Levensduurdenken

Levensduurdenken, literally “lifespan thinking,” is a concept used in product design, engineering, and environmental policy to emphasize the planning, assessment, and extension of a product or system’s useful life. The goal is to reduce resource consumption, waste generation, and environmental impact by focusing on durability, reparability, upgradability, and end‑of‑life options.

The approach originates from the life‑cycle assessment (LCA) methodology, which evaluates environmental impacts from cradle to grave. While LCA quantifies impacts, levensduurdenken adds a strategic layer: designers choose materials, production processes, and maintenance strategies that prolong a product’s functional period. This can involve selecting robust components, modular architectures that allow part replacement, or designing for ease of disassembly to recover valuable materials.

Governments and industry groups incorporate levensduurdenken into regulations and sustainability standards. For example, the European Union’s Circular Economy Action Plan promotes guidelines for designing goods that are longer lasting or easier to repair. In automotive and electronics sectors, companies are offering “right to repair” policies and extended warranties, demonstrating the commercial viability of lifespan‑centric design.

Benefits of levensduurdenken include lowered carbon footprints, reduced resource extraction, and economic value retention for consumers. Critics argue that extended lifespans may slow technological progress or favour high upfront costs. Nonetheless, many practitioners view the practice as a crucial component of resilient, low‑impact economies.