Policy and Demand as Drivers for Product Quality and Sustainability: A Market Systems Approach

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven Hoffenson ◽  
Rikard Söderberg
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Product Quality ◽  
Product Design ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Systems Approach ◽  
Consumer Demand ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
Consumer Decision Making

The market is a complex system with many different stakeholders and interactions. A number of decisions within this system affect the design of new products, not only from design teams but also from consumers, producers, and policy-makers. Market systems studies have shown how profit-optimal producer decisions regarding product design and pricing can influence a number of different factors including the quality, environmental impact, production costs, and ultimately consumer demand for the product. This study models the ways that policies and consumer demand combine in a market systems framework to influence optimal product design and, in particular, product quality and environmental sustainability. Implementing this model for the design of a mobile phone case shows how different environmental impact assessment methods, levels of taxation, and factors introduced to the consumer decision-making process will influence producer profits and overall environmental impacts. This demonstrates how different types of policies might be evaluated for their effectiveness in achieving economic success for the producer and reduced environmental impacts for society, and a “win-win” scenario was uncovered in the case of the mobile phone.

Taxation and Transparency: How Policy Decisions Impact Product Quality and Sustainability

2015 ◽  
Vol 137 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven Hoffenson ◽  
Rikard Söderberg
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Product Quality ◽  
Product Design ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Consumer Demand ◽  
Material Design ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
Optimal Product Design

Product markets can be modeled as complex systems that account for a diverse set of stakeholders and interactions. Decisions by all of the stakeholders in these systems can affect the design of new products, not only from design teams but also from consumers, producers, and policymakers. Studies of market systems have shown how producers can make profit-optimal decisions on product design and pricing, and how those decisions influence a number of different factors including the quality, environmental impact, production costs, and ultimately consumer demand for the product. This study presents and demonstrates the use of a framework for modeling the ways that policies and consumer demand influence optimal product design and, in particular, product quality and environmental sustainability. Employing this model for the tolerance and material design decisions for a mobile phone case shows how different environmental impact scales, taxation levels, and information available to consumers will influence producer profits and overall environmental impacts. This demonstrates how different policies can be evaluated for their impacts on economic success for producers and reduced environmental impacts for society, and a “win–win” scenario is found for the mobile phone case.

CAE-Based Injection Molding Analysis of Mobile Phone Battery Cover

2012 ◽  
Vol 538-541 ◽  
pp. 1130-1133
Author(s):  
Jun Kai Yang ◽  
Yun Jie Xu
Keyword(s):  
Injection Molding ◽  
Mobile Phone ◽  
Product Quality ◽  
Product Design ◽  
Cell Phone ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
Improve Quality ◽  
Cooling Process ◽  
Cover Design ◽  
Plastic Parts

In this thesis, CAE software is used to carry out the injection molding analysis of mobile phone battery cover and simulate the filling and cooling process so as to determine the formability of plastic parts and product quality. In the process of product design, it can also predict possible defects so as to optimize mold structure, save production costs, and improve quality and efficiency of cell phone battery cover design.

Quantifying the contribution of livestock health issues to the environmental impact of their production systems

2021 ◽  
pp. 81-114
Author(s):  
Stephen G. Mackenzie ◽  
◽  
Ilias Kyriazakis ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Animal Health ◽  
Health Interventions ◽  
Health Issues ◽  
Livestock Health ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Livestock Systems

The focus of this chapter is on the environmental impact consequences of endemic livestock health challenges that lead to deterioration in animal health, and on the potential impacts arising from their mitigations. The first part of the chapter concentrates on the potential of animal health to affect the environmental impact of livestock systems. Subsequently, it reviews the literature to date which has quantified the impact of health challenges for the environmental impacts of livestock systems. The potential of successful health interventions to mitigate negative environmental impacts represents a point of synergy between concerns around environmental sustainability and animal welfare, both of which represent 'hot topics' in the discourse surrounding the livestock industry and its sustainability. The challenges associated with modelling health interventions and their potential to mitigate environmental impacts constitute the last section in the chapter.

Lot-Size Planning with Non-Linear Cost Functions Supporting Environmental Sustainability

2010 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 34-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Markus Heck ◽  
Guenter Schmidt
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Cost Function ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
Cost Functions ◽  
Size Optimization ◽  
Lot Size ◽  
Non Linear ◽  
Linear Cost

In this paper, the authors propose a non-linear cost function based on ecological considerations for lot-size planning. The classical approaches of lot-size optimization, the Wagner-Whitin algorithm and the Part-Period Balancing heuristic, are enhanced with so-called eco-factors. These eco-enhanced approaches combined with eco-balancing help to reduce overall production costs. Simultaneously, the environmental impact is also reduced.

