Observatory of Eco-Pack. Research and Teaching Exchange field

The Department of Architecture and Design (Dad) and the course on Environmental Requirements of Industrial Products founded the Observatory of Eco-Pack (Oep) in 2005. The Oep is a strategic body that joins theoretical research with teaching: part of the pack screening is updated by the students of the course, so they can work together with the researchers and develop their critical sense. The Oep conducts a complete screening of the packaging production sector according to specific methodological choices that examine many aspects and consists of a qualitative part (coherence in forms, dismounting...) and a quantitative one (simplified Lca). The cross analysis of all data provides a map of the general characteristics and of problems of packaging on the market. This complete analysis gives the chance to improve existing packaging and begin the definition of new guidelines to design packaging ex-novo. At last, it is possible to obtain specific proposals for each sector, in order to design a new sustainable pack.