The Ecodesign Training Kit is an educational material developed for environmental trainers that organise trainings on ecodesign in companies either within an ecodesign project or as an individual vocational training. 

The Ecodesign Training Kit was developed with concerns of small and medium sized companies in mind. However, it can be used for students of environmental sciences, design experts, environmental trainers or other interested audience as well.

The Ecodesign Training Kit has three main parts:

PART I. Manual on Ecodesign

The first part offers basic theoretical information for practical application of the Ecodesign principles.

This manual on ecodesign describes a simple concept of ecodesign project in a company that can be realised with limited sources and in a relatively short time.

Contents of the Manual on Ecodesign

1 What is ecodesign?:  The chapter describes the basic concept of ecodesign, defines the notion of ecodesign and provides background for the concept development.

2 Why ecodesign?: The chapter explains why the concept of ecodesign deserves to be implemented by production companies and service providers, including the description of its advantages and weak points.

3 Ecodesign project:  The longest chapter of the manual takes the reader step by step through an ecodesign project in a company, providing advice, examples and methodology.

4 Product Service Systems: Ecodesign is an innovative approach that can be interconnected with complex product or service innovation. This chapter explains more about the higher innovation levels.

5 Green Marketing: Ecodesigned products need to be marketed in a specific way. The chapter describes basic principles of Green Marketing.

6 Benchmarking: This is a theoretical chapter on searching comparisons and evaluations of products from the point of view of their environmental properties and impacts.

7 Creative Thinking: Do you want your ecodesign project to be fun and creative exercise for all company people involved? Do you want to find the best solutions for your products? Read the chapter on Creative Thinking.

Further information is contained in Annexes to the Manual on Ecodesign.

PART II. Trainer´s guide to implementing ecodesign

This part provides advice on the preparation of training on Ecodesign for company employees. It also introduces different tools that enable the management of environmental issues in product design. The target group is trainers who will then train the companies on how to implement eco-design and help them with the process.

Trainer´s Guide.pdf

PART III. Ecodesign guides for selected industrial sectors

The following guidelines were developed within the project for specific industrial sectors. The guidelines provide companies from the sectors or sectors related with ideas on how to implement ecodesign and how to deal with specific sector-related issues.

Sectoral_guide_FURNITURE.pdf