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  • About
  • The Global ETD Search service is a free service for researchers to find electronic theses and dissertations. This service is provided by the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations.
    Our metadata is collected from universities around the world. If you manage a university/consortium/country archive and want to be added, details can be found on the NDLTD website.
41

Methodology for the Life Cycle Assessment of a Car-sharing Service

Guyon, Olivier January 2017 (has links)
Nowadays, circular economy is becoming more relevant in society. In the context of the automotive industry, we no longer simply work on emissions emitted during the vehicle use phase but rather on the environmental impacts induced during all phases of the vehicle's life cycle (manufacturing, logistics, use, maintenance and end of life). For this purpose, many automakers, including the Group PSA, use life cycle assessment (LCA) to determine these environmental impacts. Also, the economy of sharing is gradually established and follows innovative uses of the car. New mobility systems emerge and compete with the classical system of sales of vehicles. These new uses of the automobile mainly take the form of car-sharing. In the future, it will become essential to evaluate these services from an environmental point of view.Some studies of the use of car-sharing already demonstrate important consequences such as reductions in the number of vehicles and in the number of kilometers traveled but also an increase in the use of other means of transport. However, to my knowledge, there is no LCA-based method to quantify the environmental benefit of the use of a car-sharing service in relation to the use of vehicles for exclusive use by the owner but also which would eco-design these services and the vehicles intended for these services.As part of this six-month project, a LCA approach was implemented to a PSA B2C (business-to-consumers) car-sharing service called “Emov” with a fleet of 500 Citroën C-Zero electric vehicles. The goal was to compare the use of Emov in Madrid, Spain with the urban use of a private Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicle and a battery electric vehicle for one user characterized by its frequency, its average time and its average distance of use over a defined period. Thanks to a modeling of the service on the LCA software Gabi and by controlling over the input parameters related to the Emov service and the parameters related to the user's use of the service (variable parameters), it was therefore possible to show the influence of these parameters on the final results. Furthermore, it was possible to show also in which scenario it was more environmentally beneficial to use the service rather than a private vehicle. For the study, six impact indicators were chosen: the potentials for global warming, photochemical oxidation, air acidification, water eutrophication, resource depletion and primary energy demand.Using Emov’s big data to inform the service parameters and then varying the service user's usage parameters, it was possible to conclude that whatever the user's urban mobility needs, it is more beneficial to use the service than a private ICE vehicle for five of the six impact indicators. Only the acidification potential indicator (SO2 equivalent) is worse when using the service, which can be explained by the manufacture of the batteries of the Emov vehicles.
42

Ärlighet varar längst : Miljömärkningar och grön marknadsföring på livsmedelsförpackningar ur ett konsumentperspektiv / Honesty is the best policy : Ecolabelling and green marketing on food packaging from a consumer perspective

Isaksson, Elin January 2022 (has links)
The purpose of this study is to investigate and gain a better understanding of the consumer's point of view of visual sustainability communication with a primary focus on eco-labels on food products. The study will further look into if an environmentally conscious consumer has the ability to make sustainable choices with the guidance of food packaging information. The aim of this study was to answer the question through a questionnaire survey and in further in-depth interviews with comparative visual analysis material of food packaging: Does an environmentally conscious consumer have the ability to make sustainable choices with the support of food packaging information? Based on data collected from the survey and the interviews there are many pitfalls for the consumer when choosing sustainable products because of a number of heuristics that are taken into account. Price and brand still play a big role in purchasing decisions. However, this study showed that there is a desire to act more sustainably. It also showed that there is a need for a new perspective of sustainability and how it is presented on food products. Eco-labels are of great importance, but as for the conclusion: the consumer needs more information to know whether sustainability claims are true or not.
43

Hållbar produktutveckling och design : Modeföretags implementering av hållbaret i produktutveckling och design / Sustainable product development and design

