Topic 2- Resource Management and Sustainable Production

Question 1

Circular economy

Answer 1

An economy model in which resources remain in use for as long as possible in a closed loop.

Question 2

Clean technology

Answer 2

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

Question 3

Combined Heat and Power (CHP)`

Answer 3

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

Question 4

Converging technologies

Answer 4

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

Question 5

Cradle to cradle

Answer 5

A design philosophy that aims to eliminate waste from the production, use and disposal of a product.

Question 6

Cradle to grave

Answer 6

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

Question 7

Dematerialization

Answer 7

The reduction of total material and energy throughout production of any product and service.

Question 8

DfE Software

Answer 8

Software that allows designers to perform Life cycle analysis (LCA) on a product and assess its environmental impact.

Question 9

Eco design

Answer 9

A design strategy that focuses on three broad environmental categories - materials, energy, and pollution/waste.

Question 10

Embodied energy

Answer 10

The total energy required to produce a product.

Question 11

End-of-pipe tech

Answer 11

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

Question 12

Green design

Answer 12

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

Question 13

Individual energy generation

Answer 13

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

Question 14

LCA (analysis)

Answer 14

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

Question 15

Product life stages

Answer 15

pre-production, production, distribution, utilization, disposal

Question 16

Linear economy

Answer 16

Economy based on the make, use and dispose model

Question 17

Local CHP

Answer 17

CHP plants that generate heat and power for a local community

Question 18

Non-renewable resource

Answer 18

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, for example, coal,
petroleum and natural gas

Question 19

Non-renewable resource

Answer 19

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, for example, coal,
petroleum and natural gas

Question 20

Product recovery strategies

Answer 20

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

Question 21

Recondition

Answer 21

Rebuilding a product so that it is in an “as new” condition

Question 22

Recovery of raw materials

Answer 22

Strategies for the separation of components of a product in order to recover raw materials.

Question 23

Recycling

Answer 23

using the materials from obsolete products to create other products.

Question 24

Re-engineer

Answer 24

To redesign components or products to improve their characteristics or performance.

Question 25

Renewable resource

Answer 25

Resource that can be replenished over time

Question 26

Repair

Answer 26

Renewal of any part of an existing structure or device

Question 27

Reserves

Answer 27

Natural resources that have been identified in terms of quality and quantity.

Question 28

Re-use

Answer 28

Reuse of a product in the same context or in a different context.

Question 29

System level solutions

Answer 29

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

Question 30

Precautionary principle

Answer 30

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

Question 31

Prevention principle

Answer 31

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

Question 32

Waste mitigation strategies

Answer 32

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