2012 Annual Report. Basque Ecodesign Center

Annual activity report

© Ihobe S.A., June 2013 Publisher Ihobe, Public Environmental Management Company Department of the Environment and Land Policy Basque Government Alda. Urquijo, 36 – 6º Planta 48011 Bilbao (SPAIN) Tel. 900 15 08 64 This publication has been printed on 100% recycled paper The contents of this book, in the present edition, are published under the licence: Attribution – Noncommercial – No derivative works 3.0 Creative Commons Unported (for more information http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.es_ES).

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Annual activity report 2012

Table of contents Foreword 1.

Introduction 2.

Major achievements 2012 3.

Organisation and management structure 4.

Objectives and strands of work 5.

Technical projects undertaken Individual projects Collaborative projects Procedural and core projects 6.

New business opportunities Training and knowledge improvement Ideas Laboratory 7.

Support for SMEs in the Basque Country Work with the supply chain Services to other SMEs 8.

Dissemination and Communication Internal Communication External Communication 9.

Networks and alliances 10. Activity Indicators

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Foreword Basque Ecodesign Center: Boosting Ecodesign in the Basque Country When the Basque Government, through its public environmental management company Ihobe, and seven of the most important industrial firms in the Basque Country founded the Basque Ecodesign Center in November 2011, one of their main objectives was to establish public and private partnership models in Euskadi, in order to successfully pool resources in the development and implementation of new environmental policies and trends.

Now, one year on, accomplishing this goal is more important than ever, in view of the severity of the financial crisis which we are currently facing. For this reason,it is particularly important that we clearly define what we want to achieve with our environmental policies. In November 2012, the European Commission published the guidelines of the General Union Environment Action Programme to 2020, under the title Living well, within the limits of our planet. One of the strategic objectives for 2020 set out in this document was that of converting Europe into "a resource-efficient , green and competitive low-carbon economy". This concept of considering the environment as a decisive factor in improving business competitiveness and in solving the current financial crisis can be found in several EU documents, pertaining to both environmental and industrial policy. It is also one of the core principles underpinning the Basque Ecodesign Center.

The Basque Ecodesign Center also places great importance on small and medium-sized firms, which are seen as the lifeblood of our industrial fabric. Each of the seven private members who currently make up the initiative (CIE Automotive, Euskaltel, Fagor ElectrodomĂŠsticos, Gamesa, Iberdrola, Ormazabal Velatia and Vicinay Cadenas) have placed the promotion and driving of ecodesign at the very hearts of their respective management strategies and supply chains. We hope to add more companies to our list of members in the coming years. Likewise, through the public environmental management company Ihobe, and within the framework of the "Eco-Efficiency in Basque Companies Programme", support will continue to be provided to SMEs in the Basque Country, in order to faciltiate the integration of Ecodesign principles into their business activities.

This document details all of the Basque Ecodesign Center's major achievements and the most important activities it has undertaken during its first year of operations. In this, our first year, our main focus has been on establishing ourselves, but we have also managed to achieve a wealth of tangible results, all of which are detailed in this report. The journey has now begun and, without question, bigger and better achievements are on the way.

Javier Agirre Orcajo Managing Director of Ihobe

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1. Introduction The Basque Ecodesign Center, embarking on its first year of operations The Basque Ecodesign Center is an organisation based in the Basque Country and structured pursuant to a partnership framework between firms in the private sector and the Basque Government. It aims to foster the design and execution of innovative ecodesign projects.

In November 2011, the Basque Ecodesign Center commenced its activities, listing among its founding members six private firms from the Basque Country (Cie Automotive, Fagor Electrodomésticos, Gamesa, Iberdrola, Ormazabal Velatia and Vicinay Cadenas). These firms joined Ihobe, the Basque Government’s Environmental Management Company, as well as the driving force and co-ordinator of the Basque Ecodesign Center project. Six months later, in March 2012, Euskaltel joined these founding members. The center, therefore, is currently made up of seven private firms. These firms represent: 

59,738 jobs



€36,205 million in revenue



10,288 suppliers, 1,700 of whom are based in the Basque Country

The objectives of the Basque Ecodesign Center are: 

To help ensure that the Basque Country is an advanced region in the field of ecodesign and a benchmark throughout the European Union.



To strengthen the competitiveness of the participating firms in the acquisition and application of cutting-edge ecodesign-related knowledge.



To stimulate product eco-innovation through partnerships between companies, the University of the Basque Country (UPV-EHU) and the top knowledge centers in the world.



To ensure that the environmental factor is fully integrated into the supply chains of the participating firms.

From its inception, the Basque Ecodesign Center has enjoyed support from Bilbao's Technical School of Engineering, which belongs to the University of the Basque Country (UPV-EHU). As the Center has sought to consolidate its project, it has also been able to draw on the support of the CPM Swedish Life Cycle Center.

Meanwhile, during 2012, Ihobe has spearheaded the creation of a European Network of Ecodesign Centres, which is composed of the Ecodesign Centre (Wales, United Kingdom), the OVAM Public Waste Agency of Flanders (Belgium), the Pôle Eco-conception (France) and the Effizienz Agentur NRW (Germany).

The Basque Ecodesign Center is the only environmental centre in Spain and in the whole of Southern Europe which follows this model of public and private partnership.

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2. Major achievements 2012 First quarter (January - April)

Approval of the Basque Ecodesign Center's first Management Plan On 18th January 2012, the Basque Ecodesign Center's first Steering Committee meeting was held, during which the Management Plan for 2012 was approved.

This plan is divided into four thematic areas: development of tehcnical projects, support for new business ideas, support for SMEs in the Basque Country, and dissemination and communication activities.

January

February

Euskaltel becomes a new partner to the Basque Ecodesign Center The importance that Euskaltel attaches to ecoinnovation, its level of investment in R&D&I and its ability to influence the environmental performance of its more than 300 supplies were crucial factors in the decision to welcome the company aboard the project.

The addition of Euskaltel signalled the launch of new projects, of both an individual and collaborative nature.

March

April

2012 The first collaborative project between Iberdrola and Gamesa gets underway: “Ecodesign applied to

a re-charging point for an electric car�

Iberdrola and Gamesa start work on the Re-Charging Point Project, which focuses on the application of ecodesign to a new re-charging point model (both the foot and wall versions) for electric vehicles.

The objective is to analyse and improve their environmental performance throughout the product's entire life cycle.

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The training course aimed at the member firms gets underway The training course aimed at the member firms gets underway in Madrid on 8th June, focusing on the key principles of Ecodesign and Life-Cycle Assessment. A total of 13 sessions are held throughout 2012.

Annual activity report 2012

Second quarter (May - August)

Presentation of the Basque Ecodesign Center's Ideas Laboratory The official presentation of the Ideas Laboratory took place on 13th June at the Ideas Laboratory headquarters in Bilbao.

The initiative will stimulate the conception of innovative ideas in the design of environmentally-sophisticated products and services while also serving as the centre's technological antenna and helping it to keep abreast of industry developments.

May

June

Support for young researchers in the field of ecodesign In July 2012, The Basque Ecodesign Center, in partnership with the Fundación Novia Salcedo (NSF), launched a call for applications by young researchers in emerging fields of interest in ecodesign, with the aim of adding them to the team at the Center’s Ideas Laboratory. A total of 7 young people, from multi-disciplinary fields, will take part in the scheme.

July

August

2012 Launch of the Basque Ecodesign Center website The Basque Ecodesign Center's corporate website was launched in May. It will become the project's main external communication channel.

Analysis of sources of external funding for the development of technical projects Technical report which analyses 12 grant programmes (7 in Europe, 3 in Spain and 2 in the Basque Country), which may be applicable to the joint initiatives and collaborative projects which are undertaken by the members of the Basque Ecodesign Center.

An in-depth investigation of each one of these 12 lines of funding has been carried out, specifying the subsidy rate (budget), the grant-awarding body, the duration of the project, the thematic focuses, potential activities, compatibility with other programmes and the evaluation of critical success factors.

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Third quarter (September - December)

The Life-Cycle Cost Assessment (LCC) project gets underway )

The Basque Ecodesign Center is named as an outstanding project at CONAMA 2012

September sees the beginning of a technical assessment which aims to analyse a methodology that incorporates the economic variable into LifeCycle Assessment studies, known as Life-Cycle Costing (LCC).

After this assessment, the corresponding methodology is developed and applied in the Basque Country for the first time.

September

The 11th CONAMA National Environment Congress took place in Madrid between 26th and 30th November 2012. This is an important event in the field of sustainable development and takes place every two years, bringing together firms and organisations that are firmly committed to protecting the environment.

The Basque Ecodesign Center had a strong presence at the conference, and was named as one of the twelve most interesting initiatives.

October

November

December

2012 Presence at International Conferences: Electronics Goes Green 2012+ and ITU Green Standard Week In order to learn about the latest international ecodesign developments and trends in the electrical/ electronics and telecommunications sectors, the Basque Ecodesign Center attended technical conferences in Berlin (Electronics Goes Green 2012+) and Paris (ITU Green Standard Week).

