The designer is called upon to provide practical solutions, through the design of products and services, to the contemporary challenges of Sustainable Development. The didactic experience offered by the module allows students to develop the cultural and methodological skills needed to assess the sustainability of the project from an environmental, social and economic perspective. Students have to raise awareness of their professional role from an ethical and social point of view, going beyond the concept of sustainable design to integrate the concept of sustainability itself into design. KNOWLEDGE The educational path provides basic knowledge of the technical-theoretical methodologies that are needed to evaluate and pursue the sustainability of a product or service throughout its entire life cycle. The skills developed also allow the designer to work with other professionals involved in the design process, by learning new languages and knowledge to engage in inter-disciplinary dialogues. This is essential for tackling the complexity of the current sociotechnical systems. ABILITIES The training experience requires the student to develop the ability of critically reading the project from the point of view of its sustainability, both in its technical features (materials and processes) and in its complexity of artefact (environmental, social and economic impacts). A critical interpretation of existing case studies and projects on the basis of progressively acquired skills allows to achieve this ability. The teaching module helps the student to build up his own know-how to allow him to analyse the project and understand its multi-disciplinary complexity. The student should become able to define new sustainability strategies, focusing on the enhancement of the matter flows and the social, environmental and economic systems behind them. Further knowledge and abilities are acquired as part of individual courses. ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE PRODUCT • Understanding and managing the environmental impacts related to the lifecycle of products and services; • Using appropriate methodologies to reduce environmental impacts; • Balancing the "3Ps" (Planet, People, Profit) for promoting Sustainable Development; • Developing a critical view of existing products, services and systems. CHEMICAL SUSTAINABILITY OF PROCESSES AND MATERIALS • Knowing the different classes of materials and understanding their main properties in relation to the structure and chemical bonds; • Understanding the principles of (eco)sustainability to apply them to the production/processing of different materials; • Understanding the role of anthropogenic activity and being aware of its environmental impacts; • Collecting, analysing and interpreting information in an interdisciplinary context, by processing it autonomously.

During the first semester of the degree programme, the student should have acquired a basic knowledge of the methodological processes and cultural principles underlying the project. It is important that the student has critical skills so that during the course he/she can acquire the necessary tools to undertake qualitative and quantitative evaluations. Basic knowledge of mathematics and physics is also required.

The courses of the module deal with different aspects of the relationship between sustainability and design, following two separate but complementary didactic paths, which come together on some common topics. ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE PRODUCT (6CFU, 60 hours) The course aims at encouraging the student to be sensitive to environmental problems and master the key principles and guidelines for Sustainable Design. The student will be able to apply them to the entire life cycle of the products, whether they are products, services, or communication devices. The topics addressed revolve around the product lifecycle and concern four main themes: • History and principles of Sustainable Development (4 hours). • Design strategies to enhance the environmental sustainability of products, and services (12 hours). • System sustainability, from Systemic Design to Circular Economy (4 hours). • Environmental issues and challenges within the different steps of a product lifecycle, from production to transportation, to use, to disposal (22 hours). • The role of Design in participatory planning and shared responsibility (4 hours). • Environmental communication of products and services and design of a sustainable communication (8 hours). Upon completion of the theoretical programme, the course includes a short series of seminars (6 hours) common to the two disciplines, which deepen and complete the lessons. CHEMICAL SUSTAINABILITY OF PROCESSES AND MATERIALS (6CFU, 60 hours) The course aims to provide a scientific and technological cultural background, so that students can develop flexible tools to approach environmental issues. The course is therefore divided into a first part introducing the fundamentals of chemistry and a second part in which examples of sustainable materials and processes are proposed and analyzed: • Introduction to basic chemistry (14 hours). The matter and its components (elements, compounds, mixtures). The evolution of the understanding of the atomic structure and the concept of mole. The classification of the elements and the periodic table. Chemical bonds: features of the main intramolecular bonds. Intermolecular forces. • The states of matter and phase transitions (8 hours). The gaseous state and the laws of gases. The liquid state and the solutions (concentrations and pH). The solid state, the crystalline structure and the classification of solids. • Principles of electrochemistry (2 hours). • Principles of organic chemistry (2 hours). The theoretical topics will be complemented by calculation exercises where problems on the application of the concepts explained during the lessons will be proposed and solved (12 hours). • Environmental sustainability (3 hours). Impact of the anthropogenic activity on the environment and the Circular Economy as a model of sustainable development. • Circular materials (11 hours). Materials of biological origin (bioplastics). Recyclable materials (plastics, paper, metals, glass). New materials from wastes (food sector and wastewater). • Innovative technologies for sustainability (2 hours). Examples of the application of innovative technologies, such as biofuel production and photocatalytic materials for the building industry. Upon completion of the theoretical programme, the course includes a short series of seminars (6 hours) common to the two disciplines, which deepen and complete the lessons.

The module consists of two disciplines (6CFU each) organized in distinct lessons and a series of seminars on common topics. During the semester there will be 3 seminars, each lasting 3 hours, which will be held jointly by the teachers of the two courses with contributions from external speakers invited to deepen some topics of common interest. The aim of the seminars is to offer students an interdisciplinary and extra-academic view on some topical issues, thus helping them to build a critical view of the relationship between sustainability and design.

