SummaryFor many modern products, the use phase is intensive and poses a serious environmental impact because of the energy and resources consumed. This could be resolved by optimizing the product's environmental impact by improving the understanding of the users' relationship with it. In this work, we propose a model that can be used to include the use phase and the eco-oriented strategies in the environmental impact assessment of a product. This model takes into account the changing nature of the interactions between the user and the product over time. An indicator designated mitigation rate is introduced to help model this change. It acknowledges the loss in performance of eco-oriented strategies over time. This work presents the methodology to understand, model, and select among different eco-oriented strategies with different time frames. A case study is also presented, where four alternative models considering different eco-oriented strategies are shown and compared.

Product design is now driven to the satisfaction of requirements all along the life cycle of the product, with an increased concern in environmental impact. A new concept, the Green-Use (GU) Learning Cycles, is proposed. It is used to determine the way a continuous, adaptive interaction between user and product can be established to improve environmental performance during use. It is structured by two levels of analysis (macro and micro) and a cyclic nature. These levels are the “Incremental user involvement levels”, and the “Environmental Impact in Use”. They are modelled around the notion of an evolution in cycles, from the initial state of the system product-user to a final stage which results in optimal use with minimal environmental impact. This work includes experimentation to support the new concept proposed, as well a method to use it.

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