This enabled the Center to gather invaluable information which would later inform their technical projects.

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Official presentation of the European Network of Ecodesign Centres (ENEC) in Brussels On 28th November 2012, the European Network of Ecodesign Centres (ENEC) was officially presented in Mechelen (Flanders, Belgium), home to the offices of the OVAM Agency.

The network is made up of the Ecodesign Centre (Wales, United Kingdom), the Pôle de Eco-conception in the French region of Rhône Alpes (France), the OVAM Public Waste Agency of Flanders (Belgium), the Basque Government’s Environmental Management Company Ihobe, and the Effizienz Agentur NRW (Germany).

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3. Organisation and management structure The Basque Ecodesign Center's mission is to create a Basque Country-based network which is founded on a dynamic partnership between private firms and the Basque Government. It aims to foster the development of ideas and business activities through ecodesign in such a way that it contributes to improving competitiveness and prevents damage to the environment in the Basque Country, while also becoming a point of reference within the European Union.

The Basque Ecodesign Center, as is established in the Agreement for Formation, is a group without legal personality, for whose internal management three management bodies are established (the Steering Committee, the Technical Committee and a Technical Secretariat), whose responsibilities and members are described below.

Steering Committee This is the representative body and the decision-making arm of the Basque Ecodesign Center, and is made up of representatives from each of the member firms.

The main responsibilities of the Steering Committee are: 



To take decisions pertaining to the management of the Center and to the activities in which it engages, specifically to approve the Strategic Plan, to approve, modify and evaluate the Budgets and Annual Management Plans and to decide on possible modifications to the core agreements.

To approve, or not, the addition of new partners to the Basque Ecodesign Center, both private and public.

MEMBERS OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE 2012 Cie Automotive

Antón Pradera

Euskaltel

Francisco Javier Allende

Fagor

Fabián Bilbao

Gamesa

Jose Ignacio Larretxi

Iberdrola

Agustín Delgado

Gobierno Vasco

Pilar Unzalu

Ormazabal

Javier Ormazabal

Vicinay Cadenas

Luis María Cañada Vicinay



To take decisions pertaining to the creation of Work Groups and/or pertaining to the implementation of projects carried out by the Center.



To supervise the correct functioning of the Basque Ecodesign Center and to engage in strategic reflection about its future.

The Steering Committee also includes a Technical Secretariat, a role which will be carried out by Ihobe and will involve planning, managing, coordinating and organising all activities and projects, following the directives as set out by the Steering Committee.

The Steering Committee will hold at least two meetings each year.

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Technical Committee This organ of the Basque Ecodesign Center is responsible for all collaborative and technical projects.

The committee is made up of representatives from each of the member firms.

The roles of the Technical Committee are: 

To support the Steering Committee in its duties.



To coordinate the planning and execution of the Basque Ecodesign Center's Strategic Plan and Annual Management Plans.





To submit proposals to the Steering Committee regarding the organisation and implementation of the Center's activities and projects.

To create a forum for technical debate and exchange of information.

The Technical Committee will meet at least four times a year and will be supported by bespoke work groups and project teams.

MEMBERS OF THE TECHNICAL COMMITTEE 2012 Cie Automotive

Iñigo Loizaga

Euskaltel

José Félix Gonzalo

Fagor

Begoña Igartua

Gamesa

Iñaki López Biain

Iberdrola

Carmelo Angulo

Ihobe - Technical Secretariat

Ignacio Quintana

Ormazabal

Javier Larrieta

Vicinay Cadenas

Tomás López

Technical Secretariat Additionally, the role of Technical Secretariat has been established, for which the public environmental management company Ihobe will be responsible. The roles of the secretariat are the following: 

To support the Steering Committee and the Technical Committee in their ruties.

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To facilitate the liaison between the Center's member firms and the Ecodesign Classroom.

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To establish and maintain international alliances and coordinate technical knowledge.

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To coordinate project management and to capitalise on the opportunities offered by the inter-firm collaborative projects.

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To coordinate dissemination and transfer of knowledge.

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To manage the Center's financial resources.

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4. Objectives and strands of work Business sectors in which the Basque Ecodesign Center operates In 2008, the European Commission devised the “Action Plan for sustainable consumption and production and sustainable industrial policy", in which it proposed a series of measures aimed at supporting the application of policies that promote eco-friendly production and consumption of products, both within the European Union and throughout the world.

The aims of this plan were: 

to improve resource efficiency (to generate more value using less resources);



to favour eco-innovation;



to enhance the environmental potential of industry by setting industrial policies which favour environmental industries and helping small and medium-sized firms (SMEs) to take advantage of business opportunities in the fields of environment and energy.

To this end, it identified a group of priority industries (electrical/electronics, automotive, machinery, capital goods, and packaging). Each of these sectors are characterised by the fact that they produce a significant environmental impact beyond solely the production phase: their use phase entails considerable consumption of energy and consumables and the waste produced at the end of their useful lives also poses a significant environmental problem.

In addition, three future spheres of action were established: food, mobility and cities as a whole.

In line with these directives set by the EU, since its inception the Basque Ecodesign Center has worked with partners who belong to priority industrial sectors.

These members operate in the electrical/electronics sector (Iberdrola, Gamesa, Fagor Electrodomésticos and Euskaltel), the automotive sector (CIE Automotive) and the machining and capital goods sector (Ormazabal and Vicinay Cadenas).

However, the aim is to gradually expand activities to take in the other three priority industries as identified by European legislation.

Strands of work and the 2012 Management Plan The first meeting of the Basque Ecodesign Center's Steering Committee was held on 18th January 2012. In the course of this meeting, the 2012 Management Plan was approved.

This plan divided the work for 2012 into four thematic areas: development of technical projects, support for new business ideas, support for SMEs in the Basque Country and dissemination and communication activities.

The major strands of work are outlined below .

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Development of technical projects Driving eco-innovation of products

Procedural and Core Projects

The development of different technical projects, individually or collaboratively between the member firms, facilitates the development of environmentally-sounder products which are also more competitive.

One of the Basque Ecodesign Center's primary objectives is the development of technical projects which may later serve as a point of reference to other firms and organisations.

These projects will be developed through a collaborative effort with the leading International knowledge centres.

Product eco-innovation in itself constitutes an opportunity for the creation of new strands of work in firms.

Individual Projects

Development of technical Projects

Collaborative Projects

New Business Opportunities

Training and Knowledge Improvement

It is essential to strengthen the competitiveness of the partner Firms through the acquisition and applicationof knowledge at the forefront of ecodesign.

For this reason, the starting objective for the Basque Ecodesign Center's Ideas Laboratory will be toput effective intelligence systems in place, which will allow the Center and its members to stay abreast of the latest international methodologies and trends.

Ideas Laboratory

Eco-friendliness as a tool for increasing business competitiveness

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Dissemination and Communication Establishing the Basque Country as an International point of reference

Internal Communication

The firms which make up the Basque Country's industrial fabric have already been applying the principles of ecodesign for many years.

The Basque Eodesign Center undertakes the important job of showcasing this work to the International community.

External Communication

Dissemination and

Communication Support for SMEs in the Basque Country

Work with the supply chain

Services to other SMEs

To this end, another of the Basque Ecodesign Center's core objectives is that of transmitting this vision of the Basque Country as an advanced region in the field of ecodesign, and one which serves as a point of reference within the European Union.

To achieve this, the Center actively promotes the Basque Country's existing values and the work that has been carried out to date.

The industrial firms which form part of the Basque Ecodesign Center are leaders in their respective industries.

As leaders, they assume the challenge of embedding ecodesign principles not only in their own business activities, but also in the firms which form part of their supply chain in the Basque Country.

Likewise, through Ihobe and the "Eco-Efficiency in Basque Companies Programme", the Basque Ecodesign Center will provide ecodesign-related support services to other SMEs in the Basque Country.

Catering to the entire industrial sector in the Basque Country

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Working in the three spheres of sustainability The Basque Ecodesign Center draws on the experience acquired in recent years in the application of environmental criteria to the design and development of products and services, both by Ihobe and by its seven partner firms.

In pursuit of this objective, Ihobe, together with four industrial firms (including Fagor Electrodomésticos) published the "Manual on Ecodesign. 7 steps for implementation" in the year 2000. This was the first ecodesign methodology published in Spain and one of the first in the whole of Europe. The starting point for this methodology is the "Life-Cycle Thinking" concept, drawing on the technical and scientific support provided by Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) as a tool for evaluating the environmental impacts associated with a particular process, product or service throughout its entire life cycle.

The Basque Ecodesign Center is therefore able to draw on all this experience, and has set itself the challenge of extending its activities to take in the other two spheres which make up the Sustainability Cycle: the financial variable and the social variable.

Life Cycle Assesment (LCA)

Environmental Life Cycle Costing (LCC)

Life Cycle Sustainability Assesment (LCSA)

Financial Social Life Cycle Assesment (SLCA)

Social 2013

2014

2015

2016

To this end, and within the work plan which has been outlined for the coming years, the Basque Ecodesign Center aims to develop and introduce fresh focuses: 

Life-Cycle Costing, LCC.- This is a methodology which, along the same lines as Life-Cycle Assessment, enables the evaluation of financial costs (direct and indirect), throughout every stage of the Life Cycle of a process, product or service.



