Sustainable Design Booklet Layout

DN022 Sustainable Design Argyo Pagla

Assessment Number 1 Life Cycle Analysis

Alexia Garcia 003ID415

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Introduction • Objectives • Brand Background

• Product Raw Materials • Production & Manufacture • Packaging & Distribution • Consumption • Disposal & Reuse • 3 Pillars of Sustainability • Alternative Proposal • Product Life Cycle Diagram

SUSTAINABILITY

Sustainability, a product is said to be sustainable when it uses recycled waste materials and uses it to create a new product, where it also withstands the three pillars of sustainable design

There are five types of sustainable products, there are

which are social, economical, and environmental

1) Products that were produced from waste, 2)

aspects. Does the company give the staffs fair amount

Products that are of bio-materials and bio-mimicry, 3)

of salaries? Good working conditions? Is the product

Products that are crowdsourced, 4) Products that exist

good for the environment or is it harming it? Can the

in symbiosis, and 5) Products that are not per se,

company solve the common economical and/or

meaning they are services that promote a “give back”

environment issues? Does the process of creating the

policy.

product interfere with the economy and/or environment?

A sustainable product should be able to carry the cradle to cradle system, where from the beginning of the product and it’s raw materials it’s made of would go back to the company after it has been used and would be re-used again to make the same or another renewable product, and not the cradle to grave system, where the product after used would just be thrown away to the landfills. To be able to look through a product’s complete life cycle, there is the Life Cycle Analysis.

The importance of using Life Cycle Analysis is that it is used to help to evaluate and calculate a product’s environmental impact and even it’s impact to the three pillars of sustainability, social, economical, and environmental. This study is to help solve and provide a solution to it’s own problems that it may cause to the world and the people in it.

1

OBJECTIVE This report aims to look through and research further a specific company’s product, from it’s raw materials, through its production, manufacture, it’s product life and lastly, it’s disposal. This analysis could also help the determine and solve the economic and environmental problem and impact that may rise.

Vitra is a design company based in Birsfelden, Switzerland that is dedicated to improve the quality of residential and commercial spaces through the power of sustainable design. Under the company, there are other elements such as their Architecture Campus, the Vitra Design Museum designed by Le Corbusier, workshops, publications, collections, and archives.

Vitra looks at sustainability as a moral aspect The environmental connection is part of the product and its use.. Their design is focused not only on the style, but also the product’s durability and longevity in aesthetics, functionality, and quality.

2

RAW MATERIALS Plywood is essentially a wood sheet material made from other

In gluing ash wood

thin layers of wood veneers that are glued together. In particular, the

veneers together to make

specific plywood used in this product is made of the tropical wood

plywood, Urea-formaldehyde is

Ash. The company mainly acquires the wood from the trees planted

used, an chemical adhesive resin

in Germany. It is said that German forests do not need a

made of urea and formaldehyde.

sustainability certification since they are considered to be resource-

Urea, also known as carbamide, is

saving and has environmentally sustainable forest management.

an organic compound with the chemical formula CO(NH2)2.

In the production of making plywood, a lot of energy and

Formaldehyde, also known as

water is used during the process. Vitra is always up to date in their

methanal, is another organic

building technology, since 2008 they have drawn all of their

compound made with the

electricity for the production sites in Weil am Rhein and Neuenburg

chemical compound CH2O.

from hydropower sources, which is the energy of falling or running water. Where in Vitra, they have a closed-water circulation system which then extracts groundwater reservoirs that form over millennia as the result of seeping rainwater. Solar power is also used by mounting Photovoltaic panels on the roofs of their production facilities. In this case, Vitra does use natural elements or resources in powering their production.

The Lounge Chair Wood (LCW), which is also part of the designers Charles and Ray Eames’ Plywood Group, is a lounge chair made of ash plywood, ash moulded with forms and styles similar to the designers’ famous Eames chair.

3

RAW MATERIALS

In attaching the seat, backrest, and the base, shock mounts are used, such as bonded rubber and metal connectors. Rubber is an artificial elastomer, an elastic polymer. Metal is and can be made up of different alloys linked together such as iron, steel, aluminium, copper, titanium and magnesium.

Powder is also needed, since Vitra employs powder coating to finish its woof surfaces. Powder is a substance made up of different granules or particles.

Recycled papers and plastics are other materials that are reused, in order to make their cardboards and plastic to put in products for shipping and distribution. The raw materials that paper is made up of are wood pulps or chips that are fed into papermaking machine or paper mill. Plastics are made up of chemicals or molecules linked together such as cellulose and polymer.

