Page 168 - Fundamental of Engineering Design

◦ Cost-Effective Solutions

For many of today’s sustainable products, cost is one of the key barriers that
prevents many customers from making the switch from their dependence

on non-sustainable products. Therefore, the designer and decision-makers

are responsible for reducing the cost of current sustainable products.

◦ Renewable Energy

Designers should stop depending on carbon energy and think in terms of

building products that depend on renewable energy, such as solar panels

and wind farms.

◦ Materials and Recycling

Similar to energy, materials play an essential role in sustainable design, as
every designer should search for materials that can be easily recycled or for

which the planet can recreate in a short amount of time. For example, IKEA

depends on mixed woods and innovative materials to replace traditional
varieties of wood that can take a long time to grow in forests. The mixed

and recycled materials can also help reduce product cost.

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