Development and evaluation of a guide to support the selection of ecodesign indicators for monitoring the environmental performance of products

• Grant number: 13/00407-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 20, 2013
• End date: June 19, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Production Engineering - Product Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Henrique Rozenfeld
• Grantee: Isabela Ianhez Issa
• Supervisor: Timothy Charles McAloone
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de São Carlos (EESC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Technical University of Denmark (DTU), Denmark
• Associated to the scholarship: 12/06890-5 - Development of a guide to support the selection of product-related environmental performance indicators, BP.IC

Abstract

Ecodesign is a proactive approach that defines a new way to develop products, in which environmental issues has the same status as functionality, quality, aesthetics, costs, etc. The establishment of measurable ecodesign performance indicators during the product development process is often cited as a successful factor for effective ecodesign projects, since it enables the monitoring of product performance throughout the definition and the accomplishment of environmental performance improvement goals. Despite the existence of several researches related to ecodesign indicators, companies still face difficulties in the selection and application of these indicators due to lack of classification, lack of knowledge about their similarities and differences; and how they can be used together to achieve meaningful and comprehensive evaluations. The classification and systematization of ecodesign indicators can support companies in the effective implementation of Ecodesign. This project is a complement to a broader undergraduate research project, supported by FAPESP, which aims to develop a guide to support companies in the selection and application of ecodesign indicators into product development. In this BEPE project, it is proposed an exchange of experiences on developing ecodesign guides and the performance of a case study in Denmark, in close cooperation with the Technical University of Denmark. As a result, it is expected to develop a consolidated guide which can successfully support companies in the selection and application of ecodesign indicators in order to monitor the environmental performance of their products during the product development process. (AU)