Consideration of Manufacturing Processes and the Supply Chain in Product Design

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed J. Alsaffar ◽  
Karl R. Haapala ◽  
Zhaohui Wu
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chain ◽  
Product Design ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
The United States ◽  
Design For X ◽  
Transportation Sector ◽  
Manufacturing Supply Chain ◽  
Environmentally Benign Manufacturing

As efforts continue to incorporate environmental sustainability into product design, struggles persist to concurrently consider the environmental impacts resulting from transportation planning and supply chain network design. In fact, the transportation sector is the second largest contributor to direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the United States, following electricity generation. To address these concerns and consider environmental issues more holistically during the development of products, Design for X (X: manufacturing, environment, etc.) methods, such as environmentally benign manufacturing (EBM) and life cycle assessment (LCA) continue to be advanced through research. In spite of improving environmental performance through design, supply chain related impacts are not well understood and can be impacted by decisions made during product design. Thus, the aim of this research is to explore how changes to the design of a product affect manufacturing supply chain configurations and, in turn, influence product environmental sustainability. The environmental impacts for producing several three-ring binder design variations are predicted by assuming a given set of suppliers that provide materials and components to the manufacturer. Supply chain transportation impacts are also accounted for in the analysis. Transportation impacts are found to be minor compared to materials and manufacturing impacts.

Lot-Size Planning with Non-Linear Cost Functions Supporting Environmental Sustainability

2013 ◽  
pp. 226-231
Author(s):  
Markus Heck ◽  
Guenter Schmidt
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Cost Function ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Production Costs ◽  
Cost Functions ◽  
Size Optimization ◽  
Lot Size ◽  
Non Linear ◽  
Linear Cost

In this paper, the authors propose a non-linear cost function based on ecological considerations for lot-size planning. The classical approaches of lot-size optimization, the Wagner-Whitin algorithm and the Part-Period Balancing heuristic, are enhanced with so-called eco-factors. These eco-enhanced approaches combined with eco-balancing help to reduce overall production costs. Simultaneously, the environmental impact is also reduced.

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

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincenzo Ferrero ◽  
Chris Hoyle ◽  
Bryony DuPont
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Product Design ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Design Research ◽  
Sustainable Design ◽  
Probabilistic Approach ◽  
Consumer Products ◽  
Component Level ◽  
Innovative Products ◽  
Product Concepts

Abstract Global concerns about climate change and resource management have escalated the need for sustainable consumer products. In light of this, sustainable design methodologies that supplement the product design process are needed. Current research focuses on developing sustainable design curricula, adapting classical design methods to accommodate environmental sustainability, and sustainability tools that are applicable during the early design phase. However, concurrent work suggests that sustainability-marketed and innovative products still lack a reduction of environmental impact compared to conventional products. Life cycle assessment (LCA) has proven to be an exceptional tool used to assess the environmental impact of a realized product. However, LCA is a reactive tool that does not proactively reduce the environmental impact of novel product concepts. Here we develop a novel methodology, the PeeP method, using historical product LCA data with kernel density estimation to provide an estimated environmental impact range for a given product design. The PeeP method is tested using a series 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 sustainable 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.

scholarly journals Improving the Sustainability of Dairy Slurry by A Commercial Additive Treatment

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (18) ◽  
pp. 4998 ◽  
Author(s):  
Federica Borgonovo ◽  
Cecilia Conti ◽  
Daniela Lovarelli ◽  
Valentina Ferrante ◽  
Marcella Guarino
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Environmental Impact ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Mineral Fertilizer ◽  
Cattle Slurry ◽  
N Loss ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Environmental Impact Categories ◽  
Carbon Dioxide Co2

Ammonia (NH3), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from livestock farms contribute to negative environmental impacts such as acidification and climate change. A significant part of these emissions is produced from the decomposition of slurry in livestock facilities, during storage and treatment phases. This research aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of the additive “SOP LAGOON” (made of agricultural gypsum processed with proprietary technology) on (i) NH3 and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions, (ii) slurry properties and N loss. Moreover, the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method was applied to assess the potential environmental impact associated with stored slurry treated with the additive. Six barrels were filled with 65 L of cattle slurry, of which three were used as a control while the additive was used in the other three. The results indicated that the use of the additive led to a reduction of total nitrogen, nitrates, and GHG emissions. LCA confirmed the higher environmental sustainability of the scenario with the additive for some environmental impact categories among which climate change. In conclusion, the additive has beneficial effects on both emissions and the environment, and the nitrogen present in the treated slurry could partially displace a mineral fertilizer, which can be considered an environmental credit.

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