4

5

Vitra uses the process of moulding in making it’s final product, and heat and pressure is required through the use of a pressing tool. It is very common for moulded wood to be used as interior decorations and

P R O D U C T I O N

furnitures due to its great strength and low weight, the process of moulding makes it easier.

Wood veneers are the first thing that is needed to make a moulded plywood furniture. When logs are collected, it is then steamed with a degree Celsius of 85 of hot water vapour in the steam pits, which makes the wood high in moisture and pliable. Then the logs are separated and debarked, the lengths are all dependable to the required size the product needs, it is then peeled with high pressure by a peeling blade. After this process, wood veneer strips are finally ready and are run though the drying area, either through air drying or kiln drying which requires heat. .

The next step that under goes making the product is the moulding or pressing of the plywood, which starts of by pressing. It starts of by gluing the veneers together with glue, urea-formaldehyde. Then it is inserted into the pressing tool that is at 100 degrees Celsius, the veneers are pressurised at approximately 25 N/cm2. The time it takes to pressurised depends on the thickness of the moulded parts, the thicker the longer process.

6

Finally, the wood surfaces are finish with high-quality powder coating. It is applied electrostatically with an electrostatic or corona gun where it is typically sprayed towards the surface of the wood, then is cured under heat to allow the coating to flow and form a skin.

Vitra re-uses wasted papers and plastics to make their cardboards and plastics for packaging of their products. Collected wasted papers will be sorted out and will be mixed with virgin fibres in order to strengthen it, then it’ll be corrugated and form into a cardboard ready to be packed with.

M A N U F A C T U R E

7

PACKAGING DISTRIBUTION

The company always revises and scrutinises their packaging method in order to have a minimum amount of material to provide proper protection of the products during transportation. The packaging that carries the product to and from is made of recycled paper cardboard or plastic.

Vitra organises their transport logistics in a way that only trucks that are completely filled would be able to leave the production facilities. Rail transportation is also used when needed and suitable. Overseas transport is also handled by ships, and in exceptional cases, by air freight.

8

CONSUMPTION

The LCW is a seating furniture, and is suitable and can be placed in any home, any room. It has an organic shape to it that fits comfortably well with the human body structure. Unlike the other chairs in the Plywood Group, it is more laid back since it is a lounge chair.

DISPOSAL REUSE Post-production process may leave plenty of unused and wasted raw materials, Vitra believes that if waste products can be recycled, they can become new raw materials. The more effective raw materials can be

Furnitures made of moulded plywood has it’s benefits, such as it is tough and durable, since it is wood made up of wood veneers glue to each other. It also reduces the chances of the wood splitting when nailing at the edges, and is resistant to warping, cracking, and twisting.

separated, the more valuable they are for secondary utilisation. They give great importance on proper disposal of all waste materials. Such as their wasted plastic parts, it is properly sorted to be returned to the plastic production cycle. Their wasted paper and metal are collected separately and are turned over to a recycling company for reutilisation. An example is

Nonetheless, plywood still has it’s disadvantages.

It also reacts responsively to its environment. Exposure

the making of the cardboard made of recycled paper or paperboard.

to light, adapting to its own moisture content levels, susceptible to water damage, it can react by cracking,

It really depends on how individuals would

warping and even staining. Vitra recommends wiping

take responsibility and action after a product is due

away stains and other damages immediately with the

or have been used for a very long time, it’ll either be

use of damp cloth, preferably of environmentally

re-used, recycled, given away or thrown away. Such

friendly cleaning product. Rubbing the surface while

as the chair and the cardboard packaging,

cleaning should also be avoided, since matte finishes

consumers would either re-finish or re-paint the

with static electricity will attract more dusts. Vitra also

surfaces of the chair, re-use and recycle the wood

recommends not using furniture polish or wax, since it

and the cardboard into something else, the chair

leaves a coating difficult to remove.

would be given away to someone, or both would be thrown away into the streets or landfills.

9

Switzerland is known to be one of the 10 top most sustainable countries around the world, it’s because of their innovative policies and advanced environmental management practices that paved them into becoming one.

Thirty-one percent of the country is covered in forests and woodlands, and even

3

jobs are related to timber resource. Switzerland has an abundance of wood, which their culture uses it in products such as for housing. Living around nature has a lot of benefits such as it is healthier and cleaner, it gives a nice

P I L L A R S

environment, and even Swiss citizens are driven to recycling, which is why Switzerland is considered a sustainable country.

Vitra’s campus, are in fact, surrounded in natural surroundings as well, which provides everyone in Vitra an enriching and clean environment to work with. forty-one percent of the campus is undeveloped and remains green. In the area, over 100 cherry trees were planted with a grass and meadow consisting of wildflowers.

