IEC GUIDE 114:2005

IEC GUIDE 114
Edition 1.0 2005-05
GUIDE
GUIDE
Environmentally conscious design – Integrating environmental aspects into
design and development of electrotechnical products

Eco-conception – Intégration des aspects environnementaux dans la conception
et le développement des produits électrotechniques

All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by

any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without permission in writing from either IEC or

IEC's member National Committee in the country of the requester.
If you have any questions about IEC copyright or have an enquiry about obtaining additional rights to this publication,
please contact the address below or your local IEC member National Committee for further information.

Droits de reproduction réservés. Sauf indication contraire, aucune partie de cette publication ne peut être reproduite
ni utilisée sous quelque forme que ce soit et par aucun procédé, électronique ou mécanique, y compris la photocopie
et les microfilms, sans l'accord écrit de la CEI ou du Comité national de la CEI du pays du demandeur.

Si vous avez des questions sur le copyright de la CEI ou si vous désirez obtenir des droits supplémentaires sur cette

publication, utilisez les coordonnées ci-après ou contactez le Comité national de la CEI de votre pays de résidence.

IEC Central Office
3, rue de Varembé
CH-1211 Geneva 20
Switzerland
Email: inmail@iec.ch
Web: www.iec.ch
About the IEC
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is the leading global organization that prepares and publishes
International Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies.

About IEC publications
The technical content of IEC publications is kept under constant review by the IEC. Please make sure that you have the
latest edition, a corrigenda or an amendment might have been published.
ƒ Catalogue of IEC publications: www.iec.ch/searchpub
The IEC on-line Catalogue enables you to search by a variety of criteria (reference number, text, technical committee,…).
It also gives information on projects, withdrawn and replaced publications.
ƒ IEC Just Published: www.iec.ch/online_news/justpub
Stay up to date on all new IEC publications. Just Published details twice a month all new publications released. Available
on-line and also by email.
ƒ Electropedia: www.electropedia.org
The world's leading online dictionary of electronic and electrical terms containing more than 20 000 terms and definitions
in English and French, with equivalent terms in additional languages. Also known as the International Electrotechnical
Vocabulary online.
ƒ Customer Service Centre: www.iec.ch/webstore/custserv
If you wish to give us your feedback on this publication or need further assistance, please visit the Customer Service
Centre FAQ or contact us:
Email: csc@iec.ch
Tel.: +41 22 919 02 11
Fax: +41 22 919 03 00
A propos de la CEI
La Commission Electrotechnique Internationale (CEI) est la première organisation mondiale qui élabore et publie des
normes internationales pour tout ce qui a trait à l'électricité, à l'électronique et aux technologies apparentées.

A propos des publications CEI
Le contenu technique des publications de la CEI est constamment revu. Veuillez vous assurer que vous possédez
l’édition la plus récente, un corrigendum ou amendement peut avoir été publié.
ƒ Catalogue des publications de la CEI: www.iec.ch/searchpub/cur_fut-f.htm
Le Catalogue en-ligne de la CEI vous permet d’effectuer des recherches en utilisant différents critères (numéro de référence,
texte, comité d’études,…). Il donne aussi des informations sur les projets et les publications retirées ou remplacées.
ƒ Just Published CEI: www.iec.ch/online_news/justpub
Restez informé sur les nouvelles publications de la CEI. Just Published détaille deux fois par mois les nouvelles
publications parues. Disponible en-ligne et aussi par email.
ƒ Electropedia: www.electropedia.org
Le premier dictionnaire en ligne au monde de termes électroniques et électriques. Il contient plus de 20 000 termes et
définitions en anglais et en français, ainsi que les termes équivalents dans les langues additionnelles. Egalement appelé
Vocabulaire Electrotechnique International en ligne.
ƒ Service Clients: www.iec.ch/webstore/custserv/custserv_entry-f.htm
Si vous désirez nous donner des commentaires sur cette publication ou si vous avez des questions, visitez le FAQ du
Service clients ou contactez-nous:
Email: csc@iec.ch
Tél.: +41 22 919 02 11
Fax: +41 22 919 03 00
IEC GUIDE 114
Edition 1.0 2005-05
GUIDE
GUIDE
Environmentally conscious design – Integrating environmental aspects into
design and development of electrotechnical products

