Ergebnisse von TA - Projekten - Neue TA-Projekte

by Lydia Sterrenberg*, Harriet Böttcher**, Sybren de Hoo***

1. Introduction

Recently, an updated English manual for Ecodesign, environmental product design, has been published (see 'TA relevante Bücher und Tagungsberichte'). This is a 'late born child' from the so called PROMISE project from the Rathenau Institute, that is performed in co-operation with several other organizations. The leading question of this problem-oriented TA-project was: How can businesses be encouraged to undertake environmental product development? Three years after the Rathenau-project was finished, we see several follow-up activities. On the occasion of the appearance of the english manual, we give a short retrospective of the project and main conclusions, pay attention to some policy follow-up activities and finally identify some factors, that may have made the project a successfull catalyser in the, ongoing, process of implementation of ecodesign.

2. The PROMISE-project

In 1993 the Netherlands Rathenau Institute, which advises the Dutch parliament, started the so called PROMISE-project. PROMISE stands for 'product development with the environment as innovation strategy'. The objective of the project was to 1) to continue and bring consistency in several primordial ecodesign inititatives, 2) to develop an ecodesign strategy and instrument, applicable by companies and 3) to formulate policy options, with the intention of promoting environmental product development in business.

The PROMISE project was part of the 'sustainable development' subprogramme of the Rathenau Institute. Starting point of the project was the conviction that it would be possible to formulate environmental strategies that not only benefit the environment, but also lead to innovation and economic benefits. This conviction was, among others, based on experiences with improvements, from an environmental perspective, of production processes within industry.

The PROMISE-project encompassed several sub-projects:

1. Eight pilot-studies of environmental product development in eight companies, which were willing to participate. The pilots had to give information about chances for product design, strategies, possible results and obstacles.
2. The development of an ecodesign manual for companies. In this manual existing knowlegde and practical experience was brought together.
3. An overview of the obstacles and possible solutions for environmental product design in businesses, based on observations upon the demonstration studies.
4. A study into existing government policy rules and regulations and into the possibilities of stimulating environmental product development through government policy.
5. A Report to the Parliament from the Rathenau Institute, providing several policy options.

PROMISE was a co-operation project. In total 12 organizations were involved. The demonstration projects were already started at the beginning of the PROMISE project, and were brought into the project through the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs. The manual and two policy studies were realized with the financial support from the Ministry of Environment, Housing and Physical Planning and some smaller semi-governmental institutes. Six different research groups did the 'practical work'. The management of the PROMISE project (the demonstration projects excepted) was at the Rathenau Institute. A group of scientific experts, representatives from industry, government and environmental organizations, served as an advisory group for the Rathenau Institute.

3. Its policy-recommendations

An important conclusion of the project was that environmental product design does not require radical interference with company operations. It comes down to including environmental concern in the requirements and criteria already set down for product development. Also it became evident, that environmental product development is important to business. It can save companies costs, through reduced use of raw materials and energy, and also anticipates stricter environmental legislation in a cost-effective way. Furthermore, it provides innovative 'green' products, which improve the image of the company, the market potential and positioning of the products in relation to (international) competitors. So in fact, environmental product design offers a win-win strategy: benefit for the environment and benefit for the business.

This brings in two questions: will every company by itself start environmental product design and can government sit aside and just wait and see? The answer to those questions is no. Although at the time the Rathenau PROMISE project was executed there were some initiatives for ecodesign, these were mainly taken by large companies. Also they had typically been ad hoc. The PROMISE project listed the reasons for the fact ecodesign did not start on its own: prejudice at the management level of many companies ('environment costs money'), lack of initial necessary time and money (especially a problem in smaller-sized companies), lack of knowlegde, expertise and experience with environmental product design in the companies and sometimes conflicting or at least confusing rules and regulations.

The Rathenau Institute concluded that, if the government would like to promote ecodesign, the work was to stimulate a broader and less ad hoc application by industry of environmental product design. In its report to the Parliament the Rathenau Institute points out that with ecodesign an effective environmental behaviour can be achieved, geared towards the prevention of waste and emissions. Also significant environmental improvements can be accomplished by limiting the use of raw materials and energy and by substituting environmentally-hazardous (raw) materials.

The results of the project led the Rathenau Institute in its Report to the Parliament to six policy- options:

1. Provide assurance on short and long term environmental policy, preferably in the form of integrated environment and energy responsibilities by product group;
2. As a part of a further detailing of environmental business oriented policy, strive towards increasing co-operation between the Ministry of Economic Affairs, the Ministry of Environment, Housing and Physical Planning and executive organisations such as the Innovation Centers (set up to support entrepreneurs with questions concerning innovations), the Environmental Advisory Centre and the National Environmental Centre.
3. Set up a fund for industry to pay producing prevention plans (the fund should be repaid by industry if benefits are made) and expand the subsidies for energy saving and environmental consultancy.
4. Stimulate the exchange of environmental information between companies in a product chain.
5. Set up experimental collaborative projects between companies and research institutions that anticipate international developments if possible. Expecially, at various Innovation Centres an experiment could be started with prevention teams that stimulate companies to adopt environmental product and process development.
6. Enlarge the market opportunities for environment-friendly products.

