IESE

Sustainable development information and study center of Institute of Energy Systems and Environment is organising the workshop „Ecodesign opportunities for Latvian enterprises". It will tak place on 26th of Januray 2011, in Riga, Kronvalda boulv. 1, main hall. The workshop will start at 10:00 AM.

Ecodesign is systematic process in which environmental cosniderations for the whole life cycle are being made in the product planning proces. Impact mitigation possibilities are being searched for to develop environmentally friendly and cost effective product. The general idea is that environmentally firendly product is more expensibe, but successful ecodesign can subtantially decrease the costs of producer and the user.

Small and medium-sized enterprises often lack resources to involve environmental engineers in product development process and help evaluate potentional environmental performance. This is the reason why expert systems and other tools could be a successful solution to help apply ecodesign.

Within the Institute of Energy Systems and Environment the first ecodesign expert system has been developed which is in Latvian. The main aim is to promote implementation of ecodesign in the enterprises and train environmental spcialists to use ecodesign.

During the workshop it will be possible to acquire more information on ecodesign principles, legislation in Latvia and experience of one enterprise. Participants will get acquainted with the ecodesign expert system, to know basic principles how to use it and the electronic version of the system itself.