Product Life Cycle Design: Integrating Environmental Aspects into ...

Lund University International Masters Program in Environmental Science



LUMES Thesis
Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the International Master’s in Environmental Science
degree, Lund University, Sweden



November 2004


Product Life Cycle Design: Integrating Environmental Aspects
into Product Design and Development Process at Alfa Laval


Written in cooperation with Alfa Laval



Submitted by:
Julija Jeganova
Särlagatan 13A
SE 21 448 Malmö
Sweden
julia.jeganova@one.lv








Alfa Laval Supervisor: University of Lund Supervisor: University Co-supervisor:
David Ford Mårten Karlsson Casper Boks
Vice President of Human Resources Assist Prof Assist Prof in Applied Eco Design
Alfa Laval Lund International Institute of Design Centre,
Rudeboksvägen 1, SE 221 00 Industrial Environmental Economics Delft University of Technology
david.ford@alfalaval.com morten.karlsson@iiiee.lu.se C.B.Boks@IO.TUDelft.NL

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Abstract

Key words: product development process, eco design, product life cycle design, eco benchmarking approach,
stakeholders

Many multinational companies create innovative solutions for products. But do they take into account
environmental impacts when they design a product and how do they integrate environmental aspects into product
design?

The thesis is written in the way in order to let a reader to understand the theoretical concept of life cycle design
and its application in the real life situation by taking an example of Alfa Laval’s case.

The aim of this thesis is to research and propose how to integrate Life Cycle Design in product design and
development process at Alfa Laval. The study investigates external and internal driving forces, implementation
barriers, actors around life cycle design at Alfa Laval. Thesis methodology is based on the literature review
about Life Cycle thinking, Life Cycle Design and its tools, methodologies and databases; personal observation of
the author; adaptive learning method; and systems thinking method.

In the empirical part, a version of integration of Life Cycle Design into product design and development process
is elaborated for Alfa Laval. Additionally, eco benchmarking approach is chosen as an appropriate tool for Life
Cycle Design at Alfa Laval. The beginning phase of implementation of eco benchmarking approach is described.

Finally, conclusions are followed by a summary of the findings from my research project and critical discussion
that provides learned lessons and recommendations.


Acknowledgements

First of all, I would like to thank my parents, Igor and Jelena Jeganova, my sister Marina, and grandmother
Klaudija, for all of their love and support. A special thanks to my boyfriend, Alex Parker, for being the most
patient, supportive, optimistic and understanding person in my life. Thank you!

In particular, I would like to thank Alfa Laval Ltd and Vice President of Human Resources at Alfa Laval, David
Ford, for giving me an excellent opportunity to conduct a study at Alfa Laval. I highly appreciate the
contribution of all the employees of Alfa Laval that I interviewed who could manage to find time for me in their
busy schedule. Thank you!

I would like to thank my supervisor Mårten Karlsson for his supportive and challenging comments throughout
the thesis period. I really enjoyed our interesting discussions related to product eco design. Big thanks to co-
supervisor of my thesis Casper Boks for being as critical and straightforward as possible. I highly appreciate
that!

Lastly, but not least I would like to thank LUMES teachers and my classmates for the most exciting studying
period in my life! Thank you!




