Final Report Summary - EPIC-ICT (Development of environmental performance indicators for information and communication technology products on the example of personal computers)
The ultimate aim of the EPIC-ICT project was to develop environmental performance indicators for information and communication technology products on the example of personal computers. The method proposed consists of a thorough environmental analysis of a specific product group, the properties of which need to be considered in the design of a number of products belonging to the same product group.
The approach that had been adopted in order to improve the environmental impact of products includes the following four steps:
1) product definition phase;
2) Life cycle assessment (LCA) study;
3) environmental interpretation;
4) eco-design parameter indicators.
The project succeeded in defining environmental performance indicators which allow to work on the eco-design of a group of products without the need to study every single product. Furthermore, the implementation of the EPIC-ICT method enables optimisation to take place on product level; for example the identification of sub-assemblies and components of the product as well as its LCA. The EPIC-ICT method provides a systematic and flexible approach to addressing a number of environmental issues with regard to the constraints of producers.
The approach that had been adopted in order to improve the environmental impact of products includes the following four steps:
1) product definition phase;
2) Life cycle assessment (LCA) study;
3) environmental interpretation;
4) eco-design parameter indicators.
The project succeeded in defining environmental performance indicators which allow to work on the eco-design of a group of products without the need to study every single product. Furthermore, the implementation of the EPIC-ICT method enables optimisation to take place on product level; for example the identification of sub-assemblies and components of the product as well as its LCA. The EPIC-ICT method provides a systematic and flexible approach to addressing a number of environmental issues with regard to the constraints of producers.
