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final consumers, or for the provision of a service, recycling, energy recovery and ultimate disposal. LCA results allow us to directly evaluate the environmental impacts of a product or its individual sub-assemblies,
and to then continually improve on its design, material selection, and operating characteristics, e.g. energy efficiency. These impacts can typically be provided in categories such as global warming impact carbon
emissions, natural resource depletion, eco-toxicity, and water resource consumption. LCAs are used to identify significant environmental aspects: as a benchmarking tool to demonstrate the ‘green’ evolution of a
product line; at the product assembly level – to determine target areas for environmental improvement for new products i.e. recyclability or material reduction; and, at the component level, as an aid to materials
selection. The eco-impact guidelines and checklists within each technical specification area can be updated based upon the results of LCAs.
4.2.1 Life cycle thinking LCT aspects
Within the limits of the designer’s responsibility, the designer should consider life cycle thinking LCT. LCT means integration of the environmental impact caused by a product throughout all life cycle stages as early
as possible in the product design and development process when opportunities exist to make decisions to improve the environmental performance of the product.
Basic considerations include: •
a goal to minimize the overall adverse environmental impact be defined by the manufacturerorganization;
• significant environmental aspects of the product be identified; and
• trade-offs associated with both environmental aspects and life cycle stages should be considered.
Balanced compromises associated with both the environmental aspects and the life cycle stages need to be evaluated. Any decision should be balanced with technical features and economic viability and should not
compromise health and safety.
4.2.2 The designer’s role
It is the designer’s responsibility to deal with attributes directly dependent on the product design. The designer should ensure that products comply with all relevant regulations governing product design. Then,
the designer should take into account the environmental impact of the product throughout its life and to identify the significant impacts that can be reduced by alternative design solutions.
General environmental aspects of life cycle stages such as extractionprocessing of raw materials, manufacturing and transportation should be considered within existing environmental and procurement
policies and guidelines of the organization. Designers should follow the design relevant aspects of those policies and guidelines. Any emphasis on a single stage of a product’s life cycle may alter another stage and
therefore the overall environmental impact. The designer’s responsibility is limited by the possibilities within the requested functionalities and market requirements. Balanced compromises will need to occur in
optimizing the environmental impact across the product life cycle.
4.2.3 Reducing GHG emissions during the product manufacturing phase
• GHG emissions from Ball Grid Array BGA and Quad Flat Pack QFP integrated circuits ICs is much
higher in some cases by orders of magnitude than other smaller ICs e.g. Dual in-line [DIP], Plastic Leaded Chip Carrier [PLCC], Thin Small Outline Package [TSOP], transistors, capacitors and coils.
However, the use of large ICs can offset GHG emissions due to more energy efficient and physically smallerlightweight printed wiring board designs.
