Sustainable Design: Understanding Environmentally Friendly Products

(BUS 183)

W hat does it mean to be green? Everyone talks about eco-products, green buildings, carbon footprints, and how you can help save the world if you buy a certain product. In this course you will learn ways to help determine if something is truly better for the planet, or if it is just a case of “greenwashing.” The course is useful for designers, engineers, or anyone who wants to understand better the issues around sustainability. We will cover technical issues that have an impact on sustainability — such as energy use, natural resource depletion, air and water quality, and others — and consider parts of the supply chain (manufacturing, distribution, use, reuse, recycling, disposal) that play into the overall determination of how environmentally friendly a product is. We will look at consumer and industrial products and services, and will also cover “green” architecture and LEED ratings. Along with these technical issues, we will touch upon business issues around sustainability — such as business models that can reduce environmental impacts, costs and benefits of being green, and potential solutions. We’ll do case studies of products and discuss how companies are approaching these topics. The class will use the McDonough/Braungart book, Cradle to Cradle, as a starting point for discussion, along with guest speakers and at least one field trip.

Mark Martin, President and Founder, Design4X

Mark Martin leads a company that develops online design and manufacturing courses for engineers. He received a PhD in mechanical engineering from Stanford and an MBA from MIT’s Sloan School. Martin’s research and teaching has included work on Life-Cycle Analysis (LCA) of product designs, and the efficient use of resources in manufacturing products. He has worked with numerous companies, including Toshiba, Hewlett-Packard, Agilent, and GE to help improve their design and manufacturing processes.