Part 2- Design for Cost and Environment

Question 1

Commercially Available Material

Answer 1

Most commonly available material

Question 2

Virgin Material

Answer 2

Zero recycled material (Primary raw material)

Question 3

Land footprint

Answer 3

Ratio forest; marine; graze; crop; built up

Question 4

What is Air Quality Index

Answer 4

Measure of levels of air pollution in a given area with associated health implications and cautionary statements. AQI = (Pollutant Concentration/ Pollutant Standard Level) * 100

Different bodies use slightly different scales.

Question 5

i) What causes global warming ii) and what are its consequences?

Answer 5

i) Green house gasses

ii) Rising sea levels

Question 6

i) What causes Pollution ii) and what are its consequences?

Answer 6

i) Ozone depletion due to to CFCs, PM etc…
City Lights, Power Stations
ii) Skin cancer, life cycle of algae, Affects eco systems

Question 7

i) What causes habitat destruction ii) and what are its consequences?

Answer 7

i) Farms, Urban Development, Dams.

ii) Loss of Biodiversity

Question 8

i) What causes resource depletion ii) and what are its consequences?

Answer 8

i) Mining of rare metals e.g. Platinum

ii) Affects future generations and cost

Question 9

Why is it difficult to carry out environmental impact analysis? (5)

Answer 9

Difficult to get accurate energy and cost data on material production (sub sub contractors), quantify transportation.

Difficult to account for building of infrastructures e.g. roads, railways.

Lots of materials - Different grades cost different amounts

Quantities of recycled materials fluctuate - complex market conditions.

Large fluctuations in energy prices

Question 10

Who are the key stakeholders in environmental design

Answer 10

Designers - Design low impact environmental impact products.

Professional Bodies- Create standards to preserve environment.

Governments - Legislation/ Incentives/ Taxes

Business - Lead by example

Public - Responsible consumption and disposal of products.

Question 11

What actions have government taken to protect the environment?

Answer 11

UN - Goals and Resolution - 17 Sustainable development goals. Climate Change Conventions. Strategy for Education for Sustainable Development.

EU Directives - Legislation on CO2 emissions, WEEE directive.

UK Legislation - The Energy Act - energy suppliers to fund insulation and promote energy efficiency.

Creation of professional standards. E.g. ISO 14001. Internationally recognised.

Question 12

Name 5 types of Repair

Answer 12

Remake - Brand new sub assembly as a new part
Remanufacture - Disassemble part and reassemble from combination of new and reconditioned parts. Retested with full warranty.
Recondition - Third party reconditions sub systems with limited testing and warranty.
Re-use- Customer buys second hand part
Repair- Subsystem is taken apart, the fault identified and repaired.

Question 13

Evaluating between IC petrol, diesel and electrci

Answer 13

As efficiency increases so does purchase cost therefore weigh up between short/long term costs.

Question 14

How can products be designed to aid recycling?

Answer 14

Avoid using lots of different types of materials
Make parts easy to disassemble
Identify materials - e.g. types of plastic groups 1-7

Question 15

How to reduce energy footprint

Answer 15

Car: Only use for short journey, try to use train for longer ones. Use smaller electric cars.

Air Travel- Only when necessary, video calling instead of conference. Holiday closer to home. Combine business and leisure travel.

Food- Eat less imported foods, less high energy foods (beef)

Home: Insulate, don’t heat empty rooms, LED lights, Collect rain water for re use.

Clothes: Recycle

Electric Goods: Use for longer, recycle at end of life.