A higher environmental awareness by institutions and society has led in recent years to the emergence of the ecodesign. In the media, the valuation of waste has gained greater dissemination, advertising the purchase and sale of second -hand materials, for example. However, this is a very superficial measure to reduce the amount of resources we consume and waste that we generate. To do this, it is essential to intervene management systems in order to carry the Ecological Design to the whole of the built environment (to what already exists and is currently produced).
If you want to know what is the ecological design, why it is important and what are its main characteristics consult this ecology article about What is ecodesign and examples of this and, in addition, you can know the relationship they keep Ecodesign and sustainability.
What is the ecodesign and what is it for
Ecodesign is a Product development process phase that intends reduce the impacts that products generate to the environment. It can be said that it is key in management systems to achieve economic sustainability, since through the creation and reconfiguration of Environmental respectful products It allows to stop the degradation of ecosystems, the exhaustion of natural resources and the chain of adverse effects on human health. According to Barbero and Cozzo (2009), The principles of the Ecodiseño are:
- Efficiency in product manufacturing; that is, using the least material and energy amount possible.
- Design by disassembly, to allow in the future the recycling of the products, each of its easy to identify and separate to be treated correctly according to their nature and composition.
- Prepare the products using a single material or materials “Bio”, in order to simplify the recycling processes.
- The use of long -term forms and materials.
- Multifunctionality and possibility of reusing and recycling products.
- Reduce product dimensions in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) in their transport. Thus, on each trip it is possible to transport a greater number of products, optimizing the space and consumption of fossil fuels.
- Consider products as services and not as mere objects, to limit their use to need and not to the desire for possession, which currently marks market guidelines.
- Support in new technologies to improve products efficiency.
- Reduce emissions.
- Disseminate and integrate the product sustainability message into its design.
Ecodesign characteristics
As stated, the Ecodesign objectives They are, reduce the environmental impact of the products we consume during its useful life cycle and guarantee the welfare and quality of life of users. Some of the main characteristics of ecodesign or ecological design are:
- It favors the application of the circular economy.
- It allows to reduce the costs in the elaboration and transport of the products.
- It improves the production process and therefore increases the quality of the products obtained.
- It contributes to the innovative character of the company.
- It presents four levels that allow acting in the improvement, redesign, the creation and definition of new products and new production systems.
- Avoid waste of resources.
- It gives value to the waste (valorization) contemplating the recycling and reuse of the products once their useful life is exhausted.
- There are different ecodesign strategies such as: the LIDS wheel and Pilot’s strategy.
Ecodiseño examples
Among the Examples of ecodesign or ecological design shown below, some are part of our daily lives and others show a still incipient development:
- Ecodiseño in refrigerators, freezers and other appliances such as heating, washing machines and dishwasher, regulated these last two by the European Commission (CE).
- Design and construction of eco-edifios.
- Italian coffee makers, because they do not use paper filters.
- Furniture made of materials that have the FSC seal (Forest Stewardship Council), with recycled materials.
- Furniture that are sold without mounting, reducing the dimensions of the products, optimizing their transport.
- Furniture designed by disassembly, such as urban banks.
- Confection of clothing garments using textile, plastics waste.
We recommend you read this other article about 7R: redesign, reduce, reuse, repair, renew, recover and recycle. Also, if you like ecology, we encourage you to also read these other posts about the definition of ecology, the history of ecology and what are the branches of ecology and what each one studies.
If you want to read more articles similar to Ecodiseño: What is and exampleswe recommend that you enter our category of other ecology.
- Barbero, S. and Cozzo, B. (2009). Ecodesign. London: H. Fhullman.
