2. Resource management and sustainable production

Resources

The stock or supply of materials that are available in a given context.

Renewable resources

A natural resource that can replenish with the passage of time or does not abate at all.

Features of renewable resources

Inexhaustible, Less carbon emission, More expensive to implement

Examples of renewable resources

Geothermal, wind, hydroelectric,  solar energy, tidal energy

Non-renewable resources

A resource that does not renew/replenish itself at a sufficient rate for sustainable economic extraction

Features of non-renewable resources

Fixed and limited quantities, More carbon emissions, Less expensive to implement

Examples of non-renewable resources

Coal, petroleum and natural gas

Reserves

Accessible, and economically viable deposits of natural resource that has been identified in terms of quantity and quality

Proven reserve

A reserve that its at least 90% is recoverable by economically profitable means.

Probable reserve

A reserve that its less than 90% and more than 50% is recoverable.

Possible reserves

A reserve that its below 50% is recoverable

Examples of reserves and resources

Arctic region - oil & gas, Norway & Saudi Arabia - oil, Escondida mine (Chile) - Copper

Impact of a development on resource security for nations

Impact of a development on international treaties

Renewability

The level at which a resource is renewable. The rate that a resource can be replenished.

Renewability examples

Reuse

Reusing a product in the same context or in a different context

Recycle

Reusing the materials from obsolete products to create other products

Repair

Reconstructing or renewing any part of an existing device or structure

Recondition

Rebuilding a product so that it is in an “as new” condition, and is generally used in the context of car engines and tyres.

Re-engineer

Redesigning components or products to improve their characteristics or performance

Pollution

Introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause adverse change and can take the form of chemical substances or energy.

Waste

Any substance which is discarded after primary use, or it is worthless, defective and of no use.

Waste mitigation strategies

Strategies used to reduce the waste produced by a product or in the production and disposal of a product.

Life-cycle analysis (LCA)

The assessment of the effect a product has on the environment through five stages of its life: pre-production, production, distribution (including packaging), utilization, and disposal

Crade-to-cradle (C2C)

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.

Dematerialization

The reduction of total material and energy throughput of any product and service.

Dematerialization strategies

Reduction of raw materials at the production stage, Reduction of energy and material inputs at the user stage, Reduction of waste at the disposal stage

Product recovery strategies

The processes of separating the component parts of a product to recover the parts and materials.

Recycling

Using the materials from obsolete products to create other products

Raw material recovery

The process of separating the component parts of a product to recover the parts and materials.

WEEE recovery

WEEE (= the regulatory framework / design principles / management strategies aimed at reducing the environmental impact of electronic waste)

Energy recovery

The process of generating energy in the form of electricity and/or heat from the primary treatment of waste

Circular economy

An economy model in which resources remain in use for as long as possible, from which maximum value is extracted while in use, and the products and materials are recovered and regenerated at the end of the product life cycle

Embodied energy

The total energy required to produce a product

Components of embodied energy

Materials, Transportation, Assembly, Maintenance & Repair, Demolition & Recycling

Electrical grid

An interconnected network for delivering electricity from suppliers to consumers

How grid system works

1. Stations that generate electricity

2. High-voltage transmission lines that carry from distant sources to demand centers

3. Lower voltage distribution that connect residential, industrial, commercial customers

Combined Heat and Power (CHP)

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

Examples of CHP

Central heating system, hot water supply

Individual energy generation

The ability of an individual to use devices to create small amounts of energy to run low-energy products

Systems for individual energy generation

Smartphones, LED lights, sensors or wearables

Advantages of individual energy generation

Disadvantages of individual energy generation

Quantification of carbon emissions

Defining numerically the carbon emissions generated by a particular product

Quantification methods of carbon emissions

Record carbon emission, Discover how much is being produced, Discover who/where it is produced, Track the carbon footprint

Hydrogen fuel cells battery

Cost high; Efficiency low; Environmental impact null; Reliability moderate; Heavy transport e.g. buses, trains, trucks

Lithium ion battery

Cost moderate; Efficiency high; Environmental impact moderate (mining); Reliability high; Portable electronics, electrical vehicles

