4.12 Priorities Among the Strategies
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Therefore, before even starting to design, it is important to identify the priorities of the strategies, correspondingly for each product and its function, to graduate the importance of the available scenarios. For a context in which a life cycle depends more on the duration of a product and on the repeated use of its components and materials, it would be more efficient to start with strategies of product lifespan optimisation and material life extension 28. On the other hand, the product lifespan optimisation and material life extension are nothing but indirect ways of minimising resource consumption and selecting low impact resources. In operative terms is rather improbable that employing a single strategy would be the best way to satisfy all the environmental requirements of a given product. Therefore, is better to create a set of environmental strategies and design choices. The presence of such a set would be helpful to avoid starting off with low-profile propositions when better development options are available. If various strategies are simultaneously employed then at best they can be synergic, though they could also clash with each other29. Thus, it has to be understood how to decide whether simultaneously adapted strategies create more trouble than advantages, to set the priorities corresponding to the objectives and decide which road to take and in which modality. On the other hand, it is necessary to understand the product and its system characteristics in order to efficiently pose the objectives and environmental requirements (Box 4.1). It is the only correct way to estimate possible improvements for environmental impact in relation to the entire life cycle. For analysing and supporting design decisions several methods and tools have been developed and are in constant evolution30. Besides the conflicts between strategies, the environmental scenarios can also clash with the requirements of traditional design practices, whether they deal with performance, costs, normatives, cultural or aesthetic characteristics. For example, an extended product lifespan (to lessen the environmental impact) can be seen as a possibility of reduced sales. An example of common grounds instead is the reduction of energy consumption during the production stage31. From the sustainability perspective, the environmental requirements are of course of primary importance, but it is also true that for a realistic solution to follow the criteria of environmental impact reduction, it must be economically feasible and socio-culturally attractive. 28 It is noteworthy that these strategies, more than the two previous ones, are contradictory in respect of current industrial and consumption tendencies in contemporary society and advanced industry. Besides some interesting cases outside the mainstream, the dominant view prefers short term products (particularly throw-away goods) and diminished producer responsibility for endof-life treatments. The restraints and economic opportunities will be discussed further in Chap. 7. 29 E.g. using recycled polymers (for less impact) will clash with the guideline to reduce the overall weight of a product. In fact, in order for a recycled component to have equal endurance, it has to be heavier. 30 Cf. Part III. 31 Cf. Chap. 7.