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Prototyping and Development of Sustainable Products
What is a sustainable product?
According to our business development and innovative products expert, Erick Remedios, a sustainable product is one that, by its design and manufacturing process, minimizes the negative impact on the environment. For the development of sustainable products, key factors include the type of materials, raw materials, durability, energy efficiency, and impact on waste reduction. However, having a sustainable design and development process does not necessarily mean that the overall environmental impact is positive.
Parameters to Consider in the Design and Development of Sustainable Prototypes
Parameter | Sustainable Classification |
Raw Materials | Renewable raw materials; recycled raw materials; raw materials that do not require natural resource extraction or minimize this process; raw materials resulting from natural processes and even waste. |
Efficiency | Inclusion of functional arguments that, without increasing the impact on materials, enable a substantial reduction in energy consumption both in standby mode and during operation. |
Durability | The design of sustainable prototypes and development of a sustainable product, regardless of its purpose, must be designed to prevent rotation or replacement of the product due to malfunctions. The inclusion of elements that facilitate its repair and thus increase the longevity of the sustainable product is also highly valued. |
Social Impact | The social impact of a sustainable product should be measured from the concept of sustainable products to the social impact on the end customer market that will use the product. It is a significant mistake to measure the social impact of sustainable products solely in the production process. |
Waste | The reduction of waste in the process of developing sustainable products is an element that can be easily measured. However, it is also crucial to assess the impact of waste generated by the product when it is no longer in use. This relates to its actual need and the extent of the problem it addresses. |
CATALOG OF
Sustainable Product Development vs. Sustainable Product Lifecycle
There is significant controversy surrounding some modern sustainable products. This conflict arises from the analysis of the actual positive impact of products classified as sustainable and the impact these products have on society and the environment once the sustainable product manufacturing stage is complete.
A sustainable product is not just one that meets the sustainability criteria in the manufacturing process. For it to be truly responsible to the environment and the surroundings, it is critical that the product also has a positive impact during its usage phase and after its deterioration or end of life. All these stages together are referred to as the lifecycle of sustainable products.
The development of sustainable products can be very environmentally responsible, but this does not mean it does not generate unnecessary toxic waste. For this reason, to develop sustainable products, it is crucial to have a method that assesses the impact of the product at all stages of its lifecycle.
Sustainable Product Lifecycle: The sustainable product lifecycle consists of the sum or integration of stages that take place from the conception of a product to its end of life. Therefore, to determine if a product is truly sustainable and measure its impact, it is necessary to evaluate the product's sustainability at all stages that make up the sustainable product lifecycle: Conception, Design, sustainable prototype manufacturing, industrialization, distribution and sales, usage or utilization, and end of life.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO PATENT AN IDEA?
Business Opportunities Related to Sustainable Products
Consumer Demand: Sustainable products have captured the market's attention exponentially in recent years. The level of information required by users about the creation of sustainable products and the environmental impact of products is increasingly high. It is important to remember that products must always address the problem they are designed to solve very effectively. The sustainability component of a product is complementary, but increasingly relevant.
Government Conditions: In most countries, especially in Europe, there are government initiatives that promote the use of sustainable products. The tax burden on alternatives to these products with negative environmental impact is a way to incentivize not only the consumption of sustainable products but also the creation of sustainable products with high innovation content. On the other hand, market demands have also sparked interest in the industrial fabric of the United States to focus innovation on creating sustainable products with a positive impact throughout their lifecycle.
Economic Viability: In some parts of the world, incentives are promoted for inventors and entrepreneurs to focus their efforts on the creation of sustainable products. Unjustified subsidies and lack of professionalism among fund managers for sustainable product development have led many entrepreneurs and companies to associate sustainable products with those that are not economically viable without public funding. However, for sustainable products to truly be sustainable, they must provide sufficient value to users and be optimal in their creation cycles, ensuring their economic viability.
Reputation and Corporate Image: Associating sustainable products with a brand is a market positioning argument. It has been proven that such arguments substantially increase brand reputation.
Method for Measuring the Impact of Sustainable Products
The method we use at Let´s Prototype in sustainable prototype development processes is determined by a set of formulas that, when applied considering their variables, allows us to understand the impact of sustainable products during the different stages that make up the sustainable product lifecycle.
Data Needed to Measure the Impact of Sustainable Prototypes:
(I) Amount of resources needed for design, product manufacturing, as well as during its use.
(O) Amount of waste generated by the product at the stages of design, prototyping, industrial manufacturing, customer use, and end of life.
(E) Energy consumed at each stage of the sustainable product lifecycle.
(M) Types of materials required in the design and development process of sustainable products.
(Em) Emissions generated by the products at each stage.
Key Variables for Measuring the Impact of Sustainable Products Throughout Their Lifecycle.
(CC) Climate Change Impact.
(AC) Acidification or Acid Emission.
(EU) Eutrophication Impact.
(TO) Toxicity Impact.
(IT) Total Impact.
The most important factor in measuring the real impact of sustainable products is to apply the summation of Total Impact (IT) across all stages that make up the sustainable product lifecycle, regardless of the industry or sector it is intended for.
Calculations to Measure the Impact of Sustainable Products at Each Stage of the Lifecycle.
Variable | Calculation Approach |
CC | ∑ (E x Potencial de Calentamiento Global) |
AC | ∑ (Em x Potencial de Acidificación) |
EU | ∑ (Em x Potencial de Eutrofización) |
TO | ∑ (Em x Potencial de Toxicidad) |
IT | ∑ (CC, AC, EU, TO) por cada etapa del ciclo de vida de productos sostenibles. |
How much does the Prototype cost?
Most Important Sustainable Product Certifications Worldwide
Certificate | Country | Industry |
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) | USA | Construction, works, and buildings. |
Cradle to Cradle Certified | USA | Assessment of Circular Economy and Impact Indicators Throughout the Lifecycle of a Product. |
Fair Trade Certified | USA | Europa | Analysis of the Distribution and Manufacturing Cycle of Sustainable Products. |
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) | Alemania | Analysis of Sustainable Management of Raw Material Sourcing. Specialization in Forest-Derived Products. |
Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) | Alemania | Analysis of Organic Fabrics. Sourcing of Fabrics for Sustainable Textile Products. |
ENERGY STAR | USA | Analysis of Energy Efficiency in the Usage Process, Primarily. |
Ecolabel de la Unión Europea | Europa | Analysis of Environmental Impact Throughout the Lifecycle of a Sustainable Product. |
Blue Angel | Alemania | Analysis of Environmental Impact, from Production Through the Entire Lifecycle. |
Rainforest Alliance Certified | USA | Analysis of the Origin of Agricultural Products or Those Used in This Industry, Regardless of the Specific Area or Task. |
Corporation Certification | USA | Analyzes the balance of environmental and social impact. It is the most rigorous and recognized worldwide. |
Examples of Sustainable Products | Organic Solar Panels
Organic Solar Panels: Renewable energies have marked a significant development in how we provide energy to homes and industries with less environmental impact. Specifically, solar panels have enabled the utilization of natural resources to, with the application of new technologies, transform them into the energy format needed for daily use, which otherwise causes considerable damage to the environment.
Although solar panels may be seen as a very sustainable solution, the reality is that if we analyze their lifecycle, we will see that their construction depends on the extraction and use of high-impact materials, such as semiconductors.
R&D on sustainability goals has allowed solar panels to evolve into organic solar panels. These are solutions made with organic compounds that can be printed on flexible surfaces. This not only reduces production costs and environmental impact but also opens up new opportunities in other industries.
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The time to bring your ideas to life is now. We accompany you throughout the entire process: from idea to product.
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