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Sustainable Product Design
Last Updated: 2026-02-05 15:29:20
Abstract
The lecture will focus on the integration of environmental, economic, and social issues into product design and development and address products developed and produced in different industrial sectors. Eco-design strategies, methods and tools are presented for the chemical, materials, automotive, electronics, and building & construction sectors.
Objective
- Acquiring knowledge and skills in sustainable product design with a special focus on environmental issues and targets (eco-design) - Learning how to integrate sustainable design in product development - Obtaining knowledge of basic methods and tools applied for sustainable design (e.g., knowing how to improve energy efficiency and materials application, chemical content, packaging, recyclability in addition to the economic and social aspects to be considered) - Getting insight in external and internal drivers to implement sustainable product design into various structures and functions of businesses - Getting insight in regulatory drivers and instruments - Understanding the environmental and business value chain
Content
- Sustainability concept and environmental approaches framing sustainable product design and eco-design (environmental product design) - Integration of sustainbale product design into product development, generic product development process - External and internal drivers for sustainable product design in businesses - Regulatory drivers and legislation - General and specific eco-design strategies and their relationship to the product's life cycle - Methods and tools for sustainable product design and their application in different stages of product development - Eco-design in the chemical industry and materials industry - Sustainable vehicle design in the automotive industry - Eco-design in the electrical/electronics industry - Sustainable design of buildings, infrastructures and settlements - Practical examples and exercises for hands-on training for students, including student presentations
Resources
Lecture Notes
Lecture slides, selected literature and further documents will be made available in the lecture and on the lecture homepage.
Literature
Literature will be made available in the lecture.
General Information
- Language
- English
- Levels
- MSC
- Frequency
- Yearly recurring
Examination
- Type
- session examination
- Mode
- oral 30 minutes
Course Components
| Type | Title | Time & Place | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| lecture with exercise | Sustainable Product Design |
|
2 h weekly |