Eco-Design Guidelines:

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Use Phase

The main contributors to the environmental impact during the use stage are:

The lifetime of the product also influences the impact.

Electrical and electronic products are characterised by energy consumption in the use stage. For many products the energy consumption is by far the most important contributor to the environmental impact, but it is not necessarily so. However, if little is known about the products and its environmental performance, energy reduction is a good start.

Maintenance is connected to lifetime. The better the maintenance, the longer the lifetime, and generally, the smaller the environmental impact. Maintenance includes repairing, changing parts, lubrication etc. Cleaning must not be forgotten. Cleaning can include cleaning agents with high environmental impacts.

The lifetime of a product influences the use of materials (which will be divided over the lifetime in years), but usually it has no influence on the energy consumption per year. Please observe, however, that energy consumption of newer products is often lower due to improved efficiency.

For electronic equipment, several studies have shown that the energy consumption during stand-by is considerable. Older equipment used to have an on/off-switch, which would completely disconnect the equipment from the mains. Newer equipment stores information, is often remote controlled, and must be able to react immediately on external events. This makes it mandatory, that the power supply is active all the time, and consequently the efficiency of this is extremely important.


Recommendations concerning reduction of energy consumption and other consumptions

Reasons for the recommendations
  • Most equipment is turned on all the time, but it is only active part time (TV, VCR, Set-top boxes, Audio etc.)

  • It is a typical demand in environmental labelling
  • Minimise the energy consumption during use, e.g. by:
    • High efficiency in power supply
    • As low clock-frequencies as possible
    • Reducing the supply voltage as much as possible

  • High degree of integration normally reduces consumption
  • Link: Electronic Design News Article
  • Reduces environmental impact

  • Saves money for the customer (competitive advantage)
  • Minimize the energy consumption for transportation, e.g. by
    • Choosing the transportation mode with least energy consumption (ranking: ship, train, lorry, aeroplane)
    • Optimise packaging: use standard measures (Euro-pallets etc.)
  • Reduction of resource consumption
  • Minimise energy consumption during production, e.g.:
    • Minimise the use of processes with high energy consumption

    • Reduce the number of tests and burn-in. Consider carefully the necessity, the amount and the test methods.
  • Reduction of resource consumption

  • A major part of the energy consumption of electronic products comes from tests and burn-in.



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