3.1 What are the impacts of new and emerging technologies when developing design solutions?

a. Exploration of the impacts within different contexts on:

1. Industry and Enterprise (such as the circular economy)

   • Circular Economy: This approach focuses on designing out waste and pollution, keeping products and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems. New technologies can enable the circular economy by improving recycling processes, developing biodegradable materials, and optimizing manufacturing processes to minimize waste.

2. People, in Relation to Lifestyle, Culture, and Society

   • Lifestyle: Technologies like smart home devices and wearable tech have significantly changed how people live, offering greater convenience and connectivity.

   • Culture: Emerging technologies influence cultural practices, such as social media platforms reshaping communication and cultural expression.

   • Society: Broad impacts on society include improved access to information, enhanced communication, and new forms of entertainment, but also concerns about privacy, job displacement due to automation, and digital divides.

3. The Environment

   • Environmental Impact: Technologies can both harm and help the environment. For example, industrial technologies might contribute to pollution, whereas green technologies like renewable energy sources help reduce environmental footprints.

   • Sustainability Initiatives: Technologies that promote energy efficiency, reduce emissions, and support sustainable resource use are essential for long-term environmental health.

4. Sustainability

   • Sustainable Development: Technologies that support the use of renewable resources, energy efficiency, and waste reduction are critical. Innovations in areas like electric vehicles, green building materials, and sustainable agriculture play crucial roles.

   • Resource Management: Sustainable technologies include those that manage resources more efficiently, such as precision agriculture, which uses data to optimize crop yields while minimizing resource use.

3.2 How do designers choose appropriate sources of energy to make products and power systems?

a. The generation of electricity and how energy is stored and transferred.

• Generation: Designers consider various methods of generating electricity, including traditional methods (coal, natural gas) and renewable methods (solar, wind, hydroelectric).

• Storage: Technologies for storing energy include batteries (lithium-ion, solid-state), capacitors, and innovative methods like pumped hydro storage or compressed air storage.

• Transfer: Efficient energy transfer systems are crucial, such as smart grids, which optimize the distribution of electricity and reduce losses.

b. The appropriate use in products and systems of renewable and non-renewable sources including:

1. Fossil Fuels, Nuclear Fuel, Biofuel

   • Fossil Fuels: Traditionally used for their high energy density, but they are non-renewable and produce greenhouse gasses.

   • Nuclear Fuel: Offers a high energy output with low greenhouse gas emissions, but concerns include radioactive waste and high initial costs.

   • Biofuel: Renewable fuels made from biological materials that can reduce carbon emissions compared to fossil fuels.

2. Wind, Hydro-electricity, Tidal, and Solar

   • Wind: Harnesses wind energy to generate electricity; suitable for areas with consistent wind patterns.

   • Hydro-electricity: Uses flowing water to generate electricity; highly efficient and renewable, but can impact aquatic ecosystems.

   • Tidal: Captures energy from tidal movements; predictable and renewable but geographically limited to coastal regions.

   • Solar: Converts sunlight into electricity using photovoltaic cells; widely applicable and scalable, though dependent on sunlight availability.

3.3 What wider implications can have an influence on the processes of designing and making?

a. Consideration of environmental, social, and economic influences, including:

1. Environmental Initiatives

   • Eco-friendly Design: Incorporating sustainable materials, reducing waste, and designing for recyclability.

   • Regulations and Standards: Compliance with environmental regulations and standards like LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design).

2. Fair Trade

   • Ethical Sourcing: Ensuring materials and products are sourced in ways that provide fair wages and working conditions for laborers.

   • Certification: Using fair trade certifications to inform consumers and ensure adherence to ethical practices.

3. Social and Ethical Awareness

   • Inclusivity: Designing products that are accessible to a diverse range of users, including those with disabilities.

   • Ethical Considerations: Ensuring products do not harm users or communities, considering data privacy and ethical implications of new technologies.

4. Global Sustainable Development

   • Sustainable Goals: Aligning with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to address global challenges like poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, and peace.

   • Global Impact: Understanding the global supply chain and its environmental and social impacts, promoting practices that contribute to global sustainability.