Norberg, Olivia, Sandblom, Emelie January 2021 (has links)
Syfte: Syftet med uppsatsen är att undersöka hur modeföretag jobbar med hållbar produktutveckling och design och vad det finns för vidare utvecklingsmöjligheter. Genom en kvalitativ intervjustudie ska studien bidra med en sammanställning och diskussion kring hur företag kan implementera hållbarhet i produktutvecklingsprocessen. Uppsatsen skrivs på svenska.   Metod: Genom en kvalitativ och deduktiv ansats har empiriska data samlats in genom semistrukturerade intervjuer med fyra produktutvecklande modeföretag. Metoden valdes för att ge rum för utvecklade svar från informanterna vilket skapade förutsättningar för en sammanställning och diskussion kring hur modeföretag kan implementera hållbarhet i produktutvecklingsprocessen och design. Teoretiskt perspektiv: Den tidigare forskningen involverar forskning kring tre övergripande ämnen. Det första ämnet är begreppet hållbarhet med fokus på det ekologiska perspektivet. Det andra ämnet är hållbara designstrategier, som inkluderar teorierna “Cradle to Cradle”, Eco-Design, Life Cycle Assessment samt de hållbara designstrategierna inom Design for Environment. Det tredje och sista ämnet rör designens funktion i relation till hållbarhet. Resultat och slutsatser: Resultatet visar att samtliga företag uppfattar hållbarhetsbegreppet som brett och delvis abstrakt. Detta visar sig genom företagens olika sätt att tillämpa hållbarhet via de hållbara designstrategierna. Denna skillnad är däremot också ett resultat av företagens olika identiteter och produkter. Däremot, de strategier som generellt implementerades var materialval, val av produktionsland, kvalitetsfokus och tidlös design. Studien har även undersökt vilka utvecklingsmöjligheter som finns, vilket visat att företagens tillämpning av hållbara designstrategier i högre grad borde grunda sig i en mer noggrann ekologisk utvärdering. Detta för att ge ett tydligare resultat kring vad som är “mest” hållbart för varje individuellt företag, samt hur hållbarhet kan appliceras på det sätt som bäst passar produktens design och egenskaper samt företagets målgrupps uppfattning av hållbarhet. / Purpose: The purpose of the paper is to investigate how fashion companies work with sustainable product development and design, and their opportunities for further development within the area. Through a qualitative interview study the investigation will contribute to a synthesis and discussion about how companies can implement sustainability in the product development process. The paper is written in Swedish.   Method: Through a qualitative and deductive approach, empirical data has been collected through semi-structured interviews with four product-developing fashion companies. The method was chosen to make room for the informants to give more complex answers, which created prerequisites for a synthesis and discussion about how fashion companies can implement sustainability in the product development process and design.   Theoretical perspective: The scientific research involves research within three general subjects. The first subject is the concept of sustainability, with focus on the environmental perspective. The second subject is sustainable design strategies, which includes the theories “Cradle to Cradle”, Eco-Design, Life Cycle Assessment and the sustainable design strategies within Design for Environment. The third and last subject concerns the function of the design in relation to sustainability.  Results and conclusions: The results show that all companies perceived the concept of sustainability as wide and partly abstract. This appears through the companies’ different ways of applying sustainability via the sustainable design strategies. However, this difference in application is also a result of the different identities and products of the companies. Yet, the strategies which were found generally implemented are choice of material, choice of production country, quality focus and timeless design aesthetic. The study has also investigated the companies’ opportunities for further development within the area, which showed that the companies’ applications of sustainable design strategies to a higher extent should be based on a more precise environmental assessment. This would give a clearer result on what is the “most” sustainable strategy for every individual company, but also how sustainability may be applied in a way that best fits the design and features of the product and the company's target group's perception of sustainability.
44

Produktutvecklingsprocessen och cirkularitet : En flerfallstudie i företags styrning för att genomföra cirkulära produktutvecklingsprocesser

