A systematic approach to eco-innovative product design based on life cycle planning

The early design phases, such as the planning and conceptual design phases, greatly affect the eco-effectiveness of a product. Therefore, it is crucial that the environmental aspects are taken into account in the early design phases. Our life cycle planning (LCP) methodology is intended to integrate quality, cost, and environmental aspects systematically in the early phases of eco-design. In this paper, a more innovative product eco-design methodology based on the current LCP framework is developed. For supporting innovation at the product level, idea generation using TRIZ, design uncertainty evaluation, and an eco-efficiency indicator of a product are proposed. Their usefulness is demonstrated through their application to an actual refrigerator.