Chapter 31
Development of a Method for Measuring
Resource Efficiency for Product Lifecycle
Gaku Miyake, Naoya Miyaji, Akio Tajima, Mitsutaka Matsumoto,
and Keijiro Masui
Abstract In recent years, increasing the efficient use of material resources by
circulating them (through reuse, refurbishment, remanufacturing, and recycling)
has become an important global goal. However, quantitative methods of measuring
resource efficiency during the product life cycle have not previously been established.
In this study, we built a framework for a measurement method with two features. The
first feature concerns the change in a product’s value due to the reuse, refurbishing,
and remanufacturing of products. The second feature is the difference in environmental impact based on the type of material used. As a case study, we formulated
five scenarios for refrigerated showcases. In our presentation, we review existing
methods for measuring the resource efficiency of products and present our proposed
method. Then, we introduce the refrigerated showcase product business of Panasonic
Corporation. Next, we describe the baseline and four alternative scenarios developed
for our analysis, and we present the results as calculated using different methods.
Finally, we discuss the effectiveness of the various measurement methods.
Keywords Resource efficiency · Lifecycle assessment · TMR · EDIP
31.1 Introduction
In recent years, shortages of material resources have been worsening due to population growth and worldwide modernization. Therefore, to end humanity’s widespread
reliance on a single-use economy that consumes and discards resources, developing
a “circular economy” pervaded by reuse and recycling practices has been a subject
of considerable investigation, especially in Europe.
G. Miyake (B) · N. Miyaji
Panasonic Corporation, Osaka, Japan
e-mail: miyake.gaku@jp.panasonic.com
A. Tajima
Panasonic Environmental Technology Solutions Co., Ltd, Osaka, Japan
M. Matsumoto · K. Masui
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Japan
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
Y. Kishita et al. (eds.), EcoDesign and Sustainability II, Sustainable Production, Life
Cycle Engineering and Management, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-6775-9_31
469
Development of a Method for Measuring
Resource Efficiency for Product Lifecycle
Gaku Miyake, Naoya Miyaji, Akio Tajima, Mitsutaka Matsumoto,
and Keijiro Masui
Abstract In recent years, increasing the efficient use of material resources by
circulating them (through reuse, refurbishment, remanufacturing, and recycling)
has become an important global goal. However, quantitative methods of measuring
resource efficiency during the product life cycle have not previously been established.
In this study, we built a framework for a measurement method with two features. The
first feature concerns the change in a product’s value due to the reuse, refurbishing,
and remanufacturing of products. The second feature is the difference in environmental impact based on the type of material used. As a case study, we formulated
five scenarios for refrigerated showcases. In our presentation, we review existing
methods for measuring the resource efficiency of products and present our proposed
method. Then, we introduce the refrigerated showcase product business of Panasonic
Corporation. Next, we describe the baseline and four alternative scenarios developed
for our analysis, and we present the results as calculated using different methods.
Finally, we discuss the effectiveness of the various measurement methods.
Keywords Resource efficiency · Lifecycle assessment · TMR · EDIP
31.1 Introduction
In recent years, shortages of material resources have been worsening due to population growth and worldwide modernization. Therefore, to end humanity’s widespread
reliance on a single-use economy that consumes and discards resources, developing
a “circular economy” pervaded by reuse and recycling practices has been a subject
of considerable investigation, especially in Europe.
G. Miyake (B) · N. Miyaji
Panasonic Corporation, Osaka, Japan
e-mail: miyake.gaku@jp.panasonic.com
A. Tajima
Panasonic Environmental Technology Solutions Co., Ltd, Osaka, Japan
M. Matsumoto · K. Masui
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Tsukuba, Japan
© Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2021
Y. Kishita et al. (eds.), EcoDesign and Sustainability II, Sustainable Production, Life
Cycle Engineering and Management, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-6775-9_31
469