Software Answers Sustainable Design Questions

June 13, 2008

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Sustainable Minds has released software which it says is the first web-based, early-stage design tool available that defines sustainable design and how companies can make sustainable design work for them, Manufacturing Business Technology reports.

Designed with product designers and engineers, sustainability managers, product managers, design consultancies, and manufacturing companies in mind, the software uses Okala, an ecological design course, and the first North American Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology to develop users’ sustainability skills and knowledge, the company says.

With Okala, design teams can perform “what-if?” comparisons of existing products or new design concepts based on 10 environmental impact categories, or just global warming impacts, measured in CO2 equivalents.

The subscription-based service includes access to best strategies and regulatory updates from industry experts, along with assessment-based case studies and benchmarks, the company says.

Les Mandelbaum, co-founder and president of Umbra, recently discussed sustainability from the floor of the International Contemporary Furniture Show.

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