WEB site and DBs for the adoption of IPP by SMEs

1. WEB site and DBs for the adoption of IPP by SMEs

2. Integrated Product Policy (IPP):the new European policy for the environmental product management • The Integrated Product Policy is an integrated approach toenvironmental policies which seeks to improve environmental performances of products and services in a life cycle perspective. • IPP ambitions are: • to reduce products environmental impacts for its origin by considering the environmental impacts all along the Life Cycle of the Product, from cradle to grave and by co-operating with all the stakeholders of the Product Supply Chain • to foster the growth of green products and services markets by providing coherency with existing environmental requirements : • Environmental Product Declaration • Ecolabels • Green purchasing • Ecotaxes • Subsidies • Education

3. Knowledge and specialised tools Low cost solutions IPP Innovation& gradualapproach Needs of SMEs to satisfy The sectors studies performed by the preparatory action during the years 2001-2002 on 150 SMEs in 5 European countries revealed fundamental needs for the implantation of IPP within the organizations: • Environmental improvementsshould be introduced withinnovation aspects through an integrated and gradual approach, at a low cost solution • SMEs needadapted knowledge, training and procedural toolsto choose the most suitable solution • LCA data have to beavailable, pre-elaboratedand provided with customised services

4. Characteristics of the eLCA project • Makes part of the “e-Content” program of theEuropean Commission • Cross-sectorial projectthat involves SMEs, Public Information about IPP and Information & Communication Technologies • Its operative and final goal is the realization of amultilingual web portalin order to help the SMEs in the implantation of the IPP • Technical and economical testing of the web portalfor 1 year in 2 sectorsin order to improve it and create an entrepreneurial structure for its exploitationafter the funding period eLCA IPP PYMES ICT

5. eLCA Multilingual web portal Co-operation projects Public and commercial agreements Main Goals of the project The main ambition of the eLCA project is tocontribute to the implantation of the IPP in the SMESby: • developing amultilingual webportalwhere SMEs will find all the elements to think about and start IPP • creating co-operation projectsbetween all the stakeholders involved in the Product Supply Chain of various industrial sectors (public bodies, business associations, firms, service providers,…) • combining public fundingin order to provide free access to dataand commercial agreements with experienced SMEs service providersin order to foster a market of on-line and off-line green services

6. Services and content of the future portal (1/3) Five service’s classes, continuously upgraded and adapted to national or local characteristics: • General Information • Training packages • On-line support and consulting services • LCA databases • Specialised IPP softwares

7. Services and content of the future portal (2/3) • General support information to provide all the necessary information about IPP : • IPP and SMEs • Analysis & Design Methods (LCA, ecodesign, benchmarking) • Market tools (ecolabel, EPD, ecotaxes) • Environmental Management Systems (EMAS, ISO14000, e. reporting) • Supportive Instruments (incentives, standards & regulations) • Databases of downloadable documents, bibliography and events • Training packages to diffuse the IPP knowledge within the organization : • On-line packages for self-training introductory courses • Downloadable materials for off-line training such as presentations, evaluation tests, … • General services to provide alternatives and accompaniment services : • Self assessment system for “non expert” users to suggest different paths in the portal • Access to on and off-line consultancy • “Ecoproducts Showroom”

8. Services and content of the future portal (3/3) • General and specialised LCA Databases and Guidelines to identify and make available the relevant data • General Life Cycle Inventories databases • Specific databases and meta databases for six industrial sectors with economical and environmental relevance: hotels, wood/furniture, metal products, construction, electronics and electrical equipment, textile products. • Guidelines and case studies of best practices. • Specialised IPP softwares to choose the most suitable solutions: • Simplified LCA methodology, with related software tool and databases(eVerdEE) • Ecodesign software integrated with QFD parameters, to support the designer in the first phase of product development • Information system to integrate different software used by SMEs to managerelevant environmental data

9. Dr. Sergio OliveroConsielvia val Formazza, 1020157 MilanoItalyTel +39 02 332081Mobile +39 335 781 78 64E-mail: soliver@tin.it Web site: www.allaxia.com

10. Expected results:WEB site structure TOOLS COUNTRY TRAINING INFORMATION LANGUAGE ECO PRODUCTS SHOW ROOM

11. Main Activities • Managerial and entrepreneurial activities • Awareness, dissemination • Technical activities • Development of a market of “green services” • Exploitation of test phase and Partners agreement • Awareness,dissemination and further development Plan Main goals • WEB site Implementation and testing • Collection, scientific review, final version of contents (including country and lingual adaptation) • Sector analyses (6 sectors) to produce sector specialised DBs, guidelines, etc. • General DBs • Specialised IPP software tools for SMEs (review of eVerdEE methodology and development of QFD-Ecodesign and Information System) • Testing of web site Management of test phase and after Creation of a WEB site management team Monitoring of business model Promotion of accompanying measures Marketing Awareness (Coordination committees, Conference, etc.) HW/ SW Design, implementation, review  Main activities

12. COLLABORATION WITH THE PROJECTPrinciple of participative structure Through this EC funded research project, we expect to create a stable and durablenetworkof: • actors(experts, SMEs, public bodies, services providers, ...) • know-how(knowledge and tools) • opportunities(supply and demand of green services for the product improvement) To achieve this, we have adopted a participative organization structure where local actors may have a specific role.

13. eLCA Consortium National Public Authorities Local public/ private bodies: associations, investigation centers, consulting firms, ... COLLABORATION WITH THE PROJECT:Possibilities of collaboration with external actors • Organisationof anetwork of excellence • Creation of an Integrated Project Structure • Promotionof the application of results • Development of new related projectswith new partners • Accompanying measuresfor sectorial projects, pilot initiatives and training seminars • Synergieswith national or sectorial programs • Adaptation of international contentsfor local conditions • Integration of local public contentsin the portal • Sponsorshipof the portal and of awareness events about IPP • Constitution of or participation inSectors Panels for the specification of LCA data • Development or sponsorship of guidelines of best practices • Supply of on/off-line green services through the portal • Organization ofawareness or/and training seminars

14. COLLABORATION WITH THE PROJECTKey success factors of the project • Creation of anetwork of excellence: • Involvement oftwo governmentsand ofkey expertsin Europe • Synergieswith other European and international projects • Integrated project structure, with strong efforts on management and coordination of the tasks between the countries • Continuous analyse of the opportunities and barriers of the IPP market : • Economical and technical viability study realised in en 2000-2002 (preparatory action) • Market studies periodically upgraded, benchmarking of web-based innovative services, case studies in all the partners countries, ... • Proximity and adaptation of the proposed services: • “Think global and act local” • Creation of a communication and promotion platform • Qualitative and free public information yet available in order to achieve a relevant traffic level