Social Life-Cycle Assessment, SLCA.- This methodology enables the evaluation of the social costs of a process, product or service throughout all stages of the Life Cycle, such as those related to health and safety at work, visual impact, noise, electromagnetic radiations, etc.

Once these new methodological focuses have been developed, the aim is to define a new holistic methodology which, in unique fashion, integrates the three spheres of sustainability, through the development of a methodology known as Life-Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA).

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5. Technical projects undertaken The Basque Ecodesign Center focuses its efforts primarily on the development of technical projects which cater to its member firms and their products as well as to all other firms and organisations in the Basque Country. The Center engages in three different types of projects:

Core / procedural projects Common to all projects will be the systematic introduction of Life-Cycle Costing in the business decisionmaking process. The projects will have a duration of approximately 3 years and each participating firm will be firmly committed to the tasks at hand. Some of the characteristics of these projects: 

Work teams for the analysis of new challenges and opportunities. They are ad-hoc teams which analyse challenges and opportunities related to eco-innovative businesses, ecodesign and life-cycle assessment. They lay the foundations for the design of new projects by the Center.



Application of advanced knowledge, which comes in the form of R+D project support from doctorate students who specialise in ecodesign.

Individual projects by the member firms Each of the member firms is going to develop individual projects, in which they will apply ecodesign principles to their business activities. These projects are launched with a view to eventually becoming collaborative projects.

Collaborative projects These projects will be carried out collaboratively between two or more members of the Basque Ecodesign Center. Meanwhile, within this group of projects, a distinction will be made between those projects which are self-financed and those which receive additional funding from elsewhere, through support from Basque, Spanish, or European R&D&I programmes.

LIST OF TECHNICAL PROJECTS CARRIED OUT AND/OR LAUNCHED IN 2012 Semi-automatic reconstruction of surfaces of forging tools

CIE Automotive

Individual

Life-cycle assessment of parts for use in the automotive industry

CIE Automotive

Individual

Preparation of an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for 1kWh generated via aerogenerator model G90 - 2.0 MW

Gamesa

Individual

Ecodesign of an electrical substation transformer

Iberdrola

Individual

Biovalora: Evaluation of ecosystem services in a hydroelectric dam

Iberdrola

Individual

Ormazabal

Individual

Preparation of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) for mooring products

Vicinay Cadenas

Individual

Sustainable Building in the new business headquarters of Vicinay Cadenas

Vicinay Cadenas

Individual

Ecodesign applied to a re-charging point for an electric vehicle

Iberdrola — Gamesa

Collaborative project

Life-cycle cost and life-cycle sustainability assessments: LCCA and LCSA

Technical secretariat

Procedural project

Ecodesign at the end-of-life: competitiveness strategies

Technical secretariat

Procedural project

Analysis of sources of external financing for the development of technical projects

Technical secretariat

Procedural project

Ecodesign in 22 primary distribution systems

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CIE Automotive Semi-automatic reconstruction of surfaces of forging tools The aim of this project is to achieve a semi-automatic process for forge tools repair, thereby obtaining a more sustainable repair process, reducing the use of resources and operation times. This project was carried out in collaboration with a student from the Ecodesign Classroom from the Bilbao Technical School of Engineering, belonging to the UPV-EHU This new process, known as the GOM digitalisation system, is more environmentally sustainable, as the areas which are in most need of improving - namely energy consumption and machining time - are reduced considerably. Other aspects of the process are also modified, such as the use of non-contaminating lubricants for the stamping process, and the reduction of waste generated as drill lubricant, waste water produced by cleaning operations, or metallic waste.

The results of the project were: 

The new process which has been proposed (GOM) reduces the machining time by 63% compared with the current process.



The environmental impact generated by the GOM process is 27% less than the current process, and 80% less than the traditional imprint-filling process.



Repairing the stamp in question using the newly-proposed process reduces CO2 emissions into the atmosphere by 25% compared to the current process.

Life-cycle assessment of parts for use in the automotive industry This project focuses on the environmental assessment of alternative materials for the manufacturing of automotive parts, replacing non-ferrous metal materials. The project also includes a study of different kinds of recycling and the end-of-life treatment of the parts which have been subject to analysis. As with the previous case study, this project was also carried out with the support of the aforementioned Ecodesign Classroom.

The materials which are evaluated over the course of this project are polyamide 6 and polyamide 6.6 with a reinforcement of 30% of glass fibre as plastic matrices as well as both unidirectional and bidirectional carbon fibre and glass fibre. The results of the project were: 

Epoxy resin generates a lesser impact on the environment than thermoplastic matrices.

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

The production of carbon fibre is more harmful to the environment than that of glass fibre.



The most favourable processes in terms of their environmental impact were the PA 6.6/Carbon Fibre recycled/mechanical recycling, PA 6.6/Glass Fibre recycled/mechanical recycling and PA 6.6/Glass Fibre cut/mechanical recycling.

Gamesa Preparation of an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for the generation of 1kWh with a G90 – 2.0 aerogenerator In this project, which was supported by the University of the Basque Country's Ecodesign Classroom, a lifecycle assessment was carried out in order to calculate the environmental impact of an aerogenerator. The aim of the study was to prepare an Environmental Product Declaration which would show the environmental profile of the generation of 1KWh using the selected aerogenerator.

The tasks which were carried out were: 

Gathering life-cycle inventories and predicting potential uses for machines and equipment related to the work execution phase and construction of the wind farm’s infrastructure.



Searching for, and analysing, information pertaining to the transport and electrical distribution networks: losses in the distribution networks, specific analysis by European country and region, distribution distances, local standards for the distribution of electricity, etc.



Formulating simplified environmental impact studies of the analysed wind farms: land use; impact on biodiversity; visual impact; potential risks during transport; installation and use of the park; generation of electromagnetic fields and noise generation.

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Iberdrola Ecodesign of an electrical substation transformer

This project aimed to obtain an environmental diagnosis of the Ordizia Transformer and Distribution Substation (Gipuzkoa), in order to explore the possibility of applying ecodesign criteria to the designs of plants in the electrical sector. One of the strong points of the project was the close collaboration between the team in charge of carrying out this analysis and the suppliers, who worked alongside each other throughout the project, supplying information and carrying out their own individual projects, which encompassed life-cycle assessments and ecodesign analyses of their equipment.

At the conclusion of the environmental impact assessment, it was determined that the greatest impacts at STR Ordizia occur at the station’s use phase, due to the energy consumed by its equipment in 40 years of operation. In terms of the materials with the greatest environmental impact, the use of circuit boards, followed by SF6 (Sulphur Hexafluoride) insulating gas, were identified as being particularly harmful. Metals (brass, copper, aluminium and ferronickel alloy) also impact significantly on the environment, in comparison with the other materials that were analysed. Thanks to this project, the firm will be able to devise strategies for improving the environmental profile of the station, based primarily on: 

Improving the energy efficiency of the equipment and the station.



Choosing more efficient, ecodesigned equipment.



Reducing the amount of materials used at the station.



Replacing certain materials with others which generate a lesser environmental impact.

Biovalora: Evaluation of ecosystem services in a hydroelectric dam The Biovalora project analysed how a hydroelectric dam modifies ecosystem services, and the impacts and opportunities it generates with regards the environment, while also assessing the dam’s economic value in real terms. The project focused on the Cuenca del Tera dams in Zamora and, in addition to studying energy production, looked at the possible effects of the dams on biodiversity, tourism, agriculture, floods, fires and water supply.

Results of the project: 

The water that is collected allows for the existence of a constant environmental flow, crop-watering and a supply of drinking water for more than 30,000 people.



The dams manage to nullify half of the floods caused by torrential rainfall, and they mitigate the effects of other floods by more than 30%, which translates into an important financial saving in avoided losses and damage.

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Ormazabal Ecodesign in 22 distribution cells

Ormazabal has supported Iberdrola in the project launched by the latter to ascertain the environmental performance of its electrical substation in Ordizia.

To this end, an analysis of the environmental impacts of the 22 CPG_0 primary distribution systems (divided into 11 groups according to mutual properties and elements) installed in this substation, using the ecodesign methodology, was carried out. The results obtained have enabled the project team to identify the main environmental problems posed by these products, in order to then define and identify future improvement strategies which can be applied.

The results obtained show an improvement of 6-7% over the life-cycle of the 22 systems under analysis.

Vicinay Cadenas Preparation of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) in mooring products As part of its quest for environmental excellence, Vicinay Cadenas has adopted Environmental Product Declarations (EPD) as a communicative tool for reporting on the environmental performance of its mooring products. Thanks to this type-III eco-label, the company is aware of the environmental impact of its mooring products throughout their entire life cycle. This information is certified by the International EPD速 System, which is run by the Swedish Environmental Management Council and is regarded as one of the most prestigious EPD systems in the world.

