Eco-efficient Design Processes

🌿 Learning to Design More Sustainably: Insights from an Eco-Product Expert In the rapidly evolving fashion industry, sustainability is moving from a niche concern to a core component of product design. As an eco-product expert, my mission is to guide and inspire brands towards more environmentally friendly practices, beginning right at the design stage. This commitment to sustainability is crucial because every decision in product design reverberates through the entire lifecycle of an item. 👖 Consider the anatomy of a simple garment, such as a pair of jeans. An attached image vividly breaks down the numerous components involved: from threads, buttons, and rivets to denim, labels, and dyes. Each component is an opportunity for sustainable innovation. 🔩 Take, for instance, the button. Traditionally, jean buttons are a challenge for recycling due to their permanent attachment. By redesigning the button as a screw-on, we not only facilitate easy removal at the end of the garment's life, enhancing recyclability, but also allow the button to be reused on another item, thereby extending its lifecycle and reducing waste. 🌱 Moving to the fabric itself, denim is typically cotton-based, which is water and chemical-intensive. An alternative like hemp can drastically reduce the environmental footprint as it requires significantly less water and fewer chemicals. Incorporating such materials into designs is not just about substituting one for another; it’s about rethinking the system to prioritise ecological balance. ♻️ Consider also the leather-like labels often found on jeans. These are usually made from plastics and are purely decorative. Eliminating these and opting for water-based ink prints directly on the fabric can significantly reduce plastic use and the overall environmental impact. Similarly, shifting from conventional dyes to environmentally kinder options can mitigate pollution and enhance the sustainability of the production process. 🌍 As designers and product specialists, we have the power and responsibility to lead the charge in sustainable design. By analysing and rethinking each component of a product from an eco-design perspective, we can make profound contributions to sustainability. This approach not only helps in reducing the environmental impact but also aligns with the growing consumer demand for responsible and ethical products. 💡 By supporting innovation and challenging traditional manufacturing processes, we can transform how products are designed, produced, and perceived. As an eco-product expert, I am committed to helping brands navigate this transition, ensuring that sustainable practices are at the focus of product design and development. 🤝 Together, let's design a more sustainable future. For more insights and guidance on integrating sustainable practices into your products, feel free to reach out. #sustainablefashion  #ecodesign

What if redesigning something as simple as an electric kettle could make a difference for our planet? The global electric kettle market was valued at ~ USD 20 billion in 2023. In a case study on the standard electric kettle, massive improvements were made using the Design for Six Sigma (DFSS) methodologies to help increase energy efficiency that could be applied to this massive global market. What is DFSS? In short: these are a set of methodologies used in product/process design to achieve the highest quality and customer satisfaction. And yet, it is harmonious with sustainable design. Here's how this common appliance was redesigned for energy efficiency, safety, and sustainability: ☕️ Sleek stainless steel construction instead of plastic ⛽️ Innovative flat heating element that cuts electricity usage 💧 Inner water chamber that prevents the outer surface from heating up ♻️ Fully recyclable materials 💡 Intuitive temperature to control boiling water precisely Using DFSS principles, the redesigned kettle: ✅Nearly halved its carbon footprint ✅Reduced total energy consumed from 960 MJ to 340 MJ ✅Reduced air acidification 💥While still significantly reducing the cost per product and assembly time! Smart design practices make a difference, to both our commercial needs and the environment. More everyday products can balance user needs, business viability, and environmental responsibility. What other sustainable design methodologies do you follow? Which products do you think can be improved? Share below!

