The National Research Council estimates that 70 percent or more of the costs of product development, manufacture and use are determined during the initial design stages. Incorporating environmental attributes can result in reduced materials use and waste, improved designs, reduced future liabilities and other efficiencies. Use of DfE also demonstrates environmental responsibility to customers and thus can bring improved market position in the global marketplace.
Product design is a unique point of leverage from which to influence environmental impact.
This is the stage when decisions are made about the types of resources and manufacturing processes that will be used. These decisions ultimately determine the waste streams. Once a product is designed, its environmental attributes are largely fixed. The result of incorporating DfE into design can be high-quality, environmentally sound products that enjoy a competitive advantage. This toolkit is designed to allow integration of DfE into existing design practices where many design aspects such as customer appeal, safety, cost and other product attributes are considered.