CPQ and Sustainability: Support the Transition to Green Alternatives

Sustainability has become a hot topic in recent years, with increasing demand from customers, users, and regulatory bodies for more transparency and accountability in various industries, including construction and manufacturing.

One way to support this shift towards greener alternatives is through the use of Configure, Price, Quote (CPQ) software, which can be customized to incorporate sustainability assessment tools.

In this blog post, we will discuss a presentation on our customer day by Irene Campo Gay, a Ph.D. researcher at DTU - Technical University of Denmark, who is focusing on the application of product configuration systems to support automation and digitalization in the construction industry, with an emphasis on sustainability.

The Need for Sustainability Configurators

The construction industry, along with many other manufacturing industries, is facing increasing pressure to become more sustainable. This pressure comes from various sources, including public opinion, customer demand, and legislative requirements. In response, companies are looking for ways to improve their sustainability practices and provide more transparency in their operations.

One solution to this challenge is the development of sustainability configurators, which can help guide designers and customers towards more sustainable choices during the early design stages. These configurators can provide alternative solutions that have a lower environmental impact, promote the use of more sustainable materials and processes, and help manage internal complexity by automating some operations.

How CPQ Can Support Sustainability

CPQ software can support the transition to green alternatives by incorporating sustainability assessment tools into the product configuration process. In the presentation by Irene Campo Gay, she outlines a method that combines the use of product configurators with lifecycle assessment (LCA) methodologies to provide a holistic view of the environmental impact of a product.

This method involves the following steps:

1. Gathering project requirements, including sustainability targets set by regulations or industry standards.
2. Defining product dimensions and design specifications.
3. Selecting materials and processes that align with sustainability goals.
4. Calculating the environmental impact of the product using LCA methods, such as CO2 equivalent emissions.
5. Providing alternative solutions with lower environmental impact for comparison.
6. Reporting the results using standardized formats, such as Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs).

By following this method, CPQ software can help guide users towards more sustainable choices by providing transparent information about the environmental impact of their decisions. In addition, the use of LCA methodologies ensures that the sustainability calculations are accurate and comparable across different products and companies.

Applying the Method to Other Industries

While the method presented by Irene Campo Gay is focused on the construction industry, it can be adapted and applied to other manufacturing industries as well. The key requirements for applying this method to another company are access to the necessary data for accurate sustainability calculations and the ability to adapt the configurator to the specific products and processes of the company.

The main challenges in applying this method to another company would involve adapting the configurator to the specific products and processes of that company and ensuring that the necessary data is available for accurate sustainability calculations. Additionally, the company would need to follow the relevant standards and guidelines for their industry to ensure accurate and comparable results.

Conclusion

As industries face increasing pressure to become more sustainable, CPQ software can play a crucial role in supporting this transition by incorporating sustainability assessment tools into the product configuration process. By providing transparent information about the environmental impact of different design choices, CPQ can help guide users towards greener alternatives and promote more sustainable practices in various industries.

By following the method presented by Irene Campo Gay and adapting it to different industries, CPQ can be a powerful tool in the fight against climate change and the drive towards a more sustainable future.

Irene is currently involved in two of our ongoing projects and if you want to get in touch, check out Irene's LinkedIn profile (link).