Engdahl, Oskar, Levin, Ludwig January 2022 (has links)
Problem och syfte: Den här uppsatsen undersöker styrning av produktutvecklingsprocesser ur en cirkulär kontext. Till följd av ökad konkurrens och globalisering så har företag börjat överväga andra affärsmodeller som till exempel cirkulär ekonomi. Tidigare forskning har slagit fast att Stage gate är ett viktigt styrverktyg i produktutvecklingsprocessen. På grund av den ökande forskningen inom cirkulär ekonomi blir det av stor nytta att undersöka produktutvecklingsprocesser i en cirkulär kontext samt styrningen av den. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka hur produktutvecklingsprocesser i företag som arbetar med cirkularitet styrs. Metod: Det är en kvalitativ studie som bygger på en flerfallstudie. Semistrukturerade intervjuer har genomförts. Slutsats: Många forskare har under lång tid definierat produktutvecklingsprocesser som ett antal faser. Med hänsyn till cirkularitet så har studien funnit att strukturen av produktutvecklingsprocessen inte skiljer sig avsevärt från det teorin föreslår. Däremot nämner en majoritet av företagen att arbetet med cirkularitet har adderat en ytterligare dimension att diskutera i de olika faserna. Vad gäller styrningen av produktutvecklingsprocessen i en cirkulär kontext så finns det vissa saker som skiljer sig. Den främsta skillnaden är i vilken grad vissa styrverktyg används. Studien visade att den informella styrningen och den administrativa styrningen med Stage gate har en avgörande roll i utvecklingsprocessen. Slutligen har studien identifierat specifika styrmedel i specifika faser av produktutvecklingsprocessen. / Background and purpose: This essay investigates the management control in the context of the product development process with a focus on circularity. Following the rapid increase in competition as well as globalization, companies have begun to consider different types of business models such as circular economy. A couple of different articles have concluded that Stage gate is a great tool for controlling the product development process. Because of the increased growth in terms of research within the circular economy it is of great importance to study the product development process in a circularity context, as well as the control of it. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate how the product development process in companies adapting circularity is controlled.  Method: It is a qualitative study based on a case study design. Semi structured interviews have been conducted Conclusion: Many researchers have defined the product development process as a set of phases for a long time. With regards to circularity the structure of the product development process doesn’t seem to differentiate a lot from what the theory suggests. Although, a majority of the companies in the study suggest that the work with circularity has added another dimension to discuss in the phases. When it comes to the control aspect of the product development process in a circularity context, there are some aspects that differ from the theory. The main difference is the emphasis companies put on certain control tools. The study found that informal control and the administrative control tool Stage gate has a major role in the process. Lastly, the study has identified specific control aspects in specific phases of the product development process.
45

Méthode de formulation et de résolution de problèmes d’écoconception inventive : application au génie des procédés / A method for the formulation and solution of eco-innovation design problems : the application to process engineering

