Session: DFMLC-08-01/DAC-20-01: Modeling and Optimization for Sustainable Design and Manufacturing

Paper Number: 70990

Start Time: August 19, 03:20 PM

70990 - A Probabilistic Approach for Estimating the Environmental Impact of Novel Product Concepts 

Global concerns about climate change and resource man- agement have escalated the need for sustainable consumer prod- ucts. In light of this, sustainable design methodologies that sup- plement the product design process are needed. Current research focuses on developing sustainable design curricula, adapting classical design methods to accommodate environmental sus- tainability, and sustainability tools that are applicable during the early design phase. However, concurrent work suggests that sustainability-marketed and innovative products still lack a re- duction of environmental impact compared to conventional prod- ucts. Life cycle assessment (LCA) has proven to be an excep- tional tool used to assess the environmental impact of a realized product. However, LCA is a reactive tool that does not proac- tively reduce the environmental impact of novel product con- cepts. Here we develop a novel methodology, the PeeP method, using historical product LCA data with kernel density estima- tion to provide an estimated environmental impact range for a given product design. The PeeP method is tested using a se- ries of case studies exploring four different products. Results suggest that probability density estimations developed through this method reflect the environmental impact of the product at both the product and component level. In the context of sustain- able design research, the PeeP method is a viable methodology for assessing product design environmental impact prior to product realization. Our methodology can allow designers to identify high-impact components and reduce the cost of product redesign in practice.

Presenting Author: Vincenzo Ferrero Oregon State University

Authors:

Vincenzo Ferrero Oregon State University
Chris Hoyle Oregon State University
Bryony DuPont Oregon State University