Eco-design, also known as Design for the Environment, is presented as a working methodology. This is determined by Ihobe, the Public Company of the Basque Government, which works on the development of environmental policy. It considers the environmental variable as one more criterion when making decisions during the design of industrial products.
It is about adding this ecological point of view to other more traditional processes such as costs or quality. For Ihobe, “the ultimate goal of Eco-design is to improve the environmental performance of products throughout their life cycle through the systematic integration of environmental issues in the earliest stage of product design.”
The Confederation of Small and Medium Enterprises of Aragon (CEPYME Aragón) has prepared the Practical Guide for the application of Eco-design. In it, they collect the key ideas surrounding Eco-design: from legislation to the impacts that occur if we do not use this working method. Prysma, a Spanish firm made up of technicians and managers from various professional fields, has collaborated in the preparation of this guide.
The objective is to raise awareness when contracting services and products. Give priority to suppliers who, in their work process, respect and protect the environment. To work in Eco-design, you only need to rethink: if the installation complies with the ecological guarantees, the machinery or appliances respect the levels of noise pollution and energy efficiency; or the properties have an efficient design and can be recycled.
For its correct application, international standard ISO 14006:2011 must be taken into account. It was born from Ihobe, mentioned above, in 2003. After its success at the national level and with the cooperation of AENOR, the Spanish regulations became an international application. It thus became the second Eco-design initiative to emerge in Spain.
Empark office design project carried out by Cador
What benefits are obtained by applying Eco-design?
For IK Ingeniería, a consulting company specialized in environmental management, the following benefits in the application of ISO 14006 are:
- Comply with current environmental legislation
- Access new, more demanding markets
- Increase the quality of the product or service
- Improve the image of the product and the company
- Reduce production costs
- Promote innovative ideas and methods
- Comply with a sustainable economy among the interested parties of the project
- Respond to the current needs and expectations of consumers
- Differentiate yourself from competitors
- Position yourself as a benchmark in future green purchasing projects.
Can you imagine the benefits of having an office design that embraces the benefits of Eco-design?
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