Within the PLM Green Global Alliance (PGGA), we had an internal kick-off meeting related to the topic of Design for Sustainability. As you might have seen on our website,  Erik Rieger, PLM Evangelist and now working for PTC, took the initiative to start this focus group.

You might know Erik from a previous interview from the PGGA where we discussed TTPSC’s ecoPLM offering based on Windchill: PLM and Sustainability: talking about ecoPLM.

When Erik announced the Design for Sustainability initiative, it was Matthew Sullivan from CIMPA PLM Service who immediately contacted Erik to work together on this initiative.

And again, you might know CIMPA PLM services from our recent interview with them related to regulations and best practices related to sustainability in the aerospace industry (CSRD, LCA, DPP, AI and more):  PLM and Sustainability: talking with CIMPA.

Erik and Matthew decided to participate in an introductory interview, during which they shared their background, passion, and goals related to Design for Sustainability.

Watch the episode here:

 

Why Design for Sustainability?

Design for Sustainability (DfS) is an approach to designing products, services, systems, and experiences that prioritize environmental, social, and economic sustainability throughout their entire lifecycle. It means creating things in a way that reduces negative impacts on the planet and people while still being functional, profitable, and desirable.

In theory, this should be one of the key areas in which our PGGA members can have a common discussion.

As Erik mentions, it is estimated that 80 % of the environmental impact is defined during the design phase. This is a number that has been coming back in several of our PGGA discussions with all the other software vendors.

 

More on Design for Sustainability

Just after the recording, Dave Duncan, head of Sustainability at PTC, published the eBook Product Sustainability for Dummies. An excellent book that brings all aspects of sustainability and products together in an easy-to-digest manner. There is also a chapter on Design for Sustainability in the eBook.

Note: Dave Duncan is a recognized PGGA leader in PLM and Sustainability, as we reported last year.

Read the post here: Leaders in PLM and Sustainability – December 2024

 

A call for action

We hope you watched and enjoyed the interview with Erik and Matthew as an inspiration to become active in this Design for Sustainability discussion group.

The intention is, as mentioned, to share experiences and discuss challenges within the group. It will be a private group where people can discuss openly to avoid any business conflicts. The plan is to start with an initial kick-off Zoom meeting in June the date still to be fixed.

If you are interested in joining this exciting discussion group, please contact Erik Rieger, who will be the focal point for this group. We are looking forward to your contribution, and now is the time to prepare and act.

Join us in the discussion