The chains and shackles (H and D, R4, R4S and R5) for which environmental product declarations have been drawn up and certified, constitute the most technologically-advanced products in the industry and, by extension, the most innovative in terms of their design and development.

Today, Vicinay Cadenas has six certified EPDs. In the process of obtaining these, they have achieved important results, such as reducing their ecological footprint by 40%, and reducing their CO2 emissions by 1,200 tonnes in just one year, both of which constitute huge energy savings.

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Vicinay Cadenas Sustainable Building in the new business headquarters of Vicinay Cadenas Vicinay Cadenas has designed the new building which will house the firm's future headquarters, in the municipality of Sestao (Bizkaia), following sustainable building criteria. The building will house a new production bay, as well as storage and ancillary service areas.

Some of the most important environmental improvements introduced in the pavilion will be those of energy savings and noise control. The exterior of the building will be designed with absorption panels which generate very little waste and provide great insulation, which will reduce the consumption of energy and avoid any adverse impact on the surrounding environment. Constructive measures have also been taken, aimed at reducing the noise to which employees are subjected. The building's natural light will be achieved using north-facing skylights which also provide excellent acoustic insulation. The hot-water production system will consist of a lowemission condensing boiler, which will be complimented by a solar thermal system. The building will be equipped with meters and equipment to measure consumption. Similarly, a rainwater collection system has been developed for watering the gardens and for use in cleaning operations. Financial considerations have also been taken into account when adopting these measures, focusing on both direct savings and also on the money that will be eventually recouped as a result of introducing the measures.

Iberdrola—Gamesa Ecodesign of the re-charging point for electric vehicles Within the framework of the Basque Ecodesign Center’s activities, Iberdrola and Gamesa have worked together in the areas of Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) and the ecodesign of products. Specifically, the object of analysis and improvement has been the Re-Charging Point Project – re-charging point for electric vehicles – with the aim of identifying and evaluating the major environmental aspects associated with the life-cycles of its two models (floor model and wall model).

Some of the most notable improvements were: 

A 9% reduction in the total weight of the product compared with previous prototypes.



A 10% reduction in the "overall environmental impact" of the product compared with previous prototypes.



A 12% reduction in the "climate change potential" of the product compared with previous prototypes.



Optimisation of the number of components used in the product, moving from the use of two independent batteries to just one integrated battery, and eliminating superfluous parts.

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Procedural projects Life-cycle cost and life-cycle sustainability assessments: LCC and LCSA In addition to the technical projects, and the projects set out in the 2012 Management Plan, the demands of the founding members have given rise to a new project based on the methodological advancement of the LifeCycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA) of industrial products.

The "Life-Cycle Costing" methodology, to which we'll refer hereafter as "LCC", was developed by economists in around 1970, right in the middle of the energy crisis, in order to calculate and evaluate the economic flow for the various ideas that are proposed for a particular project or business decision.

At the same time, another environmentally-focused methodology was developed, known as the "Life-Cycle Assessment" (hereafter referred to as "LCA"), whose objective was to evaluate the environmental impact of a product or service throughout its entire life cycle. A comprehensive study of all aspects of a product enables us to obtain a more thorough knowledge of its characteristics, which may then inform its design and marketing.

Both methodologies favour a holistic approach, and focus not only on the manufacturing and acquisition of the product or service itself, but on its entire life cycle, from the procurement of the raw materials right up until the end of its useful life. This allows for a much broader analysis of the environmental impact of products and services.

Despite being invented at around the same time, however, the two methodologies were developed completely separately from each other.

The methodological focus for Life-Cycle Cost Assessment (LCC) is currently being developed, and will culminate with a methodology based on the pilot projects that are carried out in the Basque Ecodesign Center's member firms.

At the same time, studies of the state-of-the-art of Social Life-Cycle Assessment (S-LCA) and Life-Cycle Sustainability Assessment (LCSA) are ongoing. These methodologies have been explored in much less detail than LCC.

Ecodesign at the end-of-life: competitiveness strategies In October 2012, the job entitled Definition and execution of activities relating to the end-of-life of products within the framework of the Basque Ecodesign Center was put out to tender. The tender was closed in November, as all of the corresponding work got successfully under way.

The work carried out in relation to the end-of-life of products, in addition to the projects undertaken with those involved, and the execution of practical cases, aims to develop the following strands of action: 

Action strategy aimed at improving competitiveness through product waste management.



End-of-life design as an ecodesign strategy aimed at reducing economic costs within the framework of Integrated Management Systems (IMS).

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Annual activity report 2012

Analysis of sources of external financing for the development of technical projects With regards government grants to which the Basque Ecodesign Center's member firms could potentially be entitled, an exhaustive investigation of the subsidy programmes on offer in Europe, Spain, and in the Basque Country has been carried out, in the following areas of specialisation: 

R&D&I



Environment



Eco-innovation



Business promotion



Energy efficiency

This established a provisional list of 121 possible subsidies, which in turn led to a filtering process, taking into account the specific characteristics of the Basque Ecodesign Center's member firms and the characteristics of the projects which could potentially be carried out.

This made it possible to reduce the list to 12 subsidy programmes (6 in Europe, 4 in Spain and 2 in the Basque Country), which may apply to the joint initiatives and collaborative projects which are carried out by the members of the Basque Ecodesign Center.

A detailed diagnosis of each one of these 12 lines of funding has been carried out, specifying the subsidy rate (budget), the grant-awarding body, the duration of the project, the thematic approaches, potential activities, compatibility with other programmes and the evaluation of critical success factors.

ASSESSED PROGRAMMES LIFE+

Europe

ARTEMIS JOINT UNDERTAKING

Europe

CIP-ECOINNOVATION

Europe

EUROSTARS

Europe

CIP-INTELLIGENT ENERGY EUROPE

Europe

SEVENTH FRAMEWORK PROGRAMME

Europe

FINANCING FOR R+D PROJECTS - CDTI

Spain

EUREKA

Spain

INNPACTO

Spain

INNPRONTA

Spain

ETORGAI

Basque Country

GAITEK

Basque Country

basque ecodesign center

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6. New business opportunities This block of activities encompasses activities aimed at training and improving the knowledge of the member firms' technical teams, as well as activities carried out in the Basque Ecodesign Center's Ideas Laboratory.

Training and knowledge improvement Throughout this year, with the aim of training the teams that belong to the Basque Ecodesign Center's member firms, the following training sessions have been delivered in their various headquarters: The sessions which make up this training schedule are the following: 

Basic principles of eco-innovation



Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA)



Ecodesign methodology



Eco-labelling and environmental recognition systems



Implementation of the UNE-EN ISO 14006:2011 standard



Ecodesign Directive (ErP) and itsimplications



Training session: Tool for Life-Cycle Assessment - GaBi



Training session: Tool for Life-Cycle Assessment - SIMAPRO

Conference on "Basic principles of eco-innovation", held at the Iberdrola Tower on 22nd March 2012

These sessions also pursued a second objective: that of fostering shared knowledge between the firms and their technical managers. In order to achieve this objective, the training activities took place on the premises of the firms which make up the Basque Ecodesign Center, with each session including a presentation by the firm and a tour of their facilities.

Training day on product eco-labelling held at Vicinay Cadenas headquarters

As well as the aforementioned sessions aimed at each of the members of the Basque Ecodesign Center, a series of individual internal sessions were also held at Iberdrola, Fagor and Gamesa, with the aim of gaining in-depth knowledge of Life-Cycle Assessment software tools - Simapro.

These ecodesign training activities were also attended by the members of the Ideas Laboratory, who participated in the training sessions that focused on the Life-Cycle Assessment tools - GaBi and Simapro.

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Annual activity report 2012

JANUARY - APRIL 2012 Ecodesign and Eco-innovation: application by Iberdrola

8th March

Iberdrola (Madrid)

Company: Grupo Iberdrola

22nd March

Iberdrola (Bilbao)

All member firms

19th April

Ormazabal (Amorebieta-Etxano)

All member firms

Ecodesign methodology and principles

3rd May

CIE Automotive (Amorebieta-Etxano)

All member firms

Product eco-labelling and environmental information systems

18th May

Vicinay Cadenas (Bilbao)

All member firms

Implementation of the UNE-EN ISO 14006:2011 standard

31st May

Fagor (ArrasateMondragon)

All member firms

Ecodesign Directive (ErP) and its implications

15th June

Ihobe (Bilbao)

All member firms

8th-12th October

Gamesa (Zamudio)

Company: Gamesa

21st November

Ihobe (Bilbao)

All member firms

29th November

Fagor (ArrasateMondragon)

Company: Fagor

Basic principles of eco-innovation Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) Methodology

MAY - AUGUST 2012

SEPTEMBER - DECEMBER 2012 Life-Cycle Assessment Tool – SIMAPRO Life-Cycle Assessment Tool – GABI Life-Cycle Assessment Tool – SIMAPRO

Management of Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) software tools In order to carry out Life-Cycle Assessments (LCAs) in large-scale ecodesign projects, the support of software tools is essential to success.

The technical support team carried out an exhaustive study of the main tools currently available on the market, with a particular emphasis on those which offer the most advantages.

