Sustainable Minds enables product development teams to rapidly model the environmental performance of new product concepts in the earliest stages of design. Key to this process is to have access to a broad and deep set of current life cycle environmental impact data. Science improves and so does the data. Sustainable Minds’ SaaS delivery means data can continually be updated and new data added so product teams have what they need, when they need it.

1. Introducing the SM2011 Methodology – The science inside our software
2. Custom impact factor creation service
3. Sustainable Minds Private SaaS – for custom and proprietary datasets

New in SM r2.0:

1. Introducing the SM2011 Methodology – The science inside our software

SM2011 is a major new release of SM’s life cycle inventory database and impact assessment methodology.

It uses the most up-to-date science from trusted sources, including the US EPA and NIST, to evaluate the potential ecological and human health impacts from products used in North America. SM2011 evaluates 10 environmental impact categories, including global warming. Documented in an extensive methodology report, SM2011 is transparent, ISO 14044 compliant – formulas & data sources, and industry reviewed.

Features & benefits

• Expanded dataset of impact factors – materials, processes, use stage consumables, transportation, end of life. Significant additions include:

  • More processes for metal work
  • More bio-based materials, such as bamboo and bagasse
  • More end of life impact factors

• Carbon footprint data expressed in kilogram CO₂-equivalents to comply global reporting standards

• SM2011 impact factors are based on:

  • The latest US-EcoInvent 2.0 dataset
  • Reformatted background data from Franklin, USLCI and Idemat datasets to US-Ecoinvent 2.0 data for enhanced consistency
  • The latest updates from the US EPA’s TRACI method, including more characterization factors

• Copy a project to preserve current results using SM2009 (Okala). Copy an existing project to automatically update scores and results using SM2011. ‘Copy project’ also enables easier management of expanded design investigations to create and compare product concepts generated by team or by design direction.
   

2. Custom impact factor creation service

• Easy to request and add needed data. Don’t see the impact factors you need for the product you’re designing? Customers should contact support to evaluate and create for your project.
   

3. Sustainable Minds Private SaaS – for custom and proprietary datasets

As environmental performance drives product innovation and differentiation, manufacturers are developing data specific to their business processes and supply chain. SM will create impact factors from your custom LCI data and provide access to your proprietary dataset through a private and secure server. Contact us to scope and quote.

What’s included:

• Your own server with branded URL – company.sustainableminds.com
• Custom and proprietary impact factors
• Unlimited users
• All Sustainable Minds functionality and software updates

Pricing
Contact us, or call 617 401 2269 for custom impact factor creation and SM Private SaaS solutions.

Recent customers include:

• Crown Equipment – designs, manufactures, distributes, services and supports material handling products
• Georgia Institute of Technology, School of Industrial Design
• Masco – one of the world's largest manufacturers of brand-name consumer products for the home and family
• Spartech – a leading supplier of sustainable plastic sheet, compounding and packaging solution
• Partnership with Eco Innovators, March 2011