This thesis investigates the role of the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) and the Digital Product Passport (DPP) as regulatory and design instruments for fostering circular innovation in the furniture industry. The research argues that these tools, rather than being treated as post-design compliance mechanisms, should be integrated into the earliest stages of product development, the Beginning of Life (BoL), to embed sustainability and circularity within design processes. Through a comprehensive analysis of the ESPR framework, DPP pilots, and sector-specific sustainability requirements, the study identifies the current gap between legislative intent and design practice. While the ESPR introduces measurable parameters such as durability, reparability, and disassemblability, designers and companies often lack operational tools to translate these requirements into creative and feasible design strategies. To address this gap, the research develops the Compliance by Design Toolkit, an operational methodology that interprets emerging regulatory requirements into actionable design guidance. The toolkit combines self-assessment, prioritization, and strategy-mapping tools to help designers integrate ESPR and DPP criteria during concept development. Its application is tested through a case study on a furniture product, providing empirical evidence of its usability, adaptability, and capacity to anticipate future standards. The findings demonstrate that regulatory frameworks can serve as catalysts for innovation, transforming constraints into design opportunities. By aligning policy and practice, the proposed toolkit promotes proactive compliance, strengthens interdisciplinary collaboration, and supports the transition of the furniture industry toward a circular, transparent, and resilient model of production.
Questa tesi indaga il ruolo del regolamento sull'ecodesign per i prodotti sostenibili (ESPR) e del passaporto digitale dei prodotti (DPP) come strumenti normativi e di progettazione per promuovere l'innovazione circolare nell'industria del mobile. La ricerca sostiene che questi strumenti, anziché essere considerati meccanismi di conformità post-progettazione, dovrebbero essere integrati nelle primissime fasi dello sviluppo del prodotto, l'inizio del ciclo di vita (BoL), per incorporare la sostenibilità e la circolarità nei processi di progettazione. Attraverso un'analisi completa del quadro normativo ESPR, dei progetti pilota DPP e dei requisiti di sostenibilità specifici del settore, lo studio identifica l'attuale divario tra l'intento legislativo e la pratica progettuale. Sebbene l'ESPR introduca parametri misurabili come la durata, la riparabilità e la smontabilità, i progettisti e le aziende spesso non dispongono degli strumenti operativi per tradurre questi requisiti in strategie di progettazione creative e realizzabili. Per colmare questa lacuna, la ricerca ha sviluppato il Compliance by Design Toolkit, una metodologia operativa che traduce i requisiti normativi emergenti in linee guida di progettazione attuabili. Il toolkit combina strumenti di autovalutazione, definizione delle priorità e mappatura strategica per aiutare i progettisti a integrare i criteri ESPR e DPP durante lo sviluppo del concept. La sua applicazione è stata testata attraverso un caso di studio su un prodotto di arredamento, fornendo prove empiriche della sua usabilità, adattabilità e capacità di anticipare gli standard futuri. I risultati dimostrano che i quadri normativi possono fungere da catalizzatori per l'innovazione, trasformando i vincoli in opportunità di progettazione. Allineando la politica e la pratica, il toolkit proposto promuove la conformità proattiva, rafforza la collaborazione interdisciplinare e sostiene la transizione dell'industria del mobile verso un modello di produzione circolare, trasparente e resiliente.
From rules to tools: can regulations drive change? A repairability-centered approach to developing an ESPR compliance toolkit for furniture design
MONTANINI, EMMA
2024/2025
Abstract
This thesis investigates the role of the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) and the Digital Product Passport (DPP) as regulatory and design instruments for fostering circular innovation in the furniture industry. The research argues that these tools, rather than being treated as post-design compliance mechanisms, should be integrated into the earliest stages of product development, the Beginning of Life (BoL), to embed sustainability and circularity within design processes. Through a comprehensive analysis of the ESPR framework, DPP pilots, and sector-specific sustainability requirements, the study identifies the current gap between legislative intent and design practice. While the ESPR introduces measurable parameters such as durability, reparability, and disassemblability, designers and companies often lack operational tools to translate these requirements into creative and feasible design strategies. To address this gap, the research develops the Compliance by Design Toolkit, an operational methodology that interprets emerging regulatory requirements into actionable design guidance. The toolkit combines self-assessment, prioritization, and strategy-mapping tools to help designers integrate ESPR and DPP criteria during concept development. Its application is tested through a case study on a furniture product, providing empirical evidence of its usability, adaptability, and capacity to anticipate future standards. The findings demonstrate that regulatory frameworks can serve as catalysts for innovation, transforming constraints into design opportunities. By aligning policy and practice, the proposed toolkit promotes proactive compliance, strengthens interdisciplinary collaboration, and supports the transition of the furniture industry toward a circular, transparent, and resilient model of production.| File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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2025_12_Montanini.pdf
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Descrizione: This thesis investigates the role of the Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) and the Digital Product Passport (DPP) as regulatory and design instruments for fostering circular innovation in the furniture industry. The research argues that these tools, rather than being treated as post-design compliance mechanisms, should be integrated into the earliest stages of product development, the Beginning of Life (BoL), to embed sustainability and circularity within design processes. Through a comprehensive analysis of the ESPR framework, DPP pilots, and sector-specific sustainability requirements, the study identifies the current gap between legislative intent and design practice. While the ESPR introduces measurable parameters such as durability, reparability, and disassemblability, designers and companies often lack operational tools to translate these requirements into creative and feasible design strategies. To address this gap, the research develops the Compliance by Design Toolkit, an operational methodology that interprets emerging regulatory requirements into actionable design guidance. The toolkit combines self-assessment, prioritization, and strategy-mapping tools to help designers integrate ESPR and DPP criteria during concept development. Its application is tested through a case study on a furniture product, providing empirical evidence of its usability, adaptability, and capacity to anticipate future standards. The findings demonstrate that regulatory frameworks can serve as catalysts for innovation, transforming constraints into design opportunities. By aligning policy and practice, the proposed toolkit promotes proactive compliance, strengthens interdisciplinary collaboration, and supports the transition of the furniture industry toward a circular, transparent, and resilient model of production
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https://hdl.handle.net/10589/247016