Eco-conception – Intégration des aspects environnementaux dans la conception
et le développement des produits électrotechniques

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
ELECTROTECHNIQUE
PRICE CODE
INTERNATIONALE
S
CODE PRIX
ICS 13.020 ISBN 2-8318-9981-8
– 2 – Guide 114 © IEC:2005
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION

___________
ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS DESIGN –

INTEGRATING ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS INTO DESIGN

AND DEVELOPMENT OF ELECTROTECHNICAL PRODUCTS

FOREWORD
This first edition of IEC Guide 114 has been prepared in accordance with Annex A of Part 1 of
the ISO/IEC Directives by the Advisory Committee on Environmental Aspects (ACEA).
This bilingual version, published in 2008-10, corresponds to the English version.
The text of this guide is based on the following documents:
Approval document Report on voting

C/1357/DV C/1369/RV
Full information on the voting for the approval of this guide can be found in the report on vot-
ing indicated in the above table.
The French version of this Guide has not been voted upon.

Guide 114 © IEC:2005 – 3 –
INTRODUCTION
Every product has an effect on the environment, which may occur at any or all stages of its

life cycle  raw-material acquisition, manufacture, distribution, use, and disposal. These

effects may range from slight to significant; they may be short-term or long-term; and they

may occur at the local, regional or global level (or a combination thereof).

The interest of customers, users, developers and others in the environmental aspects and

effects of products is increasing. The information provided by this guide may also be of

interest to external stakeholders who are not directly involved in the product design and

development process.
Anticipating or identifying the environmental aspects of a product throughout its life cycle may
be complex. The environmental aspects of a product must also be balanced against other
factors, such as its intended use, performance, safety and health, cost, marketability, quality,
and legal and regulatory requirements. It is important to consider its function within the
context of the system where it will be used.
The process of integrating environmental aspects into product design and development must
be continuous and flexible, promoting creativity and maximizing innovation and opportunities
for environmental improvement. As a basis for this integration, environmental issues may be
addressed in the policies and strategies of the organization involved.
Early identification and planning enable organizations to make effective decisions about
environmental aspects that they control and to understand better how their decisions may
affect environmental aspects controlled by others  for example, at the raw-material
acquisition or end-of-life stages.
The widespread use of electrotechnical products has drawn increased attention to their
effects on the environment. In many countries all over the world, this has resulted in the
adoption of electrical and electronic equipment regulations affecting wastes, hazardous
substances and energy efficiency.
The purpose of this guide is to help designers of electrotechnical products appropriately to
manage related environmental issues within the design process. Principles of integrating
environmental aspects into product design and development have been described in
ISO 14062. Though electrotechnical products have some specific features which have given
rise to the present guide, some aspects of ISO 14062 have been taken up in this guide to
make it capable of standing alone.
Subsequent sector-specific design documents may be developed to address specific sector

needs not covered in this guide.

– 4 – Guide 114 © IEC:2005
ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS DESIGN –

INTEGRATING ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS INTO DESIGN

AND DEVELOPMENT OF ELECTROTECHNICAL PRODUCTS

1 Scope
IEC Guide 114 describes concepts relating to the integration of environmental aspects into
electrotechnical product design and development. It is intended for use by all those involved

in the design and development of products, regardless of organization type, size, location and

