Design Technology: Topic 2

Clean technology

Products, services or processes that reduce waste and require the minimum amount of non-renewable resources

Combined Heat and Power (CHP)

A system that simultaneously generates heat and electricity from either the combustion of diesel/biomass fuel or a solar heat collector

Converging technologies

The merging of nano, bio, info and communication technologies into a single product

Cradle to cradle (Circular Economy)

A design philosophy that aims to eliminate waste from the production, use and disposal of a product. It centres on products which are made to be made again

Cradle to gate

A design philosophy that considers the environmental effects of a product all of the way from extraction to the end of manufacture only

Cradle to grave

A design philosophy that considers the environmental effects of a product all the way from manufacture to disposal

Dematerialization

The reduction of total material and energy throughout a product or service

Design for the environment software

Software to perform LCA on a product and assess its environmental impact at all stages

Eco-design

Focuses on materials, energy, and pollution/waste

Embodied energy

The total energy required to produce a product

End-of-pipe technologies

Technology that is used to reduce pollutants and waste at the end of a process

Energy distribution

The method with which energy is transported from a source to where it is used

Energy storage

The method with which energy is stored for later use

Energy utilization

The method with which energy is used

Green design

Design that considers the environmental impact of the product throughout its use and disposal

Green legislation

Laws and regulations that are based on conservation and sustainability principles used by designers and manufacturers

Incremental solutions

Products which are improved and developed over time leading to new versions and generations

Individual energy generation

The ability for an individual to remotely use and charge low-energy devices

Life cycle analysis (5 stages)

pre-production, production, distribution/packaging, utilisation, and disposal

Linear economy

An economy based on the make, use, dispose model (Cradle to Grave)

Grid systems

A national or international electrical supply distribution network

Non-renewable resources

A natural resource that cannot be re-made or re-grown as it does not naturally re-form at a rate that makes its use sustainable

Product recovery strategies

The processes of separating components of a product to recover recyclable materials

Quantification of carbon emissions

Numerical definition of the carbon emissions generated by a particular product

Radical solutions

A completely new product is devised by going back to the roots of a problem and thinking about a solution in a different way

Re-engineer

To redesign components or products to improve their characteristics or performance e.g. solar power

Re-use

Use of a product in the same way or in a new context e.g. glass jar

Recondition

Rebuilding a product so that it is in "as new" condition e.g. vintage car

Recovery of raw materials

Separation of components of a product in order to recover raw materials

Recycle

Using the materials from obsolete products to generate new products

Renewability

The rate that a resource can be replenished

Renewable resources

A natural resource that can replenish with the passage of time

Repair

The reconstruction or renewal of any part of an existing structure or device e.g. new sole on a shoe

Reserves

A natural resources that have been identified in terms of quanitity and quality

Resources

Stock or supply of resources that are available in a given context

System level solutions

Solutions that are implemented to deal with the whole system, rather than just components

Precautionary principle

The anticipation of potential problems in relation to the environmental impact of the production, use and disposal of a product

Prevention principle

The avoidance/minimization of producing waste in relation to the production, use and disposal of a product

Waste mitigation strategies

Strategies used to reduce waste by a product's production and disposal