Sustainability Solver Framework for Object-Oriented Product Configuration Solution Environments

Sustainability is now integral to product design and manufacturing, yet Product Configuration Systems (PCSs) often lack real-time environmental impact assessments. Manual Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) and lifecycle assessments (LCAs) slow decision-making and reduce transparency. This study proposes a Sustainability Solver framework that embeds automated sustainability computations within PCSs using object-oriented principles. Key innovations include real-time sustainability data retrieval, inheritance-based attributes, and dynamic EPD workflows, ensuring seamless integration with compliance standards (EN 15804, ISO 14040/14044) and enterprise sustainability strategies. A structured state-driven data lifecycle enhances traceability, validation, and approval processes. A case study with Grundfos A/S validates the framework’s ability to reduce manual documentation, enhance configurator decision support, and enable real-time impact assessments. By embedding sustainability attributes in modular PCS structures, companies can drive environmentally responsible product choices while ensuring compliance. This research advances sustainability-driven computational frameworks and highlights AI-driven optimization and hybrid PCS architectures as key directions for future development in sustainable digital product configuration.