Economically, Vitra has proven that their environment and company location is not a problem to any of their employees. Being surrounded and being based around nature and forestry is a positive aspect for employees and even visitors. Vitra production facilities, as said in previous section, also promotes using natural resources and energies during their manufacturing process such as solar energy and water systems, which doesn’t affect or harm the people.

10

Socially, Vitra also shows welfare for their employees as the general public.

To prove and show their appreciation for their employees, they have always implied facilities and programs such as company restaurants, visiting days for their children, free museum tours, fitness club memberships and even day cares. In fact,

O F

Vitra has hoisted a summer party back in 2012 for their employees and their family to gather and enjoy together. In terms of employing, the company also allows disabled people to work whenever it’s possible. Cultural Initiatives is the major and primary focus of public engagement of Vitra, and the Vitra Design Museum founded in 1989 proves that. The museum is an internationally recognised cultural institution dedicated to research and presentation of design and architecture, as well as holds exhibitions, workshops, and tours for everyone to join and visit. Vitra offers plenty of jobs and internships for people who are willing to share and contribute their design methods, they prove that each individual could help make this world a better place.

Environmentally, Vitra, since 1997, they have been certified with ISO to maintain and give importance in solving problems that would help reduce the negative environmental issues and the use of energy to produce and manufacture their products and projects. They also formed a sustainability team back in 1986, till then they would still discuss issues related to environmental protection.The use of natural resources and elements such as water and sunlight as their energy sources, and the use of recycled papers and plastics as their packaging for products are already two of the positive aspects the company continue to do so to help the environment. Recycling saves landfill space, it reduces carbon dioxide emissions, reduces litter, and it also helps conserve resources and energy. The use

S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y

of renewable energy requires less maintenance, it’ll never run out and does not produce much waste products, so it is sustainable

11

ALTERNATIVE PROPOSAL Wood is one of the most common raw materials used to almost do and make anything, such as the use for building houses and structures, borders, stairs, furnitures, floorings, toys and more. It is indeed an essential, but the only major way to get wood is by cutting down trees, which is know to all as deforestation, the cutting down of trees or the whole forestry that it was planted on. It has always been an environmental concern to the government and the world itself.

There certainly are pros and cons of tree removal and deforestation. Focusing on the advantages, such as the cutting of trees that are dead, that have been planted years or even decades ago which would eventually fall due to its unstable-ness, that are diseased which could spread into neighbouring plants or other trees. This would technically help with wood furniture manufacturing, since instead of letting these kinds of trees to be of no use, it’s used to create into a new product, material and even purpose. Deforestation is also used to create more space for growth, allows for civilisation and industrialisation, more job openings, and revenue for the governments.

Focusing on re-using and recycling is another way to reduce the environmental impact of wood manufacturing, as well as the issue of deforestation. It is not very easy for people to fall into living and thinking green, it would take time but it is impossible, it’s just about compromising, and having the right thought and discipline. Up-cycling is another solution, the only difference between this and recycling is that, instead of breaking down the product again to it’s raw materials and creating a new product of the same material, this process focuses on up-cycling or the product into a more upgraded one while maintaining or not degrading it’s quality and composition, for example up-cycling vinyl banners into vinyl tote bags.

12

The LCW is made out of plywood which is made of ash wood veneers, instead of cutting down the trees in order to get the wood, another way to solve that problem is to re-use, recycle, or even up-cycle the used and wasted wood and combining them to make the layered veneers for the plywood. This could help reduce the cutting of trees, lesser use of energy and resources, and help maintain sustainability.

Gluing is also needed during manufacturing, and the use of ureaformaldehyde is another concern that is issued. During the curing process of wood veneers and even when contacted with moisture and heat, formaldehyde vapour is emitted into the air, which can cause health effects that may cause watering and burning sensations in the eyes and throat, nose, e y e s, n o s e i r r i t a t i o n , c o u g h i n g, f a t i g u e, s k i n r a s h , a l l e r g i c reactions,respiratory system, and can even cause cancer when contacted with itand another way to reduce the health concern that urea-formaldehyde is causing, modern replacements have already been made such as, melamine formaldehyde, polyurethane, or even purebond formaldehyde-free plywood which is soy-based is a great replacement.

13

Ash wood are cut down from a Forest in Germany.

Brought to their production facility back in Switzerland, then made into the final moulded plywood furniture, then is packaged.

Distribution then starts, by rail transportation or if needed, air freight.

Consumers by the product and is brought home for use.