The aim of this work is to ensure the availability of the best Life-Cycle Assessment software tools for the projects which are carried out within the framework of the Basque Ecodesign Center.

Drawing on these results, training workshops were held in November 2012, in order to arrive at an in-depth understanding of the major LifeCycle Assessment (LCA) tools, such as SIMAPRO and GaBi.

Order 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Name of tool GaBi 5 Umberto SimaPro 7 OpenLCA LCAManager EuPeco-profiler Eco-it SolidWorks Sustainability SolidWorks Sustainability Xpress COMPASS (Comparative Packaging Assessment) PEAT Package smart(Packaging Environmental Assessment Tool)

basque ecodesign center

Type of tool

Rating

Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete Simplified Simplified Simplified Simplified

330 325 310 295 250 210 190 170 170 155

Simplified

135

Evaluative table of the selected LCA software tools

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6. New business opportunities Ideas Laboratory In operation since October 2012, the Basque Ecodesign Center's Ideas Laboratory, located beside the offices of the Public Environmental Management Company Ihobe, was conceived with the aim of becoming a point of reference for the centre and for its innovative activities.

This initiative, which stimulates the conception of innovative ideas in the design of sophisticated environmental products and services, also serves as the centre's technological antenna and as a space for competitive intelligence gathering.

The public presentation of the Basque Ecodesign Visit from the members of the Steering Committee to the Center’s Ideas Laboratory took place on 13th June at Ideas Laboratory on 17th October 2012 Ihobe's premises in Bilbao. The presentation ceremony was attended by political representatives, as well as by the Basque Ecodesign Center's member firms and Joan Rieradevall, an international expert in ecodesign.

At the end of September, in partnership with the Fundación Novia Salcedo (NSF), seven fresh graduates joined the Ideas Laboratory team to receive specialist training and to work in the centre for a period of 15 months.

They commenced their activities in the laboratory with various intensive training courses, covering the following topics: TRAINING THE IDEAS LABORATORY TEAM Expert course in Ecodesign and Life-Cycle Assessment

24th September - 5th October

Innovation techniques

5th - 8th October

Introduction to the Carbon footprint calculation

15th-16th October

LEAN Manufacturing

22nd October

Methodologies and tools for evaluating environmental impacts throughout the entire life cycle: GABI 5.0 and Simapro

12th-13th December

In recent months, they have continued their training, while also beginning to carry out the role of monitoring and attending various forums and conferences of interest to the Basque Ecodesign Center, such as Conama 2012 and the Smart City World Congress in Barcelona.

Visits to companies As a first step towards launching the technology intelligencegathering mechanisms of the Ideas Laboratory, a series of visits to the premises of the member firms was organised.

These visits gave those in attendance the chance to learn more about the firms' activities, and they will help the Ideas Laboratory to tailor their work and projects more specifically to meet the needs of these firms.

Visit of the Ideas Laboratory team to Vicinay Cadenas, on 15th November 2012.

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Annual activity report 2012

Roles of the Ideas Laboratory The Ideas Laboratory was established in order to foster the conception of innovative ideas in the design of more eco-friendly products and services which respond to the challenges or problems faced by the Basque Ecodesign Center's member firms in particular, and by Basque society in general.

The Ideas Laboratory, then, was founded to act as a technological antenna, identifying future trends and challenges in the fields of ecodesign and eco-innovation; it also aims to facilitate the generation of synergies between the member firms, in a bid to establish new business enterprises that place great importance on care for the environment.

The Ideas Laboratory helps to boost the member firms' reputations as being eco-innovative and committed to the environment; it has been conceived as an informal space in which collaboration, co-creation, open innovation and user-centred design are actively promoted.

The Laboratory carries out its three roles in accordance with the following methodology:

Diagram of the Ideas Laboratory's three main functions and their interrelations.

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7. Support for SMEs in the Basque Country Work with the supply chain When firms develop ecodesign projects for their products/services, one of the main challenges they face is that of working out how to incorporate the knowledge and experience of their suppliers into these projects.

For this reason, one of the Basque Ecodesign Center's activities will consist of engaging suppliers on the subject of environmental awareness.

This will be structured around four areas of action: 

Product environmental information in the supply chain: working with suppliers to obtain the detailed information that is necessary in order to draw up the Life-Cycle Inventory (LCI) for the product chosen by the beacon company.



Ecodesign of supplies (parts and components): via application of the "More Eco-Friendly Product" methodology, which aims to study the innovative capacity of a particular product. It focuses on the application of the first three stages of the ecodesign methodology, described by Ihobe in its "Manual on Ecodesign", and also encompasses the formulation and practical implementation of an action plan for the product under analysis.



Ecodesign Management System (ISO 14006): through the implementation of an ecodesign management system such as that which is described in this international standard. This work includes the entire documentation process, the required internal training, and integration with other related management systems such as the ISO 14001 and the ISO 9001.



Private Green Procurement: achieving environmental improvement through the inclusion of environmental criteria in the general procurement policies of the various firms which make up the Basque Ecodesign Center; 'general procurement' is understood as the purchase or procurement of those auxiliary products/services which do not form part of the business or the products/services that they produce. This work will provide yet further evidence of the beacon firms' commitment to the environment.

Product environmental information along the supply chain

Gerdau, a supplier of steel, provides environmental information about their product to Vicinay Cadenas The dissemination of environmental criteria among the Basque Ecodesign Center's suppliers aims to further promote the development of ecodesign within the Basque industrial fabric.

Vicinay Cadenas in particular has begun working with its major steel supplier, Gerdau, in the management of environmental information throughout the supply chain.

In the course of this environmentalisation of the supply chain, and as part of its ongoing commitment to preparing Environmental Product Declarations, Vicinay Cadenas has requested environmental information from Gerdau regarding the characteristics of the steel it purchases from them. Thanks to this request, one of the major metal firms in the Basque Country has begun compiling this information, which in turn contributes to improving the quality of data stored by Vicinay Cadenas when preparing its own EPDs.

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Annual activity report 2012

Ecodesign of supplies (parts and components)

Iberdrola influences its supply chain in the design of electrical substations Within the framework of the project developed by Iberdrola for the "Redesign of an electrical substation", using the substation located in the town of Ordizia as a starting point, the company has taken the decision to involve its entire supply chain.

Their reasons for doing so are twofold. Firstly, they want to share environmental information about their equipment (management of product environmental information throughout the supply chain). Secondly, they want to encourage their suppliers to develop ecodesigned subcomponents for the new substation, drawing on technical support by Ihobe. Ormazabal, a member of the Basque Ecodesign Center, participated in this project, as well as the following firms: Incoesa, Adhorna, ABB, Arteche, Ingeteam Power Technology and ZIV Aplicaciones y Tecnología.

Ecodesign Management System (ISO 14006)

BECO-Boosting, Ecoinnovation in the supply chain of three big companies comprising SMEs During this year, the Basque Ecodesign Center has put together a project proposal focusing on supplier engagement in the field of ecodesign, with a view to submitting it to European funding programmes. Under the title of “BECO-Boosting, eco-innovation in the supply chain of three big companies comprising SMEs”, the project consists of formulating a strategy which integrates ecodesign in companies that participate in the supply chain of large corporations such as those that are affiliated to the Basque Ecodesign Center.

The project proposes the integration of ecodesign, based on the UNE-EN ISO 14006:2011 International Ecodesign Management Standard. Plans are in place to submit this project to European funding competitions in 2013 that correspond to this particular area of activity.

Private Green Procurement

Integration of environmental criteria in firms’ general procurement policies Mirroring the work that was carried out in relation to the end-of-life of products, the project related to the integration of environmental criteria in the general procurement policies of private firms was put out to tender in October.

The project related to the integration of environmental criteria in private firms’ general procurement policies aims to incorporate environmental criteria in auxiliary purchases made by firms.

basque ecodesign center

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7. Support for SMEs in the Basque Country Services to other SMEs The Basque Ecodesign Center also aims to support all other SMEs in the Basque Country through a multitude of activities and services, managed by the centre's technical secretariat, Ihobe.

These activities are carried out within the framework of the "Eco-Efficiency in Basque Companies Programme 20102014". Their primary objective is to make the Basque industrial fabric more sustainable, innovative and efficient, through the incorporation of environmental variables in these companies' activities in order to contribute to enhancing their market competitiveness.

The "Eco-Efficiency in Basque Companies Programme 20102014" divides companies' tools and activities into three broad areas. The area of 'Environmental Leadership' is responsible for the application of ecodesign in organisations.

Guidance Services

FIRMS WHO AVAILED OF THIS SERVICE IN 2012

Support in the decision-making process

Cluspap Derivados del Fluor

Eco-labelling

The Basque Ecodesign Center has contributed to the incorporation of ecodesign in other Basque SMEs. This support has been practical, and highly relevant to the individual needs of each firm. It has been provided via the "Support in the decision-making process" service, run by Ihobe's information service, Ihobeline.

This service aims to assess all those environmental aspects which may have a bearing on the success of a strategic decision, which in turn reduces the risk associated with a new investment or product development.