Barragan Ferrer, Jesús Manuel 15 July 2013 (has links)
Actuellement, l’industrie chimique est confrontée au défi de la production durable qui exige une évolution depuis la réduction de polluants pour les procédés existants vers une écologie industrielle qui permet l’équilibre entre le développement économique, sociale et environnemental. Ajouté aux exigences actuelles pesant sur la conception des procédés, la prise en compte des contraintes environnementales dès la phase amont du processus de conception. Cette exigence clé couplée aux enjeux actuels pour la conception préliminaire ont conduit à des changements par rapport à la conception classique des procédés, il y a un accent accru sur la recherche d’innovation et d’écoinnovation pour développer des nouveaux concepts, de nouvelles technologies et de nouveaux procédés. La question centrale sur la façon d’améliorer la créativité dans la phase de conception préliminaire nécessite des recherches plus poussées sur les méthodologies d’aide à la génération de solutions innovante et éco-innovante. Ainsi, dans le cadre de cette thèse, nous avons développé une méthodologie pour la formulation et la résolution de problèmes d’éco-innovation basée sur une approche à base de conflits. Ce cadre permet de traiter les exigences multi-objectifs et la nature combinatoire complexe de la phase de recherche de concepts de solutions. La méthodologie développée reflète la nature des problèmes à traiter avec de nombreuses contradictions (conflits) à résoudre simultanément. Dans ce contexte, les méthodes actuelles atteignent rapidement leurs limites car elles ne résolvent qu’un seul conflit à la fois. Or il devient très difficile (voire impossible) de faire émerger une contradiction unique des situations problématiques complexes telles que nous en rencontrons en génie des procédés. La méthodologie proposée pour traiter la problématique de multi-contradictions pour l’écoconception se divise en deux étapes principales. D’un part, une première cadre d’analyse pour la formulation des contradictions en s’appuyant sur une version adaptée d’OTSM-TRIZ. Il permet la représentation graphique d’un problème et intégré une méthode pour limiter la situation aux contradictions principales. D’un autre part, la résolution des contradictions principales se décompose en deux sous étapes. Dans un premier temps, la résolution individuelle de chaque contradiction au travers d’un outil alliant la simplicité conceptuelle des contradictions de TRIZ et les solutions concrètes que proposent les effets et phénomènes de la physique, chimie, biologie. Dans un deuxième temps, nous proposons un processus d’agrégation des solutions afin d’obtenir une solution finale plus intégrée. Un cas d’étude sur la réduction des polluants en sortie d’étape de gazéification de la biomasse est présenté afin d’illustrée l’approche. / In recent years, the chemical industry is facing the challenge of sustainable production in order to create a balance between the economic, social and environmental development. This shift requires an evolution from the reduction of pollutants for existing processes to industrial ecology. In the design process, this shift demands that the current requirements and the environmental constraints should be taken into account in the early stages. At these stages, however, there is an increased emphasis on innovation and eco-innovation to develop new concepts, new technologies and new processes, thereby limiting the problem-solving ability of the traditional design methodologies. Hence, there is a great necessity for new methodologies in order to develop innovative and eco-innovative solutions. Consequently, in this research, we developed a methodology for the formulation and solution of ecoinnovation problems based on a conflict approach. This framework can handle multi-objective requirements with the combinatorial complexity of the search phase of solution concepts. Thus, the methodology considers the problem of solving many contradictions (conflicts) simultaneously. In this context, current approaches quickly reach their limits because they solve one conflict at a time or it is very difficult to define only one contradiction in complex problems, such as those in process engineering. The proposed methodology for treating the problem of multi-contradictions for eco-design is divided into two main steps. On one hand, an analytical framework for the formulation of contradictions based on an adapted version of OTSM-TRIZ, which provides a graphical representation of a problem and integrated method to reduce the problem situation to the main contradictions. On the other hand, the resolution of contradictions which is itself divided into two sub-steps. At first, the resolution of each individual contradiction through a tool that combines conceptual simplicity of TRIZ contradictions and the practical solutions using the physics, chemical and biological effects and phenomena. In a second step, we propose an aggregation process solution to obtain a more integrated final solution. A case study about the reduction of pollutants at output stage gasification of biomass is presented to illustrate this approach.
46

Implementering av miljöledningssystem och textilproduktion med miljö i focus / Implementation of environmental managment system and textile production with focus on environmental aspects

