Finding a solution to the environmental problems caused by industrial products and services requires taking into consideration the products’ entire service; i.e. materials, production, transportation, use and disposal. In order to be able to tackle potential environmental issues in the most efficient manner, environmental considerations need to be included as early as in the product development phase on equal terms with, e.g., function, quality and price.

Eco design is an area within product development, which contains tools and procedures for environmental analysis and resolution synthesis. The analytical part can be based on Life Cycle Assessments (LCA), or on more qualitative tools, while the synthesis part incentivizes creativity and innovation. This makes it possible for an Eco design process to bring about completely new and systemic solutions to meet product-based needs, as well as improve the environmental qualities of a product.

IPU actively partakes in developing the field of Eco designing, and has carried out analyses and development projects on environmental aspects and systemic improvements in collaboration with authorities and industry; e.g. for the plastics industry, the furniture industry, the electronics industry and the foundry industry.

Parallel to the development projects, IPU has published books and offers customised courses on Eco design.

For more information:

Life cycle assessment/life cycle check

Sustainability in the industry

Environmental Product Declarations 

Examples of projects:

Eco designing plastic products for the Danish Environmental Protection Agency and the Danish Plastics Federation

Eco designing electronic products

Eco designing furniture (the THINK chair for Steelcase International),THINK micro site 

EU Resources