In short, ecodesign is an approach to designing products and services while considering environmental impact at every phase of development and throughout the product’s lifecycle. The aim is to reduce environmental impacts across a product’s life. Studies by the Joint Research Centre and the EU Science Hub have shown that 80% of a product’s ecological impact is determined during the design phase. 

AI-enabled ecodesign refers to Makersite’s ability to embed instant lifecycle impact modeling directly into the product design process. By combining purpose-built artificial intelligence with its integrated data foundation, the platform provides product designers with real-time feedback on environmental impacts, cost, and product compliance – all within the designer’s CAD or PLM environment. 

Makersite enables engineers to view the environmental and cost consequences of material, component, and supplier choices during the conceptual design phase of new products. This eliminates delays caused by external analysis, provides full lifecycle insights before prototype lock-in – preventing costly rework – and ensures that ecodesign becomes part of the creative process rather than a separate exercise. 

The platform integrates over 150 curated data sources and provides access to the world’s largest product and supply chain database. This includes more than 36,000 industrial processes, 600,000 environmental impact factors, and 100,000 materials with physical properties – all accessible in one system. These data are linked to the designer’s bill of materials (BOM) and product model, enabling AI-driven comparisons and what-if simulations for alternative design scenarios. 

No. Makersite is designed to integrate seamlessly via native connectors and APIs with leading CAD and PLM tools such as Autodesk Fusion, Siemens Teamcenter, and PTC Windchill. This ensures that sustainability, cost, and compliance data flow directly into the existing design interface – reducing system friction and increasing adoption without forcing users to change platforms. 

AI-enabled ecodesign delivers measurable business value across the organization. While engineers and designers benefit from real-time insights that support smarter decision-making during early development, sustainability, procurement, and compliance teams all work from a shared data foundation – enabling faster collaboration and reducing the need for redesign cycles. For executives, this translates to shorter time-to-market, reduced product risk, and measurable progress toward sustainability goals – turning ecodesign into a driver of both innovation and competitive advantage. 

Makersite’s AI-enabled ecodesign dashboard eliminates the need for manual modeling, allowing environmental and cost impact simulations to be run in minutes rather than weeks or months. The dashboard provides engineers with trade-off analyses supported by clear, visual data on the environmental and cost impact of each component in the design. This visibility enables product teams to evaluate the consequences of design choices across the entire lifecycle with precision. 

Yes. To comply with regulations such as the EU’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) – which replaces the Ecodesign Directive 2009/125/EC – and Digital Product Passport (DPP) reporting requirements, companies must integrate ecodesign into their product development processes. This transition helps eliminate manual reporting and reduces reliance on expensive LCA experts. 

The ESPR significantly broadens the scope of the original directive, which focused on energy-related products. It now applies to a wider range of products – including electronics, construction materials, and textiles – and imposes strict sustainability criteria. The regulation sets clear performance and information requirements aimed at improving characteristics such as durability, reusability, recyclability, and repairability through ecodesign. 

All AI-enabled impact modeling in Makersite is fully traceable to individual components and their corresponding supply chain data. The platform creates digital twins of products, applies activity-based modeling, and links every calculation to its underlying data sources. This provides full auditability and transparency regarding data provenance, modeling methodology, and assumptions. 

Yes. Makersite is designed for large-scale implementation and portfolio-wide application. It allows designers to compare multiple alternatives at scale and simulate the impact of changes across hundreds or thousands of product variants. This enables continuous ecodesign and systematic environmental improvements across complex product lines in manufacturing.