EKHOLM, FANNY, LINDEROTH, HANNA January 2010 (has links)
Det ligger i tiden att vara miljömedveten. För ett flertal företag är det idag viktigt att ha ettfungerande miljöarbete. Som blivande textilingenjörer har vi lärt oss vikten av att arbeta medmiljö och miljöfrågor i alla delar av den textila värdekedjan. Detta arbete fokuserar på miljö ioch med miljöledningssystem, textila produkter och textil produktion med syfte att skapa enmer ekologiskt hållbar framtid.För att kunna implementera ett väl fungerande miljöledningssystem har vi insett vikten av attett företag inför struktur i sitt arbetssätt. Detta genom att fördela ansvar, befogenheter ochresurser. Struktur medför att arbete effektiviseras då alla medarbetare har samma visioner ochjobbar mot samma mål.I arbetet presenteras en kartläggning av ett företags miljöpåverkan, där deras betydandemiljöaspekter framhävs. Miljömål och andra förbättrande åtgärder har tagits fram som förslagpå hur företaget kan arbeta för att minska sin miljöpåverkan i framtiden.Examensarbetet är skrivet som en del av en kandidatexamen i textilteknologi på uppdrag avföretaget Vinga of Sweden AB. Företag är beläget i Borås med produktion runt om i världen.Deras sortiment består av presentartiklar i form av funktionella produkter för hemmet. Vingaof Sweden handlar med profilföretag, vilka är en mellanhandel för dem ut till slutkund.Vinga of Sweden ska certifiera sig enligt ISO-standard för kvalitets- och miljöledning underår 2010. En del av syftet med detta examensarbete är att förbereda företaget för ISOcertifieringför miljöledning enligt standard 14001:2004. / <p>It is time to be environmentally conscious. For many companies today, it is important to have effective environmental work. As future textile engineers, we have learned the importance of working with the environment and environmental issues in all parts of the textile value chain. This work focuses on the environment in terms of environmental management, textile products and production to create a more ecologically sustainable future.To implement a proper management system, we realized the importance of a company to structure their approach. This is done by allocating responsibility, authority and resources. Structure leads to more efficient work by which all employees have the same vision andworking towards the same goals.The work presents the identification of a company's environmental impact which their significant environmental aspects is emphasized. Environmental and other improvement measures have been developed with suggestions on how the company can work to reducetheir environmental impact in the future.The thesis is written as part of a bachelor degree in textile technology on behalf of the company Vinga of Sweden AB. The company is located in Borås, with production all around the world. Their product range consists of gifts in the form of functional products for thehome. Vinga of Swedens costumers are profile companies, which is the trade for them out to retail.Vinga of Sweden is going to be certified for the ISO standard for quality and environmental management during 2010. Part of the purpose of this study is to prepare the company for ISO certification for environmental management according to the standard 14001:2004.</p><p>Program: Textilingenjörsutbildningen</p>
47

Aide à décision en conception préliminaire par l'estimation du poids de la performance environnementale / Decision making support through the consideration of environmental criteria in preliminary design

Agudelo Gutierrez, Lina Maria 21 October 2016 (has links)
Le présent travail concerne le développement d'une méthode d'éco-conception pour la création de produits impliquant des indicateurs environnementaux pour l’aide à la prise de décision au stade de la conception conceptuelle. La méthode proposée s’appuie sur la définition et la génération d’un TRIPLET, c’est-à-dire une relation cohérente entre matériaux, procédés et formes. Une taxonomie de formes caractérise les différentes formes réalisables par les procédés de fabrication. Un tableau de description du concept (DCT) regroupe certaines dimensions globales de la pièce imaginée ainsi que les procédés d’enlèvement de matière de finition venant s’additionner au procédé de base sélectionné. Un indicateur environnemental basé sur la base RECIPE et adapté à la méthode peut être alors évalué. La démarche d’aide à la conception conçue intègre deux approches, déductive et inductive basées sur l'expérience du concepteur. Le DCT comprend le choix d’un solide de base qui suggère, à partir des surfaces fonctionnelles définies dans la démarche, une réflexion vers une esquisse du concept de pièce. Les différents concepts élaborés sont hiérarchisés à partir d’une aide à la décision multicritère basée sur l’indicateur environnemental, sur un coût de fabrication, sur un indice de performance et sur un indice de combinaison obtenu par logique floue. La démarche s’appuie sur une base de données lié aux connaissances requises et sur un outil logiciel « ECOTRIAL ». Une application de reconception d’une pièce de liaison clôt la thèse et montre l’applicabilité de la méthode proposée. / The development of an eco-design method to create products involving environmental indicators to aid decision making at the stage of conceptual design, can be found in the present work. The proposed method is based on the definition and generation of a TRIPLET: a consistent relationship between materials, processes and forms. A taxonomy of shapes characterizes different shapes achievable by the manufacturing processes. A Description of Concept (DCT) includes some overall dimensions of the piece conceived and the finishing and material removal processes. An environmental indicator based on RECIPE database and adapted to the method to be able to evaluate the environmental impact. The aid integrates two approaches, deductive and inductive based on the experience of the designer. The DCT includes choosing a solid base that suggests, based on the functional surfaces defined in the process, a reflection towards a sketch of the piece concept. The different concepts developed are ranked from a multiple-criteria decision analysis based on the environmental indicator, a manufacturing cost, a performance index and a combination index obtained by fuzzy logic. The process is supported on a database linked to the required knowledge and the software tool "ECOTRIAL". A redesign application concludes the thesis and demonstrates the applicability of the proposed method.
48

