ENVIRONMENTAL NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

Greening Your Products

Orchideh Gharagozlou

Niyousha Babrafkan

Mohammad Farokhi

Mohammad Ebrahim Zamani

Ahmad Manzarnejad

INTRODUCTIONS

Many innovative businesses have successfully introduced "green" products

How do these business owners and product designers go about improving existing products or introducing new green products?

What motivates them to do so?

While many of these products have saved money, they have also reduced impacts on human health and the environment by :

Using recycled or recyclable material (e.g., recycled paper products)

Reducing their energy usage (e.g., efficient washing machines that use less water and energy)

Eliminating the use of toxic chemicals during their manufacture

WHAT IS GREEN PRODUCT?

WHAT IS GREEN PRODUCT?

“Green” products have a lesser or reduced impact on human health and the environment than other products that perform a similar function

Evaluating greener products generally requires a review of multiple environmental attributes

INCORPORATE GREENING CONCEPTS

Incorporate greening concepts into your all product development process phases

special consideration should be given to the product’s design studies show that about 70% of a product’s

environmental impacts are determined by decisions made during the design stage..

Concept Design Prototype

Market Manufacture Package

Phase 1:

Phase 2: Deliver

GREENING

INCORPORATE GREENING CONCEPTS

Traditionally, product design takes into account standard product attributes such as price, performance, and safety

Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) program builds upon these traditional attributes by adding “Environment” and “Health” considerations into these traditional building blocksENVIRONMENTALLY

PREFERABLE PURCHASING

TRADITIONALMaintain consistency with traditional purchasing

factors (e.g., safety, price, performance)

ENVIRONMENT HEALTH

Minimize adverse health effects (e.g., minimize hazardous materials)

Maximize beneficial environmental attributes (e.g.,

maximize recycled material content)

GREENING IS A CONTINUOUS PROCESS

Government agencies and businesses alike are struggling to determine the best ways to improve their products to better protect human health and the environment.

new information and ideas become available to further improve your products and manufacturing processes

Therefore

identifying greening opportunities should be part of the standard product and process improvement practices of your organization.

TWO APPROACHES FOR IMPROVEMENT

Two approaches for improvement are product improvement and process improvement

PRODUCTDevelop products that have preferable environmental attributes when compared with similar products (e.g., use recycled materials, are energy efficient, are easily recycled) and market these

products as green. Paper made from recycled content Flatware that is biodegradable

PROCESSImprove your manufacturing and business operations to reduce your use of energy and materials as well as reduce wastes and emissions associated with the process of making the product.

Replacing traditional solvents with citrus-based solvents Installing energy efficient motors

TWO APPROACHES FOR IMPROVEMENT

The goal for these two approaches is to benefit your bottom line, while also benefiting the environment.

They aim to improve your profitability in a variety of ways

Increasing market share

Reducing operating costs

Less tangible benefits

Attracting green consumers by getting your products included in environmentally preferable purchasing programs.

Increasing efficiency and reducing waste leads to better profit margins.

Includes benefits such as increasing employee participation and morale, strengthening the company’s image in the community.

OVERVIEW: GREENING PRODUCT ATTRIBUTES

A product can be considered greener based on its characteristics, or “attributes.”

Examining a product’s life cycle across its many stages provides a useful framework for thinking about how product changes will impact the environment

Focus is usually placed on the environmental impacts arising from manufacturing

it is also important to consider upstream impacts (those that occur before the product is manufactured, such as mining or processing the input materials) downstream impacts (after manufacture including distribution, use, and final disposal)

OVERVIEW: GREENING PRODUCT ATTRIBUTES

Life-cycle Diagram for Paper

RESOURCE EXTRACTION

MANUFACTURE

PACKAGING/ DISTRIBUTION

USE

FINAL DISPOSITION

Paper made with recycled fibers reduces the number of trees extracted and therefore reduces the impact on forests

Manufacturing paper with an alternative bleaching agent, such as hydrogen peroxide, helps to minimize paper’s environmental impacts.