Used for sitting.

After use, it depends on the consumer if they’d rather throw it away, refinish it and re-use it, or use the raw materials to turn into a new product.

PRODUCT
 LIFE CYCLE DIAGRAM

The Life Cycle Analysis contributes a great amount of help for companies to evaluate and solve the environmental impact their products may affect from it’s starting point (raw material) to its finish (disposal and re-use). It helps companies look deeply and closer to the issues that may affect the society, environment, and economy. Breaking down into sub-sections of a product could really help make it into a more sustainable and better product. In using this assessment, the main objective, finding the solution to reduce the environmental impact of a product, was able to be detected and identified. This analysis could also broaden into creative thinking, mind mapping and also brain storming different solutions that would be possible to create the better product, which was done in this study itself.

It can be proven that focusing and breaking down a product can help solve one of the major concerns and issues this world has, especially when it comes to buying goods. There are infinite possibilities and other ways to replace a product that could cause harm, such as the raw materials that were used, the production process, the chemical and the energy that was used to the product, the transportation method, it’s disposable and re-use method, and even if not, the Life Cycle Analysis is the reason why it was created in the first place.

Anyone can be an impact to this world, each individual can influence one another.

There is still a lot to be done to this world, but it can always start from small, start from one person, and eventually it would continually grow massively and spread through everyone. It would still take a lot of compromising, discipline and time, but if people could get together and help it would be possible.

14

REFERENCES

William, AS 2009, ‘Life cycle analysis: a step by step approach’.

Vitra 2015, Sustainability Report 2015.

Wikipedia 2016, Plywood, viewed 15 October 2016, https://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/Plywood.

About Home 2015, What is plywood?, viewed 15 October 2016, https:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plywood.

Vitra, Plywood group, viewed 17 October 2016, https://www.vitra.com/en-pt/ product/plywood-group.

Vitra, Charles and Ray Eames, viewed 19 October 2016, https://www.vitra.com/ en-pt/corporation/designer/details/charles-ray-eames.

Wikipedia 2016, Charles and Ray Eames, viewed 19 October 2016, https:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_and_Ray_Eames.

Wikipedia 2016, Urea-Formaldehyde, viewed 22 October 2016, https:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urea-formaldehyde.

Wikipedia 2016, Moulded plywood, viewed 22 October 2016, https:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molded_plywood.

Wikipedia 2016, Powder coating, viewed 23 October 2016, https:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powder_coating.

Wikipedia 2016, Cardboard, viewed 23 October 2016, https://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/Cardboard.

Wikipedia 2016, Paperboard, viewed 23 October 2016, https://en.wikipedia.org/ wiki/Paperboard.

15

Carbon Pig 2011, The 10 most sustainable countries in the world, viewed 25 October 2016, http://carbonpig.com/article/10-most-sustainable-countries-world.

Norman GR, Newhouse MT 1986, ‘Health effects of urea-formaldehyde foam insulation: evidence of causation’, Canadian Medical Association Journal, pp. 733 - 738.

National Cancer Institute 2011, Formaldehyde and cancer risk, viewed 26 October 2016, https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/substances/formaldehyde/ formaldehyde-fact-sheet.

Cascades 2012, 5 environmental advantages of corrugated packaging, viewed 26 October 2016, http://lithotech.ca/5-environmental-advantages-of-corrugated-packaging/.

About News 2016, Why recycle plastics?, viewed 26 October 2016, http:// environment.about.com/od/recycling/a/benefits-of-plastics-recycling.htm.

Energy.gov, Renewable energy, viewed 28 October 2016, http://energy.gov/scienceinnovation/energy-sources/renewable-energy.

Conserve Energy Future, what is renewable energy, viewed 28 October 2016, http:// www.conserve-energy-future.com/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-renewableenergy.php.

Talk Local, Pros and cons of tree removal, viewed 28 October 2016, http:// www.talklocal.com/blog/2013/03/s/tree-removal/pros-and-cons-of-tree-removal/.

Health Research Funding Organization, Pros and cons of deforestation, viewed 28 October 2016, http://healthresearchfunding.org/pros-cons-deforestation/.

Green Garage, 17 important pros and cons of deforestation, viewed 28 October 2016, http:// greengarageblog.org/17-important-pros-and-cons-of-deforestation.

Intercon 2010, Recycling vs. upcyling: what is the difference?, viewed 29 2016, http:// intercongreen.com/2010/02/17/recycling-vs-upcycling-what-is-the-difference/.

16

November 1, 2016

Assessment Number 1 Life Cycle Analysis

Alexia Garcia 003ID415