It is a telling statistic that 87% of firms who have availed of this service have since gone on to introduce environmental measures.

In total, this service has been provided to 14 firms (8 in ecodesign, 5 in relation to eco-labels, and 1 concerning the Ecodesign Directive).

basque ecodesign center

Hnos Eguskiza Manufacturas Inserlam Master Segurisol Ormazabal Corporate Technology, AIE Aguirregamboamunoa Arquitectos S.L.P. Bellota Herramientas, S.A

Ecodesign

Instituto de Innovaci贸n Sostenible Sostenalia S.L. Irizar Mozas + Aguirre Arquitectos, S.L.P Urkotronik, S.A. Yor, S.A.

Ecodesign Directive (ErP)

Gaia

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Annual activity report 2012

Guidance Services

Expert telephone response service The Ihobeline service has attended to a wide variety of ecodesign-related telephone queries made by firms.

FIRMS WHO AVAILED OF THIS SERVICE IN 2012

Eco-labelling

The Ihobe-line service 900 15 08 64 is a free-ofcharge environmental information telephone service which, after 13 years in operation, continues to be manned by experts in the field. It attends to environmental queries of all descriptions.

The queries are resolved by expert environmental consultants, each of whom was certified as such before joining the Ihobeline service Panel of Experts.

Ecodesign

With regards the "Support in the decision-making process" service, the major issues that have been dealt with include ecodesign, eco-labels, and the EcoDesign Directive (also known as the ErP Directive).

In total, this service has been provided to 50 firms: 32 in ecodesign; 11 in relation to ecolabels; and 7 concerning the ecodesign Directive.

basque ecodesign center

Ecodesign Directive (ErP)

Ansareo Saneamientos y Servicios, S.A. CEL Technologies & Systems, S.L. DTS Oabe, S.L Estudio de Arquitectura Subinas y Urrutia, S.L. Master Segurisol, S. L. U. ONN Outside Mobiliario Urbano, S.L. Ortzadar, S.L. Pedro - Navarro Sellex, S.A. Suministros Urbanos y Mantenimientos, S.A. UPV-EHU Universidad del País Vasco Emilio Puertas Arquitectos, S.L. Abad Diseño y Arquitectura, S.L. ABB, S.A. Low Voltage Products Fábrica Niessen Aguirregamboamunoa Arquitectos S.L.P. Anasa Estudios, S.L.P. APIDIT de la industria del Calzado y Conexas Asoc. Patronal de Carpinteros de Guipuzcoa Azaro Fundazioa Biomimetiks, S.L.U. Bodega Señorio de Nevada, S.L. Centro de innovacion y tecnologia alimentaria Consultoría y Formación Margube,S.L Dhemen Design, S.L. DTS Oabe, S.L Estudio de Arquitectura Basa, S.L. Galletas Artiach, S.A.U. Health Care Oihana, S.L.L. Ideilan Diseño, S.L. Ideko, S.Coop.

Igonbe Design, S.L. (Flumbo Bicycle Parking) Imanol - Goenaga Ingeclima, S.L. Iñaki - Beistegui Jose Mari - Cid Kide, S. Coop Madergia Master Segurisol, S. L. U. Rocio - Mato Tecnalia R&I Certificación, S.L. Ulma Manutencion, S.Coop.

UPV-EHU Universidad del País Vasco Zunibal, S.L. Poessa Colegio Salesianos Deusto Mª AuxiliadoraSan Juan Electricidad Martín, S.A. Proton Electronica, S.L.U. Salto Systems HQ Set For Trading Ulma Packaging, S.Coop.

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Training Services

Training days, workshops and expert courses in ecodesign

The Basque Ecodesign Center, aware that the dissemination of environmental knowledge is an essential part of Ihobe's mission, has hosted training sessions, awareness-raising activities, workshops and courses aimed at Basque SMEs. In addition to the workshops and activities which have been held throughout the year, there have also been advanced courses in ecodesign, both from a general perspective GENERAL COURSES and a sector-specific perspective.

24 /05/2012 7 steps for the implementation of ecodesign

These expert courses for the transfer of advanced knowledge aim to facilitate the practical application of the most sophisticated environmental methodologies and tools in Basque companies, combining theoretical learning with practical application in the firm itself.

Implementation of Ecodesign Management System in accordance with the UNE-EN ISO 14006:2011 standard

14/06/2012 10/10/2012 31/10/2012

SECTOR-SPECIFIC COURSES Ecodesign in the electrical/electronics sector Basic ecodesign concepts for the machine tools sector Ecodesign in the Furniture sector

31/05/2012 21/06/2012 17/10/2012 08/11/2012 29/11/2012 13/12/2012

 List of courses delivered in 2012 divided into their two categories: general courses and sector-specific courses

CONFERENCES Working towards a green economy through ecodesign and sustainable building

COIIB —Ihobe

20/03/2012

Bilbao

Green Public Procurement in the Basque Autonomous Community: environmental requirements for firms

Ihobe

28/05/2012

Bilbao

Ikerlan-Ihobe

28/05/2012

Arrasate-Mondragon

Habic-Ihobe

30/05/2012

Bilbao

Ihobe

30/05/2012

Donostia-San Sebastian

Ihobe

16/11/2012

Bilbao

Ihobe

29/11/2012

Bilbao

Ecodesign and Life-Cycle Assessment

Novia Salcedo-Ihobe

18/06/2012 29/06/2012

Bilbao

Life-Cycle Assessment for waste management firms

Aclima-Ihobe

19/12/2012

Zamudio

Ecodesign

Adegi-Ihobe

27/01/2012

Donostia-San Sebastián

Life-cycle concept and tools for its analysis

COIIB —Ihobe

24/04/2012

Bilbao

Application of the ecodesign certification in the field of engineering

COIIB —Ihobe

22/05/2012

Bilbao

The impact of energy efficiency in the development of eco-efficient products and services Environmental innovation and sustainability: Keys for competitiveness. Hábic Opportunities in the French and German markets 10th anniversary of the Basque Country's Ecodesign Classroom SUSTEEN Project: Sustainability for the competitiveness of Basque SMEs COURSES

WORKSHOPS

 List of Ecodesign Conferences, Courses and Workshops held in 2012, and organisations who have taken part

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Annual activity report 2012

Support Services to SMEs

Development of technical projects in the Ecodesign Classroom

In October 2011, the Ecodesign Classroom's 2011-2012 course got underway. The Ecodesign Classroom is an initiative organised jointly by the Bilbao Technical School of Engineering, the Basque Government’s Environmental Management Company Ihobe, and Bizkaia Provincial Council, through its public body Beaz Bizkaia.

The 10th anniversary of the Basque Country's Ecodesign Classroom was celebrated in Bilbao in November. The Classroom received welldeserved recognition for the work it has done in introducing engineers with specialist environmental knowledge to the marketplace, as well as professionals specialising in integrated product design, a field which has received little attention to date.

In the last decade, the Ecodesign Classroom has trained almost one hundred young people - 92 engineers, of whom 70% are currently responsible for environmental product design in their firms.

By way of charting all the activities carried out over the past decade, the Center has compiled a publication entitled "10 years of the Basque Ecodesign Classroom".

The projects carried out this year have been:

PROJECTS CARRIED OUT DURING THE ECODESIGN CLASSROOM 2011-2012 ACADEMIC YEAR Aernnova Engineering Division

Life-Cycle Assessment of the moveable surfaces on the wings and tails of a "LARGE AIRCRAFT” Semi-automatic reconstruction of surfaces of forging tools

Cie Automotive Life-cycle assessment of parts for use in the automotive industry Cluster Habic

Life-cycle assessment of wood solutions for Cluster HABIC’s companies

Ecothink

Project to convert the Basque Country into an international benchmark in eco-sustainable ephemeral architecture (trade fairs, exhibitions, etc.) eco-sustainable - Phase I

Eroski

Calculation of the environmental improvement achieved by the activities carried out in 2011 and 2012 with regards packaging and calculation of the Carbon Footprint for 2010-2012

Euskoiker

Support to Gamesa in the preparation of an Environmental Product Declaration for the generation of 1kWh using an aerogenerator model G90 - 2.0 MW

Iberdrola

Ecodesign of a 30/13.2 kV transformer substation, located in Ordizia

Lks

Analysis of the increase in the material execution budget in buildings with optimised environmental behaviour

Ormazabal

Application of the ecodesign methodology in 22 primary distribution systems at Ormazabal

Wattiocorp

Ecodesign of a home automation energy kit

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Support Services to SMEs

Eco-friendly product Another line of support for the application of ecodesign in Basque SMEs is the development of the "More ecofriendly product" service.

This service aims to identify the potential for environmental improvement in one of the company's products through the application of ecodesign and to study the capacity individual products' capacity for innovation.

By availing of this service, the firm obtains real experience of the application of the ecodesign methodology to one of their products, discovering firsthand the resultant advantages that they can enjoy, in environmental, financial and business terms.

It focuses on the application of the first 3 stages of the Ecodesign Methodology, described by Ihobe in the "Manual on Ecodesign. 7 steps for implementation", which also encompasses the formulation and practical application of an action plan for the selected product.

