INTEGRATING ECO-COMPASS CONCEPT INTO INTEGRATED PRODUCT AND PROCESS DEVELOPMENT 1

** Our previous work introduced an integrated product and process development (IPPD) methodology. Different product development issues are formally described as constrained optimization problems that are solved using a life locus tree. This paper proposes to integrate the concept of eco-compass into the methodology. Eco-compass evaluates environmental impact using six indices: mass intensity, energy intensity, health and environmental potential risk, revalorization, resource conservation, and service extension. Plus cost and benefit, an eight -index vector is set up to evaluate the performance of processes, life phases, and a product’s different life loci. As an example, we consider the development of a business telephone. By applying the proposed approach and eco-compass life cycle assessment data provided by NJIT’s LCA research group, we can select the optimal telephone design and its associated production, usage, and recovery processes.