This document provides an overview of system design for eco-efficiency. It defines system design for eco-efficiency as designing interactions between stakeholders in a system to fulfill a customer demand in a way that continuously seeks environmentally beneficial solutions for economic and competitive reasons. It discusses approaches for satisfaction-system design and stakeholder configuration design. It outlines criteria for system design for eco-efficiency, including system life optimization, transportation reduction, resource reduction, waste minimization, conservation, and toxic reduction. Finally, it introduces methods and tools developed by Politecnico di Milano to guide system design towards more sustainable solutions.

1. course System Design for Sustainability
subject 3. System design for eco-efficency
learning resource 3.2
System design for eco-efficiency
carlo vezzoli
politecnico di milano . DESIGN dept. . DIS . School of Design . Italy
Learning Network on Sustainability (EU asia-link)
Learning Network on Sustainabile energy systems (EU edulink)
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

2. CONTENTS
. system design for eco-efficiency: a definition
. system design for eco-efficiency: approach
. criteria of system design for eco-efficiency
. system life optimisation
. transportation-distribution reduction
. resources reduction
. waste minimisation-valorisation
. conservation-biocompatibility
. toxic reduction
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

3. SYSTEM DESIGN FOR ECO-EFFICIENCY: STATE OF ART
(in industrially mature contexts) … aim at
100%
d
ne
sig
(education and practice)
de
be
DISSEMINATION
o
”t
low impact
t
ec
mat./energies
bj
e “o Product
th Life Cycle Design
nin g ecodesign
de
wi system design for
eco-efficiency
design for social
equity and
cohesion
new
research 0 CONSOLIDATION 100%
frontier … (research achievements on knowledge-base and know-how)
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

4. SYSTEM INNOVATION MAIN CHARACTERISTICS
ROOTED IN A SATISFACTION-BASED ECONOMIC MODEL
each offer is developed/designed and delivered in relation to a
particular customer “satisfaction” (unit of satisfaction)
STAKEHOLDER INTERACTIONS-BASED INNOVATION
radical innovations, not so much as technological ones, as
new interactions/partnerships between the stakeholders of a
particular satisfaction production chain (life cycle/s)
INTRINSIC ECO-EFFICIENCY POTENTIAL
innovation in which is the company/companies’ economic and
competitive interest that may leads to an environmental
impact reduction (system eco-efficiency: decoupling the
creation of value from resources consumption)
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

5. SYSTEM DESIGN FOR SUSTAINABILITY:
A DEFINITION
“the design of the system of products
and services that are together able to
fulfil a particular customer demand
(deliver a “unit of satisfaction”), based
on the design of innovative interactions
of the stakeholders (directly and
indirectly linked to that “satisfaction”
system) where the economic and
competitive interest of the providers
continuously seeks environmentally
beneficial new solutions.”
[to be published in 2013, by Greenleaf
english, chinese, thailandese,
pdf free of charge and in copy left www.lens.polimi.it]
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

6. SYSTEM DESIGN FOR ECO-EFFICIENCY:
NEW APPROACHES AND SKILLS
A. “SATISFACTION-SYSTEM” APPROACH
design the satisfaction of a particular demand
(satisfaction unit) and all its related products and
services
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

7. A. “SATISFACTION-SYSTEM” APPROACH
design the satisfaction of a particular demand
THERE IS NOT ONE SINGLE PRODUCT TO BE
DESIGNED (ASSESSED), BUT RATHER ALL THE
PRODUCTS AND SERVICES (AND ALL THE
RELATED PROCESSES) ASSOCIATED WITH THE
FULFILMENT OF A PARTICULAR (CUSTOMER)
DEMAND OF SATISFACTION
... A “SATISFACTION UNIT” COULD BE DEFINED
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

8. SATISFACTION UNIT:
(a car):
functional unit: trasportation of 1 persosn per 1 km
(possible with a car)
satisfaction unit 1: 1 person having access to his/her working
space (per 1 year)
satisfaction unit 2: 1 person having access to public services
delivering personal documents (per 1 year)
. ...
(possible even with other mixes of products and services)
a satisfaction unit require an approach at the same time:
. deeper (more products, services, stakeholders to be considered)
. more narrow (looking at one particular customer satisfaction)
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

9. SATISFACTION APPROACH IN DESIGN
IS TO THINK MORE ON BEING (SATISFIED),
RATHER ON HAVING (PRODUCTS TO BE
SATISFIED)
[Ehrnelfeld, Sustainability by design, 2008]
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