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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...2
Acknowledgements…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….2
List of Abbreviations, Figures, Tables………………………………………………………………………..………………..4
1. INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………………………………......5
1.1
Alfa Laval and Alfa Nova…………………………………………………………………………………..5
1.2 Problem
Definition………………………………………………………………………………………….6
1.3
Scope of the Paper and Structure…………………………………………………………………………...6
1.4 Research
Questions…………………………………………………………………………………………7
1.5
Limitations and Assumptions ………………………………………………………………………………7
1.6 Methodology………………………………………………………………………………………………...7
1.7 Hypotheses………………………………………………………………………………………………….8
2. BACKGROUND……………………………………………………………………………………………………..9
2.1 Unsustainable Consumption and Production………………………………………………………………….9
2.2 Terminology…………………………………………………………………………………………………...9
2.3 Model of Thesis Problem…………………………………………………………………………………….10
3. LITERATURE REVIEW…………………………………………………………………………………...……..11
3.1 Life Cycle Thinking………………………………………………………………………………………….12
3.2 Life Cycle Design: Goals, Principles, Process……………………………………………………………….13
3.3 Integrated Life Cycle Management…………………………………………………………………………..16
3.4 Stakeholders for Life Cycle Design………………………………………………………………………….16
3.5 Product Life Cycle Design and Sustainability……………………………………………………………….17
3.6 Approaches, Tools, Methodologies, Databases for Life Cycle Design……………………………………...18
• Design for Environment Framework……………………………………………………….19
• Eco Design Strategy Wheel………………………………………………………………...19
• Eco Indicators………………………………………………………………………………20
• Life Cycle Assessment……………………………………………………………………..20
• MET matrix…………………………………………………………………………………21
• Eco Benchmarking Approach………………………………………………………………21
4. ANALYSIS………………………………………………………………………………………………………….23
4.1 Internal and External Driving Forces for Life Cycle Design at Alfa Laval…………………………………….23
4.2 Barriers in implementation of Life Cycle Design at Alfa Laval ……………………………………………….25
4.3 Network of Actors around the Product Development Process and Life Cycle Design………………………...26
•
Customers…………………………………………………………………………………27
•
Suppliers…………………………………………………………………………………..27
•
Retailers and Traders……………………………………………………………………...28
•
Government, Consumer and Environmental Organizations………………………………28
•
Competitors……………………………………………………………………………….29
•
Alfa Laval as a Manufacturer……………………………………………………………..29
•
Consultancy and Academic Support……………………………………………………...29
4.4 Product design and development process and Life Cycle Design at Alfa Laval…………………………….....30
•
Current Product Design and Development process at Alfa Laval………………………...30
•
Integrating Environmental Aspects into Product Design and Development at Alfa Laval…..31
•
The beginning stage of Life Cycle Design process……………………………………….32
•
The “high priority” way of Life Cycle Design process…………………..……………….33
•
The “low priority” way of Life Cycle Design process……………………………………35
•
Adaptive Feedback in Life Cycle Design Process………………………………………..36
•
The final stage of Life Cycle Design process……………………………………………..37
4.5 Choosing Appropriate Life Cycle Design Tool for Alfa Laval………………………………………………..38
•
Eco Benchmarking Approach in Product Design and Development Process at Alfa Laval…..40
•
The Beginning phase of Eco-benchmarking Approach at Alfa Laval……………………41
5. CONCLUSIONS
AND
RECOMMENDATIONS………………………..………………………………………43
5.1 About External and Internal Driving forces for Life Cycle Design at Alfa Laval………………………………43

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5.2 About Implementation Barriers of Life Cycle Design at Alfa Laval……………………………………………44
5.3 About Actors around Life Cycle Design at Alfa Laval………………………………………………………….44
5.4 About Integration of Environmental Aspects into Product Development Process at Alfa Laval……………….44
5.5 About Eco Benchmarking Approach as Life Cycle Design Tool for Alfa Laval……………………………….45
6. SUGGESTIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH……………….………………………………………………….45
References…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….46
Appendix I…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….49
Appendix II……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………50

List of Abbreviations:
CLD Causal Loop Diagram
DFE Design for Environment
EBA Eco Benchmarking Approach
EICTA European Information, Communication and Consumer Electronics Technology Industry Association
EMAS European Eco Management and Audit Scheme
EPA Environmental Protection Agency US
HE Heat Exchanger
JSPD Journal of Sustainable Product Design
ILCM Integrated Life Cycle Management
LCA Life Cycle Assessment
SETAC Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
UNEP United Nations Environmental Program

