MEC734 Design Assessment

Environmental Considerations

Environmental considerations should be included at the design stage of a product or process in order to minimize it’s
impact on the sustainability of i) the mining/creation of it’s raw components; ii) the environment in which it is
manufactured, iii) used and iv) how it is dealt with at the end of it’s life.

This document provides tables which can be used to document the above considerations and an opportunity for these
issues to be further considered during the design assessment process.

NOTE: Add/subtract rows in the tables as required. Feel free to edit the tables, add sections as necessary

1. Raw Material Procurement

a. Document all the raw materials required for each of the components of the finished product

Raw Material Procurement Process Environmental Considerations*

*Impact on the mine/land, GHG emissions, toxicity to humans, toxicity to land/water table …….
b. Material Processing is required for most of the raw materials required for the product’s components
(e.g. bauxite is the procured raw material which is smelted into aluminum. Smelting requires large amounts of
energy)

Raw Material Material Refining Process Environmental Considerations*

2. Manufacturing - All the processed materials must then be formed and shaped into the components needed
for the finished product

Processed Material Manufacturing Process Environmental Considerations*

Adapted from: https://www.teachengineering.org/content/cub_/activities/cub_life/cub_life_cycles_lesson1_activity1_worksheet.pdf

3. Packaging
How are the raw material, processed raw material and manufactured product packaged? For example: none,
reusable container, non reusable container, paper or cardboard, plastic, styrofoam, rubber, etc

Stage Packaging Environmental Considerations*

4. Transportation
How are the raw material, processed raw material and manufactured product transported?

Stage Transported Environmental Considerations*

5. Use of Product
There is generally an expected life span for the finished product. How long is it for your product?

Use of Product Environmental Considerations*

Used only once
Used for 3 years
Used for over 5 years
Other:

6. Disposal
What happens to the product at it’s end of life?

Disposal of Product Environmental Considerations*

To landfill
Reused (e.g. second hand
shop)
Product components
disassembleable? /
recyclable? (%?)
Other:

Adapted from: https://www.teachengineering.org/content/cub_/activities/cub_life/cub_life_cycles_lesson1_activity1_worksheet.pdf

7. Impact Analysis
Discussion of the impact of any of documented issues in sections 1-6 above.

Issue Impact

8. Improvement Analysis
What could be redesigned in the creation of the product to lessen it’s impact on the environment?

Issue Impact

Adapted from: https://www.teachengineering.org/content/cub_/activities/cub_life/cub_life_cycles_lesson1_activity1_worksheet.pdf

Adapted from: https://www.teachengineering.org/content/cub_/activities/cub_life/cub_life_cycles_lesson1_activity1_worksheet.pdf