During the design and development process of products and services, the potential for preventing environmental impacts throughout the life cycle is at its highest: it is estimated that about 70 to 80% of a product’s environmental impacts are determined during the development phase. Furthermore, organizations recognize that there are other substantial benefits in this integration process of environmental considerations at the design phase, including cost reduction, encouragement of innovation, new business opportunities, and improvement of product quality.
Ecodesign is a well-established concept among specialists in Portugal and Europe, but there is a lack of knowledge supporting the systematic integration of environmental considerations in product design in general, and in ceramics in particular. Despite its economic importance, the ceramics industry is experiencing the effects of the slowdown in the European economy and competition from products coming from countries where environmental and social standards are less stringent and poorly enforced.
The ceramics sector needs competitive products to survive in the market, and the application of ecodesign presents good opportunities for innovation and differentiation, in addition to the environmental benefits and savings it entails.
It was precisely to help bridge this gap that the InEDIC project – Innovation and Ecodesign in the Ceramics Industry was developed, coordinated by LNEG/UPCS (National Laboratory of Energy and Geology, Sustainable Production-Consumption Unit), financed by the European Union’s Lifelong Learning Programme, Leonardo da Vinci sub-programme.
The InEDIC consortium included 18 partners from Portugal, Spain, and Greece, comprising research centers, training institutes, associations, and companies. In Portugal, besides LNEG, the participating entities included the Portuguese Design Centre (CPD), the Professional Training Centre for the Ceramics Industry (CENCAL), the Technological Centre of Ceramics and Glass (CTCV), the Higher School of Art and Design of the Polytechnic Institute of Leiria (ESAD-IPL), and four ceramics companies representing different sub-sectors.
The training materials developed under the project aim to support companies and designers in adopting ecodesign in their product development processes in a systematic manner. An 8-step ecodesign implementation methodology was adopted, and content was developed in the form of theoretical chapters and practical tools that support such implementation. Two databases were also created, one for materials and the other for technologies, to help project teams substantiate their design choices. For trainers, there is also a guide to support training activities.
To test and evaluate the training materials, 10 demonstration projects were developed across the three countries, in collaboration between ecodesign teams within companies and core partners of the InEDIC partnership.
The methodology applied in these projects is based on best practices tested in several previous projects, combined with the concept of training/action, aiming for an effective transfer of knowledge and skills so that the companies and professionals involved can continue to develop ecodesign projects after the completion of InEDIC.
The application of InEDIC materials in business situations provided very valuable feedback on the quality, suitability, and comprehensiveness of the developed materials. It also highlighted the need for initiatives of this kind that promote positive differentiation of national ceramic products through economically and technically feasible environmental improvements that contribute to the sector’s competitiveness, especially in the more demanding markets.
To access all information and results of the project for free, please visit www.inedic.net.
