning of a project course. However not everything can be placed up front, so we generally teach this session somewhere during the second half of the semester. This assures that students have at least struggled with DFE issues to some extent in their projects before the class discussion.
Objectives and Strategy
The process of DFE should enable organizations to understand the environmental impacts of a design, and provide methods for incrementally reducing them. This is accomplished by using a Herman Miller chair to illustrate successful application of the DFE process.
Session Outline
The session can follow this flow:
Introduction to DFE
It is important to emphasize that there is no such thing as a truly sustainable product. The overall objective is to have a better understanding of the environmental impacts of designs, and take incremental steps to reduce them. If the organization begins to head in the right direction, their designs and operations will slowly evolve and eventually become sustainable.
Case Study
Our approach includes a step-by-step explanation of the DFE process (as outlined in the book) and uses a Herman Miller chair as a case study to illustrate successful application of the process. This case study demonstrates how company-wide progress towards sustainability is possible but depends on incremental progress in many departments in the company.
Life Cycle Thinking
While most product life cycles take place over a few months or years, the natural cycle spans a wider range of time periods. From a life cycle perspective, in order to reach conditions of environmental sustainability, the materials in products must be balanced in a sustainable, closed-loop system. This gives rise to three challenges to reach sustainability (See Exhibit 12-3):
Note: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is not taught as a tool to use with a new design because it is too complex, and requires a complete list of parts. Instead it is suggested to take a qualitative assessment of the environmental impact, and to use the general DFE guidelines outlined in the book. In general, most businesses already know where they can reduce their environmental impact. Thus, it is suggested that they identify these areas, and make incremental improvements. LCA is a quantitative tool that is more appropriate for post-design analysis or existing products, so general changes can be made during the next design revision (e.g. LCA might show that a lot of PVC was used on the current design. During the next design revision the company could try to use less PVC, and use the last design as a benchmark).
Preparation Assignment
Post this assignment before discussing DFE in class:
In-Class Exercises
(1) LCA of shoes.
LCA is a quantitative tool that is more appropriate for post-design analysis on existing products. Thus introduce the methods of LCA by having each student (or the class as a whole) perform a LCA on their own shoe, or a shoe brought to class by the instructor. There are free LCA tools available online (e.g. GaBi has demo and educational versions, see links below). Afterwards have them read this report, and discuss the method and results in class. Also see this document for additional discussion ideas. What incremental changes should be made to reduce the environmental impact of the shoe?
(2) Packaging redesign for shoe boxes.
Businesses usually already know where they can reduce their environmental impact. For example, one way of reducing the environmental impact of shoes is to reduce the packing required for transport and storage (see links below for background information / statistics from actual shoes companies). Use this example, and have the class follow a design process to redesign the shoe box.
Afterwards present these two shoe box redesign efforts:
-Nike (LINK)
-Puma (LINK)
(3) Compare the environmental impact of two products that serve the same function (e.g. paper and plastic bags, bicycle and automobile, wooden and mechanical pencil, plastic and metal silverware, organic and non-organic apples, cloth and disposable/plastic diapers, incandescent and fluorescent light bulbs, glass and plastic bottles). This could be done in class, or have the students think of their own pair and analyze before class. The in-class discussion could be about a few examples the students found.
Since Design for Environment (DFE) concepts are useful even during the concept development phase, it would certainly be helpful to place this session near the beginning of a project course. However not everything can be placed up front, so we generally teach this session somewhere during the second half of the semester. This assures that students have at least struggled with DFE issues to some extent in their projects before the class discussion.
Objectives and Strategy
The process of DFE should enable organizations to understand the environmental impacts of a design, and provide methods for incrementally reducing them. This is accomplished by using a Herman Miller chair to illustrate successful application of the DFE process.
Session Outline
The session can follow this flow:
- Introduction to or summary of DFE
- Case Study: Herman Miller
- Life Cycle Thinking
- Exercise
Introduction to DFE
It is important to emphasize that there is no such thing as a truly sustainable product. The overall objective is to have a better understanding of the environmental impacts of designs, and take incremental steps to reduce them. If the organization begins to head in the right direction, their designs and operations will slowly evolve and eventually become sustainable.
Case Study
Our approach includes a step-by-step explanation of the DFE process (as outlined in the book) and uses a Herman Miller chair as a case study to illustrate successful application of the process. This case study demonstrates how company-wide progress towards sustainability is possible but depends on incremental progress in many departments in the company.
Life Cycle Thinking
While most product life cycles take place over a few months or years, the natural cycle spans a wider range of time periods. From a life cycle perspective, in order to reach conditions of environmental sustainability, the materials in products must be balanced in a sustainable, closed-loop system. This gives rise to three challenges to reach sustainability (See Exhibit 12-3):
- Eliminate use of nonrenewable natural resources (including energy)
- Eliminate disposal of synthetic and inorganic materials that do not decay quickly
- Eliminate creation of toxic wastes that are not part of natural life cycles
Note: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is not taught as a tool to use with a new design because it is too complex, and requires a complete list of parts. Instead it is suggested to take a qualitative assessment of the environmental impact, and to use the general DFE guidelines outlined in the book. In general, most businesses already know where they can reduce their environmental impact. Thus, it is suggested that they identify these areas, and make incremental improvements. LCA is a quantitative tool that is more appropriate for post-design analysis or existing products, so general changes can be made during the next design revision (e.g. LCA might show that a lot of PVC was used on the current design. During the next design revision the company could try to use less PVC, and use the last design as a benchmark).
Preparation Assignment
Post this assignment before discussing DFE in class:
- Think about the environmental impact of the products and services we use.· Identify a product or service with reduced environmental impact.· Be prepared to describe the product or service in class tomorrow.
In-Class Exercises
(1) LCA of shoes.
LCA is a quantitative tool that is more appropriate for post-design analysis on existing products. Thus introduce the methods of LCA by having each student (or the class as a whole) perform a LCA on their own shoe, or a shoe brought to class by the instructor. There are free LCA tools available online (e.g. GaBi has demo and educational versions, see links below). Afterwards have them read this report, and discuss the method and results in class. Also see this document for additional discussion ideas. What incremental changes should be made to reduce the environmental impact of the shoe?
(2) Packaging redesign for shoe boxes.
Businesses usually already know where they can reduce their environmental impact. For example, one way of reducing the environmental impact of shoes is to reduce the packing required for transport and storage (see links below for background information / statistics from actual shoes companies). Use this example, and have the class follow a design process to redesign the shoe box.
Afterwards present these two shoe box redesign efforts:
-Nike (LINK)
-Puma (LINK)
(3) Compare the environmental impact of two products that serve the same function (e.g. paper and plastic bags, bicycle and automobile, wooden and mechanical pencil, plastic and metal silverware, organic and non-organic apples, cloth and disposable/plastic diapers, incandescent and fluorescent light bulbs, glass and plastic bottles). This could be done in class, or have the students think of their own pair and analyze before class. The in-class discussion could be about a few examples the students found.