Paper packaging used around reams of paper can be made out of recyclable material

Making double-sided copies rather than single-sided copies uses less paper.

Recycling paper after use is preferable to disposing of it in a landfill.

LIFE-CYCLE STAGE EXAMPLE

UP-

ST

RE

AM

DO

WN-S

TR

EA

M

Greening the manufacturing

process

OVERVIEW: GREENING THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS

Products can also be made greener by improving the manufacturing processes involved in producing them

Characteristics of Greener Manufacturing

Consumes less natural resources

Creates less waste (both hazardous and non-hazardous)

Requires less energy to produce

Releases less gases that lead to global climate change

Uses and releases less toxic materials

OVERVIEW: GREENING THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS

Greening is good for employees

Example

Greening the manufacturing process also has positive impacts on human health of

employees

traditional wall paints contain solvents, many of which are volatile organic compounds

(VOCs.)

VOCs emitted while manufacturing or using the

product can contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone,

a lung irritant that makes breathing difficult

GREENING PRODUCT ATTRIBUTES

Most common greening approach Benchmarking green products with

other products with the same functionBenchmarking recycled content of paper

with: Market average recycled paper content Guideline specifying recommended recycled

content Recycled content levels in other green labeled

papers

GREENING PRODUCT ATTRIBUTES

Product Approach to Greening

Identify Greener Products Create a Material Inventory Get Ideas for Green Products

Review Guidelines Comprehensive Procurement Guideline(CPG) Green Seal Environmentally Preferrable Purchasing(EPP)

Identify Other Prooduct Design Developments Packaging and Delivery Design for Environment(e.g.

durability,repairability,upgradability)

Market Your Green Product Certification Placement into Green Procurement Systems Green Labeling Marketing

REVIEW GUIDELINES

Guidelines to help purchasers select green products:

help you find the criteria your customers may use help you develop criteria for greening your existing

products provide ideas for new green products to introduce in

your product line

COMPREHENSIVE PROCUREMENT GUIDELINE(CPG)

US Environmental Protection Agency Signed into law in 1998 Initiatives Include environment in

purchasing Part of EPA’s effort Use of materials recovered from solid

waste Buying recycled content products

GREEN SEAL

Non-profit standard setting organization Unbiased, third party Awards “green seal of approval” Products that cause less harm to the

environment Develops environmental standards for

product categories Carries out the actual certification of

particular products from interested manufacturers

ENVIRONMENTALLY PREFERRABLE PURCHASING(EPP)

US federal gov. spends more than $200

billion annually on goods and services. EPP,a federal program encouraging and

assisting Executive agencies in purchasing environmentally preferable products and services

empower federal consumers to make smart purchasing decisions that reflect environmental considerations

IDENTIFY GREENER MATERIALS

Use information to identify greener materials that can be

substituted into your current products identify new green products to add to your

product offerings

Actions to takeCreate a materials inventoryGet ideas for green products

IDENTIFY OTHER PRODUCT DESIGN IMPROVEMENTS

Packaging/Delivery Greener packagingTransportation costs and energy use

Durability Long lasting products

Repairability and UpgradeabilityEasily repaired or upgraded

Design for Recycling/Disassembly Easily recycled after use

Product Take back(Future)easily disassembled, remanufactured or

recycled

MARKET YOUR GREEN PRODUCT

Actions to take:Get your product certifiedGet your product included in green

procurement systems and listsAppropriately label your green productUse marketing strategies

GREENING THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS

GREENING THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS

GREENING THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS

What is a process map? A process map is a schematic description of a process or processes. It is not a quality improvement flowchart, a floor plan, nor a complex wiring diagram. Enough detail should be included to provide adequate information to understand the bigger picture of your processes and stimulate discussion on the interactions between various processes.

