The environmental impacts of a product can be reduced in the three phases of its life cycle: production supply chain, service and retirement. The reduction of production volume, especially by extending the service life of existing products would mitigate environmental impacts. Durability, maintenance and repair can prolong normal operation. However, if service requirements change, the product may be retired while still in working condition. In these cases, retirement could be postponed if the product is capable of “adapting” to the new requirements. This paper shows the scope of “postponing retirement” in environmental design research, and discusses the benefits of adaptable design.
POSTPONING PRODUCT RETIREMENT THROUGH ENGINEERING DESIGN
