EcoDesign: design and the response to the greening of the international market

As global and regional environmental problems pose ever greater challenges to past notions of development, the role of design in the resolution of such problems will grow in importance. This paper considers the changing relationships between economics, environment and development and considers the implications of such change for the future role of design and for industry policy. Through an examination of the greening of the international market for goods and services, arising out of regulations and from a significant ‘green’ shift in consumer behaviour, the paper concludes that a critical measure of quality (and therefore, competitiveness), for all areas of production, is now environmental impact. The response of industries to this new green market is reviewed and an analysis of approaches to improving the environmental performance of manufactured goods leads to the identification of four design directions. The paper examines the impact of the changed market and the new directions for design as these relate to education and training, government industry policy and future research.