Designing and using a Building Automation System (BAS) in an existing facility to create well-balanced, efficient, and healthy buildings requires both a strategic retrofit plan and careful operational use once installed. Here’s a structured approach: 1. Assessment and Benchmarking Existing Systems Review: Gather drawings, control sequences, and recent testing/air balance (TAB) reports. Map which equipment is automated, semi-manual, or outdated. Occupant Comfort & Health Data: Collect thermal comfort complaints, indoor air quality readings (CO₂, VOCs, humidity), and hot/cold zone reports. Energy Baseline: Benchmark energy use (kWh, therms, kBTU/sq.ft) before changes to measure impact later. 2. System Design for Retrofit Open Protocols: Use BACnet/IP, Modbus, or MQTT gateways to integrate legacy HVAC, lighting, and power monitoring systems into a common BAS platform. Zoning & Control Strategies: Add VAV box controllers, airflow measuring stations, and smart dampers where feasible. Layer demand-controlled ventilation (using CO₂ sensors) to balance health with energy efficiency. Sensor Deployment: Temperature, humidity, CO₂, and occupancy sensors distributed per ASHRAE/Well Building standards. Thermal imaging or wireless sensor networks to identify air balance and comfort issues in real time. Healthy Building Features: Integrate MERV-13+ filtration monitoring and filter life sensors. Add UV-C or bipolar ionization controls (where appropriate). Tie in IAQ dashboards for occupant transparency. 3. Control Sequences & Optimization Air Balance & Comfort: Program supply/return fan tracking and static pressure reset to reduce drafts and ensure balanced airflow. Zone-level setpoint adjustment with occupant feedback loops (via apps or kiosks). Energy Efficiency: Implement chilled/hot water reset schedules. Optimize economizer use for free cooling. Integrate with lighting controls and occupancy sensors for holistic energy management. Safety & Resilience: Alarms for high CO₂, humidity excursions, filter pressure drop, or equipment failures. Cellular failover routers for visibility during network outages (cyber-secure). 4. Operational Use Analytics Layer: Add FDD (Fault Detection & Diagnostics) to identify stuck dampers, simultaneous heating/cooling, or drifting sensors. Continuous Commissioning: Periodic re-balancing aided by real-time BAS data and thermal imaging surveys. Dashboards: Tailor interfaces for facilities, executives, and occupants (different levels of detail). Training: Facility staff must be trained in both BAS operation and comfort/IAQ troubleshooting. 5. Measurable Outcomes Balanced Comfort: More consistent temperatures across spaces, reduced hot/cold complaints. Efficiency Gains: Typically 15–30% energy savings post-retrofit. Health Improvements: CO₂ maintained below 800–1000 ppm, humidity controlled within 40–60%, reduced absenteeism and improved occupant satisfaction.

Product design is becoming a more important exercise for companies to reduce tariff impacts and costs, drive down emissions, and capture revenue upside. A key first step is evaluating the bill of materials and conducting a lifecycle assessment to pinpoint where both tariffs and emissions are highest—from materials to manufacturing, usage, and disposal—allowing for targeted, high-impact changes. Switching to low-carbon or recycled materials, simplifying designs, and sourcing locally can significantly reduce costs and environmental impact. Modular, durable products also support circular economy goals by enabling easier repair, reuse, or recycling. Improving energy efficiency—both in production and during product use—can lower emissions and operating costs, making products more attractive to customers. Technologies like digital modeling and just-in-time production also help reduce waste. To fully realize the commercial potential, companies must clearly communicate sustainability attributes through credible claims, transparent labeling, third-party certifications, and marketing that highlights both environmental and performance benefits. Our research shows that appropriate claims can drive 6 to 25%+ revenue uplift.