complexity, and for all types of electrical and electronic equipment, whether new or modified.
It is written for those directly involved in the process of product development and for those
responsible for the policy and decision-making process within the organization.
2 Reference documents
ISO 1043 (all parts), Plastics – Symbols and abbreviated terms
ISO 9000:2000, Quality management systems – Fundamentals and vocabulary
ISO 11469:2000, Plastics – Generic identification and marking of plastics products
ISO 14001:1996, Environmental management systems – Specification with guidance for use
ISO 14040:1997, Environmental management – Life cycle assessment – Principles and
framework
ISO/TR 14062:2002, Environmental management – Integrating environmental aspects into
product design and development
IEC Guide 109:2003, Environmental aspects – Inclusion in electrotechnical product standards
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
3.1
consumable
user-replaceable part or piece of equipment that manufacturers place on the market for direct
sale for use in equipment
NOTE Examples of consumables include printer cartridges and photographic films.
3.2
design and development
set of processes that transform requirements into specified characteristics or into the
specification of a product, process or system
NOTE 1 The terms "design" and "development" are sometimes used synonymously and sometimes used to define
different stages of the overall process of turning an idea into a product.
[ISO 9000:2000, definition 3.4.4]
NOTE 2 Product development is the process of taking a product idea from planning to market launch and
reviewing the product, in which business strategies, marketing considerations, research methods and design
aspects are used to take a product to a point of practical use. It includes improvements or modifications to existing
products or processes.
Guide 114 © IEC:2005 – 5 –
3.3
design specification
specification which describes how to meet the functional requirements that are set by the

performance specification
3.4
environment
surroundings in which a product operates, including air, water, land, natural resources, flora,

fauna, humans and their interrelation

NOTE Surroundings in this context extend from within a product to the global system.

[ISO 14001:1996, definition 3.2]
3.5
environmental aspect
element of an organization's activities, products or services that can interact with the
environment
NOTE A significant environmental aspect is an environmental aspect that has or can have a significant
environmental impact
[ISO 14001:1996, definition 3.3]
3.6
environmental impact
any change to the environment, whether adverse or beneficial, wholly or partly resulting from
an organization's activities, products or services
[ISO 14001:1996, definition 3.4]
3.7
field replaceable unit
part, component or subassembly that is easily removed (mechanically disjointed) using
ordinary tools
NOTE “Easily removed” consists of using ordinary tools to perform such functions as screwing or disconnecting,
and only without irreversibly destroying the unit.
3.8
life cycle
consecutive and interlinked stages of a product system, from raw-material acquisition or
generation of natural resources to the final disposal
[ISO 14040:1997, definition 3.8]

3.9
life cycle assessment (LCA)
compilation and evaluation of the inputs, outputs and the potential environmental impacts of a
product system throughout its life cycle
[ISO 14040:1997, definition 3.9]
3.10
performance specification
specification, based on the requirement specification, which defines the functional
requirements, the context in which the product must operate, and interface and
interchangeability characteristics
NOTE It does not state the methods for achieving the required results.

– 6 – Guide 114 © IEC:2005
3.11
process
set of interrelated or interacting activities which transform inputs into outputs

NOTE 1 Inputs to a process are generally outputs of other processes.

NOTE 2 Processes in an organization are generally planned and carried out under controlled conditions to add
value.
[ISO 9000:2000, definition 3.4.1]

3.12
product system
collection of materially and energetically connected unit processes which performs one or
more defined functions
[ISO 14040:1997, definition 3.15]
3.13
requirement specification
specification of the requirements that the product has to fulfil; describes which user groups
are aimed at and what basic functions the product should have
4 Strategic considerations
4.1 Goal and potential benefits
The goal of integrating environmental aspects into product design and development is the
reduction of adverse environmental impacts of the product throughout its entire life cycle. In
striving towards this goal, multiple benefits can be achieved for the organization, its
competitiveness, its customers and other stakeholders. Potential benefits may include
• lower costs by optimizing the use of materials and energy, more efficient processes,
reduced waste disposal;
• stimulation of innovation and creativity;
• increase in knowledge about the product, thus facilitating further improvements;
• reduction of risks, such as avoiding non-compliance to regulations or risks of increased
costs for end-of-life treatment due to hazardous substances.
4.2 Organizational considerations
The existing policies, strategies and structure of an organization usually take account of their
socio-economic context (for example, new regulations on wastes and on substances) and of

their stakeholders (customers, competitors, suppliers, etc.). It is important to consider this
context, because it may have economic and environmental implications for the organization
and can provide valuable guidelines for the integration of environmental aspects into product
design and development.
4.3 Product-related considerations
Integration of environmental aspects into product design and development should consider
the following product-related issues:
• early integration, i.e. address the environmental aspects early in the design and
development process;
• product life cycle, i.e. analyse from raw-material acquisition to end of life (see Figure 1);
• functionality, i.e. how well the product suits the purpose for which it is intended in terms of
usability, useful lifetime, reliability, appearance, etc.;

Guide 114 © IEC:2005 – 7 –
• multi-criteria, i.e. consideration of all relevant environmental impacts and aspects;

• consideration of trade-offs in the process of seeking optimal solutions.