The main references for the individual disciplines are: ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE PRODUCT Each theoretical lesson is supported by slides that are made available to the students through the official web portal in pdf format. Main references (mandatory): - Barbero, S., Tamborrini, P. (a cura di) (2012). Il fare ecologico. Il prodotto industriale e i suoi requisiti ambientali. Milano: Edizione Ambiente. - Barbero, S., Cozzo, B. (2009). Ecodesign. Ullmann. - Tamborrini, P. (2009). Design Sostenibile. Oggetti, sistemi e comportamenti. Milano: Electa. Additional references: - Bistagnino, L. (2008). Il guscio esterno visto dall'interno. Milano: Casa Editrice Ambrosiana. - Bistagnino, L. (2011). Il Design Sistemico. Bra, CN: Slow Food Editore (e-book in vendita on line). - Bohle S., (2012). Cause and Effect. Visualizing sustainability. Berlino: Gestalten. - Bologna, G. (2009). Manuale della sostenibilità. Idee, concetti, nuove discipline capaci di futuro. Milano: Edizioni Ambiente. - Jones, P., & Kijima, K. (a cura di) (2018). Systemic Design: Theory, Methods and Practice. Tokyo, Japan: Springer. - Munari B. (2015) (5a ed.). Good Design. Mantova: Corraini Edizioni. - Nelson, H.G., Stolterman E. (2012). The Design Way: Intentional Change in an Unpredictable World. Cambridge: MIT Press. - Shedroff, N. (2009). Design Is the Problem, The Future of Design Must be Sustainable. New York: Rosenfeld. - Steffen A. (a cura di) (2006). World Changing. A user’s guide for the 21st century. New York: Abrams Inc - Thackara, J. (2008). In the bubble. Design per un futuro sostenibile. Torino: Umberto Allemandi Editore. CHEMICAL SUSTAINABILITY OF PROCESSES AND MATERIALS Each theoretical lesson is supported by slides that are made available to the students through the official web portal in pdf format. Main references: - Bonelli B., Appunti di Chimica - II Edizione, Ed. CLUT, Torino, 2014 - Bonelli B., Armandi M., Esercitarsi per l'esame di chimica - II Edizione. Ed. CLUT, 2016 Additional references: - Atkins P., Jones L., Chimica Generale, Ed. Zanichelli, Bologna 2005 - Silvestroni P., Fondamenti di Chimica, Ed. Masson, Milano 1996 - Mazza D., Fondamenti di Chimica, Ed. Esculapio, Bologna 2009 - Manotti A.M., Tiripicchio A., Fondamenti di Chimica, Ed. Ambrosiana, Milano 2006 - Schiavello M., Palmisano L., Fondamenti di Chimica, EdiSES, Napoli 2006 - Ashby M., Kara J., Materiali e Design - l'arte e la scienza della selezione dei materiali per il progetto, II Edizione, CEA, Milano 2010 Further references will be provided during the course and included in the web portal.

Exam: Written test; Compulsory oral exam; Group essay;

The module requires a regular frequency also in consideration of the final judgement that will be expressed with a single exam mark. The planned seminars, even though they will not be separately evaluated, will be an integral part of the theoretical and methodological background offered by the module. Therefore, participation in these seminars is to be considered fundamental and the contents of the seminars will be included in the examination program. The final judgement of the module will be individual and will take into account the individual evaluations expressed by the two teachings. FINAL EXAM OF ENVIRONMENTAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE PRODUCT The final exam of Environmental Requirements of Product is divided into two phases: a written test with multiple-choice questions that will be 30 minutes long. If a threshold score is reached, students can take the second phase of the exam. The oral test will consist of at least 4 questions concerning the topics addressed during the course (lecture notes and seminar contents) and the topics and case studies treated in the bibliography (main references). The questions have a value of 8 points each, for a total of 32 points (corresponding to the evaluation of 30L). The aim of the exam is to assess the knowledge of issues related to Sustainable Design, the student's ability to link different topics and the maturity acquired in analysing a project case study on the basis of what has been learned during the course. FINAL EXAM OF CHEMICAL SUSTAINABILITY OF PROCESSES AND MATERIALS The learning process will be monitored during the classroom exercises in which students will be asked to answer questions and carry out calculation exercises; in the second part of the course students, in groups of three, will have to present to the classroom short monographs on topics of their choice related to the sustainability of processes and materials. Their work in progress will contribute to the final judgment, which, overall, will be based on: - a written test aimed at verifying the learning of the basic concepts of chemistry and sustainability of processes and materials. The test will consist of a calculation exercise divided into several points and two theoretical questions; - an oral presentation (duration min. 15' - max 20'), consisting of the discussion of a topic, chosen by each group of students, concerning the sustainability of chemical processes or materials. This test will allow to evaluate the ability to deepen, discuss and transfer theoretical concepts to a real case.

In addition to the message sent by the online system, students with disabilities or Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) are invited to directly inform the professor in charge of the course about the special arrangements for the exam that have been agreed with the Special Needs Unit. The professor has to be informed at least one week before the beginning of the examination session in order to provide students with the most suitable arrangements for each specific type of exam.