Ecodesign

»The future we want needs to be invented, otherwise we will get one we don't want.«
Joseph Beuys

The design process is a complex procedure that mediates between technical, aesthetic, economic, ecological and social contexts. Ecodesign focuses on ecological effectiveness without neglecting the other aspects. A good overview of ecodesign methods and tools can be found in the e-book What is ecodesign? published by the Federal Environment Agency.

Ecodesign is not only product-oriented, but system-oriented. In addition to the consideration of environmental aspects, it is also about the socio-economic effects of a product. The sustainable design approach takes into account the full environmental consequences of all production phases. Ecodesign is thus a systematic and comprehensive approach to consideration and design, which pursues the goal of reducing environmental impacts over the entire life cycle through optimised (product) design.

More information about ecodesign can be found here.

Any production, use and disposal of products inevitably involves the use of natural resources and thus environmental pollution. The question can therefore only be which products or which product design is associated with less environmental pollution. An important goal of ecodesign is to design products, services and systems in such a way that their negative impact on the environment is minimized in all phases of life.

As "simple truths", the fundamental principles of ecodesign provide guidance as to which requirements an environmentally product should meet or which aspects should be taken into account in its environmentally friendly orientation on design.

The principles include

the durability,
the reparability,
the material efficiency,
the energy efficiency,
the lack of problematic substances in the product,
the use of renewable raw materials and
the recyclability of the product.

An environmentally compatible design of products and services requires quantitative and qualitative assessment standards and supporting instruments. Today, a series of checklists, manuals and software solutions based on the methodological basis of life cycle assessment are available for this purpose. Ecodesign principles are also increasingly succeeding in being anchored in product standards.

One of the best known is Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). In addition to this comprehensive method, in which the ecological effects are analysed throughout the entire product life cycle and the material and energy turnover that occurs and the resulting environmental impacts are assessed, there are other methods that emphasise a particular aspect, e.g. the Carbon Footprint of products and operating sites (Product Carbon Footprint, PCF or Corporate Carbon Footprint, CCF) can be determined or the Water-Footprint.

The criteria matrix was developed within the framework of the German Ecodesign Award. It is intended to provide orientation for the participants in the competition and the jurors. It can also be used as a tool and assistance in design practice.

Eco-Labels

Eco-labels act as a seal of quality and are aimed at consumers. Thus products or services are marked and statements can be made about the environmental friendliness of individual features. Meanwhile, there are a large number of eco-labels which can vary greatly in their informative value. A selection of reliable seals can be found here:

Eco-Labels

Ecological Guidelines

The Ecodesign Directive provides the legal framework for implementing Ecodesign at EU level. Regulations have already been issued for numerous product groups, the aim of which is to reduce the environmental impact of energy-related products, taking into account their entire life cycle. Information on the current status can be found here.

Guidelines

Ecodesign for Business

In many companies, ecological product design has often not yet become an inherent part of product development. The publication of the German Environment Agency identifies starting points for strengthening ecological design in companies.

Publication

Teaching and Learning

The Ecodesign Kit, developed on behalf of the German Environment Agency by the Hamburg Ökopol Institute in cooperation with the International Design Center Berlin, offers a collection of various teaching and learning materials for students.

Ecodesign Kit

Sustainability Guide

The Sustainability Guide, which is continually being expanded as part of the international EcoDesign Circle project, bundles information, methods and practical examples on the subject of circular design and circular economy.

Guide

From a consumer perspective

This paper explored the question of what consumers expect from sustainable products and services, and whether they are compatible with the scientifically based criteria of sustainable product design.

Publication

Aspects of Ecodesign

In this short interview, Lisa Cerny, employee of the Federal Environment Agency, explains the standards of good design from an environmental point of view.

Interview

Success Stories

The German Ecodesign Award has been awarded 91 times in the last ten years. What has happened to the projects of the former winners since then? In our series #successstories, we report on the development of various award-winning projects.

Stories