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Project Summary:

The scoping study aims at helping electrical and electronics goods manufacture and their supply chain to become more sustainable. It addresses the potential use of ICT in designing and developing more environmentally conscious products. This area has not been systematically addressed by previous or current research.

Project Partners:
De Montfort University
Xerox Limited Technical Centre
Industry Council for Electronic Equipment Recycling (ICER)

Need:

Despite world-wide fast technological development in electrical and electronics goods manufacture, sustainability issues have yet to receive more attention. However, the British sector, currently, is not responding quickly enough to produce sustainable products i.e., more energy efficient products as well as meeting consumer expectations.

Solution:

Investigating ICT potentials to address these issues from two perspectives: that of design and production (tools, techniques and product strategies) and that of consumption (new markets, needs and desires). The activities that are currently undertaking are:-

• Benchmark current best practices (strategies, methods, processes, and tools) for innovative sustainable products in the UK electrical/ electronics goods manufacture versus their counter part in USA and other European countries
• Production of a foresight document to the electrical/ electronics goods manufacture and its supply chain about the use of ICT for sustainability
• Identify and assess the range of ICT approaches available to promote novel products and services concepts in the electrical/ electronics goods manufacture
• Study the application of ICT in enhancing the inclusion of social and environmental aspects of sustainability throughout new products and processes development in the electrical/ electronics goods manufacture
• Research on drivers and barriers for applying ICT for sustainable development within the electrical/ electronics goods manufacture
• Disseminate the outcome through the Trade Associations and other channels

Benefits:

The use of ICT capabilities in Designing, developing and manufacturing more environmentally conscious products. The electrical/ electronics goods manufacture and its supply chain are the main recipient of this scoping study. Other industrial related goods such as instrumentations will also benefit from this study.