These issues are discussed in more detail in 4.3.2.

4.3.1 General considerations on product-related environmental aspects and impacts

This clause gives a global overview of product-related environmental aspects and impacts,

basic issues and strategic environmental objectives.

Products may have a range of environmental aspects (for example, emissions generated,

resources consumed) that result in environmental impacts (for example, air, water and soil
pollution, climate change).
The environmental impacts of a product are largely determined by the material and energy
inputs and outputs generated at all stages of its life cycle (see Figure 1). Environmental
impacts can be greatly influenced by the actions of organizations and individuals using the
product.
Inputs generally fall into two broad categories: material and energy.
• Material inputs are associated with a variety of environmental aspects; for example, use of
resources, exposure of humans and ecological systems to contaminants, emissions to air,
water and soil and the generation of waste materials and their accumulation.
• Energy inputs are required at most stages of the life cycle of a product. Energy sources
include fossil and biomass fuels, waste materials, nuclear, hydropower, geothermal, solar
and wind energy. Each type of energy source has identifiable environmental aspects.
As a rule, energy consumption of an electrotechnical product during the use stage is a very
important factor for the determination of its environmental impacts. In many cases, it is the
most important one.
Outputs generated during the life cycle of a product fall into several categories: the product
itself, intermediates, co-products, by-products and other outputs as described below.
• Air emissions comprise releases of gases, vapours and particulate matter into the air.
• Water effluent discharges comprise discharges of substances to either surface or
groundwater.
• Waste is generated during each stage of the life cycle of a product. Waste products can
become inputs to other processes, or can be treated, recycled, used as energy sources,
incinerated or land-filled.
• Other releases may include noise, electromagnetic fields, etc.
For design and development, it is useful to describe inputs and outputs in terms that are
measurable and comparable.
– 8 – Guide 114 © IEC:2005
OUTPUTS
PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE
INPUTS
- Materials (in-
- Products
cluding pur-
- Intermediates
Raw-material acquisition
chased parts and
- Co-products
subassemblies)
- By-products
- Energy
Transportation
Manufacturing
- Air emissions
- Water effluent
- Waste materials
Transportation
- Other releases
Trade and delivery
Transportation
Use/maintenance
Transportation
Reuse/recycling/
energy recovery/disposal
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
- Depletion of resources
- Ozone depletion
- Smog formation
- Eutrophication
- Climate change
- Alteration of habitats
- Acidification
- Reduction of biological diversity

- Air, water and soil pollution

- Desiccation and alteration of ground level

- Etc.
Figure 1  Inputs and outputs and examples of environmental impacts
associated with the life cycle of a product

Guide 114 © IEC:2005 – 9 –
4.3.2 General considerations for integrating environmental aspects into product

design
The integration of environmental aspects as early as possible into the product design and

development process offers the flexibility to make changes and improvements to products. In

contrast, postponing to later stages of the process may preclude the use of desirable
environmental options, because all the major technical decisions have already been made.

A life-cycle approach is used to identify the relevant environmental aspects and impacts
during the entire product life cycle, thus helping in defining design approaches. It is important

to take into account all stages of the life cycle of a product, as shown in Figure 1, and to

recognize how products can affect the environment at different stages.

