Sustainable and accessible design

Explain what ecodesign is and mention two specific design decisions that make a product more sustainable.

The figure orders the "three Rs" of sustainability according to priority, but one of them is missing. State which one it is, reason why it occupies that position in the hierarchy, and give an example of each applied to your school supplies.

Explain the difference between reusing and recycling using a glass jar as an example: describe one action of each type using that same jar.

Explain what the "water footprint" of a product is, using a cotton T-shirt as an example, and what purchasing and usage decisions reduce it.

A juice is advertised as "eco-friendly" but its packaging is a multi-layer carton (cardboard, plastic and aluminium joined together) that very few recycling plants can process. Analyse which ecodesign criteria it meets and which it does not, and propose a reasoned redesign for the packaging.

A school canteen is undecided between compostable disposable tableware and reusable tableware with a commercial dishwasher. Evaluate both options regarding water, energy, waste and annual cost, and defend a decision with reasoned arguments.

What does it mean for a product to be "repairable"? Name three design features that make this possible (screws instead of glue, available spare parts, disassembly manual).

Explain what the "right to repair" is and mention two practices by some manufacturers that make it difficult (glued-in batteries, parts that are not sold, special screws).

To counter the statement "sustainable is always more expensive" using technical and quantitative arguments, analyze this case: a school is considering replacing 20 60 W incandescent light bulbs in a classroom (cost: 1,20 €/unit; lifespan: 1000 h) with equivalent 9 W LED models (cost: 4,50 €/unit; lifespan: 15 000 h). The lighting operates for 1000 h per year, and the price of electricity is 0,20 €/kWh.

1. a) Calculate the total cumulative cost of each option after 3 years (including initial purchase, necessary end-of-life replacements, and electricity consumption).
2. b) Determine after how many hours of use the LED investment pays off and justify, using your data, the difference between short-term purchase cost and life-cycle cost.

Explain what it means for a product to be accessible and give an example of an everyday object that is well designed for people with reduced mobility.

Give an example of universal design present in your school (automatic door, ramp, pictograms, visual as well as audible signal) and explain who benefits from it, in addition to its main target audience.

A park bench must be comfortable and safe for elderly people. Define three specific design requirements (seat height, backrest, armrests to help stand up) and justify each one.

A product is advertised as "green" mainly because its packaging is green and features drawings of leaves. Explain what greenwashing is and write three specific questions you would ask the manufacturer to check the real sustainability of the product.

A company markets wireless headphones with a thermally glued plastic casing (screwless), a sealed non-replaceable lithium battery, and non-removable ear pads. When the battery degrades after 2 years, users typically throw them into the residual waste bin.

1. a) Analyze why this product is an example of the linear economic model and identify two specific technical barriers that prevent recycling or reusing it at the end of its life.
2. b) Redesign the product and its life cycle according to the circular economy: detail what changes you would apply to the physical design (materials and joints) and propose an alternative business model (such as a deposit-refund system or leasing/pay-per-use) that ensures materials do not end up in landfills.

Assess the phrase "the most sustainable product is the one that is not made". Apply it to three real alternatives to consumption (repairing, sharing, renting) and discuss in which cases these alternatives fail or are not worth it.