Can the choice of eco-design principles affect products’ success?

Abstract

Despite the potential to lead to enhanced environmental performance, the extent to which eco-design leads to success is still unclear. In order to lay bare the effects of eco-design implementation, this paper focuses on understanding the correlations between specific eco-design principles and success through an exploratory study. A sample of 178 products, characterized in terms of their success levels and implemented eco-design principles, was statistically analyzed. The results indicate a number of positive correlations for principles that tend to favor success (e.g. intensified use and product/service systems) and negative correlations for principles that tend to moderate the chances of success (e.g. minimize packaging). Although the mechanisms that cause this phenomenon should be further investigated, the findings can provide designers with additional recommendations for the selection of eco-design principles.

Circularity Evaluation of Alternative Concepts During Early Product Design and Development

“…Ecodesign [15][16][17] is a widely used concept for improving the environmental performance of products and is recognized due to its several potential business benefits [17]. Ecodesign focuses on improving a product's environmental performance throughout its lifecycle without compromising other essential success criteria such as performance, functionality, esthetics, quality, and cost [18,19]. The main environmental impacts considered in ecodesign are minimizing material and energy use, choosing less impactful materials, and promoting long-lasting products through, e.g., durability, upgrading and repairs [20].…”

Success-Oriented Eco-Ideation Sessions: Lessons Learnt From the Use of Ten Eco-Design Guidelines

“…A potential key for blending eco-oriented and creative design endeavours can be found in the need to maximize the success chances of new designs, which is a prerogative of sustainable development ecodesign has not paid enough attention to so far (Skerlos, 2015). It is indeed a striking evidence that new environmental-friendly products have to replace previous product generations to pursue the intended eco-design objectives effectively (Maccioni et al, 2019a). In this context, the authors have recently studied the effects of creative eco-oriented design endeavours in terms of success achievement (Maccioni et al, 2019a) and value creation (Maccioni et al, 2019b).…”

Industry 4.0 and Smart Data as Enablers of the Circular Economy in Manufacturing: Product Re-Engineering with Circular Eco-Design

“…Eco-design [29], a methodology for product design in which sustainability issues (environmental, but also socio-economic) are considered during the product development process as an additional factor to those traditionally used for decision-making, can help manufacturing companies [30]. Eco-design simultaneously considers all the fundamental elements that make a product marketable, from its aesthetic characteristics to its functional performance, also evaluating all the phases of its production and distribution chain, in addition to the socio-economic and commercial factors [31,32]. In this life cycle approach (understood as the set of stages in the useful life of a product up to the final management of its waste), the product is not the final destination but a temporary state of matter and energy that can provide the consumer with a use and service benefit [33].…”