Green business
How to measure and manage consumer use-phase emissions for products to identify opportunities for performance improvements.
Effective use-phase measurement reveals where products waste energy, water, and materials, guiding improvements that reduce emissions, save costs, and boost customer satisfaction across the product lifecycle.
July 18, 2025 - 3 min Read
Understanding use-phase emissions begins with defining the scope clearly: which life cycle stages are included, what energy sources power consumer use, and how emissions are allocated to the product under study. Companies should establish a baseline using credible data, such as input from product-specific energy models, customer behavior patterns, and regional grid mixes. The goal is to capture direct energy consumption, indirect energy embedded in ancillary functions, and the variability introduced by real-world usage. This baseline acts as a reference point for evaluating improvements over time, helping teams prioritize interventions with the greatest potential for emissions reductions. Clear boundaries also help communicate results to stakeholders with confidence.
After defining scope, practitioners need to select robust measurement methods that balance accuracy and practicality. Examples include end-user energy testing in controlled environments, field data from smart meters, and validated simulation models that reflect diverse usage scenarios. It’s essential to standardize units, time frames, and boundary assumptions so comparisons across products and regions are meaningful. Data governance matters too; establish data quality checks, traceable sources, and documentation of any extrapolations. By combining empirical measurements with model-based estimates, teams can map which features or modes drive emissions and where small changes in usage can yield outsized gains, even before a prototype is built.
Using data-driven scenarios to steer design choices and communications.
With a solid baseline and measurement approach, researchers begin identifying levers that influence emissions during consumer use. These levers may include energy efficiency of components, standby power behavior, thermal management, and the effectiveness of user interfaces that encourage sustainable practices. Additionally, product sizing, operating range, and maintenance requirements all affect use-phase performance. It is crucial to quantify the impact of each lever using consistent metrics, such as energy per operation, emissions per cycle, or kg CO2e per unit of output. Prioritization should favor interventions that deliver the highest emissions reductions per dollar of investment, while preserving or enhancing user experience.
Once levers are identified, scenario analysis helps visualize trade-offs among performance, cost, and emissions. Teams create multiple usage scenarios that reflect real consumer behavior across markets, climates, and income levels. This enables understanding of tail risks, such as how heat waves or peak demand periods influence use-phase energy consumption. Scenario results also reveal the marginal benefits of improvements, guiding decisions about design changes, material substitutions, or software updates. Engaging cross-functional stakeholders—engineers, marketing, supply chain, and customer insights—ensures that scenarios stay grounded in practical realities and customer expectations.
Operationalize continuous improvement with measurement, targets, and governance.
Translating findings into design improvements requires a structured innovation process. Early-stage ideas can focus on reducing idle or stand-by losses, improving ramp-up efficiency, and enabling smarter control algorithms. Iterative testing should verify that changes deliver the expected emissions reductions without compromising reliability, safety, or usability. In many cases, software plays a pivotal role by optimizing operation in real time, guiding users toward lower-energy modes, or enabling adaptive performance that matches actual usage. Documentation of test results, assumptions, and risk factors supports transparent decision-making and helps communicate the business case to procurement and executives.
Beyond hardware and software, supply chain considerations influence use-phase emissions indirectly. The choice of compatible accessories, replacement part intervals, and update cycles can extend or shorten product life, affecting overall environmental impact. Strategies such as modular design, upgradable components, and repairability can help maintain performance while minimizing emissions. Companies should evaluate how aftermarket services affect use-phase energy consumption and seek win-win arrangements: lower emissions for customers and reduced waste for the business. Aligning use-phase improvements with product life extension strengthens sustainability storytelling and customer loyalty.
Integrating consumer education and product labeling to drive behavior change.
Establishing credible targets for use-phase emissions anchors the improvement journey. Targets should be science-based, time-bound, and expressed in clear metrics like kilograms of CO2e per unit produced or per hour of typical operation. It’s useful to set a tiered approach: a short-term baseline improvement, a mid-term efficiency gain, and a long-term aspiration tied to breakthrough technologies. Regular reviews verify progress, adapt to changing energy grids, and reflect evolving consumer behaviors. Transparent reporting to customers and stakeholders builds trust and demonstrates accountability, while internal dashboards help product teams stay aligned with sustainability goals.
Governance structures must support cross-functional collaboration and rapid decision-making. A steering committee can oversee measurement rigor, data integrity, and the prioritization of improvement opportunities. Clear ownership for data, modeling, and field validation reduces ambiguity and accelerates execution. Integrating use-phase metrics into product development gates ensures that new releases consider emissions implications from the earliest design stages. In addition, establishing incentive mechanisms that reward emissions reductions motivates teams to embed sustainability in everyday work, from ideation to post-launch monitoring.
The path from measurement to performance improvements in practice.
Educating consumers is a critical multiplier for use-phase improvements. Clear guides on optimal operating modes, recommended maintenance, and energy-saving tips empower customers to participate in emission reductions. Labels, app reminders, and on-device prompts can nudge users toward efficient patterns without diminishing satisfaction. Communication should explain not only how to use the product efficiently but also how those actions translate into tangible environmental benefits. In some cases, translated or culturally tailored messages improve comprehension and uptake across diverse markets, increasing the likelihood that customers adopt sustainable usage practices.
Partnerships with retailers, service providers, and utility programs extend the reach of use-phase strategies. For example, retailers can showcase energy-efficient configurations, while service networks can proactively address performance drift that reduces efficiency over time. Utility incentives for efficient operation or time-of-use pricing can encourage customers to run products during off-peak periods. Collaborative pilots help quantify real-world emissions reductions and refine messaging. By aligning incentives across the value chain, companies maximize the effectiveness of use-phase improvements and build lasting behavioral change.
Translating data into actionable improvements requires disciplined project management and documentation. Teams should cultivate a library of validated models, usage datasets, and sensitivity analyses that can be revisited as grids, climates, and consumer habits evolve. Prioritization frameworks help determine which improvements yield the most reliable emissions reductions with manageable risk. On the technical side, integrating use-phase metrics with product maintenance schedules and firmware update plans ensures ongoing optimization. Communicating progress through annual sustainability reports or product impact dashboards keeps customers informed and reinforces a culture of continuous improvement.
Finally, resilience and adaptability must anchor use-phase initiatives. As markets shift toward electrification, smart charging, and new materials, use-phase emissions landscapes will evolve. Companies that continuously refresh models with fresh field data, test new design ideas, and engage stakeholders across disciplines will stay ahead. Embracing a cyclical process of measurement, analysis, action, and verification enables sustained reductions in use-phase emissions, while delivering better performance, cost efficiency, and a more satisfying user experience. The outcome is a competitive advantage grounded in concrete environmental responsibility.
