What three questions are crucial for evaluating the environmental impact of a design?

The selection of the three questions that are crucial for evaluating the environmental impact of a design involves focusing on the implications of the design throughout its lifecycle, from materials sourcing to end-user impacts. The correct choice aligns with key elements of sustainability assessments.

Assessing what impacts are prioritized is necessary because it determines which environmental consequences are most critical to evaluate, such as carbon emissions, resource depletion, or ecological damage. Understanding the scope of assessment helps define the boundaries of the evaluation, including which stages of the product lifecycle will be included, whether it’s just the manufacturing phase or also use and end-of-life considerations. Finally, the choice of metrics is essential as it establishes how the impacts will be quantified and compared, enabling meaningful analysis and informed decision-making.

The other options, while they may touch on relevant aspects of design or business considerations, do not focus specifically on the essential environmental impacts that need to be evaluated in a sustainability context. For instance, questions related to cost, marketing, or aesthetic qualities do not directly contribute to understanding the ecological consequences of a design. As such, they do not provide the comprehensive evaluation needed to measure sustainability effectively.