List of Figures:
Figure 1: Flow Chart of Materials, Adapted Life Cycle Concept
Figure 2: Flow Chart, Communication Flow Cycle at Alfa Laval
Figure 3: CLD, Initial Model of Thesis Problem
Figure 4: Literature Concept Map
Figure 5: Life Cycle Thinking Concept of NOKIA
Figure 6: Flow Chart, Life Cycle Design Process
Figure 7: Flow Chart, Internal and External Factors Influencing the Development Process
Figure 8: Stakeholders for Life Cycle Design
Figure 9: Moving Towards Sustainability
Figure 10: Eco Design Strategy Wheel
Figure 11: Flow Chart, the Environmental Benchmark Method
Figure 12: CLD, Internal and External Driving Forces for Integration of Life Cycle Design at Alfa Laval
Figure 13: Flow Chart, a Model of Network of Actors around Product Development Process at Alfa Laval
Figure 14: Flow Chart, An Extended model of network of actors including environmental and consumer organizations
around product development process at Alfa Laval
Figure 15: Flow Chart, An extended model of network of actors including consultancy and academic support in product
development and life cycle design process for Alfa Laval
Figure 16: Alfa Laval Accelerated Development and Innovation Process
Figure 17: Flow Chart, the Beginning Stage of Life Cycle Design Process at Alfa Laval
Figure 18: Flow Chart, the “High Priority” version of Life Cycle Design Process at Alfa Laval
Figure 19: Flow Chart, the “Low Priority” version of Life Cycle Design Process at Alfa Laval
Figure 20: Flow Chart, the Adaptive Feedback in Life Cycle Design Process at Alfa Laval
Figure 21: Flow Chart, the Final Stage of Life Cycle Design Process at Alfa Laval

List of Tables:
Table 1: Qualitative MET matrix for a copier
Table 2: Starting Procedures and Activities of Eco Benchmarking Approach
Table 3: Alternatives of Eco Benchmarking Approach
Table 4: Proposed matrix for Eco Benchmarking Approach for Alfa Laval

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1. INTRODUCTION

Many people have no doubts about the seriousness of environmental problems in the world. But the most
important issue is to find the way in which these problems could be solved (Cattanach, Holdreith, Reinke, Sibik,
1995; Gertsakis, Lewis, Ryan, 1997). The report “Our Common Future”(WCED, 1987), which was introduced
by the World Commission on Environment and Development, defines the concept of sustainable development as
the guiding principle for international policy development regarding rational global resource use and fair global
distribution of health and wealth. Environmental problems are so complicated that it is not easy to find the right
solution. It is important to change current ‘Western’ consumption and production radically both from
technological and from behavioral point of view. Therefore, in my thesis I will investigate how it is possible to
influence the environmental impact of the products significantly and directly making them more sustainable for
society.

Many multinational companies create innovative solutions for products. But do they take into account
environmental impacts when they design a product and how do they integrate environmental aspects into product
design?

Design for environment (DFE) is defined as systematic consideration of design performance with respect to
environmental, health, and safety objectives over the full product and process life cycle (Ray and Guzzo, 1993).
Application of DFE is becoming important for industries because major companies start to recognize the
importance of environmental responsibility to their long-term success. They experience that DFE provides
competitive advantage by reducing the costs of production and attracting new customers (Fiksel, 1996).

My thesis will investigate how to integrate environmental aspects into product design and development process
and what kind of stakeholders should be involved in decision-making process. The investigation will be done by
analyzing how a multinational company namely Alfa Laval is dealing with environmental issues, and what kind
of strategy could be proposed in order to develop Life Cycle Design. Special focus will be given to the eco-
benchmarking approach. This method will be investigated if it is an appropriate Life Cycle Design tool for Alfa
Laval. The reason of choosing eco benchmarking approach (is described in section 4.5) was that Alfa Laval
wants to check if this approach could be as the first step towards integration of environmental issues into product
design.

1. 1 Alfa Laval and Alfa Nova
As a leading global provider of specialized products and engineering solutions, Alfa
Laval is focusing on three key technologies: Centrifugal Separation, Heat Transfer
and Fluid Handling. The company assists their customers in heating, cooling,
separating and transporting products such as oil, water, chemicals, beverages,
foodstuff, starch and pharmaceuticals. Alfa Laval is one of the best technology
leaders in one of its core fields of expertise - heat transfer technology. The AlfaNova
is the world's first plate heat exchanger made of 100% stainless steel. It’s based on a
revolutionary innovation in material design and manufacturing method, named and
patented as AlfaFusion, which is utilized in the brazing process during
manufacturing. It is extremely compact compared to its capacity to withstand
temperature extremes and fatigue cycling in demanding heat transfer applications. It
has also a very high resistance to corrosion. It has been proved to be the most
hygienic heat exchanger. Mainly it is used in domestic hot water heater, process
cooling, hydraulic oil cooling, chilled water, and refrigeration1.
Alfa Nova - stainless steel

