Towards a Life Cycle Design Framework in Floating Spaces, Exploring Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable Yacht Design

The nautical sector has experienced significant growth, driven by technological advancements, evolving customer expectations, and increasing demand for luxury experiences. However, this expansion raises concerns about its environmental impact, particularly in the design of yachts as temporary and mobile living spaces. Their impermanent nature calls for design approaches that minimize environmental impact while ensuring long-term efficiency and resource optimization. In this context, Life Cycle Design (LCD) enables to integrate sustainability throughout all stages of a product’s life cycle, contributing to the advancement of current practices within the sector. This article presents the initial outcomes of an Industrial PhD research project focused on the integration of LCD principles into yacht design. The study explores the applicability of existing LCD methods and tools, analysing their effectiveness in fostering sustainability within the development of complex products. Results suggest that while current LCD approaches show considerable potential for the nautical sector, they require significant adaptation to meet its specific structural and functional characteristics. By identifying key gaps and challenges, this study lays the foundation for refining LCD strategies tailored to yacht design. It contributes to the development of more sustainable approaches to designing mobile living spaces at sea and advances the discourse on sustainability in complex products.