Approche de l'impact des matériaux bio-sourcés sur la qualité perçue des produits : cas de la fibre de lin / Approach of bio-sourced materials impact on product's perceived quality : the case of flax fiber

Avramescu, Ana-Maria 13 December 2013 (has links)
Dans un contexte d’éco-conception, les efforts d’innovation amènent de nouveaux matériaux dits bio-sourcés qui participent à réduire l’impact des produits sur l’environnement. S’agissant de nouveaux matériaux, l’innovation porte également sur l’amélioration de la qualité perçue par le consommateur. Le challenge est donc de concevoir des produits respectueux de l’environnement à l’aide de nouveaux matériaux écologiques tout en garantissant une qualité perçue au moins identique à celle des matériaux synthétiques classiques. Le design sensoriel, par l’utilisation de l’évaluation sensorielle, est l’une des disciplines qui permet de prendre en compte le ressenti sensoriel des consommateurs. Cependant, dans la littérature, peu de travaux portent sur l’application des méthodes d’évaluation sensorielle à des matériaux bio-sourcés. Face à ce constat, nos travaux se proposent d’étudier la possibilité d’évaluer, avec des méthodes d’analyse sensorielle, un matériau bio-sourcé à base de fibres de lin de la même manière qu’un synthétique à base de fibres de verre. Plus précisément, nos travaux proposent une approche basée sur une évaluation sensorielle tactile et une évaluation instrumentale objective de la surface de ces deux matériaux. Nos résultats ont permis de valider l’application des méthodes d’évaluation sensorielle tactile sur un matériau bio-sourcé. Nos travaux ont permis la définition de profils sensoriels pour le toucher concernant le matériau à base de fibres de lin. Les résultats obtenus ont aussi permis de valider la possibilité de corréler certains indicateurs tactiles subjectifs avec des mesures instrumentales objectives. L’ensemble des connaissances développées dans le cadre de ces travaux offre aux concepteurs une aide précieuse dans le choix des matériaux bio-sourcés en éco-conception et plus généralement en conception de produits. / In the eco-design context, innovation efforts come with new bio-sourced materials that are meant to reduce products’ environmental impact. Insofar as these products are made with new materials, the innovation is also concerned about their perceived quality by consumers. More precisely, the challenge is to reach a compromise between environmental and marketing issues. Indeed, to be satisfying, the perceived quality of the environmental-friendly products has to be similar to the one of products made with classical synthetic materials. Sensorial design, through sensorial evaluation, is the academic discipline that takes into account the sensorial consumers’ perception. However, very few previous studies were led concerning the application of sensorial evaluation methods to bio-sourced materials. The present work proposes to make up for this lack of knowledge. More precisely, we evaluate both a flax fiber bio-sourced material and a glass fiber synthetic material using the same sensorial analysis methods. This evaluation combines a subjective sensorial tactile evaluation to an objective instrumental evaluation of both these materials’ surfaces. The results validated the application of tactile sensorial evaluation methods to a bio-sourced material. Moreover, tactile sensorial profiles were defined for flax fiber bio-sourced materials. Results also enabled to correlate subjective tactile measures with tactile objective instrumental measures. The present gathered knowledge offer, to designers concerned with eco-design and more generally by product design process, a new valuable bio-sourced material decision making aid.
49