heat exchanger
1 Alfa Laval’s materials

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Alfa Laval believes that Alfa Nova is a sustainable and green product because it is made of one material that can
be recycled; it is hygienic and compact, energy-efficient in consumption; has much wider scope of application
than an ordinary brazed heat exchanger. However, Alfa Laval does not consider other environmental aspects in
product development process. This is exactly the reason why this thesis is needed for Alfa Laval. This thesis
explains what life cycle design of product is, why it is needed and how to consider all environmental aspects in
product development. Therefore, eco-benchmarking approach will be described and proposed to apply for Alfa
Nova as well as other products of Alfa Laval in order to find out the major environmental impact. Eco-
benchmarking approach will be chosen in order to check if it is an appropriate method for Alfa Laval for
integrating environmental issues into life cycle design of product.

1.2 Problem Definition
Many multinational companies lack a strategy for integrating environmental aspects into product design. For
product life cycle design to be practiced successfully, it is important to adapt it to existing process of product
development. Dr Joseph Fiksel claims in an interview for the Journal of Sustainable Product Design that it is
important not only to understand how the process operates, but also to understand the whole culture of the
product development community. He also argues that “product design developers tend to be arrogant, and are
generally talented and creative individuals, with strong engineering skills. They tend to be suspicious of anyone
who offers help, as well as anyone who seems to complicate their busy lives”. (Charter, JSPD, 1998). Decision-
making process of product development at Alfa Laval does not include enough stakeholders that could
contribute to Life Cycle Design. It seems to be a new concept for managers that life cycle design can be
incorporated into the product development process. They prefer to see environmental issues and life cycle design
as a separated part of product development when the product has already been created (Interview results, see a
list of interviews at the back of the references). Moreover, there are so many environmental aspects and
indicators that it is complicated to build a strategy of life cycle design and incorporate it to existing product
development process. Alfa Laval’s employees see product development as a dynamics process that is changing
all the time, and they think that it is very complicated to integrate life cycle design strategy to the dynamics of
product development process. They are also confused at which stage life cycle design should be introduced for
new and old products [Personal interview].

Alfa Laval just started to work on its environmental management system. It is a new issue for all Alfa Laval’s
employees. The company started a process of ISO 14001 certification in 2004 with a focus on four
manufacturing sites. However, the company experiences a lack of competent people and ‘know how’ on how to
integrate environmental issues into product development. Alfa Laval is one of global leaders in production of
technology for the environment. Therefore, it is also important for Alfa Laval to design and produce products
with less impact on the environment.

1.3 Scope and Structure of the Paper
The main objective of the thesis is to find an appropriate approach for Alfa Laval that will integrate
environmental issues into product development process, and propose some recommendations for building a
strategy for integration. For that purpose, interviews with stakeholders of Alfa Laval will be done in order to find
the main factors that will be involved in the integration process of environmental issues into current product
development process of Alfa Laval. The thesis will investigate if eco-benchmarking approach is an appropriate
approach for the beginning stage of eco-design strategy for Alfa Laval.

The structure of the thesis includes five parts: 1) Introduction, 2) Background 3) Literature Review, 4) Analysis
and 5) Conclusions and Recommendations. The thesis will be written in the way that will let a reader to
understand the theoretical concept of life cycle design and its application in the real life situation. This thesis was
planned to be a project thesis for implementation at Alfa Laval Group. My work will also contribute to the
preparation process of Alfa Laval for ISO 14001 certification. Moreover, this thesis will be valuable ‘guidelines’

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for Alfa Laval with theoretical and practical information related to product life cycle design and environmental
issues in industries.

