International Baccalaureate: Design & Technology
Topic 6: Clean Technology and Green Design
This topic explores the impact of manufacturing processes and products on the environment. Clean technologies have emerged as a result of greater pressure for environmental protection and are supported by legislative frameworks. Green products are designed using green design principles and adopt a “cradle to the grave” approach to product design. Strategies for green design include designing products so that they can be repaired, reused or recycled. Life cycle analysis offers a framework for evaluating the environmental impact of a product at all stages of its life cycle.
6.1.1
6.1.2
Outline three examples of damage to the natural environment caused by the use of technology.
Examples include:
• climate changes as a result of production of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide due to the burning of fossil fuels
• sulfur dioxide from British power stations blowing across the North Sea to Scandinavia causing acid rain which damages forests
• the destruction of the ozone layer by the use of chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) gases as propellants for aerosols, as refrigerants and in the manufacture of plastic foams, thus reducing the protection from harmful ultraviolet radiation and increasing the incidence of skin cancer.
6.1.3
State that initially clean technology was aimed mainly at developing cleaner manufacturing processes. Clean technologies emerged as a result of greater pressure for environmental protection. They generate less pollution and waste and adopt more efficient use of energy and materials. Smokestack industries, such as iron and steel manufacture, are heavy consumers of raw materials and energy and are heavy polluters.
6.1.4
Outline the reasons for clean technology. Reasons include promoting positive impacts; ensuring neutral impact or minimizing negative impacts through conserving natural resources, reducing pollution and use of energy; and wastage of energy or resources.
6.1.5
Outline that an initial response to reducing emission of pollutants is adding clean-up technologies to the end of the manufacturing process. The addition of clean-up technologies to the end of the manufacturing process is termed “end-of-pipe” approach.
6.1.6
Explain that more radical approaches require a rethink of the whole system and may result in significant product and/or process modification, or radically new technologies.
For example, the development of renewable energy-based power generation equipment.
6.1.7
State that legislation relating to cleaning up the manufacturing process acted as an impetus for clean technology.
6.1.8
Explain that legislation relating to cleaning up the manufacturing process based on quantitive data relating to pollution and waste.
6.1.9
Explain that maximum levels of pollution and waste are agreed internationally.
6.1.10
Explain that the legislation can be policed by monitoring through collection of quantitive data.
6.1.11
Explain that fines can be imposed for contravention of the legislation. This introduces the concept of the polluter paying.
6.1.12
Explain that the approaches in 6.1.5 to 6.1.11 are reactive.
6.1.13
Explain that some major companies have realized that using energy and materials more efficiently can save money and have adopted pro-active environmental policies to avoid problems.
6.2.1
Green design involves taking a “cradle to the grave” approach to the design of a product by considering the adverse impacts of the product on the environment at all stages of its life (design, production, use, disposal), and seeking to minimize those impacts.
6.2.2
Outline the reasons for green design.
In developing the product brief, formulating the product design specification and choosing the material and manufacturing process, the potential environmental impact of the product is assessed with the specific objective of reducing this impact and minimizing it over the longer term.
6.2.3
State that the impetus for green design comes from consumer pressure. The public have become aware of environmental issues through media focus on issues such as the destructive effect of chlorofluorocarbons on the ozone layer; acid rain in northern European forests and the nuclear
accident at Chernobyl. Increased public awareness has put pressure on corporations and governments through purchasing power and voting power.
6.2.4
Outline design objectives for green products.
Objectives include:
• increasing efficiency in the use of materials, energy and other resources
• minimizing damage or pollution from the chosen materials
• reducing to a minimum any long-term harm caused by use of the product
• ensuring that the planned life of the product is the most appropriate in environmental terms and that the product functions efficiently for its full life
• taking full account of the effects of the end disposal of the product
• ensuring that the packaging, instructions and overall appearance of the product encourage efficient and environmentally-friendly use
• minimizing nuisances such as noise or smell
• analysing and minimizing potential safety hazards.
6.2.5
Explain the role of legislation in promoting green design.
Raised awareness of environmental issues is increasing legislation in many countries. This can lead to financial penalties on companies who do not demonstrate environmental responsibility. Many people will not behave responsibly unless forced to do so—legislation forces the issue. One problem in relation to the recycling of plastics is knowing what the plastic actually is. Labelling plastic products with the plastic type can help overcome this issue.
6.2.6
Explain how people can be broadly classified according to their attitudes to green issues.
People’s attitudes to green issues vary. Ecowarriors actively demonstrate on environmental issues, ecochampions champion environmental issues, ecofans enthusiastically adopt environmentally-friendly products and ecophobes actively resent talk of environmental protection.
6.2.7
Explain how eco-labelling and energy-labelling schemes can help consumers compare potential purchases.
6.3 Strategies for Green Design
6.3.1
Describe how designers can modify the environmental impact of the production, use and disposal of their product through careful consideration at the design stage.
6.3.2
State that strategies for optimizing resource utilization include reuse, repair, recycling and reconditioning.
6.3.3
State that the term reuse can refer to the reuse of a product in the same context or in a different context. For example, refilling toner cartridges in photocopiers and printers, designing computers so that the central processing unit can be upgraded, using an ice-cream container as a toy box.
6.3.4
State that “repair” refers to designing a product so that ease of maintenance is a major design consideration.
6.3.5
State that “recycling” refers to designing products so that, once obsolete, the materials can be used to create another product.
6.3.6
List three specific materials that can be easily and economically recycled.
6.3.7
Explain situations where it is appropriate to use each of these materials.
6.3.8
Some materials are easier and more economical to recycle than others and some cannot currently be recycled at all. Designers can encourage recycling by their choice of materials. Specific materials implies, for example, copper (not just metal), silica glass (not just glass) etc. Outline two specific materials that cannot be easily and economically recycled.
6.3.9
For example, disposable cameras, vacuum cleaners, car tyres. Discuss how the strategies of reuse, repair and recycle can be applied to the design of products, including packaging.
6.4.1
6.4.2
State that life cycle analysis provides a framework within which clean production technologies and green design can be evaluated holistically for a specific product.
6.4.3
State that in life cycle analysis the life cycle stages are categorized as: pre-production, production, distribution including packaging, utilization and disposal.
6.4.4
State that in life cycle analysis the environmental considerations include: water, soil pollution and degradation, air contamination, noise, energy consumption, consumption of natural resources, pollution and effect on ecosystems.
6.4.5
Explain how the life cycle stages and the environmental considerations can be organized into an environmental impact assessment matrix.
Environmental impact assessment matrix
6.4.6
Analyse the environmental impact of refrigerators, washing machines and cars using an environmental impact matrix.
6.4.7
Explain why elements of the matrix may differ in importance according to the particular design context. For example, in the case of refrigerators and cars the larger part of energy consumption takes place in use rather than in manufacture.
6.4.8
Identify the roles and responsibilities of the designer, manufacturer and user at each life cycle stage of a product.
6.4.9
Describe one example of a situation where life cycle analysis identifies conflicts which have to be resolved through prioritization.