The Aragonese company, in collaboration with CIRCE, has developed a new bed model that achieves a total life cycle carbon dioxide reduction of 240 kgCO2eq, equivalent to 5% of the annual emissions of an average Spaniard.
Industrias PARDO becomes the first company in the sector in Spain to be certified with ISO 14006 ecodesign standard for the design, manufacturing, and marketing of hospital beds. This certification complements the environmental management system during the design and development processes of their products. Granted by AENOR, the certificate validates the ecodesign strategy and criteria that will accompany the design and development process of their entire range of models.
This achievement is the result of the collaborative efforts of Industrias PARDO and the CIRCE technology center. Over the past two years, they have worked on developing new procedures for ecodesigning products, using the reference model “New Care V3 ACT” hospital bed. Furthermore, they have also created an Environmental Product Declaration under the international Environdec scheme for this pioneering model, as no other hospital bed has such accreditation in the sector.
Objective: Manufacturing a Bed with 100% Secondary Melt Steel
The outcome is a new model that reduces the carbon footprint throughout the bed’s life cycle by 240 kgCO2eq, equivalent to 5% of the annual emissions of an average Spaniard. The ultimate goal is to manufacture with 100% secondary melt steel, achieving a total reduction of 372 kgCO2eq, a 33.5% decrease compared to the initial model. Overall, the new ecodesign process has reduced the carbon footprint by 21.5% and mineral resources by 19.1% compared to the initial process.
This reduction was made possible by increasing the use of recycled raw materials in its production, incorporating 25% of the final product as secondary melt steel. Furthermore, the manufacturing process has been powered by electricity from a more decarbonized mix, resulting in a 30% emissions reduction. A more sustainable packaging, with a 20% increase in recycled cardboard content, has also been employed.
Similarly, the bed now includes an updated user manual with tips for extended battery life, potentially extending battery lifespan by up to 2 years. Additionally, the bed’s end-of-life materials and recyclability have been marked on components, allowing for a recycling capacity increase of up to 90% for cardboard and metal components and 50% for plastic components.
The improvements made in the “New Care V3 ACT” model can be applied to Pardo’s entire product portfolio, as the methodology used can be implemented in other business lines such as home beds or geriatric and hospital furniture. This generates a multiplier effect in terms of reducing environmental impact.
Industrias PARDO was already certified under the ISO 14,001 Environmental Management Systems, so environmental impact was already considered in day-to-day actions. However, the implementation of ecodesign represents another step, requiring the consideration of environmental impact throughout the entire lifecycle of each new product or design modification.