When capital improvements are required, it is necessary to evaluate the profitability of these greening projects. A key element in assessing the profitability of pollution prevention and greener manufacturing projects is to properly account for all environmental cost savings. Often costs (such as waste disposal) are neglected from the analysis. Techniques and software are available to help in such an evaluation

EXAMPLE OF INCREMENTAL IMPROVEMENT

SOME POINTS

Evaluate greening opportunities during product design.

Greening is a moving target

Greening takes time.

Green product market is increasing.

The aim of Life Cycle Design (LCD) is

The basic principles of Life Cycle Design are

LIFE CYCLE DESIGNWHAT IS LCD?

to integrate environmental and social considerations into product or service design and development.

to integrate environmental and social considerations into product or service design and development.

• life cycle thinking;

• introduction of the environmental and social considerations as early as possible in the life-cycle;

• consideration of the core service provided by the product.

• life cycle thinking;

• introduction of the environmental and social considerations as early as possible in the life-cycle;

• consideration of the core service provided by the product.

LIFE CYCLE DESIGNWHAT IS LCD?

Life Cycle Management Navigator: 11_PR_LCD 36

Emphasis on product quality

along its life cycle

Increase in resource use

efficiency

Increase in production eco-efficiency and organisation

efficiency

Consideration of local culture and capacities

Concern for end-

of-life managem

ent

Elements of Life Cycle Design

Identification of market needs

and opportunities

The designers and the managers of the products use life cycle design during the earlier phases of product development.

AREAS OF APPLICATIONWhere?

LCD is a top-rank tool for environmental and social management. Raw Materials can be defined according to the requirements of LCD.Decisions on LCD in the earlier phase of product development alsoinfluence Packaging and Distribution, Use and Maintenance, and theDisposal.

BENEFITSWhy?

Internal

• Product innovation• Improves product quality• Saves costs• Boosts brand value and

reputation• Reach new customers• New opportunities for value

creation• Social equity• Governance and

management systems visible to stakeholders

• Green marketing• Environmental and social

awareness

External

• Be prepared for upcoming norms and standards

• Use of subsidy schemes• Encounter market and

supplier competition• Accomodate customer

demand, public opinion, and NGO pressure

• Encounter pressure from direct community, environmental groups and other stakeholders

HOW TO APPLY?

1. Create team, plan project,SWOT drivers, company goals

2. Product selection

3. Development oflife cycle design strategy

4. Product ideageneration and selection

5. Concepts Development

6. Evaluation and Implementation of product

7. Follow Up

Product Specification

Conceptual Design

Detailed Design

Manufacturing Preparation

Market Launch

Review

Project Plan

Product Idea

Life Cycle Design

Key Life Cycle Aspects

The Final Product

Project

Traditional Design Steps

Life Cycle Design Steps Output of the Process Step

1. Create team, plan project, SWOT drivers, company goals Enthusiasm and support of management Allocation of financial resources and when to do

2. Product selection Selection of a suitable product or sub-assembly

requires a screening through a check-list. Consider

reduction in environmental and social impact market potential the match between life cycle gains and market potentials competency of the personnel anticipated learning effect available budget complexity of the product length of the Life Cycle

HOW TO APPLY?

3. Development of Life Cycle Design strategy

HOW TO APPLY?

4. Product idea generation and selection

New concept developmentSelection of low impact materialsReduction of material usage Optimisation of production techniques Product structure levelReduction of impact during use Optimisation of the initial life time Optimisation of end-of-life system

WHAT IS LCD?

WHAT IS LCD?5. Concepts developmentFilter the options through the criteria of technical and financial feasibility, market opportunities and expected environmental and social profit and the most favourable ones are selected.

6. Evaluation and implementation of product

7. Follow Up

Work on the parts of the product rather than the whole if you have products having short product development time!

Concentrate on only one component or sub-assembly of the product when you have highly complex products and long-life span.

There is no single methodology for “Life Cycle Design”!

Key is to integrate the environmental and social impact consideration process into your usual design process.

Use simple tools such as life-cycle mapping or matrixes!

Develop an action plan!  

TIPS OF THE ACTION

 

BE GREEN !