🌱 Sustainable UX Toolkits & Resources (https://lnkd.in/eT6ZR3qz), a large (!) repository of toolkits, Figma templates, books, case studies, articles on sustainable UX — throughout the entire product design process. Kindly put together by the SUX - The Sustainable UX Network, via Thorsten Jonas. Sustainable UX Database (Notion) https://lnkd.in/eyZjigBx As designers, we often are left wondering how to integrate sustainable practices into our design work. Most environmental impact happens on our user’s devices, so we can help our users by reducing waste. Typically, when we speak about sustainability, we mean at least 4 facets of it: 🌱 Reducing waste ← In publishing, heavy visuals, animation, PDFs, 🌻 Deleting content ← Un-publishing outdated, misleading content/flows, 🐝 Maximize reusability ← UI components, flows, processes, templates, 🌳 Sustainable defaults ← Help people make more sustainable choices. In practice, we could use simple but impactful design patterns: 1. Always prefer the lightest mode of communication. 2. Aim to reduce session duration instead of increasing it. 3. Encourage the reuse of existing templates and presets. 4. Auto-delete after 365 days what hasn’t been used once. 5. Discourage users from PDF exports in favor of URLs. 6. Always provide audio-only and transcript for videos. 7. Be intentional with default settings for your users. 8. Highlight key insights to create understanding faster. 9. Skip unnecessary pages: drive users to results faster. 10. Show filters/presets in autocomplete, not just keywords. 11. Nudge users to delete old files for 10% off that month. 12. Establish an archiving, deletion and clean-up policies. 13. Encourage and reward users for trying out dark mode. 14. Question font weights, stock photos, parallax, 4K-videos. 15. Question collected data, if it’s used and when it’s deleted. Individual actions can drive changes at scale. But they need a momentum. And momentum often comes through small changes: better defaults, reused filters and templates, reduced time on task. That’s also just good usability — and can have tangible impact for users and businesses at scale. Useful resources: Sustainable UX Toolkits, by yours truly https://lnkd.in/ePya82v3 Designing For Planet Knowledge Hub (Notion) https://lnkd.in/eiHtpkJH Product Design for Sustainability (+ Google Doc template), by Artiom Dashinsky ↳ https://lnkd.in/dDnujb-t ↳ https://lnkd.in/d95FWb4r *HUGE* thanks to Thorsten Jonas, Isabel Pettinato, Christoph Stark, Alice M., Bavo Lodewyckx, Poppe G., Stine Ramsing and all wonderful contributors to the project. Your effort doesn’t go unnoticed! 👏🏼👏🏽👏🏾 #ux #design

Sustainable Design Strategies 🌎 Sustainable design principles are increasingly being integrated into product life cycles, and six complementary strategies are at the forefront of this transformative approach. ▪ Dematerialization: Companies are increasingly seeking ways to reduce material use while maintaining functionality. This strategy leverages digitization to add features without additional material or weight, fostering new, sustainable business models and urging a shift in consumer mindset towards more efficient products. ▪ Next-Best Material Selection: The selection of materials like biodegradable or recycled options minimizes environmental impact without major functionality sacrifices. Innovations, such as plant-based substitutes for traditional materials, are being developed despite challenges related to cost and complex selection criteria. ▪ Green Supply Chain: Enhancing supply chains to be more environmentally friendly involves using materials and designing processes that reduce logistics and production impacts. This approach aims at cost reduction through energy efficiency and requires robust collaboration across teams. ▪ Longevity and Effective Usage: Extending product life through designs that facilitate repair and adaptation delays the replacement cycle and fosters brand loyalty. Though it may impact the adoption of newer models, it offers an avenue for quality perception and additional revenue from services. ▪ Product Efficiency: Designing for minimum energy and resource consumption during use is a direct response to consumer demand and a crucial step in reducing the overall carbon footprint. This efficiency is balanced against other product features and benefits, particularly in high-consumption models. ▪ Circularity: Emphasizing recyclable materials and design for product "second life" reduces both material and energy consumption. Despite the financial and logistical hurdles, circularity is critical for a sustainable transition, especially as optimized secondary materials become more cost-effective. These six strategies collectively address sustainability across product life cycles, presenting opportunities and challenges as industries adapt to a more environmentally conscious marketplace. Source: Boston Consulting Group (BCG) #sustainability #sustainable #design #esg #climatechange #climateaction #circularity #circulareconomy #productdesign

