The paper emphasises the fact that environment-friendly product design has not yet been applied in such a manner. It investigates why the enterprises´ (primarily small and middle-size enterprises (SMEs)) pull for eco-methods stayed away. Though a trade-off thinking has grown: how can environmental aspects nevertheless become a key feature in product design? The low capacities of SMEs have to be taken into account. Otherwise methodologies will not be implemented. The consideration of the product lifecycle contains potential not utilised before. Based on this experience the project team at the TU in Munich derived and verified a methodology with three partners in industry which underlines the advantages of an integrated view on the life cycle to hit the intersection between sustainable design and the tasks of enterprises in daily work.     «

The paper emphasises the fact that environment-friendly product design has not yet been applied in such a manner. It investigates why the enterprises´ (primarily small and middle-size enterprises (SMEs)) pull for eco-methods stayed away. Though a trade-off thinking has grown: how can environmental aspects nevertheless become a key feature in product design? The low capacities of SMEs have to be taken into account. Otherwise methodologies will not be implemented. The consideration of the product...     »