Green product design requires a team approach to product development to ensure that each phase of the process - needs analysis, conceptual design, physical and functional attribute trade-offs, materials selection, process planning, production, use and service, marketing, distribution, and final disposition - is considered concurrently. The following steps address both corporate-level and product-level issues:

Develop Business Strategies to Capture Value from Lifecycle Thinking:
Cross-functional teams (including designers, purchasing, EHS, and operations) can explore opportunities to create business value while reducing environmental impacts across the product lifecycle.

Practice Full-Cost Accounting:
Full-cost or total cost accounting aims to improve financial analysis by incorporating the costs of product disposal and environmental impact - data that is often neglected by traditional accounting systems. Thus it helps identify opportunities to reduce waste and develop innovative business models.

Explore Reuse Options for Materials and Products:
"Closed-loop" production allows manufacturers to reuse materials and components in the creation of new original products. "Down-cycling" is possible when materials cannot be reused in the original product but can be reused in other, less refined products. For example, some fabric is reused as sound-deadening material in cars. Closed-loop manufacturing is preferable to down-cycling; its processes eliminate waste and resource use because waste serves as the resource. Companies can reuse materials internally or sell their "waste" to other companies that use it as raw material. Some companies specialize in using reusable materials and can be good partners in extended product responsibility efforts.

Perform Required Analyses During Product Design and Development:
Consider the environmental impacts of the project at every phase. Look at the effects of the manufacturing processes, the product distribution system, the product's intended use and operation, and eventual disposition. For each phase, specifically identify and evaluate the use of resources including energy and water, the creation of waste, effluents and other emissions, and potential effects on the health and safety of workers and users.

Ground rules for Green Product Design:

o Don't simply design products. Design product systems and life cycles and, when practical, design services. Customers want a solution for a certain problem, which may call for a service instead of a product.

o Don't assume that natural materials are always better. Some synthetics may have less impact on the environment than the extraction of a natural resource.

o Don't forget energy consumption. Many design teams focus their attention on material selection without considering the amount of energy needed to produce or process the material.

o Attempt to increase or extend product lifetime. Products that cannot be reused are often not economically or ecologically efficient or effective.

o Use less materials. This may seem obvious, but it is more complex than it appears. Take a critical look at product dimensions, materials strength, and production techniques to ensure that materials are used efficiently.

o Use recycled materials or recovered components. It is not enough to design products that are recyclable; incorporate already recycled material into the design.

Develop Markets for Green-Designed Products:
To attract consumers that support sustainability, many companies advertise their design for environment initiatives. Companies with reuse initiatives may find value in developing incentives and marketing these programs so that consumers will know how to return the products and will be motivated to do so.

Publicize and Celebrate Success:
Get the word out to employees, customers, suppliers and the community and reap the benefits of good public relations and responsible corporate citizenship.

Content summarized from BSR.