Changing any single input (for example, altering a material used) or influencing a single
output (for example, reducing specific emissions or making provisions for reducing hazardous
wastes) may affect other inputs or outputs. Therefore, it is important to ensure that any
emphasis on a single stage of the life cycle of a product does not unintentionally alter the
environmental impacts at another stage, or result in additional impacts on other elements of
the local, regional or global environment.
Considering a broad range of potential impacts and environmental criteria and exercising
caution when excluding such criteria, help ensure that the reduction of one effect does not
result in an increase in another impact.
When developing products, there is considerable value in thinking in terms of functionality
(how well the product suits the purpose for which it is intended in terms of usability, useful life
time, appearance, etc.) rather than in terms of a specific technical solution. It is, therefore,
important to adopt a broad approach when searching for new options and to highlight the
functionality required to fulfil customer or user demands and needs. Such thinking may lead to
a service solution that has reduced environmental impacts when compared with traditional
solutions only based on goods.
In addition to traditional design criteria (for example, performance, quality, cost), a variety of
environmental criteria should be taken into account. This generally involves considering a
range of different potential environmental impacts, as presented in Figure 1, through a multi-
criteria concept.
The organization may recognize that different interested parties (scientific community,
government, environmental groups, customers, etc.) may have varying perceptions of the
importance of environmental issues. These different perceptions may have relevance for
product design and development.

An integrated perspective of, and pragmatic approach to, the different life-cycle stages and
environmental aspects can help ensure that adequate solutions are found for dealing with the
trade-offs associated with most design decisions. There are three types of trade-offs:
• trade-offs between different environmental aspects; for example, optimizing a product for
weight reduction might negatively affect its recyclability. The comparison of potential
environmental impacts associated with each option can help decision-makers find the best
solution;
• trade-offs between environmental, economic and social benefits. These can be tangible
(for example, lower cost, waste reduction), intangible (for example, convenience) and
emotional (for example, image). For example, making a product more robust increases the
lifetime and, as a result, may benefit the environment by reducing long-term resource use
and waste but may also increase initial costs. This may have social as well as economic
effects;
– 10 – Guide 114 © IEC:2005
• trade-offs between environmental, technical and/or quality aspects; for example, design

decisions related to the use of a particular material might negatively affect the reliability

and durability of a product, even though this produces environmental benefits.

Experience has shown that the best solutions are specific to the product and the

characteristics of the organization. Products are complex and diverse, knowledge and
techniques evolve rapidly, and new experience improves the ability to apply novel solutions. It
is, therefore, important to find an appropriate strategy for the integration of the environmental

aspects into the product design and development process.

4.3.3 Considerations for integrating environmental aspects into electrotechnical

product design
While following the general principles presented in 4.3.2, designers of electrotechnical
equipment should take into consideration
• new legislation highlighting the importance of waste recovery and energy conservation,
and restricting the use of potentially hazardous substances;
• the preponderant role of the use stage which, for many products whose lifetime is long (10
years or more), is the main source of environmental impacts, either directly, for example,
water consumption, or indirectly, for example, energy consumption. Production of the
energy consumed is an important source of emission of pollutants to air, water or soil.
These specific features of electrotechnical products should be considered by designers as a
major source of improvements as part of a life-cycle and multi-criteria approach, so as to
avoid “improvements” made to the detriment of other environmental aspects.
Designers of electrotechnical products should consider the elements described in Clause 4
and, for this purpose, follow the approach presented in Clause 5.
5 Models for the integration of environmental aspects into the product design
and development process
The environmental compatibility of products is to be tracked throughout the product design
and development process, along with their ability to perform the technical function concerned
and their economic viability.
A major proportion of the product properties, the manufacturing costs and the environmental
effects are determined during the initial phases of the product design and development
process so it is important to consider environmental compatibility aspects during the earliest
phases. Furthermore, it is important to consider the product in the context of the system in
which it is used.
In Figure 2 and Table 1, examples of schemes are outlined for the integration of
environmental aspects into the design and development process in the electrical and
electronic industry. Different approaches may be applied within this industry; the scheme
described here should be applicable analogously if other models and other terminologies are
used.
The objectives and main points of focus of environmentally conscious design (ECD) are to be
laid down during the product strategy and product profile development phases on the basis of
a product evaluation process. The objectives and points of focus are set down in the
requirement specification.
Concepts for achieving environmental objectives are set down during the product concept
development, thereby specifying the environmental product features. The concepts and
attributes are incorporated into the performance specification.

