INTRODUCTION

Curbing Climate Change

Without Sacrificing Business
Goals

BREAKING FREE FROM

TRADITION
Why Conventional Methods
Fail Sustainable Development

ECO-DESIGN: THE KEY TO

SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS

MAKING ECO-DESIGN
MEASURABLE

UNLEASHING THE POWER

OF VIRTUAL TWINS

What is a Virtual Twin

Enhancing Development with
Cloud Technology
Carrying out LCA with Virtual
Twin Data

REIMAGINING SUSTAINABILITY:
EMBRACING SUSTAINABLE
INNOVATION WITH
3DEXPERIENCE

VIRTUAL TWINS AT THE WHEEL

Empowering Sustainable
Decision-Making Across the
Lifecycle
Leading by Example: Racing

Lifecycle Assessment and Eco-Design Unleashed Towards a Sustainable Future

CONCLUSION

1
 INTRODUCTION

Curbing Climate Change

CURBING CLIMATE CHANGE WITHOUT Without Sacrificing Business
Goals
SACRIFICING BUSINESS GOALS
BREAKING FREE FROM
TRADITION
The demand for more sustainable products is growing as
Why Conventional Methods
temperatures rise and severe weather impacts communities Fail Sustainable Development
worldwide. Consumers, governments, and even business partners
are increasingly looking to manufacturers to minimize their ECO-DESIGN: THE KEY TO
environmental impact. Furthermore, these entities expect more SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS

than reassurances; they want credible evidence that products meet

sustainability goals. MAKING ECO-DESIGN
MEASURABLE

For product developers, these requirements present significant UNLEASHING THE POWER
challenges. Companies must now invest extra resources into OF VIRTUAL TWINS
sourcing, manufacturing, and even the end of the product lifecycle. What is a Virtual Twin
At the same time, these companies cannot sacrifice product Enhancing Development with
performance or extend time to market. Keeping up in an era of Cloud Technology
ever-tightening competition requires more money and innovation. Carrying out LCA with Virtual
Twin Data

Yet, manufacturers that pursue innovation and sustainability

EMBRACING SUSTAINABLE
can enhance their credibility and industry standing. When new INNOVATION WITH
government regulations arise, these businesses are already often 3DEXPERIENCE

compliant. Empowering Sustainable

Decision-Making Across the
Lifecycle
So how can companies embrace sustainability without sacrificing
Leading by Example: Racing
business goals? The answer lies in integrating sustainability Towards a Sustainable Future
throughout the product development cycle. This e-book delves into
the limitations of conventional processes for product developers
CONCLUSION
and presents a compelling solution: the Eco-design approach. By
leveraging the power of virtual twins, lifecycle assessments, and
cloud technology, this innovative approach unlocks the potential
for sustainable design without compromising business profitability.
2
 INTRODUCTION

Curbing Climate Change

BREAKING FREE FROM TRADITION: Without Sacrificing Business
Goals
WHY CONVENTIONAL METHODS FAIL
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT BREAKING FREE FROM
TRADITION
Why Conventional Methods
Product development has not changed much over the years. Fail Sustainable Development

Designs are fleshed out via repeated physical prototyping cycles,

during which teams create, test, and sometimes even discard ECO-DESIGN: THE KEY TO
SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS
mockups, adding to the waste stream. Other checks, such as
assembly-line validation, focus on efficiency and quality but
MAKING ECO-DESIGN
provide no input on environmental issues. Even in cases where MEASURABLE
companies try to minimize their environmental impact, efforts
seem like an afterthought, disrupting development and stretching UNLEASHING THE POWER
OF VIRTUAL TWINS
out timelines.
What is a Virtual Twin
The problem is that 80% of a product’s environmental impact Enhancing Development with
Cloud Technology
is set during its design phase. The design engineer determines
Carrying out LCA with Virtual
parameters such as material selection, manufacturing process, Twin Data
durability, longevity, energy efficiency, and even how easy it will
be to recycle. But traditional development offers no tools to assess EMBRACING SUSTAINABLE
the impact of these decisions early on. INNOVATION WITH
3DEXPERIENCE

Empowering Sustainable
Decision-Making Across the
Lifecycle
Leading by Example: Racing
Towards a Sustainable Future

