Designing Sustainable Composites: How to Get There and Why it Matters

Typically, sustainability aspects of design are not inclu ded in concept optimisation, and instead an assumption is made that increased durability is always good. However, if an increase in durability comes at a cost of increased processing and material use, then the overall effect on lifecycle cost and ecological impact may be neutral, or even negative. This talk explores situations where this may be the case, and discusses possible approaches to effectively balancing durability with sustainability and cost in design.