Design for Sustainability: Systematic Generation, Evaluation and Quantitative

Performance Appraisal of Design Alternatives.

Oluwadare Awobiyi (The PhD Researcher)

Supervisors: Prof. Neal Juster & Dr. Angela Stone

Research Presentation DayTuesday 17 January 2006

Presentation Coverage

Research Problem

Research Questions & Goal

Design Research Methodology Overview

The DfS Research Work so far

Summary

Further Works

Research Problem!

Ultimately, what defines and set the reality boundary for sustainable development?

How can this be incorporated into design process for creating sustainability compliant products.

Research Questions and Goal1. What is Sustainability in the context of design and product development?

2. What is the ideal design for sustainability model and consequently the ideal criteria, attributes and features needed to fulfil sustainability goal?

3. What would be an ideal quantitative method upon which sustainability appraisal framework could be based?

4. What performance measurement system would ensure a systematic generation, evaluation and quantitative appraisal of design alternatives?

i. How can DfS Efficiency (DfS) of a product be determined and measured?

ii. How can DfS Effectiveness (DfS) of a product be determined and measured?

iii. What measures the overall DfS Performance of a product?

The goal is to develop a Performance Appraisal System for Quantitative Evaluation of Sustainability Design Alternatives.

Research Goal:

Overview of Adopted Design Research Methodology

Fundamental issues. Relation to design process. An Ideal model. Develop Performance

framework Testing and validation. Application to design

processes. Analysis of test results Interpretation of findings. Evaluation and conclusions

Basic Method Focus Activities Results/Output

CRITERIA

DESCRIPTIVE STUDY I

PRESCRIPTIVE STUDY

DESCRIPTIVE STUDY II

Measure

Influences

Methods

Applications

Literature Survey& PhD Thesis

Observation &Analysis

Assumption& Experience

Observation& Analysis

Figure 1 [ref.1]

The DfS Research (Current Stage):

The 3 Sustainability Circles: Environmental, Economic and Social.

Sustainability Definitions: 1. defined it as ‘meeting the needs of the present without

compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’ [ref.2].

2. as ‘improving the quality of human life while living within the carrying capacity of supporting ecosystems’ [ref.3].

For purpose of this research and with respect to design,

Design for Sustainability (DfS) is defined as the: “systematic creation of products and services that meets the social, economic and environmental needs of current human generation such rate of consumption of renewable resources is governed by rate of their replenishment, rate of consumption of non-renewable controlled by rate of developing renewable substitutes and of pollution is determined by rate of conversion into harmless state that is friendly with the environment ”.

Planet (Environmental)

Profit (Economic)People (Social)

Figure 2. [ref 5]

Sustainability Triangle Current Stage – cont’d

The Stability and Viability of any approach are dependent on criteria developed around the 3 sustainability legs.

Dependency between the 3 principal elements required in evaluation of design solutions.

Observations and Logical Deductions:•Prosperity is dependent on People.•Human existence is dependent on the Planet.•And stability and viability of prosperity is dependent on appropriate application of knowledge.

PEOPLE

PLANET

PROSPERITY

Sustainability Triangle

Figure 3.

Planet (Environmental)

Profit (Economic)People (Social)

Collective Knowledge(Intelligence/Cognition)

Figure 4.

[Sustainability Dependency] Current Stage cont’d

Hence enable the future generations to meet their needs under sustainable development conditions:

•Economic activities should be based on proper application of knowledge of the requirements, inter-relationships and interactions between the 4 levels, taking cognisant of overriding priorities and dependency.

•Social and cultural growth should conform to the nature’s laws on sustainability.

•The continual existence of the earth with its eco-diversity should form overall guiding principle for sustainable development.

This forms the foundation of the DfS Performance Framework.

PLANETPEOPLEKNOWLEDGE PROSPERITY

Sustainability Dependency:

PLANET(Environment)

PEOPLE(Social)

COGNITION(Applied Knowledge)

PROFIT(Economic)

Highest Level

1

2

3

4

Lowest Level

Figure 5.

Applying Dependency to the Definition - Current Stage – cont’d

• The flow of resources across the supply and demand boundary.

• Applied to the E2 Performance model [ref.7].

• Timescales involved leads to 2-tier sustainability strategy.

1. For Renewable Resources: Cr Rr…….. (i)

where Cr = rate of consumption (man/nature)

Rr = rate of replenishment (nature/man)

2. For Non-renewable Resources: Cr RAr ….. (ii)

where Cr = rate of consumption (man/nature)

RAr = rate of finding Renewable Alternatives (mankind)

3. For Pollutants: PRr PCHr where PRr = rate of Pollutant Release (mankind)

PCHr = rate of Pollutant Conversion to harmless

state (by nature or man).

Nature (Earth)

Built Environment

Society

Space andland

Resources and energy

Products

Services

SUPPLY DEMAND

Reality of Supply and Demand Relationship:

Figure 5.

Summary

Covered the research problem and questions. Gave a quick overview of the design research methodology

being used. Presented the definition of sustainability in relation to design. Developed the case for sustainability dependency based on

the sustainability triangle Applied this to create the global sustainability limits and

consequently constraints. This would now be taken further by the introduction into E2

performance model to develop a quantitative DfS appraisal system for evaluation of design alternatives.

Further Works

Develop this into performance metrics and indicators for use with an appraisal system to evaluation products and design solutions.

Test the system on a number of products and design process to collect test data.

Evaluate and validate the results. Interpret and extract meanings from results. Summarise and write-up in contribution to knowledge.

Thank You!and

Any Questions?