CONCLUSION

3
 INTRODUCTION

Curbing Climate Change

Companies that want to embrace sustainability must look Without Sacrificing Business
beyond traditional development practices. If design engineers Goals

considered environmental impacts while working, they could

create more sustainable products and less ecological waste BREAKING FREE FROM
TRADITION
within a shorter time, all without delays or costly late design
Why Conventional Methods
changes. In short, integrating sustainability into the earliest Fail Sustainable Development
stages of design helps companies create sustainable products
while still meeting their business goals. ECO-DESIGN: THE KEY TO
SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS

MAKING ECO-DESIGN
MEASURABLE

UNLEASHING THE POWER

OF VIRTUAL TWINS

What is a Virtual Twin

Enhancing Development with
Cloud Technology
Carrying out LCA with Virtual
Twin Data

EMBRACING SUSTAINABLE
INNOVATION WITH
3DEXPERIENCE

Empowering Sustainable
Decision-Making Across the
Lifecycle
Leading by Example: Racing
Towards a Sustainable Future

CONCLUSION

4
 INTRODUCTION

Curbing Climate Change

Without Sacrificing Business
Goals

BREAKING FREE FROM

TRADITION
Why Conventional Methods
Fail Sustainable Development

ECO-DESIGN: THE KEY TO

SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS

ECO-DESIGN: MAKING ECO-DESIGN

MEASURABLE
THE KEY TO SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS
UNLEASHING THE POWER
OF VIRTUAL TWINS
While traditional companies struggle to incorporate sustainability What is a Virtual Twin
into their development cycles, Eco-design offers a way forward. Enhancing Development with
Through Eco-design, companies can:
Eco-design is a mindset towards product development that Cloud Technology
→ Save on material costs by designing products that use fewer
goes beyond form and function. It supports reduced resource Carrying out LCA with Virtual
resources or recycled materials. Twin Data
consumption, utilization of renewable/recyclable materials, energy
→ Increase customer loyalty and foster repeat business by
efficiency, waste reduction, and decreased emissions throughout
developing more durable products. EMBRACING SUSTAINABLE
the product lifecycle. INNOVATION WITH
→ Avoid the expense and waste of engineering changes for 3DEXPERIENCE
products already at prototyping phase.
Having access to data is one of the biggest challenges, both Empowering Sustainable
→ Eliminate the need for costly rework when new regulations Decision-Making Across the
inside a company and in the overall supply chain. Eco-design Lifecycle
arise by ensuring products are sustainable throughout the
acts as a backbone for companies to manage and reduce their
lifecycle. Leading by Example: Racing
environmental footprint with real data. The approach touches on Towards a Sustainable Future
requirements, design, sourcing, manufacturing, procurement, use,
servicing, end-of-life, and beyond.
CONCLUSION
Not least of all, Eco-design benefits a company’s bottom lines.

5
 INTRODUCTION

Curbing Climate Change

Without Sacrificing Business
Goals

BREAKING FREE FROM

TRADITION
Why Conventional Methods
Fail Sustainable Development

ECO-DESIGN: THE KEY TO

SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS

LIFECYCLE ASSESSMENTS MAKING ECO-DESIGN

MEASURABLE
MAKE ECO-DESIGN MEASURABLE
UNLEASHING THE POWER
OF VIRTUAL TWINS
A lifecycle assessment (LCA) is crucial to Eco-design. LCA is a What is a Virtual Twin
rigorous method for systematically and objectively quantifying Then companies can: Enhancing Development with
the environmental impact of a product design, from sourcing raw → Identify the environmental impact of a product from its design. Cloud Technology

materials to end-of-life disposal or recycling.
LCA, which emerged in a limited form in the 1960s, is traditionally
a manual effort that requires significant time and resources. As
such, companies often use it to guide improvements for future
→ Measure the environmental footprint of their product Carrying out LCA with Virtual
Twin Data
by evaluating its environmental impact across multiple key
performance indicators including but not limited to carbon
EMBRACING SUSTAINABLE
emissions. Other crucial metrics can be monitored such as land INNOVATION WITH
use, fossil depletion, water use, freshwater ecotoxicity, marine 3DEXPERIENCE

product versions, and not the current design under production. eutrophication, and carcinogenic effects. Empowering Sustainable
→ Determine which materials offer the best environmental Decision-Making Across the
Lifecycle
But today, with faster computers and more digital innovations, performances.
Leading by Example: Racing
companies no longer need to wait to incorporate LCA into their → Define a manufacturing strategy based on its carbon footprint. Towards a Sustainable Future
development activities. With newer software tools, engineers have → Experiment with design changes to find the most
the data to quickly and easily apply LCA. environmentally-friendly choices.
CONCLUSION
→ Continuously improve designs as technology evolves and new
opportunities arise.
→ Communicate their sustainability efforts to stakeholders and
customers.
6
 INTRODUCTION

