Integration of Sustainability in Product Development Process: Supporting Tools

Product design and development is paramount for companies in reaching their sustainability objectives. In this study several sustainability tools and in particular ecodesign tools have been on the focus, which differ in their natures, approaches and views. Introduction of these methods/tools, identifying the different approaches used, as well as their advantages and limitations are discussed. Albeit, there is no panacea tool or method under all conditions, the selection of ecodesign tools depends on the quality and accuracy of the output required in different phases of product development process, that in turn depend on the product type and company characteristics and objectives towards sustainability. The output of this paper will help those who want to pursue a research in the area, to include sustainability dimension in product development course, and for those companies who are interested to understand and adopt tools and methods that is suitable for their company. Keywords: Ecodesign, Environment analysis, Ecodesign tools, Sustainable product development.