Page 331 - Design for Environment A Guide to Sustainable Product Development

306 Cha pte r Se v e ntee n

they tend to reduce life-cycle carbon emissions and are typically
biodegradable or recyclable. However, as shown in Chapter 9, use
of renewable materials such as corn may reduce eco-efficiency be -
cause of the energy required to harvest and process these materials.
Moreover, over-harvesting of renewable materials can threaten the
stock of natural capital, such as forests and soils that are needed for
replenishment.
Not all materials are created equal in terms of their environmen-
tal impact; for example, sand and gravel represent a large propor-
tion of material flow by weight but are much less significant than
other materials in terms of their adverse effects. Similarly, while
metals and fossil fuels are often lumped into the category of non-
renewable resources, the elemental structure of metals means that
they are perpetually recyclable and not subject to the degradation
that occurs with materials composed of complex molecules [2].
There is a broad range of innovation taking place in the design of
new types of materials, and a thorough discussion is beyond the scope
of this book. Case studies of such innovations have been discussed in
previous chapters, including Xerox’s high-yield paper (Chapter 11),
Dow’s bio-based polyethylene (Chapter 13), Coca-Cola’s sustainable
packaging (Chapter 15), and numerous examples in Chapter 8. Addi-
tional examples of DFE-related innovation in materials production
include the following:
• Advanced high-strength steels are being used in the automo-
tive industry to achieve better fuel efficiency and enhanced
safety. An international coalition of steel companies has devel-
oped an UltraLight Steel Auto Body that achieves a 25%
reduction in vehicle mass, establishing steel as a viable light-
weight material for the automotive market.
• Rio Tinto, a global mining and minerals giant, launched a
“mine of the future” project in Western Australia in 2007. The
project is using advanced automation to improve mine safety
and decrease the infrastructure environmental footprint, in -
cluding driverless trains to carry ore, driverless “intelligent”
trucks, and remote-control production drills.
• FCB Ciment, a French equipment supplier (now part of
®
Fives Group) introduced the Horomill , a cement mill using
an innovative design that reduces electricity usage for cement
grinding by up to 40%. It uses a roller turning at high speed
against the concave inner part of the shell, so that particles
are compressed repeatedly during a single cycle, with a larger
compression surface (see Figure 17.1).
• Georgia Pacific, a leader in the forest products industry, has
®
introduced Greenshield corrugated paperboard, which is
completely recyclable yet provides the moisture resistance