Green Design Without Compromise
Most people agree that a sustainable, more environmentally friendly economy is desirable. At the very least, it would not hurt the planet if corporate environmental impact were minimized. But wouldn’t such a policy challenge our way of life? Is an environmentally friendly economy affordable without compromising production costs or product performance? For example:
- Is it possible to design a carbon-free, nontraditional automotive powertrain that does not require massive investment and a century of research?
- Can enough power be generated to meet increased electricity requirements without generating greenhouse effect gas from fossil fuels?
- Is there potential for everyone around the world to benefit from consumer products — and the processes that go into developing them — currently available in industrialized countries?
If so, then something needs to change. If the world is not ready to compromise product price and performance, then we must revolutionize the way we design products. We need greener solutions that do not impact comfort and way of life.
Current product development processes include physical prototyping, which is much too slow and should be reserved for final validation. Virtual innovation accelerates experimentation by at least a factor of 10, making it possible to reinvent our world in a way that will preserve the planet and our comfort.
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Engineering for sustainability includes designing more efficient ways to treat waste, such as studying settling in a wastewater treatment plant. Courtesy MMI Engineeering. |
Engineering simulation has proven its cost effectiveness in developing innovative products. This same technology can be used to design greener products and processes. Pioneering companies are already creating a cleaner and more profitable future by changing their design processes and widely adopting simulation to transform the green challenge into a major business opportunity.
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Engineering simulation can help organizations to meet regulations, such as this study that assessed the impact of fume cupboard discharges. Courtesy BDP Engineering. |
