Collaborative process between functional analysis and life cycle assessment: integrating environmental considerations into early stages of design process

Abstract : Is in the early stages of design process where decisions can have most influence on the definition of product environmental performance. Nevertheless, is difficult to integrate environmental considerations into a phase where designers have a reduced knowledge about the product. In fact, functional requirements present in conceptual phase are qualitatively subjective to allow the prediction of environmental impacts in the future product. Anyway, some authors suggest that establishing environmental performance in a functional structure can influence a more effective eco-design practice for products. This paper present the construction of a collaborative process where functional analysis will be related with environmental considerations with the aim to help designer to propose products that have less environmental impact from the early stages. The chosen methods to carry out this proposal are Functional Analysis, based in Value Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment method.