1.4 Research Questions

The main question: How to integrate the life cycle design into the product design and development
process at Alfa Laval?
Seven sub research questions have been set:
1) What is operational Life Cycle Design for Alfa Laval’s context?
To answer on this question theoretical framework of the literature survey will be used as well as interviewing the
stakeholders of Alfa Laval. I will give a theoretical review about a concept of Life Cycle Thinking, Life Cycle
Design and its tools.
2) What are the barriers of implementation of Life Cycle Design at Alfa Laval?
A list of common barriers will be formed in order to give an outline about the difficulties in integration the Life
Cycle Design into Product Development at Alfa Laval. These key considerations will be drawn from my
personal observation and discussions with the stakeholders of Alfa Laval.
3) What are the driving forces for life cycle design at Alfa Laval?
To answer on this question the results of interviewing of stakeholders of Alfa Laval will be shown in Causal
Loop Diagram (CLD).
4) What are the stakeholders that are involved in product development and life cycle design process at Alfa
Laval? How should they be involved (current and improved situation)?
Decision-making process in design of heat exchanger will be described as a current situation and projected
version with incorporation of life cycle design will be proposed. The focus will be on all stakeholders and their
role within life cycle design.
5) How should current product development process at Alfa Laval with integrated environmental issues
look like? Environmental issues will be integrated in current product design and development process of Alfa
Laval by two proposed versions.
6) What kind of approach is needed for beginning stage for life cycle design?
Several approaches will be discussed and compared. Eco-benchmarking approach (EBA) will be investigated
and proposed as the first step for life cycle design for HE at Alfa Laval. The position of EBA in proposed Life
Cycle Design process and the beginning phase of implementation of EBA will be presented.
7) What recommendations can be given to Alfa Laval Management in order to implement life cycle design,
get benefits and avoid barriers?
The conclusions and recommendations for building life cycle design at Alfa Laval will be presented.

1.5 Limitations and Assumptions
The scope of the thesis is limited to the case study of one company. The empirical studies in this thesis are
limited to the fact that there is a lack of environmental information, research and analysis within the company.
This thesis is the first step for the life cycle design at Alfa Laval, therefore the eco-benchmarking approach will
be investigated if it can be proposed as the beginning phase for the whole life cycle design of heat exchangers at
Alfa Laval. Conclusions of this thesis are applicable to Alfa Laval only.

1.6 Methodology
This thesis can be defined as an intrinsic case study (Stake, 1994). An intrinsic case study is made in order to
understand better the situation at Alfa Laval. The case study is an object to be studied because of my interest and
an opportunity provided by Alfa Laval. The reason for choosing the case study approach is that I can be a part of
the organization and I can study it from within. One may consider it as a strong aspect of my thesis research
because the empirical data is collected not only from interviews but also by observation and closer understanding
of the situation.

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To answer on research questions that have been set, I collected information from two main sources. The first
source was social research method – interviewing. Interviews give rich insights into people’s experiences,
opinions, aspirations, attitudes and feelings (May, 1997). I contacted different stakeholders (Alfa Laval
employees, customers and competitors) in order to receive different view on need and use of product life cycle
design. I mostly used semi-structured interview method (May, 1997). Questions were normally specified but
from answers could appear new questions in order to fill the gaps or go deeper to the topic. All interviewees
were related to stainless steel heat exchanger (its design, raw material supply, production, consumption, disposal
stages) and product development process. Information was also gathered through telephone and e-mail. The
second source was literature survey about theory and practice of life cycle design. This consists mainly of
literature on the subject of a concept of life cycle thinking, life cycle design and life cycle design evaluation
tools.

In the empirical part ‘Analysis’, seven research questions will be discussed. Analysis and proposal for change
will be based on the interview results, my personal observation, and literature review. Moreover, I will use an
adaptive learning method (Senge, 1990) in order to continually discover how to create a change in reality. I will
analyze the whole picture of Alfa Laval by identifying internal and external driving forces, actors around product
development process and Life Cycle Design, potential barriers of implementation of Life Cycle Design in order
to propose a strategy to integrate Life Cycle Design at Alfa Laval. According to adaptive learning method, I
continually discover new issues and possibilities at Alfa Laval through my personal experience being there, and
reformulate the objectives of my thesis by using the mental models2. The company has a dynamic environment.
It is changing continually. Therefore, I have chosen to be adaptive. Additionally, an eco-benchmarking approach
will be investigated if it can be proposed as the beginning phase for life cycle design at Alfa Laval. The Delphi
method3 should be chosen in order to propose to create a group of experts for decision-making process. This
group of experts should be facilitated by a person who is competent in the issues related to life cycle design in
order to set environmental criteria for comparison of stainless steel heat exchanger with other heat exchangers.
In the section 4.5 (Choosing Appropriate Life Cycle Design Tool for Alfa Laval), the implementation scopes,
pre conditions and other criteria were the results of the interviews.

