Environmental impact estimation method and apparatus

Abstract

An environmental impact estimation method comprising storing information related to reuse and recycle objects in a memory unit, performing life cycle modeling to make a life cycle model, the life cycle modeling including reading information related to the reuse and recycle objects, selecting some of the reuse and recycle objects which can be diverted to a new product, and combining the reuse and recycle objects selected together to assemble new product, predicting, as a superposition of two or more arbitrary shapes, recovery distribution of products by the life cycle modeling to predict a recovery quantity of the reuse and recycle objected, using the life cycle model, determining the arbitrary shapes as a peak of the product worth life or product useful life, and evaluating an environmental impact and a cost to bear in reuse or recycle based on prediction result.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-401856, filed Dec. 28, 2001, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for aiding planning, development, design, and estimation of an environmentally conscious product. In particular, the present invention relates to a plan aiding method and apparatus for carrying out environmental impact estimation and cost estimation effective in planning multi-generation products. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] With the development of trade and industry, due to the greenhouse effect caused by increasing exhaust gases, there have been a variety of problems such as global warming, destruction of nature caused by the tremendous amount of waste and environmental pollution ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0026] According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an environmental impact estimation method comprising: storing information related to reuse objects and recycle objects in a memory unit; performing life cycle modeling to make a life cycle model, the life cycle modeling including reading the information related to the reuse objects and the recycle objects from the memory unit, selecting some of the reuse objects and the recycle objects which can be diverted to a new product from a recovery product using the information read, and combining the reuse objects and the recycle objects selected together to assemble the new product; predicting, as a superposition of a plurality of arbitrary shapes, recovery distribution of products used as the reuse objects by the life cycle modeling to predict a recovery quantity of the reuse objects and / or the recycle objects, using the life cycle model, at least one of the arbitrary shapes having a peak corresponding to a product worth life or a product useful life; and evaluating an environmental impact and a cost involved in reuse or recycle based on prediction result obtained by the predicting.

Problems solved by technology

With the development of trade and industry, due to the greenhouse effect caused by increasing exhaust gases, there have been a variety of problems such as global warming, destruction of nature caused by the tremendous amount of waste and environmental pollution caused by toxic substances.

In considering the environmental impact of industry, it is insufficient to focus just on the manufacture of products and process up to the shipment of the manufactured article.

However, the conventional LCA technique averages and calculates the environmental impact of a single product.

Conversely, if an excessive amount of reuse parts are supplied, they must be discarded.

However, in conventional technology, conditions for reusing parts or material recycling have been met on the assumption that the supply quantity and necessary quantity of parts are balanced, thus it was impossible to precisely estimate environmental impact or the entire cost of multi-generation products.

That is, as long as products are manufactured as company activity, the manufacturing cost cannot be ignored.

However, the conventional technique originally assumes that the supply quantity of reuse parts and the necessary quantity of the parts are well balanced, and thus, realistic estimation cannot be performed.

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