4. Policy follow-up

The Report to the parliament came in time to be used by the Dutch parliament, when it discussed a note of the Minister of Environment titled Product and Environment. This note set out the government strategy and mentioned some measures. The Rathenau report led to questions to the minister and a request to the minister to investigate if a fund for Ecodesign and prevention plans would be useful (compare option 3). The minister agreed. On the basis of the results of this investigation, it was decided to set up a credit arrangement for companies.

But more has happened since:

• The Ministries of Economic Affairs and of Environment, Housing and Physical Planning agreed to promote the concept and results of Ecodesign/PROMISE and produced information material on Ecodesign (a video, booklet) to make companies acquainted.
• In 1994 the Ministries started an EcoDesign demonstration and stimulation project for small and medium sized companies (compare option 6), co-ordinated and carried out by the Innovation Centres. In a first round 95 firms were advised about their possiblities for environmental product design. In the second round that started last year, 500 companies will be audited.
• On request of the Ministry of Environment, Housing and Physical Planning, and with the financial support of this ministry and of UNEP (United Nations Environmental Programme) in Paris the Dutch Ecodesign Manual has been internationally adjusted and translated into English to make it useable in other countries.
• UNEP in Paris is going to promote Ecodesign as a part of its environmental support in different countries. The Dutch Ministry of Environment, Housing and Physical Planning gave financial support.

5. Reasons for success

Retrospectively, it seems that the PROMISE project has succesfully worked as a catalyst of events. We think it had such an effect because of at least four strong points. The first is the conviction (and efforts!) of the project co-ordinators, researchers and many people from the advisory committee that the Promise project was a relevant initiative and should result in a good final product. Second: it linked existing government-initiatives and realized practical examples in industry. Especially, these demonstration projects made clear what was attainable in practise and what were real obstacles. This made the results convincing both for parliamentarians, government people and people from industry. A third factor is the development of committment with people involved, that grew going the project. Especially worthwile mentioning is that the two ministries initially did not work well together. In the end they were convinced that environment and economics could go together and that co-operation would be more productive and powerfull. And finally, we believe that the production of different products, more or less tailor-made for different target groups (designers and industry versus policy makers and parlementarians), provided a useful base and stimulus for co-operation and follow-up activities.

Summarizing we can say that PROMISE had a good response and has been an succesfull accelerator for Ecodesign policies, follow-up programmes and projects. Apart from timing and high motivation, we think that the co-operation, process and approach (based on demonstration) of this TA-project are import factors for its success. For future TA-projects, these factors are worth to be taken into consideration already in the phase of the project design.

PROMISE publications

Brezet, H & C. van Hemel. Ecodesign : a promising approach to sustainable production and consumption (1997). ISBN 92 807 1631 X. Rathenau Institute, the Hague; Delft University, Delft; UNEP, Paris.

Brezet, H., e.a.. Handleiding voor milieugerichte produktontwikkeling. Ondersteuning van bedrijven bij het opzetten van systematische milieugerichte produktontwikkeling (in Dutch) (1994). ISBN 90 12 0812 2. SDU, The Hague, the Netherlands.

Crul, M.R.M.. Milieugerichte produktontwikkeling in de praktijk (Environmental product development in practise. In Dutch, english summary) (1994). Rathenau Institute, the Hague, the Netherlands.

Cramer, J.M., W.J.V. Vermeulen, M.T.J. Kok. Met beleid naar milieugerichte produktontwikkeling (Policy and environmental product design. In Dutch, english summary) (1994), ISBN 90 346 2902 3. Rathenau Institute, The Hague, the Netherlands.

Riele, H. te, A. Zweers e.a.. Eco-design: acht voorbeelden van milieugerichte produktontwikkeling (Eco-design: eight examples of environmental product design. In Dutch, english summary) (1994). Rathenau Institute, the Hague, the Netherlands.

Video: PROMISE, de winst van milieugerichte produktontwikkeling (PROMISE, environmental product design pays, in Dutch) (VHS, 10 min.). Ministery of Environment, Housing and Physical Planning, the Hague, the Netherlands.

Brochure: De winst van milieugerichte produktontwikkeling (8 pagina's) (Brochure: environmental product design, in Dutch). Ministry of Environment, Housing and Physical Planning, the Hague, the Netherlands.

Milieugerichte ontwikkeling van produkten en processen : rapportage aan het Parlement (Report to the Parliament: environmental product and process design. In Dutch, english summary) (1994), R11, ISBN 90 346 3104 4. Rathenau Institute, the Hague, the Netherlands.

* Programme co-ordinator at the Rathenau Institute

** Previously Rathenau Institute, now consultant and co-ordinator of the Innovation Centre's Project 'EcoDesign for small and medium sized enterprises'

*** Previously leading the PROMISE project at the Rathenau Institute and senior advisor of the United Nations Environment Programme, now deputy head Strategic Sustainable Development at RABO-bank International

Lydia Sterrenberg
Rathenau Institute
Koninginnegracht 56, postbus 85525, 2508 CE Den Haag
Tel.: +31 70 3421542