Rainer Züst - Böcker

The "Pilot" is a tool, designed to enable users to find measures to environmentally improve products within a short time. The instructions given are formulated in the language of product design and can be implemented directly in product development. The product has been developed for engineers in product development or R+D, for designers, for environmental experts, for consultants and for students. A CD-ROM is included with this text.

This book explores aspects of the "Pilot"; what it is, when to apply it and for whom it was developed. It summarizes that the "Pilot" is a tool, that enables you to find measures to environmentally improve a product within a short time. The instructions given are formulated in the language of product design and can be implemented directly in product development. The authors conclude that the "Pilot" should always be used when you are aiming at "ECODESIGN" solutions to environmentally improve products. They believe that "Pilot" was developed for engineers in product development or R+D, for designers, for environmental experts, for consultants and for students.

Stakeholders such as environmental directives and customer demands for reducing environmental impacts of a product require innovative and environmentally improved products. Therefore a systematic approach and effective methods and tools are needed in the early phase of product development.The basic elements for optimized process management in the design department are described in this book.The book provides twelve easy to follow steps for implementing ECODESIGN in a company. It gives clear advice how to integrate environmental considerations into product design and development, and combines ECODESIGN with Life Cycle Assessment and Environmental Communication. Chapters on Product modeling, Life Cycle Assessment, ECODESIGN tasks, Product Improvement and Environmental Communication use the previously developed ECODESIGN PILOT (www.ecodesign.at/pilot) and show its application to a real product example.The book comes with two web tools: one is the ECODESIGN PILOT, used to find measures to environmentally improve a product within a short time. The other is the ECODESIGN PILOT's Assistant (www.ecodesign.at/assist): an expert system, which helps to find the right improvement strategy for a product.Audience: This book will be of interest to environmental and sustainability managers, engineers in research and product development, to designers, environmental experts, and consultants, as well as to students working in this field.

Sustainable solutions require the integration of social and ecological aspects in every planning and decision-making process. This means: analyse the real world and model the problem-situation as a system; understand the needs and objectives of the customers and clients; carefully develop alternative ideas and solutions, as well as evaluate concepts under multidimensional aspects/criteria. In this area Systems Engineering could offer a fruitful approach. Systems Engineering (SE) is a systematic way of thinking and a methodology to guide demanding problem-solving processes in the fields of management and engineering. This book explains the most important principles and elements of Systems Engineering and three planning cases demonstrate the practical application.

Stakeholders such as environmental directives and customer demands for reducing environmental impacts of a product require innovative and environmentally improved products. Therefore a systematic approach and effective methods and tools are needed in the early phase of product development.The basic elements for optimized process management in the design department are described in this book.The book provides twelve easy to follow steps for implementing ECODESIGN in a company. It gives clear advice how to integrate environmental considerations into product design and development, and combines ECODESIGN with Life Cycle Assessment and Environmental Communication. Chapters on Product modeling, Life Cycle Assessment, ECODESIGN tasks, Product Improvement and Environmental Communication use the previously developed ECODESIGN PILOT (www.ecodesign.at/pilot) and show its application to a real product example.The book comes with two web tools: one is the ECODESIGN PILOT, used to find measures to environmentally improve a product within a short time. The other is the ECODESIGN PILOT's Assistant (www.ecodesign.at/assist): an expert system, which helps to find the right improvement strategy for a product.Audience: This book will be of interest to environmental and sustainability managers, engineers in research and product development, to designers, environmental experts, and consultants, as well as to students working in this field.