Implementation of Eco-Design:
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Environmental Metrics
Background
"If you can't measure it, you can't manage it"
We define an environmental metric as:
- an algorithmic interpretation,
of levels of performance,
within the significant environmental attributes of the product.
Examples of metrics are (from Motorola):
- Number of materials
- Mass
- Energy use
- Toxicity index
- Recycled content
- Recyclability
- Time for Disassembly
- End of life value
This kind of figures represents a translation of the company's knowledge about the significant environmental attributes of their specific product type, into an easy and understandable way of communication to the design teams and the customers.
The following steps are necessary to establish and maintain focused Eco-Design activities in the product development process:
- Identification of the significant environmental attributes of the product type.
- Development of metrics derived from these environmental attributes.
- Setting goals for new products and establishing a measuring system to follow the development in the metrics.
- Communicating the metrics within the organisation and to the customers.