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Cleaner Technology Projects in Denmark 1997
Synliggørelse af produkters miljøegenskaber
Arbejdsrapport nr. 4, 1997, Miljøstyrelsen
When some companies make environmental considerations in product development they are
led by two aims: The minimisation of environmental impact and to increase the competitive
power of the product through improving the visibility of the environmental properties. In
this pilot project, a method named "Environmental QFD" has been developed and
tested: a method which may be used to identify the environmental properties that will be
able to increase the competitive power of the product in marketing, without neglecting the
most important environmental impacts.
In the pilot project the method has been developed and then tested in a development
project, in which a new concept for cabin cooling for cars is developed. The main elements
of the method are two known methods. From the environmental area it is Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), which is used for
analysing the environmental impact of a product throughout its entire life. From the area
of quality it is Quality Function Deployment
(QFD), which is used to clarify what objectives the parties interested in the life of
the product have, how they are weighed, and which of these must constitute the main focus
with regards to the development project.
The pilot project has made it possible for companies producing and marketing mechanical
and electromechanical products to use a method in which LCA and QFD are integrated in
connection with decisions concerning the size and focus of their environmental effort to
their advantage. Hereby the environmental effort is provided with the best starting point
through reduced risk of wrong efforts concerning both development and marketing.
Environmental OFD has turned out to be a strong instrument for gathering the
development and marketing functions and the environmental specialists. Traditionally,
these three areas are working with each their objective. Here Environmental QFD works as
"a common language", where all areas may deliver results and watch them being
used in the other areas.
The result of this pilot project is now used by ClimCon A/S. The company uses it in
their development work. Furthermore the pilot project has given results that are to be
elaborated in future product generations.
Author/ institution
Jesper Olesen, Instituttet for Produktudvikling
Anders Schmidt, dk-TEKNIK
Anette Petersen, VKI institut for vandmiljø
This report is subsidised by the National Council for Recycling and Cleaner Technology
ISSN no. 0908-9195
ISBN no. 87-7810-731-8
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