We’ve been dissecting many exemplary structures built around the world for quite some time now, today an article on the Manitoba Hydro Place in Winnipeg, designed by KPMB Architects, grabbed my attention. What makes it Exemplary? Manitoba Hydro Place seamlessly blends environmental principles with cutting-edge technologies. Utilizing renewable hydropower, the structure boasts impressive low electricity rates for Manitobans while achieving exceptional energy efficiency despite the city's extreme climate. Here's how: · Prioritizes passive energy and smart design, utilizing natural light and ventilation. · Integrated Design Process (IDP): Focuses on energy savings, comfort, and cost-effectiveness. · Double Facade: Utilizes a double-walled curtain system for natural insulation. · Solar Powerhouse: Features a towering solar chimney for fresh air ventilation using solar heat and wind power. · Health Efficiency: Achieves 100% fresh air circulation with geothermal systems, radiant solar energy, and manual/automated ventilation. The structure has also had a fantastic ripple effect- with employees using more public transit and local businesses thriving. It proves how sustainable architecture can benefit both the environment and the community. What sustainable features would you want to see in future workplaces? #ExemplaryArchitecture #ManitobaHydroPlace #GreenBuilding #CleanEnergy  

In my recent conversation with Vogue Business in China, we discussed our unique Design for #Sustainability approach at Logitech. We are making real progress in reducing our carbon footprint by integrating sustainability at the start of the design process. We carbon label all of our products, and for each of the 35-40 new products we launch every year, we assess their carbon footprint at the start of the process. That allows us to make smarter decisions about materials, manufacturing and logistics. Decisions that are better for our users, our business and the planet. As a result, 4 out of 5 of our products now use recycled plastics. The majority of our portfolio has transitioned to paper-based, FSC-certified packaging. We are increasingly using low-carbon aluminum and low-carbon printed circuit boards. And importantly, we prioritize Circular Design: choosing materials and components that are easier to separate, repair, and recycle. If you missed the full discussion I shared recently, catch a quick highlight below: Coco Yang, Amanda Glasgow, Elaine Laird, Malin L., Robert O'Mahony, Sènami Aklé, Yiling Pan, Maxime Marini

Kohler Co., the 150-year-old bathroom and kitchen fixtures company, and Legrand, a 160-year-old maker of electrical supplies, are overhauling new product design processes to incorporate principles such as longer durability, simpler repair and disassembly, and more recycled content. This takes cross-company collaboration and discipline at the earliest stages of research and development, said sustainability professionals for both companies who spoke recently at #Circularity25, a Trellis Group conference. “The opportunity to influence product attributes happens super early on, and oftentimes it might be before engineers are actually involved,” said Jaden B., senior sustainability analyst at Legrand. Both Legrand and Kohler have had formal programs for reducing emissions from manufacturing and use of their products for some time. In recent months, they have revised those initiatives to include considerations that extend the useful length of time products can be used. Here are four best practices their guidelines have in common: 1. Consider features early in the design process: If suggestions are made too late in development, they’re likely to be rejected and that can be frustrating. 2. Synchronize goals and processes with industry standards: Both companies look to established methodologies from organizations such as the U.S. Green Buildings Council and the International Organization for Standardization, which in March updated foundational guidance for circular product design. 3. Check progress at each design phase: Kohler uses a scorecard to track how proposed designs meet criteria related to circularity and emissions reductions at several stages during the development process. Legrand uses a similar points-based system to gauge success. 4. Take cues from customers: Legrand trains customer-facing employees to probe for information during encounters, and that data is passed along to designers where it can be married with goals. You can read more details here: https://lnkd.in/ewGPCWR8 Ashley Fahey

Essenza Design Studio, LLC. www.edsssustainable.org This analytical section explores passive airflow paths, thermal buffering, and shaded-to-sunlit spatial transitions as primary design drivers. The building mediates climate through mass, orientation, and calibrated voids — not mechanical intervention. Air moves through pressure differentials. Light enters with intention. Thermal mass stabilizes interior conditions across time. Environmental performance is not added later — it shapes the geometry from the beginning. This is architecture as climate instrument. Measured. Intentional. Quietly radical. #Architecture #EnvironmentalDesign #PassiveDesign #SustainableArchitecture #ClimateResponsive #ArchitecturalSection #DesignResearch #ThermalMass #BuildingPhysics #ResilientDesign