10. SYSTEM DESIGN FOR ECO-EFFICIENCY:
NEW APPROACHES AND SKILLS
A. “SATISFACTION-SYSTEM” APPROACH
design the satisfaction of a particular demand
(satisfaction unit) and all its related products and
services
B. “STAKEHOLDER CONFIGURATION” APPROACH
design the interactions of the stakeholders of a
particular satisfaction-system
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

11. B. “STAKEHOLDER CONFIGURATION” APPROACH
design the interactions of the stakeholder of a
particular satisfaction-system
[a parallel with product design: it imagines and defines
the technical performance and aesthetic characteristics of
“components” – materials/shape - and their
“connections” – joining elements - to respond to a set of
“requirements” ]
systems design for eco-efficiency: it imagines and defines
“connections” – interactions/partnerships –
between appropriate
“components” – socio-economic stakeholders –
of a system, responding to a particular
“requirement” - social demand for satisfaction -
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

12. STAKEHOLDERS SYSTEM MAP
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

13. SYSTEM DESIGN FOR ECO-EFFICIENCY:
NEW APPROACH AND SKILLS
A. “SATISFACTION-SYSTEM” APPROACH
design the satisfaction of a particular demand
(satisfaction unit) and all its related products and
services
B. “STAKEHOLDER CONFIGURATION” APPROACH
design the interactions of the stakeholder of a
particular satisfaction-system
C. “SYSTEM ECO-EFFICIENCY” APPROACH
design such a stakeholder interactions (offer
model) that for economic and competitive
reasons continuously seek after environmentally
beneficial new solutions
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

14. C. SYSTEM ECO-EFFICENCY APPROACH
design such a stakeholder interactions (offer
model) that for economic and competitive reasons
continuously seek after environmentally beneficial
new solutions
NOT ALL SYSTEM INNOVATION ARE ECO-EFFICENT!
> CRITERIA AND GUIDELINES ARE NEEDED
> METHODS AND TOOLS ARE NEEDED to orientate
design towards system eco-efficent stakeholder
interactions
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

15. SYSTEM DESIGN FOR ECO-EFFICIENCY CRITERIA
(TO REDUCE THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT)
. System life optimisation
. Transportation-distribution reduction
. Resources reduction
. Waste minimisation-valorisation
. Conservation-biocompatibility
. Toxic reduction
[ADOPTED BY POLIMI-DIS WITHIN LeNS]
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

16. SYSTEM LIFE OPTIMISATION
DESIGN FOR,
SYSTEM STAKEHOLDERS’ INTERACTIONS FOSTERING FOR
ECONOMIC/COMPETITIVE REASONS,
THE EXTENSION OF THE SUM OF THE PRODUCTS’ LIFE
SPAN AND
THE INTENSIFICATION THE SUM OF THE PRODUCTS’ USE
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

17. AVOIDED IMPACTS LIGHTER IMPACTS
SHORT product’s (system sum) life
PRE- PRE-PRODUCTION
PRODUCTION
PRODUCTION PRODUCTION NEW TECHNOLOGIES
AND TECHNIQUES WITH
DISTRIBUTION DISTRIBUTION LOWER USE
CONSUMPTION
USE USE
DISPOSAL
given function in time
DISP.
USE USE
DISTRIBUTION DISTR.
UPDATING OF THE
PRODUCTION PROD. COMPONENTS CAUSING
CONSUMPTION
PRE- P-PR.
PRODUCTION
EXTENDED product’s (system sum) life
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

18. AVOIDED IMPACTS
product’s (system sum) INTENSE life
P-PROD. PROD. DISTR. DISP.
LIFE INDIPENDENT FROM LENGHT OF USE
A 1 B 1C 1 B 2 A 2 C 2 B 3 A 3 C 3
use (function) during time
P-PROD. PROD. DISTR. DISP.
A1 A2 A3
P-PROD. PROD. DISTR. DISP.
B1 B2 B3
P-PROD. PROD. DISTR. DISP.
C1 C2 C3
product’s (system sum) NOT INTENSE life
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

19. TRANSPORTATION/DISTRIBUTION
REDUCTION
DESIGN FOR,
SYSTEM STAKEHOLDERS’ INTERACTIONS FOSTERING FOR
ECONOMIC/COMPETITIVE REASONS,
THE REDUCTION OF THE SUM OF THE TRANSPORTATIONS
AND PACKAGINGS
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

20. RESOURCES REDUCTION
DESIGN FOR,
SYSTEM STAKEHOLDERS’ INTERACTIONS FOSTERING
FOR ECONOMIC/COMPETITIVE REASONS,
THE REDUCTION OF THE SUM OF THE MATERIALS
AND THE ENERGIES USED BY ALL PRODUCTS AND
SERVICES OF THE SYSTEM
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