In total, 16 firms availed of this service in 2012. They are listed below:

 Leaflet for the "More environmental product" service, aimed at SMEs in the Basque Country

"MORE ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCT" SERVICE IN 2012 Cemosa

Packaging

Ecodesign of an egg carton package

Eroski

Packaging

Ecodesign of 4 packaging systems for fresh products

Eroski

Packaging

Ecodesign of a further 4 packaging systems for fresh products

Protón Electrónica

Electrical/electronic

Ecodesign of a ball-shaped light used frequently for street lighting (CARINDINI DQR-500RT model)

Fagor Industrial

Electrical/electronic

Ecodesign of the F1-100 dishwasher (extended to the ADP-130)

Domusa

Electrical/electronic

Ecodesign of a pellet boiler

Ibarmia

Machine-tool (basic)

Preliminary ecodesign study applied to a machine tool

Danobat

Machine-tool (basic)

Preliminary ecodesign study applied to a machine

Zayer

Machine-tool (basic)

Preliminary ecodesign study applied to a machine

Goratu Máquinas Herramientas

Machine-tool (basic)

Preliminary ecodesign study applied to a machine

Adhorna

Iberdrola Project: STR ORDIZIA

Ecodesign of a prefabricated building

ABB

Iberdrola Project: STR ORDIZIA

Ecodesign of capacitor batteries

Arteche

Iberdrola Project: STR ORDIZIA

Ecodesign of voltage and current transformers

Incoesa

Iberdrola Project: STR ORDIZIA

Ecodesign of power transformers and auxiliary transformers

Ingeteam Technology

Iberdrola Project: STR ORDIZIA

Ecodesign of UCS-IH

Ormazabal

Iberdrola Project: STR ORDIZIA

Ecodesign of mid-tension cells

ZiV

Iberdrola Project: STR ORDIZIA

Ecodesign of transformer differential protection, frequency relays, voltage regulator and neutral overcurrent protection

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Certification services to firms

Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs)

The "Eco-Efficiency in Basque Companies Programme 2010-2014" offers services to Basque SMEs in order to help them at every stage of the application of ecodesign to the development of their products.

The last step in the application of ecodesign is to assess the steps being taken by the organisations themselves and also to evaluate the performance of the environmentallyimproved products compared with that of the products which have not been improved.

To this end, the product certification service has been placed at the disposal of Basque SMEs, focusing on the preparation of Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs).

This service aims to help firms to gather the information that is required for these Declarations, with the aim of anticipating clients' requirements with regards product environmental information. This service provides the firm with a real experience of using this communication tool, and teaches them how best to take advantage of it.

It is interesting to note that 31% of all EPDs prepared in Spain come from Basque firms.

ď‚­ Leaflet for the "Environmental Product Declarations" service, aimed at firms in the Basque Country

ECODESIGN CERTIFICATION SERVICES TO FIRMS 2012 Derivados del Fluor

Preparation of an EPD

Cementos Lemona

Preliminary study for the preparation of an EPD

Befesa Zinc Aser

Preliminary study for the preparation of an EPD

Vidrala

Preliminary study for the preparation of a PCR and an EPD

Gerdau

Preliminary study for the preparation of an EPD

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8. Dissemination and Communication Internal Communication The Basque Ecodesign Center website (www.basqueecodesigncenter.net), which has been up and running since May 2012, pursues a twofold objective. Firstly, it aims to serve as a communication channel with the Center's partners, offering them information of interest. It will also facilitate interaction between the partners, which will be conducive to easy sharing of project documentation and much more.

In addition, the website serves as a loudspeaker, informing the public about the activities in which the centre is engaged. It can also be used as a point of reference for people with an interest in these fields.

In order to make this possible, the website boasts an open area accessible to all users, where the following information is available: 

Up-to-date news from the sector.



Schedule of technical events.



Activities at the Ideas Laboratory.



Follow-up reports.



Information about the Center's partners and collaborators.



Information about the European Network of Ecodesign Centres...



...and much more.

Members-only zone The website has a restricted access area, in which the partners and member companies of the Basque Ecodesign Center can share information about the projects that are being carried out under this initiative.

Members, by entering their username, will be able to look up internal documents and exchange information through this private extranet.

Quarterly activity reports In addition, in order to record all activities which are carried out, the Basque Ecodesign Center publishes quarterly monitoring reports, which are available on the centre's website.

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External Communication The Basque Ecodesign Center, with the aim of disseminating and raising awareness of its work to members of society and to all interested parties, has attended numerous congresses, events and presentations throughout 2012. Meanwhile, the Basque Ecodesign Center has also attended conferences with a view to enhancing its knowledge of cutting-edge aspects of eco-innovation.

The Basque Ecodesign Center attended, and participated in, the following events in 2012: CONGRESSES, EVENTS AND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES IN 2012 Presentation of the Basque Ecodesign Center, together with Gamesa, before "The Climate Group" international network

15th March

Vitoria (Gasteiz)

Vicinay Cadenas participates in the First EPD System Congress

15th May

Stockholm (Sweden)

Basque Ecodesign Center Meeting - CPM Life Cycle Assessment Centre Sweden and its partner firms

16th May

Gothenburg (Sweden)

Fagor and Ihobe take part in a conference about the Ecodesign Directive

11th June

Madrid

Attendance at the "Electronics Goes Green 2012+" (electrical/electronics sector)

9th —12th of September

Berlín (Germany)

Attendance at the "2nd ITU Green Standard Week" (telecommunications sector)

17th—21th of September

París (France)

Participation in the IZAITE "Carbon Footprint and competitiveness" conference

7th November

Bilbao

Participation in the "10th Waste Prevention Conference", organised by the Catalan Waste Agency

22nd November

Barcelona

The Basque Ecodesign Center had an important presence at CONAMA 2012 National Environment Congress

26th—30th of November

Madrid

28th November

Mechelen (Belgium)

3rd— 5th December

Doha (Qatar)

4th December

Madrid

Launch of the European Network of Ecodesign Centres Attendance at the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP 18 Vicinay Cadenas and the Basque Ecodesign Center attend a conference about LifeCycle Assessment

Presentation before “The Climate Group” international network 15th March 2012 — Vitoria-Gasteiz In celebration of Vitoria-Gasteiz's status as "Green Capital", Gamesa and Ihobe, the latter acting as the Technical Secretariat to the Basque Ecodesign Center, took part in an international meeting in Vitoria-Gasteiz. The event was organised by The Climate Group in preparation for the Rio+20 UN summit.

At this meeting, which gave The Climate Group delegation and representatives from Basque organisations and businesses the opportunity to debate, present their experiences,and search for collaborations, Gamesa took the opportunity to discuss its experience in working with ecodesign. basque ecodesign center

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The presentation included their experience of implementing the management system according to the UNEEN ISO 14006:2011 standard. The G10X-4.5 MW aerogenerator, designed in compliance with this standard, is able to supply electricity to 3,169 homes per year while avoiding the emission of 6,750 tonnes of CO2 per year into the atmosphere .

Vicinay Cadenas participates in the First EPD System Congress 15th May 2012 — Stockholm (Sweden)

Vicinay Cadenas travelled to Sweden for the First EPD System Conference, at which they shared their successful experiences in preparing EPD eco-labels for the products they sell: chains aimed at the offshore oil and gas industry.

Organised by Environdec, the most prestigious Environmental Product Declaration certification body in the world, some 80 EPD-promoting firms and entities from various countries across Europe met at this conference, which took place in Stockholm on 15th May 2012.

Vicinay Cadenas was invited to participate as a speaker at this event due to the firm's work in recent years with regards promoting EPD eco-labelling. Indeed, Vicinay Cadenas was the first firm in the ship and oil industry in the world to publish an Environmental Declaration (EPD).

Vicinay Cadenas currently possesses 6 Environmental Product Delcarations.

The Vicinay Cadenas team attends the EPD System Conference in Stockholm (Sweden)

Fagor and Ihobe participate in a conference about the Ecodesign Directive 11th June 2012 - Madrid

On 11th June, Fagor, a member of the Basque Ecodesign Center, attended an information day in Madrid that focused on the current ecodesign directive. They were joined by Ihobe, Ecodes and CoolProducts. At the conference, which was entitled "Ecodesign Directive and energy eco-labelling: analysis of the present and proposals for the future", the European directive was placed under the microscope. This directive currently affects energyFagor was present at the Ecodesign Directive conference related products, from different perspectives: the which took place in Madrid government's perspective, represented by the Ministry of Energy, Industry and Tourism, and the Public Environmental Management Company Ihobe; the business perspective, represented by Fagor, and the perspective of the end consumers.

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10th Workshop on waste prevention 22nd November 2012 — Barcelona On 22nd November, the Basque Ecodesign Center was invited to participate in the “10th Workshop on Waste Prevention”, organised by the Catalan Waste Agency and the Catalan Generalitat’s Department of Territory and Sustainability. The event took place at the Agbar Tower in Barcelona. The Center participated in a panel discussion together with representatives from Mercadona and INDITEX in order to consider the social responsibility of firms in ecodesign and the prevention of waste generation. At the conference, the important work carried out in the Basque Country in the promoting and disseminating ecodesign, as well as incorporating it into the industrial fabric, was recognised.