Guide 114 © IEC:2005 – 11 –
Fixed points within the product design process are to be identified for target/actual

comparison.
The concepts are put into increasingly detailed concrete form during the remaining phases of

the product design. Tools for ECD such as checklists and computer-aided methods are

employed here to support well-founded design decisions.

The product features achieved as a result of ECD are documented in the design specification.

Experience from the subsequent manufacturing, sales, product usage, maintenance and

disposal stages should be gathered and evaluated in order to continually improve the process

of environmentally compatible product design.
Figure 2 shows a possible standard model of the integration of environmental aspects into the
product design and development process, describing the correlation of activities contributing
to ECD with typical stages and documentation of this process.

– 12 – Guide 114 © IEC:2005
Product
Activities contributing to ECD

idea
Management
Establish commitment to environmentally conscious design.

decision
Identify environment-related legal, societal and market requirements.
Check the market situation and the business environment for the reuse
Product strategy
of the product and of product parts and make a decision in this regard.
Analyse and evaluate the impacts on the environment, taking the
foreseeable product life cycle into account, possibly with regard to a
reference product.
Product profile
Identify environment-related customer requirements.
Analyse environment-related activities of competitors.
Define and assess environment-related goals. Identify requirements
Requirement
that result from these goals. Establish these requirements in the
specification
requirement specification.
Apply systematic methods or tools for the translation of environmental
requirements into product characteristics, for example, environmental
Product concept
QFD.
Prepare concepts and measures to meet the environment-related
goals. Evaluate these concepts and measure with respect to costs,
Performance
product performance and marketability. Establish the selected
specification
concepts and measures in the performance specification.
Develop a concept for the end-of-life treatment of the product
(reuse, recycling, disposal), with estimated costs.
Conceptual design
Choose and apply tools for environmentally compatible product design
(for example, checklists or computer-aided ECD tools).
Assess environmental effects over the entire product life cycle
(possibly in comparison with a reference product).
Design
specification
Establish the targets and requirements for the design in the design
specification.
Optimize the product design in detail by means of the ECD tools,
thereby taking the product packaging into account.
Detailed design
Establish a procedure for the environmentally conscious procurement

with involvement of the suppliers. Request environmentally relevant
information from the suppliers.
Check the detailed design against the targets and requirements that
Testing/Prototype
are set by the design specification.
Prepare an environmentally compatible product and transport packaging
concept. Design environmentally compatible distribution logistics.
Compile a document on environmental product attributes (including
Release for
information about the best use and disposal of the product) and, if
production
necessary, an instruction manual for the end-of-life treatment.
Analyse the subsequent life-cycle phases and ensure that experiences
flow back to the planning and design phases for continual improvement.
QFD = Quality Function Deployment
Figure 2 – Integration of environmental aspects into the design and development
process in the electrical and electronic industries: possible model 1

D e s i g n Product planning
Guide 114 © IEC:2005 – 13 –
An alternative as well as supplementary model for the integration of environmental aspects

into product design and development is shown in Table 1. The basic premise of this approach

is that there is a reference product of which environmental aspects are to be improved. A total

of 12 steps for product improvement are delineated, spanning from the identification of the

technical parameters of a product to the generation of the product concept, for the integration

for environmental aspects mainly occurs during the product planning and conceptual design

phases.
Table 1 – Integration of environmental aspects into the design and development

process in the electrical and electronic industries: possible model 2

Step Leading questions Tasks
1 What product is to be redesigned? Describing the product with technical parameters
2 Who are the customers and what do they expect from Identifying customer and stakeholders needs
the product?
3 What are the competitor’s strength and weakness? Benchmarking with the competitor’s products
4 What are the key environmental weaknesses of my Performing environmental assessment based on
product throughout its entire life-cycle stages? life-cycle thinking and/or LCA
5 How to combine customer’s needs, benchmarking Developing environmental parameters and
results and environmental assessment results into redesign specifications
common improvement tasks?
6 Which ecodesign strategies and guidelines should be Performing checklist operation to determine
adopted for the identified redesign specifications? redesign tasks
7 What are the relevant functions of the reference Performing function analysis of the reference
product? product
8 What are possible new functions of the redesigned Adding new functions to, and/or modifying,
product? functions of the reference product
9 How to generate new ideas for the specific function Performing creativity session and/or searching
of the product? patents
10 How to generate product concept variants? Assembling ideas corresponding to each function
of the redesigned product
11 How to select the best product concept variant? Evaluating variants against criteria such as
economic, technical, social, and environmental
ones
12 What to do next? Continuing detailed embodiment design, layout,
testing, prototype, production and market launch