21. WASTE MINIMISATION/VALORISATION
DESIGN FOR,
SYSTEM STAKEHOLDERS’ INTERACTIONS FOSTERING
FOR ECONOMIC/COMPETITIVE REASONS,
THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE SUM OF THE SYSTEM
RECYCLING, ENERGY RECOVERY AND COMPOSTING
AND REDUCTION OF THE SUM OF THE WASTE PRODUCED
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

22. AVOIDED IMPACTS ADDITIONAL IMPACTS
material (system sum) non-extended life
LANDFILL
PRODUCTION DISTRIBUTION USE
PRE- PRE-PRODUCTION
PRODUCTION
PRODUCTION DISTRIBUTION USE
RECYCLING
COMBUSTION
COMPOSTING
PRODUCTION DISTRIBUTION USE
PRE-
PRODUCTION
material (system sum) extended life
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

23. CONSERVATION/BIOCOMPATIBILITY
DESIGN FOR,
SYSTEM STAKEHOLDERS’ INTERACTIONS FOSTERING FOR
ECONOMIC/COMPETITIVE REASONS,
THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE SUM OF THE SYSTEM’S RESOURCES
CONSERVATION/RENEWABILITY
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

24. TOXIC REDUCTION
DESIGN FOR,
SYSTEM STAKEHOLDERS’ INTERACTIONS FOSTERING FOR
ECONOMIC/COMPETITIVE REASONS,
THE REDUCTION/AVOIDANCE OF THE SUM OF THE
SYSTEM’S MATERIALS’S TOXICITY AND HARMFULNESS
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

25. SDO SUSTAINABILITY DESIGN-ORIENTING TOOLKIT
stakeholder interaction guidelines (criteria related)
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

26. INTERRELATIONS BETWEEN ENVIRONMENTAL
CRITERIA (AND RELATED GUIDELINES)
FOR A GIVEN SATISFACTION SYSTEM:
- some have HIGHER RELEVANCE than others
- can be SYNERGETIC or CONFLICTING
FOR DECISION MAKING (DESIGNING)
identify the (environmental) design PRIORITIES:
> CRITERIA relevance (relative) per system type
> most promising stakeholders’ INTERACTIONS
types (criteria related GUIDELINES)
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

27. SDO SUSTAINABILITY DESIGN-ORIENTING TOOLKIT
breif related critaria prorities qualitative identification
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

28. [for such new skills] NEW METHODS/TOOLS
some methods/tools developed to orientate system
design towards eco-efficent solutions:
HiCS, Highly MEPSS, MEthodology SusProNet, Network Design4Sustainability Product-Service
Customerised for Product Service on sustainable PSS Step by step System Design for
Solutions System development development approach Sustainability
[see Manzini et [see van Halen et al. [see Tukker [see Tischner & [see Vezzoli et al.,
al. 2004] 2005] &Tischner, 2006] Vezzoli, 2009] tbp 2012]
METHODS
DESIGN
TOOLS
Story Interac
board SDO B portfoli tion
Solution Offering diagram
toolkit l o diagram table
SDO
elements Interac u Story
System toolkit
tion board
assessmen Offering diagram
t table
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy

29. MSDS PHASES/PROCESSES
METHODS/TOOLS BY LeNS:
STRATEGIC ANALYSIS
METHOD FOR SYSTEM ANALYSIS OF THE PROJECT PROMOTERS
DESIGN FOR ANALYSIS OF THE REFERENCE CONTEXT
ANALYSIS OF THE REFERENCE STRUCTURE
SUSTAINABILITY (MSDS) ANALYSIS OF BEST PRACTICES
DEFINITION OF SUSTAINABILITY DESIGN PRIORITIES
EXPLORING OPPORTUNITIES
IDEAS GENERATION ORIENTED TO SUSTAINABILITY
DEVELEPMENT OF THE SUSTAINABILITY DESIGN
ORIENTING SCENARIO - VISIONS/CLUSTERS/IDEAS
SYSTEM CONCEPT DESIGN
VISIONS, CLUSTERS AND IDEAS SELECTION
SYSTEM CONCEPT DEVELOPMENT
ENV., SOC. & ECON. CHECK
SYSTEM DESIGN (AND ENGIN.)
SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT (EXECUTIVE LEVEL)
ENV., SOC. & ECON. CHECK
SDO toolkit:
environmental system design orientation
COMMUNICATION
on-line use, free access:www.sdo-lens.polomi.it
free download open: www.lens.polimi.it > tools DOCUMENTS EDITING
Carlo Vezzoli
Politecnico di Milano / DESIGN dept. / DIS / School of Design / Italy