Feature Topics

Sustainability

Sustainability is becoming an increasingly important criterion in product and system development. Environmentally friendly manufacturing in global supply chains means adapting technologies, using suitable benchmarks and framework conditions. Durable, reliable products contribute to ensuring that limited resources are used efficiently.  For example, LEDs are a key technology in efficient lighting, but require adjusted cooling concepts to secure long lifetime.  Using microelectronics, resources can be saved in many different areas and it is here that green IT puts its shoulder to the wheel.  When implemented correctly, information technology can make an important contribution to resource efficiency. Autarkic sensor networks improve the productivity of industrial manufacturing processes. In medical engineering, we are developing technologies that directly benefit people. For power electronics, we work on energy-efficient system solutions.
Assessing a technology’s environmental friendliness requires analyzing a product’s lifecycle using suitable methods and parameters. Depending on the task at hand, innovation and technology analyses, green accounting, the product’s carbon footprint and the indicators of resource consumption and toxicity may be employed.  

Sustainability activities at Fraunhofer IZM

LED modules

LEDs are now efficient enough to make a significant contribution to energy savings. The long lifetime also conserves precious resources.

Reliability in the product lifecycle

The concrete application determines which reliability criteria a product must meet.

Environmental assessment for electronic systems

Measures for optimized product design can be derived from lifecycle-based analysis of a product’s environmental effects.

Technologies for green electronics

The specific development of explicitly environmentally friendly technologies includes manufacturing processes for packaging, substrates and material selection.

Environmental legislation (RoHS, WEEE, EuP/ErP)

In preliminary studies for European eco-design guidelines, technical, socio-economic and environmental analyses are carried out for many different product groups.

Projects relating to Sustainability: