Análisis de la aplicabilidad de métricas de medición de la circularidad en la fase de diseño conceptual de productos

Abstract

In circular design, the products keep the resources in circulation during all life cycle phases as long as possible, without generating waste. The circular design helps to expand the Circular Economy in replacement of the current predominant linear system. Several metrics to assess how circular is a product and methods to assess the circularity improvement potential of a product have been published. Some of these metrics require detailed information of the product and others are based on qualitative evaluations of several circularity criterion between two opposite extreme situations. The conceptual design stage is characterized by creativity and divergency to reach new designs. These designs are not completely defined, but must be analysed in order to select one design alternative to develop between all the proposals generated. This work analyses how some of the existing circular metrics can be applied to measure circularity in the conceptual design stage. For this purpose, some of these metrics and methods are compiled and compared, analysing their complexity level, comparing them and identifying the information about the product needed to use them.