Nickel–cadmium battery

Cost moderate; Efficiency moderate; Environmental impact very high (cadium); Reliability high; Emergency lighting, military systems

Lead acid battery

Cost low; Efficiency moderate; Environmental impact high (toxic lead/acid); Reliability low; Engine vehicles, electronic wheelchairs

Lithium polymer battery

Cost moderate; Efficiency high; Environmental impact moderate (mining); Reliability moderate; Drones, RC vehicles, ultra slim electronics

Drivers/reasons for clean technology manufacturing

Promoting positive impacts, Ensuring neutral impact or minimizing negative impacts through conserving natural resources, Reducing pollution and use of energy, Reducing waste of energy and resources

Legislation

Laws considered collectively to address a certain topic

The Earth Summit

International legislation set in Rio in 1992 to halt the destruction of irreplaceable natural resources and pollution of the planet

The Kyoto Protocol

International legislation set in Kyoto in 1997 to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases

The Copenhagen Accord

International legislation set in Copenhagen in 2009 to keep the global temperature below 2 celsius degrees

The role of legislation to provide impetus for manufacturers to clean up manufacturing processes

How manufacturers react to legislation

How legislation can be monitored and policed

End-of-pipe technologies

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

Examples of End-of-pipe technologies

Filtering plants, wastewater treatment plants, etc.

Incremental solutions

the gradual improvement of technologies or approaches to manufacturing over time

Pros of incremental solutions for manufacturers

Exploit existing technologies, smaller investment, easy to respond to change

Cons of incremental solutions for manufacturers

A more frequent changes, Crowded mature marketplace with many competitors, Low potential for market growth

Radical solution

A new and often untried approach

Pros of radical solution for manufacturers

explore new technology, high potential for market growth, creates new industries, fewer competitors

Cons of radical solution for manufacturers

expensive and time-consuming, high uncertainty of success, high investment, untried methods aren't risk-free

Green Design

Designing in a way that takes account of the environmental impact of the product throughout its life.

Green legislation

Laws and regulations that are based on conservation and sustainability principles, followed by designers and manufacturers when creating green products

A short-term goal

t < 10 years

A long-term goal

t ~ 20-30 years

Consumer pressure

The public have become aware of environmental issues through media focus on issues such as the destructive effect of chlorofluorocarbons on the ozone layer.

Environmental legislation

Has encouraged design of products that tackle specific environmental issues

Design objectives for green products

• Increasing efficiency in use  of resources

• Ensuring that the planned life of the product is most environmentally appropriate

• Ensuring that the packaging and instruction encourage eco-friendly use

• Minimizing long-term harm caused by the use of products

• Minimizing pollution and waste

• Taking full account of the effect of the end disposal of the product

Incremental green innovation

Strategies which often involve a focus on one or two environmental objectives when designing or redesigning products. Often easier to meet green legislation rather than through radical changes.

Radical green innovation

These strategies are when there is a complete redesign of the whole product and may include:

• Complete overhaul of the selection of materials, joining method, finishing and manufacturing process

• Needs to negotiate with manufacturing and material specialists to make the product still have the correct design integrity, function and performance

The prevention principle

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

The precautionary principle

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

Evaluating green design

Consumption of raw materials, packaging, incorporation of toxic chemicals, energy in production and use, end-of-life disposal, production methods and atmospheric pollutants

Eco design

A more comprehensive approach than green design that focuses on all broad environmental categories (materials, energy, pollution/waste)

“Cradle to grave” philosophy

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

“Cradle to cradle” philosophy

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

Life cycle analysis

The assessment on the effect a product has on the environment through five stages of its life from cradle to grave.

LCA stages

Pre production, Production, Distribution including packaging, Utilization, Disposal

The role of the designer in eco design

To plan the product obsolescence and how the object will be used (everything)

The role of the manufacturer in eco design

Involved in the production, distribution and packaging of the product (less)

The role of the user in eco design

Involved in utilization and the disposal of the product. (moderate)

“Design for the environment” software

Software that allows designers to perform LCA on a product and assess its environmental impact.

Converging technology

The synergistic merging of nanotechnology, biotechnology, information and communication technologies and cognitive science.