This paper proposes the development and utilization of a Process-oriented Information Model (PIM) which are critically needed for developing a new generation of CAD systems in which sustainability evaluation of the manufacturing processes is important. The proposed PIM presents product design information, material information, process information and sustainability related information. A three-layered framework has been proposed to support the utilization of the PIM in a software environment,which can actually assist the product designers in making sustain-ability related decisions in their product design processes.A gear part has been studied and a working demo has been developed in the case study to demonstrate the validity of the proposed PIM and the three-layered framework. The result successfully shows that the framework can help providing the sustainability related suggestions (energy consumption) to the end users.Future work of this study would be extended: (1) in using CAD packages’ APIs to actually embed the system into a CAD package;and (2) in integrating the PIM into the STEP schemas to allow the sustainability related data to be exchanged between different CAD packages.