Reference: Wimmer W., Zust R., and Lee K., Ecodesign Implementation: A systematic guid-
ance to integrating environmental aspects into product development, Kluwer Academic Press,
2004.
6 Design considerations in the development process of electrotechnical
products
6.1 General
According to the above principles of ECD, the development process of an electrotechnical
product should include the following steps:
– identification of significant environmental aspects (see 6.2);
– development of the improvement alternatives or options (see 6.3);
– final assessment to check effectiveness of improvements (see 6.4).

– 14 – Guide 114 © IEC:2005
6.2 Identification of significant environmental aspects

As a first step in ECD, i.e. integrating environmental aspects into the design of electro-

technical products, identification of significant environmental aspects or key issues related to

the product throughout its entire life cycle is required. The key issues include those activities,

processes, and materials which involve potential problems, associated with the product from
raw-material acquisition, manufacturing, distribution, use, and disposal, i.e. the entire life

cycle.
Since a product cannot exist without materials, components, transport, disposal or energy,

identification of key environmental issues of the product in its entire life cycle is a complicated

but essential process. Analysis of the contributions of each process and each activity to the

overall life-cycle impact can be used for the identification of key issues of a product system.
In general, the following aspects should be kept in mind during the analysis of the environ-
mental impacts of electrotechnical products:
• materials should not be arbitrarily excluded;
• all the environmental characteristics of a product should be taken into account;
• the most relevant environmental impacts during the product's life cycle should be
identified;
• consideration should be given to impacts generated by intermediate products or auxiliary
materials that are associated with manufacture but are not present in the finished product;
• consideration should be given to a component or element arbitrarily considered as being
minor that may turn out to have significant environmental impacts;
• focus should be placed not only on the environmental impacts of the product itself but also
of the system in which the product will perform;
• environmental impacts should not be shifted from one life-cycle phase to another or from
one medium to another.
Commonly used tools for the analysis of environmental aspects of a product are classified into
quantitative and qualitative, depending on the nature of the information produced by the tools.
– In general, quantitative information yields numeric values based on reasonably objective
methods; thus, the information may be quite reliable. However, the analysis requires
highly skilled experts and often involves complicated processes.
– Qualitative information yields results based on pre-set parameters for the analysis and
evaluates those parameters qualitatively; thus, the reliability of the information is relatively
low, but the analysis can be carried out quickly and simply.
Simplified quantitative life-cycle methods are being developed to provide designers with tools

adapted to their real needs. Such an approach may be based on two elements that could be
construed as contradictory: the assessment of the environmental impact of a product
throughout its entire life cycle with accuracy and the minimization of the cost and time
required for the assessment. Simplification can be classified into two different approaches:
one is the approach that reduces the effort required for data collection (quantitative) and the
other is the qualitative approach. Use of similar data, omitting certain life-cycle stages and
exclusion of particular inventory parameters, are examples of the quantitative approach. The
qualitative approach includes, among others, focusing only on particular types of
environmental impacts or issues. Generic databases may be used for this assessment, which
serves to identify significant environmental aspects and to quantify progress made.
Assessments of, and improvements in, the environmental performance of the product must be
made by comparing not products but equivalent functional units. The assessment should
concentrate on, and give priority to, those factors which can be substantially influenced
through product design.
Guide 114 © IEC:2005 – 15 –
A significant aspect is defined as an aspect which predominantly contributes either to the

global environmental impacts or to a priority environmental item of the policy of the

organization.
Once the significant aspects have been identified, a multi-criteria analysis will provide

information, making it possible to prioritize the goals of improved solutions with the ongoing

concern of continuously reducing the environmental impacts of products.