Curbing Climate Change

Without Sacrificing Business
Goals

BREAKING FREE FROM

TRADITION
Why Conventional Methods
Fail Sustainable Development

ECO-DESIGN: THE KEY TO

SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS
LIFECYCLE ASSESSMENTS
MAKE ECO-DESIGN MEASURABLE MAKING ECO-DESIGN
MEASURABLE

UNLEASHING THE POWER

OF VIRTUAL TWINS

What is a Virtual Twin

Enhancing Development with

UNLEASHING THE POWER OF VIRTUAL TWINS Cloud Technology

Carrying out LCA with Virtual
FOR SUSTAINABLE PROGRESS Twin Data

EMBRACING SUSTAINABLE
INNOVATION WITH
Virtual twins add significantly more power for effective Eco-design, Enhancing development with cloud technology 3DEXPERIENCE
primarily when the twin resides in the cloud. Virtual twins generally reside in the cloud, so stakeholders everywhere Empowering Sustainable
can easily access product data, which promotes collaboration and Decision-Making Across the
Lifecycle
What is a virtual twin? innovation. Plus, the cloud can act as a centralized data system, so
Leading by Example: Racing
A virtual twin is an exact digital copy of a physical asset that everyone has the most recent information regardless of their location. Towards a Sustainable Future
enhances visibility across ecosystems and helps to drive information
flows, accelerate development, and streamline operations. Virtual
CONCLUSION
twins are used today in areas from life sciences and healthcare to
construction and retail.

7
 INTRODUCTION

Curbing Climate Change

Carrying out LCA with data from the virtual twin Without Sacrificing Business
Goals
When companies perform LCAs on a virtual twin, they can
effectively bring Eco-design principles to the earliest stages of
product development. The LCA no longer provides data just for BREAKING FREE FROM
TRADITION
future revisions but instead drives design decisions in the current
Why Conventional Methods
project. Fail Sustainable Development

The virtual twin contains essential data such as manufacturing ECO-DESIGN: THE KEY TO
processes, materials, operations, and sourcing. The LCA can use that SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS

data to calculate energy consumption and environmental impact

throughout the product’s lifecycle. Engineers can understand the MAKING ECO-DESIGN
MEASURABLE
environmental impact of all components in their system. They
can easily flag which components have the highest sustainability UNLEASHING THE POWER
impact. They know the sustainability status of each component OF VIRTUAL TWINS
right from the product ideation stage. They can use this information What is a Virtual Twin
to try out different design alternatives and finalize the design that Enhancing Development with
has the least environmental impact. Cloud Technology
Carrying out LCA with Virtual
Twin Data

With LCA integrated into the virtual twin, companies can:

EMBRACING SUSTAINABLE
→ Connect to continuously updated datasets so design INNOVATION WITH
engineers can make optimized design choices for sourcing 3DEXPERIENCE
materials and manufacturing methods. Empowering Sustainable
→ Set sustainability goals and make sure designs stay within Decision-Making Across the
Lifecycle
those targets.
Leading by Example: Racing
→ Perform trade-off studies to optimize their design decisions Towards a Sustainable Future
further.
→ Continue to monitor impacts into each stage of the
CONCLUSION
development cycle.
→ Ensure digital continuity between the lifecycle assessment
and the virtual twin.

8
 INTRODUCTION
EMBRACING SUSTAINABLE INNOVATION Curbing Climate Change
WITH 3DEXPERIENCE Without Sacrificing Business
Goals

BREAKING FREE FROM

TRADITION

Delving into the transformative power of Why Conventional Methods

Fail Sustainable Development
Lifecycle Assessment (LCA) and its pivotal role
in fostering responsible innovation and eco
ECO-DESIGN: THE KEY TO
design practices, the forefront of this sustainable SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS
revolution features Dassault Systèmes and the
visionary 3DEXPERIENCE platform on the cloud. MAKING ECO-DESIGN
Empowering organizations to seamlessly integrate MEASURABLE

sustainability into product development, the

UNLEASHING THE POWER
3DEXPERIENCE platform's built-in LCA capabilities OF VIRTUAL TWINS
accurately measure the complete environmental
What is a Virtual Twin
impact of products, encompassing 16 key
Enhancing Development with
metrics including carbon emissions, freshwater Cloud Technology
ecotoxicity, and more. Drawing data from diverse Carrying out LCA with Virtual
sources this comprehensive approach enables Twin Data
informed decision-making, identifying key
areas for sustainability improvements right from EMBRACING SUSTAINABLE
INNOVATION WITH
product inception. 3DEXPERIENCE

