Teaming up for green innovation

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Take a look at the recent “Future Friendly” marketing campaign and you can see how companies such as Proctor & Gamble are working to make being green easy — for consumers.

That may be a fine strategy from a consumer-marketing standpoint, but from an innovation or R&D perspective it is not so easy being green.

Developing a sustainable product or process is a complex endeavor. Evaluating product performance is an evolving process, and advances in one area may be more than offset by impacts elsewhere in the cycle. For example: The energy it takes to produce a green material may outweigh the environmental benefits of the material. The entire life cycle of a product needs to be considered. Navigating the complexities of sustainable supply chains and green marketing provides additional challenges.

And, despite the prevalence of green marketing campaigns, sustainable business is still an emerging market, which means there are few established rules or best practices. We do know what fuels green innovation. It requires continuously optimizing the sustainability of every aspect of a product or process, including material selection, energy requirements, product safety, marketing, distribution, legal regulations, and end-of-life considerations. Businesses that employ an integrative approach to these considerations are likely to have a competitive advantage.

This may sound overwhelming, but creating sustainable products and practices is worthwhile. And there are fabulous examples of success right here in Oregon.

How do you employ an integrative approach to green innovation?

Recruit the right people.

You will need a workforce that can consider problems from multiple perspectives and that can effectively work in cross-functional teams. For example, at the University of Oregon, internship programs team graduate students in chemistry and physics to tackle topics such as photovoltaics, polymers and coatings and greener chemical production. From 1998 to 2009, 187 of these students have interned with 42 Oregon companies. About 90 percent went on to become regular full-time hires where they interned.

Invest in the right research and development.

For an integrative approach, research and development need to encompass the entire life cycle, and this information needs to be continuously shared among the various work groups. For example, creating a new material that biodegrades quickly is a step in the wrong direction if consumers will expect the product to have a long life. Green innovation requires that you continuously evaluate a project from idea to commercialization with sustainability in mind, and ensure that each phase creates a feedback loop that continually informs decision-making.

The Green Product Design Network was recently established for academic and industrial partners who share the goal of continuous innovation toward greener products. The network is comprised of product designers, architects, green chemists, advertising and communication specialists, public policy experts, and business strategists. It is working with Oregon businesses on projects ranging from building materials to athletic apparel. Each project taps into a broad base of expertise to create and promote more sustainable products.

Identify the right facilities.

For most businesses, there are always going to be location, capital construction, and equipment considerations—and those also need to be viewed from a sustainability perspective. For some, the hurdle for green innovation is related to physical infrastructure rather than human resources or knowledge. Maybe you run a small business and can’t afford to set up your own laboratory. Here too, universities can help.

A number of research facilities within the universities are open to external use. One example is Oregon’s High-Tech Extension Service centered at the University of Oregon with laboratories and expertise in materials characterization, green nanotechnology and solar energy, all of which is available to private industry. For instance, Beaverton-based Voxtel, Inc., a leading developer of advanced photodetectors, optoelectronic assemblies, and optical instrumentation for a wide range of markets, leases laboratory space in the UO's Lorry I. Lokey Laboratories. This gives Voxtel access to the latest nanotechnology equipment along with expert scientists and technicians for a fraction of the cost normally associated with such facilities.

Green innovation is a significant challenge, but you are not alone in your quest to find the most effective and promising ways to tackle this challenge. We’re all part of a growing synergy around sustainable business. Together, universities and businesses can catalyze this kind of innovation to fuel a green economy in Oregon.

Jim Hutchison is the associate vice president for research and strategic initiatives at the University of Oregon, where he holds the Lokey-Harrington Chair in Chemistry. He is a member of the leadership team for the Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute (ONAMI), co-founder of the Green Product Design Network, and director of the Safer Nanomaterials and Nanomanufacturing Initiative.