A multidisciplinary method for sustainability assessment of PSS: Challenges and developments

In developed countries, industrial companies are facing challenges for competitiveness from countries with lower labor costs or less demanding environmental standards. Increasing production costs (material and labor), customer demand for more sophisticated products while purchasing power is decreasing and stricter environmental regulations are becoming strategic issues for the viability of industries. Eurêcook is an action research program aiming to construct and test a rental service offer for small household equipment in a medium-size French conurbation. A local ecosystem of actors is involved in providing a satisfactory service for consumers. Our role, as researchers, is to assess the environmental and societal changes caused by the business model transition. We assume success depends not only on a positive LCA but also on a climate of confidence and co-operation between stakeholders, as well as consumers’ behavioral change and appropriation of the project. A multidisciplinary method for sustainability assessment has been developed combining concepts and tools from social sciences with environmental and engineering sciences. Firstly, the current challenges for B-to-C PSS are obtained from a multidisciplinary review of literature and practice. Then, the socio-economic and environmental context and specific issues linked to small appliances were clarified. Thirdly, the case study is detailed: structuration of the offer, specific challenges and first observations. Finally, our method is presented and discussed.