Empowering Sustainable
Decision-Making Across the
Lifecycle
Leading by Example: Racing
Towards a Sustainable Future

CONCLUSION

9
 INTRODUCTION

Curbing Climate Change

Empowering Sustainable Decision-Making Across the Lifecycle Without Sacrificing Business
Goals
Dassault Systèmes goes beyond using LCA merely for declaration
“LCA brings the metrics needed to evaluate environmental
purposes, elevating it to an integral part of the entire product
impacts across the product lifecycle. Integrating that with BREAKING FREE FROM
lifecycle. Through the power of Virtual Twin technology, from
virtual twin technology opens new possibilities to address those TRADITION
engineering and manufacturing to operational usage, the platform
impacts very early on.” Why Conventional Methods
enables users to create scenarios based on LCA results. This Fail Sustainable Development
Emilia Moreno Ruiz, CTO, ecoinvent
approach empowers organizations to act proactively and leverage
LCA data within the context of Virtual Twins, optimizing asset ECO-DESIGN: THE KEY TO
performance in multiple domains. The result: a paradigm shift SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS

towards sustainable practices throughout a product's lifecycle.

MAKING ECO-DESIGN
MEASURABLE
Sustainability-Driven Design from Inception
Discover sustainability-driven design at the heart of the approach. UNLEASHING THE POWER
Our complete and powerful solution equips companies with data OF VIRTUAL TWINS
on 16 key metrics, enabling them to assess environmental impacts What is a Virtual Twin
upfront. Integrate LCA from the start, gaining insights to optimize Enhancing Development with
materials, reduce pollutants, and make eco-conscious decisions Cloud Technology
early on. Embracing the eco-design mindset empowers businesses Carrying out LCA with Virtual
Twin Data
to create a greener future. Moreover, we take it a step further by
harnessing the ecoinvent database, which significantly enhances
EMBRACING SUSTAINABLE
basic LCA solutions. Boasting an extensive collection of 18,000 INNOVATION WITH
dependable lifecycle datasets across diverse sectors on a global and 3DEXPERIENCE

regional scale, this reputable resource ensures continuous updates Empowering Sustainable
Decision-Making Across the
for accuracy. With ecoinvent, LCA assessments gain credibility,
Lifecycle
enabling businesses to conduct robust and reliable sustainability
Leading by Example: Racing
evaluations. Towards a Sustainable Future

CONCLUSION

10
 INTRODUCTION

Curbing Climate Change

Leading by Example: Racing Towards a Sustainable Future Without Sacrificing Business
Goals
The EPFL Racing Team's collaboration with Dassault Systèmes
exemplifies the practical application of LCA in Formula Student.
By demonstrating how sustainability and performance can BREAKING FREE FROM
TRADITION
harmoniously coexist, the partnership sets a benchmark for
Why Conventional Methods
integrating eco-design practices in motorsports. As the team Fail Sustainable Development
embraces LCA and strives to reduce environmental impact
throughout the vehicle's lifecycle, they inspire professionals across ECO-DESIGN: THE KEY TO
industries to follow suit. SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS

Collaboration and Transparency for Collective Impact MAKING ECO-DESIGN

MEASURABLE
A hallmark of the 3DEXPERIENCE platform on the cloud is its
emphasis on collaboration and transparency. The integrated LCA UNLEASHING THE POWER
data is accessible to all stakeholders, fostering seamless teamwork OF VIRTUAL TWINS
among designers, engineers, logistics experts, and business What is a Virtual Twin
planners. By sharing standardized sustainability data, organizations Enhancing Development with
can collectively make informed decisions that positively influence Cloud Technology
their environmental footprint. This shared knowledge facilitates Carrying out LCA with Virtual
Twin Data
deeper insights and collective impact for a greener, more sustainable
future.
EMBRACING SUSTAINABLE
INNOVATION WITH
Paving the Path to a Greener Tomorrow 3DEXPERIENCE