The Catalan Waste Agency, as the body in charge of waste both produced and managed in Catalonia, has staged the Workshop on Municipal Waste Prevention every year since 2003. This workshop has served as the leading communication and experience-exchange tool in the area of waste prevention in Catalonia.

Attendance at “Electronics Goes Green 2012+” and the “2nd ITU Green Standard Week” September 2012 — Berlin (Germany) and Paris (France) Last year, the Basque Ecodesign Center attended the “Electronics Goes Green 2012+” Conference and the “2nd ITU Green Standard Week”. The Center attended these events in order to identify good practices, initiatives and partners for projects which could be of interest to its member firms.

The biannual "Electronics Goes Green 2012+" Conference, organised by the prestigious Fraunhofer IZM Institute in Germany, features presentations and debates centring on the major environmental advances in the electronics sector.

At the “2nd ITU Green Standard Week”, organised by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the primary item on the agenda was the presentation of the environmental standards for the telecommunications sector, which have been drawn up by the ITU itself. Additional projects of interest were also presented, such as the "Guidance on green ICT procurement" and the "Toolkit on environmental sustainability for the ICT sector" publications.

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Presentation at the IZAITE “Carbon footprint and competitiveness” conference 7th November 2012 — Bilbao

On 7th November, IZAITE (Association of Basque Companies for Sustainability) held the “Carbon Footprint and Competitiveness” conference at Bilbao's Palacio Euskalduna. José María Fernández, Technical Coordinator of the Basque Ecodesign Center took part in this conference, delivering a presentation entitled “ecodesign and climate change, keys for competitiveness". He also discussed the Basque Ecodesign Center's project and the range of activities in which it engages.

Euskaltel, Fagor, Gamesa, Ormazabal, Iberdrola, Ihobe and Vicinay Cadenas, founding members of the Basque Ecodesign Center, are also members of the IZAITE Association.

The Basque Ecodesign Center had an important presence at CONAMA 2012 26th-30th November 2012 — Madrid The 11th National Environment Congress CONAMA 2012 took place in Madrid between 26th and 30th November. It is an important event in the field of sustainable development and takes place every two years, bringing together firms and organisations that are firmly committed to protecting the environment. The Basque Ecodesign Center was present at the event, erecting an ecodesigned stand in the exhibition area and taking part in the ecodesign forums which were held as part of this professional gathering.

The Basque Ecodesign Center stand took into account ecodesign and eco-efficiency criteria such as: the reduction of materials, re-use, the life cycle of components, and the optimisation of energy consumption.

These criteria were considered both at the stand's manufacturing phase and throughout its useful life.

At the conclusion of the congress, the CONAMA Foundation published a list of the 12 most interesting projects. One of the projects selected was the Basque Country's Basque Ecodesign Center initiative. This was a most impressive achievement considering that almost 150 activities were carried out over the course of the five days of the conference, with more than 800 speakers taking part.

 Picture of the Basque Ecodesign Center stand at CONAMA 2012

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Official presentation of the European Network of Ecodesign Centres -ENEC 28th November 2012 — Mechelen (Belgium)

On 28th November, the European Network of Ecodesign Centres (ENEC) was officially unveiled in Mechelen (Flanders, Belgium), home to the headquarters of the OVAM Agency, which is one of the network's member agencies. The centres which already belonged to the ENEC Network – Ecodesign Center (Wales, United Kingdom), the Pôle de Eco-conception from the Rhône Alpes region in France, the OVAM Public Waste Agency of Flanders (Holland) and the Basque Government’s Environmental Management Company Ihobe – were joined shortly before the launch by the Effizienz Agentur NRW (Germany).

The official presentation was inaugurated by Michael Bennett from the EU Directorates-General of Enterprise and Industry and of the Environment.

Vicinay Cadenas and the Basque Ecodesign Center attend a Life-Cycle Assessment Conference 4th December 2012 — Madrid

On 4th December, Vicinay Cadenas and the Basque Ecodesign Center took part in a conference about “Communication and Improvement of the Environmental Value of Products and Firms through Life-Cycle Assessment”, held by the Community of Madrid’s Economy, Trade and Consumer Affairs Department.

This conference, which contained a strong Basque presence, featured participation by David Hernández, Head of Integrated Management Systems at Vicinay Cadenas, and Gorane Ibarra, Project Manager at the Basque Ecodesign Center.

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Media coverage The various activities carried out by the Basque Ecodesign Center throughout 2012, as well as the projects undertaken within its member firms, have attracted significant media interest. The efforts in communicating and disseminating the centre’s activities create added value in terms of image for the participating companies and all associated organisations.

The activities have been reported in a large number of publications, including 20 Minutos, ABC, Diario Vasco, Estrategia Empresarial, Europapress, Expansión, Gente Digital, El País, El Mundo, Qué Nervión, La Vanguardia, La Información, Qué; on websites such as Ecoticias and Construible; in the magazine Eroski Consumer; and in the EITB programme “Forum”. The Basque Ecodesign Center's most lauded achievements have been the official presentation of the initiative, the center's participation at CONAMA 2012, the inauguration of the Ideas Laboratory, and the ecodesign project in Ordizia (Gipuzkoa).

 Some of the items in relation to the Basque Ecodesign Center's activities which have appeared in the media and online

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ď‚­ Some of the items in relation to the Basque Ecodesign Center's activities which have appeared in the media and online

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9. Networks and alliances Alliances and networks play an important role in the Basque Ecodesign Center's activities. This work began in 2012, with the formation of the European Network of Ecodesign Centres, drawing on the support of two key alliances and the active participation of Ihobe.

The key characteristics of these alliances are detailed below.

CPM, Life Cycle Assessment Centre in Sweden This is one of the leading centres in Europe in the field of Life-Cycle Assessments, and is attached to the Chalmers University in Gothenburg (Sweden). Its members include important firms such as ABB, Akzo Nobel, SCA Hygiene and Volvo Group.

The Basque Ecodesign Center enjoyed tremendous support from the CPM in 2011-2012, which has helped it to define its objectives and to launch its wide-ranging initiatives. With all objectives successfully met, this alliance was discontinued at the end of 2012.

Bilbao Technical School of Engineering (UPV-EHU) This is the leading educational centre in the Basque Country in the field of industrial engineering. Its specialties are wide-ranging, spanning materials engineering, mechanical engineering, telecommunications engineering, chemical engineering, and even industrial design and project management engineering.

Many of their students take up careers in the major production sectors in the Basque Country, where they are often employed as product or manufacturing managers. The university houses the Ecodesign Classroom, a collaborative project between the university and public companies Ihobe and Beaz Bizkaia (Department of Economic Promotion of Bizkaia Provincial Council).

ENEC, European Network of Ecodesign Centres Formed in 2012, the network is made up of the Ecodesign Center (Wales, United Kingdom), the Pôle de Eco-conception from the French region of Rhône Alpes, the OVAM Public Waste Agency of Flanders (Belgium), the Effizienz Agentur NRW (Germany), and the Basque Government’s Environmental Management Company Ihobe.

These five founding organisations, all of which are public bodies, boast impressive records in promoting the ecodesign of products and services in their respective regions, through the introduction of bespoke ecodesign programmes. The network has finally come to fruition after a year of meetings and debate among the members and the Directorates-General of Enterprise and Industry and of the Environment.

This Ihobe-driven network is of critical importance to the Basque Ecodesign Center, as it enables it to establish direct and constant contact with the main drivers of ecodesign in Europe. The Basque Ecodesign Center is also able to draw on this fountain of knowledge and to use it as a forum for exchanging information and best practices. The knowledge acquired by the centre in this way will in turn benefit the ecodesign projects carried out by its member firms, in addition to enhancing their sector-specific knowledge.

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10.

Annual activity report 2012

Activity Indicators

The formulation and execution of the Basque Ecodesign Center's 2012 Management Plan has made it possible to carry out comprehensive projects, of both an individual and collaborative nature. It has also facilitated the setting of a communication strategy that matches the center's needs, as well as the launch of new business model initiatives such as the “Ideas Laboratory”.

Here are some key figures for the center's first year in operation: Member firms: 7 Projects undertaken: 

8 individual projects



1 collaborative project



3 procedural projects



3 European projects

Number of suppliers engaged: 

9 suppliers to member firms



37 SMEs in ecodesign services



110 SMEs in ecodesign in the "Basque Industry Eco-Efficiency Programme"

Training activities aimed at the Basque Ecodesign Center's technical team: 

11 internal training events



45 attendees at these events

Technical support from the Technical Secretariat (Ihobe): 

Internal team: 5 Ihobe technicians



Ideas Laboratory Team: 7 researchers



Consultant team: 10 experts from different industrial disciplines and sectors

Communication: 

Media coverage: 17



Nº of attendances by the Basque Ecodesign Center at conferences: 7

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