Systems Thinking will be used in order to show visually a cause and effect of the problems with a help of Causal
Loop Diagrams. “System thinking is a science that deals with the organization of logics and integration of
disciplines for understanding the patterns and relations of complex problems”(Haraldsson, 2004). Systems
Thinking is known as a set of principles of theory of self-organization which involves a “systematic” or “holistic
thinking”. Systems Approach to Management allows to “identify, understand and manage interrelated processes
as a system in order to contribute to the organization’s effectiveness and efficiency in achieving its objectives”
(Karl-Henrik Robérts, 2004).

1.7 Hypotheses
Life Cycle Design should be developed at Alfa Laval in order to integrate environmental aspects into current
product design and development process of the company. It will demonstrate that Alfa Laval really follows its
environmental business principles4. In order to build and implement Life Cycle Design, the following steps
should be taken at Alfa Laval:


2 Mental models are assumptions, generalizations, or even pictures and images that influence how we understand the situation and how
we take actions. It is an ability to have a “learningful” conversation where people expose their own thinking effectively and make that
thinking open to the influence of others (Senge, 1990).
3 The Delphi method is an exercise in group communication among a panel of geographically dispersed experts (Adler and Ziglio, 1996).
This method is used in order to allow the experts to deal with a complex task or generate forecasts.
4 See Environmental Business Principles of Alfa Laval at
http://www.alfalaval.com/scripts/WebObjects.dll/ecore.woa/wa/showNode?siteNodeID=4385&contentID=-1&languageID=1

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1) understanding of concepts of life cycle thinking and life cycle design by the employees of Alfa Laval,
2) identification of internal and external driving forces of Life Cycle Design at Alfa Laval,
3) identification of barriers of implementation of Life Cycle Design at Alfa Laval,
4) building a model of integration of environmental aspects into current product design and development
process at Alfa Laval,
5) eco benchmarking approach, as a relatively new tool of Life Cycle Design, should be chosen as an
appropriate Life Cycle Design tool for Alfa Laval,
6) a competence team of environmental specialists among other competence teams should be build5 in order to
facilitate dynamics of life cycle design in product development process, and be a part of decision-making
process about innovations and developments,
7) identification of stakeholders around Life Cycle Design at Alfa Laval.

2. BACKGROUND

2.1 Unsustainable Consumption and Production
The level of global consumption has expanded dramatically: growing as much as four-fold since 1960 and
reaching 24$ trillion in 1998 (Robins, JSPD, 1999). In 1992, it was recognized by the Earth Summit that “the
major cause of the continued deterioration of the global environment is the unsustainable pattern of consumption
and production, particularly in the industrialized countries, aggravating poverty and imbalances” (UNCED,
1992). In the beginning of 90s, the society started to witness a growing consensus that something must be done
about consumption and production. Sustainable consumption and production should be viewed in a strategic
perspective where the task is “to create the conditions which will improve the capacity to choose, use and
dispose goods and services sustainably” (Robins, JSPD, 1999). The workshop “Consumption in a Sustainable
World” at Kabelvag showed that there are many bright examples of changing the action in policy, corporations
and action of citizens towards sustainable development. But How should We start? The first step should be
focused on the sustainability of goods and services produced by the multinational companies in emerging
economies. According to the Third World Network, these multinational companies “are responsible for most of
the world’s resource extraction, pollution and generation of consumer culture” (Third World Network, 1997,
Robins and Roberts, 1997). However, not only the multinational companies should be responsible for
unsustainable production but also the consumers’ choice and behavior can dramatically influence the producer
culture.