Dassault Systèmes' visionary approach to LCA and its integration into Empowering Sustainable
the 3DEXPERIENCE platform exemplify a transformative paradigm “Each year is a new chance to improve the car. LCA guides us to Decision-Making Across the
Lifecycle
in eco design and sustainability. By enabling organizations to make design a vehicle that is truly sustainable without compromising
Leading by Example: Racing
informed, sustainable decisions from product inception to end-of- on performance. Eco-design is a mindset. In less than a year, Towards a Sustainable Future
life considerations, the platform fosters responsible innovation and we put in place a system to perform an LCA and develop a
a greener future. Embracing sustainable practices and fostering sustainability strategy. If we can do it, then what are you
CONCLUSION
collaboration across industries, Dassault Systèmes leads the charge waiting for?”
towards a more sustainable and eco-conscious world. Hugo Fenoli-Rebellato, Team Leader Sustainability, EPFL
Racing Team

11
 INTRODUCTION

Curbing Climate Change

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Without Sacrificing Business
Goals

©2023 assault Systèmes. All rights reserved. 3DEXPERIENCE, the 3DS logo, the Compass icon, IFWE, 3DEXCITE, 3DVIA, BIOVIA, CATIA, CENTRIC PLM, DELMIA, ENOVIA, GEOVIA, MEDIDATA, NETVIBES, OUTSCALE, SIMULIA and SOLIDWORKS are commercial trademarks or registered
Climate change creates new challenges for companies as their Together, these technologies help companies build sustainability BREAKING FREE FROM
customers, governments, and business partners increasingly expect into the entire product lifecycle, creating a more significant TRADITION

trademarks of Dassault Systèmes, a European company (Societas Europaea) incorporated under French law, and registered with the Versailles trade and companies registry under number 322 306 440, or its subsidiaries in the United States and/or other countries.
more sustainable practices. Unfortunately, the changes necessary impact earlier in development while maximizing profitability for Why Conventional Methods
Fail Sustainable Development
to improve sustainability can lead to longer lead times and higher their businesses.
costs in traditional product development. The good news is that
ECO-DESIGN: THE KEY TO
companies can overcome these challenges with newer progressive RECOMMENDATIONS SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTS
methods of development by adopting the following: To assess how and whether they can profit from progressive
approaches to sustainability and product design, companies MAKING ECO-DESIGN
• Eco-design: This is an approach to design that incorporates should: MEASURABLE

sustainability into every phase of a product’s lifecycle. This results in • Clearly define corporate sustainability goals.
UNLEASHING THE POWER
more environmentally friendly products while optimizing business • Estimate cost, timeline, and competitive benefits of OF VIRTUAL TWINS
benefits. incorporating sustainability early in product development.
What is a Virtual Twin
• LCA: LCA is a tool for carrying out Eco-design that systematically • Attend a webinar on sustainability and design, available from
Enhancing Development with
and objectively quantifies the impact of design decisions. dassault systèmes. Cloud Technology
• Virtual twins: These are digital representations of products that • Talk to a solution expert from dassault systèmes to understand Carrying out LCA with Virtual
teams can test and assess well before physical prototyping and how eco-design functions in the lca of your products and Twin Data
manufacturing begin. services.
• Cloud technology: Cloud technology can host virtual twins, keeping EMBRACING SUSTAINABLE
INNOVATION WITH
development data up to date and accessible for all stakeholders, 3DEXPERIENCE
which promotes collaboration and innovation.
Empowering Sustainable
Decision-Making Across the
Lifecycle
Our 3DEXPERIENCE® platform powers our brand applications, serving 12 industries, and provides a rich portfolio of industry solution
experiences. Leading by Example: Racing
Dassault Systèmes, the 3DEXPERIENCE Company, is a catalyst for human progress. We provide business and people with collaborative virtual environments to imagine sustainable Towards a Sustainable Future
innovations. By creating virtual twin experiences of the real world with our 3DEXPERIENCE platform and applications, our customers can redefine the creation, production and life-cycle-
management processes of their offer and thus have a meaningful impact to make the world more sustainable. The beauty of the Experience Economy is that it is a human-centered
economy for the benefit of all –consumers, patients and citizens. CONCLUSION
Dassault Systèmes brings value to more than 300,000 customers of all sizes, in all industries, in more than 150 countries. For more information, visit www.3ds.com.

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