6.3 Search for improvements
Evaluation of, and efforts towards, reducing the environmental effects of the product should

be made at every key stage of its development, so as to maintain a compromise between the
fulfilment of the product specifications and the consideration of environmental concerns.
The designer should evaluate alternative design solutions with the aim of achieving a
reduction in the environmental impacts of the product. The choice of a specific design solution
should achieve a reasonable balance between the various environmental aspects and
between environmental aspects and other relevant considerations, such as safety and health,
technical requirements, functionality, quality, performance and economic aspects, including
manufacturing costs and marketability, while complying with all relevant legislation.
The following paragraphs give some indications on how to address possible significant
environmental aspects.
6.3.1 Improvement of materials efficiency
Generally speaking, reduction of material consumption is viewed as a
a) reduction in the volume of resources used in manufacturing a product;
b) reduction in resources consumed in operation of the product;
c) reduction in the use of resources through extended use of the product.
A designer should recognize that an effective means of reducing raw materials used in
manufacturing a product would be to use recycled material, reduce the size, and study the
product structure. Through such means, products can be made with less material and/or
volume to the greatest possible extent while delivering features and functions identical to
those of conventional products.
Reduction in the use of consumables for the product should also be promoted. From the
standpoint of efficient use of natural resources, extended use with longer product life will
ultimately contribute to the conservation of natural resources. This should apply not only to
the product itself, but also to peripherals and supplies, such as the use of recycled paper for

the product documentation.
Product packaging and packaging for protection or stabilization during transport should also
be considered when designing a product, since it becomes superfluous when separated from
the content. The evaluation should be conducted with a view to reducing the volume and
mass of packaging material and utilizing the resources effectively. Reduction in volume and
mass of packaging material is expected to be especially effective in diminishing environmental
effects at the distribution stage. With less packaging material to deal with at disposal or
recycling, transport efficiency will improve and environmental impacts will be reduced.

– 16 – Guide 114 © IEC:2005
6.3.2 Avoidance of potentially hazardous substances and materials in the product

Substances (individual and combined) introduced at the various stages of the product life

cycle may be hazardous to human health and to the environment. Reducing and/or eliminating

potentially hazardous substances should be a priority in the design of electrical and electronic

products. In particular, designers are advised to be aware of international, national and

regional prohibitions on the use of certain hazardous substances in products, in order to

ensure legal compliance for products sold in targeted countries. The product must comply with

all applicable legislation.
Product designers should also attempt to reduce the use of substances that require special

handling or disposal during the product use or recovery stage.
In some cases, threshold levels of hazardous substances cannot be achieved without
compromising basic product functions. In these cases, designers should make sure that these
substances are appropriately identified and easily accessible for removal and safe handling.
Parts or materials that contain more than threshold levels of substances that cannot be
recycled or processed appropriately, and other substances regulated or prohibited by laws
and regulations, should not be used unless collection and recycling processes for such parts
and materials have been established. For parts and materials that must be used to secure
product functions, complete replacement with parts and materials with less or controlled
quantities of hazardous substances should be implemented.
6.3.3 Improvement of energy efficiency
Energy inputs are required at most stages of the life cycle of every electrotechnical product.
As every energy source has its own set of environmental impacts, the more energy an
electrotechnical product requires, the more energy has to be produced, and the more the
negative impacts on the environment are extensive. It is not the designer’s duty to deal with
energy sources, but design engineers should consider product design features that reduce
energy consumption during every stage of the life of the product.
It is generally accepted that, in most cases, energy consumption during the use of an
electrotechnical product accounts for the dominant part of energy consumption. Improving the
efficiency of energy use can then significantly reduce the environmental impacts of the
product; but that is not always the case, and a complete assessment of the whole life cycle
must be carried out to identify the truly significant aspects.
Where energy consumption has thus been shown to be a significant environmental aspect, the
following requirements and recommendations should be considered by designers, insofar as
they have a practical influence on the product concerned.

a) Identification of the main st
...