2.2 Terminology
Design for environment (DFE) is defined as systematic consideration of design performance with respect to
environmental, health, and safety objectives over the full product and process life cycle (Ray and Guzzo,
1993).In the end, it should lead to sustainable production and consumption that can be achieved together with a
number of other measures that are very important, for example, legislation. Life Cycle Design integrates
environmental issues into product development by considering all product life cycle stages: raw material
acquisition, manufacturing, use, distribution and disposal (Keoleian, Koch, Menerey, 1995).
There are many other terms that relate to the life cycle design: eco-design, design for the environment, life cycle
design, and environmentally conscious design and production (Brezet and Van Hemel, 1997). The product life
cycle is a model that contains and describes all the processes that are necessary for the extraction and processing
of raw materials, production, distribution, consumption and disposal of the product (Figure 1). Environmental

5As a successful example can be mentioned IBM Centre of Competence which is supported by IBM’s Engineering Center for Environmentally Conscious
Products (ECECP) at Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. The ECECP is a center of competence for DfE activities and a resource for division of
environmental specialists, product development and procurement engineers, suppliers and product recycling centers. IBM’s Competence Center manages
the Product Environment Profiles in order to monitor and document the environmental characteristics of products (IBM, Product Stewardship, 2004
[online]).

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impact is the material influence on the environment. Environmental criteria are product-oriented and production
process- oriented solution strategies that lead to less environment damaging products (Bakker, 1995).
Environmental impact is any change to the
environment which can be adverse or beneficial.
raw materials
This change comes from activities, products or
services of the company. It is important to notice
that environmental impact can be positive. For
production
example, production of heating (for district
assembly
heating purposes) harms the environment, but
output of emissions
the overall impact is less than if all households
input of energy and
Irreversible extraction
and waste
materials
distribution
of resources
have their own boiler (Brorson and Larsson,
1999). Eco-benchmarking approach is a
use
method that integrates environmental aspects
into product design. This method is based on the
assessment of five focal areas: energy, material
waste disposal
and weight, packaging, potentially harmful
substances, and recyclability (Boks and Stevels,
'THE ENVIRONMENT'
2003). Eco-benchmarking approach is chosen to
be checked if it is an appropriate method for
start phase of life cycle design.
recycling/reuse
.

2.3 Model of Thesis Problem
Figure 1: Flow Chart of Materials: Adapted Life Cycle Concept

(Source: Bakker, 1995)
Using my advantage to be within Alfa Laval, I observed the situation and sketched a problem. The broad
problem can be visually displayed in the figure 1. The figure shows the life cycle concept that involves all the
processes in decision-making process in the company from the extraction and processing of raw materials,
production, distribution, consumption and to disposal of the product. A dark blue striped box shows the stages of
the product that Alfa Laval is concerned about the most. It is mainly production and distribution. Alfa Laval
usually has good communications with the stakeholders of these stages in product development. But,
unfortunately, there is not enough information as well as communication with the suppliers of raw material about
their environmental programs and performance; about the customers’ demands towards environment and
environmental impact of the product in consumption stage; about product end-of-life stage, and etc (personal
interview). It should be noted that I adapted the Life Cycle Design concept of Bakker (1995) by dividing ‘the
environment’ into two types of resources: irreversible extraction of resources and reversible extraction of
resources (the last term is included in ‘the environment’). ‘The environment’ illustrates all the natural capital
together with input of emissions and waste. It is important to mention here about the biggest ecological concern
in the society: growing irreversible extraction of resources which may lead to the end of these resources.
Moreover, pollution and emissions dominate in ‘the environment’. Therefore, industries should be aware of
material flow in life cycle concept and future risks of availability of resources.
2 department
The information flow and communication circle about the
environment6 is very limited. It is only within Alfa Laval
itself or sometimes there is no information at all. The
3 department
communication loop is not even closed because
1 department
information may go from one direction but it can end up
nowhere (without any feedback) (Figure 2). This situation
.
appears not only at Alfa Laval but also in many other
Figure 2: Flow Chart: Communication flow cycle at Alfa Laval

6 Here I talk about information such as environmental reports, environmental performance, ‘conservation of environment’ as one of the business principles
at Alfa Laval, environmental certification and other activities related to environment

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