Abstract

Sustainability has become a buzzword in business over the last few years. Increasingly, firms are committed to sustainability policies and sustainable development projects but how does this relate to the design process?

Since the mid 1990s it has been accepted that sustainability is a multi-faceted concept, encompassing social, environmental and economic considerations but the bulk of work so far has been concentrated in the environmental domain. This seminar aims to introduce an approach to considering sustainability (in all its facets) at the design stage of new product development in terms of impact across the post-design phases of the product lifecycle. This includes identifying and recognising points of conflict in designing for sustainability.

Future plans to develop this model (and eventually a capability assessment tool), with input from industry, are outlined. Since the project is only in its infancy, your input is appreciated!