Products in environmental management systems : drivers, barriers and experiences

Ammenberg, Jonas, Sundin, Erik January 2005 (has links)
Do standardised environmental management systems (EMS) lead to improved environmental performance? This depends on to what extent these systems lead to changes in important flows of material and energy, which for manufacturing companies, in turn, mean that the product development process is important. Consequently, it appears vital to investigate the connection between EMS and ‘Design for the Environment’ (DFE), i.e. the connection between these management systems and concepts that deal with environmental issues in product development. This paper presents product-oriented environmental management systems (POEMS), including characteristics of existing models, experiences from projects where these models have been tested and experiences concerning the product connection in ‘normal’ EMS. It includes a discussion of important factors influencing to what extent DFE activities are integrated into EMS and/or the outcome of such integration. There are many motives for integrating the two concepts. Firstly, DFE thinking might enrich EMS by contributing with a life-cycle perspective. If EMS encompassed products' life cycles to a greater extent, they would be a better complement to the often facility-oriented legal requirements and authority control. Secondly, EMS might remove the pilot project character of DFE activities and lead to continuous improvement. Thirdly, integration could lead to successful co-operation, both internally and externally. However, existing studies show that there is a mixed picture concerning the extent ‘normal’ EMS currently encompass products.
50

Developing tools for sustainability management in the graphic arts industry

Enroth, Maria January 2006 (has links)
<p>The main aim of this thesis is to develop and test industry-specific, applied work procedures and tools for environmental and emerging sustainability work in the graphic arts industry. This includes methods to quantify, follow-up, evaluate, manage, improve and communicate the environmental performance of activities in the graphic arts supply chain and printed products.</p><p>In order to achieve the aims of the thesis, a selection of work areas were chosen as the basis for developing the industry-specific work procedures and tools. The selected work areas are the following: environmental management (being a part of sustainability management), environmental and sustainability strategies, environmental indicators and design for environment (DfE).</p><p>The research presented in this thesis was based on survey research methods, case studies and multi-company studies. Within the framework of these methods, quantitative and qualitative techniques for data gathering were used. The companies included in the studies were selected according to their willingness, interest and motivation to participate and develop their environmental or sustainability work.</p><p>The most significant results of the research presented in this thesis regarding the selected work areas are the following:</p><p>• An evaluation of early certified environmental management systems (EMSs) in Sweden identified four areas as priorities in making the EMSs more efficient. Two of them, viz. improvement in the follow-up of environmental work, and the linking of EMSs to product design, were developed for the graphic arts industry. The remaining two areas were clarifying the identification process and assessment of environmental aspects, and streamlining and co-ordinating different management systems.</p><p>• An established and successfully tested working method for formulating and realising corporate sustainability strategies in the graphic arts industry.</p><p>• Industry-specific environmental indicator models for the graphic arts industry with defined methods for standardised inventorying and calculations. These models have been tested, used and approved of by the industry itself.</p><p>• Collected and compiled data for the developed environmental indicator models. Data have been collected from quite a large number of companies (10-20 companies for each of the printing techniques covered, i.e. coldset offset, heatset offset and gravure) over a period of several years.</p><p>• The use of the industry-specific environmental indicator models was developed and illustrated.</p><p>• A described and recommended work procedure for DfE in graphic arts companies including industry-specific tools for applying DfE to printed products, in the form of a manual and a checklist. The checklist was designed so that it can serve as a simple tool for the environmental assessment of printed products. The tools were tested by graphic arts companies.</p>

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