Ecodesign
Introduction
Ecodesign, which in turn is closely linked to sustainable design, is the design that considers actions aimed at environmental improvement of the product or service at all stages of its life cycle, from its creation in the conceptual stage, to its treatment as waste.
There are numerous and diverse motivations and reasons that can drive the use of the ecodesign tool: competitive advantage, environmental marketing, differentiation, added value, cost reduction, among others; but above all the reduction of the environmental impact in all stages of the life cycle of the product or service.
Ecodesign is a widely proven methodology and the results of projects carried out in both Europe and Central America promise a 30 to 50% reduction in environmental deterioration.
It is also a way of responding to human subsistence needs, since due to climate change and the demographic explosion, it is necessary - not only convenient - that a profound cultural and technological change occur in the coming years.
Ecodesign criteria
Examples of criteria in the design of objects with an ecological philosophy may be the saving of energy, water and resources in general, the minimization of waste and external emissions, or the use of fuels from non-renewable sources. Among the results of eco-design applied to the conception of a product is the reduction of the variety of materials that make it up to facilitate their separation and final classification for use, the increase in the use of recyclable materials or the maximization of components coming from recovery channels.
Characteristics of eco-designed products
Among the characteristics of products conceived through ecodesign is the energy consumption during their life and at term, their disassembly, recovery and, if necessary, their destruction. In other words, we could reduce these characteristics to four simple but important aspects:
Ecodesign also takes into account the redesign of a product to which strategies can be applied that can improve the product and make it more user-friendly. Most of these products are linked to innovation, so they can be especially expensive because they are still in the initial phase of their commercialization. In the future, these eco-designs will not be unique and exclusive, but rather they will be part of our lives and will be marketed at affordable prices.