Understanding light. A study on the perceived quality of car exterior lighting and interior illumination

Illumination, or lighting, is one of the complex product attributes that significantly influences the perception of any motor vehicle. Car manufacturers are aiming to create a meaningful experience induced by the vehicle’s lighting. This study seeks a deeper understanding of customer preferences regarding the perceived quality of illumination. We applied the Perceived Quality Attributes Importance Ranking (PQAIR) methodology to understand the importance of perceived quality attributes related to the lighting perception. The approach was tested on 79 respondents and was performed in collaboration with China Euro Vehicle Technology (CEVT). Our results contribute to the effectiveness of the design processes in the early product development phases

Perceived Quality Attributes Importance Ranking Methodology in the Automotive Industry: A Case Study on Geometry Appearance Attributes at CEVT

Implementation of methods for perceived quality evaluation is an integral part of the automotive manufacturers\u27 strategic development plans. The correct definition of perceived quality requirements is one of the significant factors influencing customer\u27s purchase intention. This study seeks to understand how customers perceive and prioritize attributes that are associated with the geometrical and materials quality of a premium car market segment. We applied the Perceived Quality Attributes Importance Ranking (PQAIR) methodology to understand the importance of different perceived quality attributes form a customer perspective. Such an understanding can contribute to the effectiveness of the design processes in the early product development phases. This approach is tested on 144 respondents representing customer\u27s target group and performed in collaboration with China Euro Vehicle Technology (CEVT) technical experts. Our results verify the rationality and feasibility of the applied method and indicate the improvement of engineering practices regarding complex product development

Including Pathogen Risk in Life Cycle Assessment of Wastewater Management. 1. Estimating the Burden of Disease Associated with Pathogens

The environmental performance of wastewater and sewage sludge management is commonly assessed using life cycle assessment (LCA), whereas pathogen risk is evaluated with quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA). This study explored the application of QMRA methodology with intent to include pathogen risk in LCA and facilitate a comparison with other potential impacts on human health considered in LCA. Pathogen risk was estimated for a model wastewater treatment system (WWTS) located in an industrialized country and consisting of primary, secondary, and tertiary wastewater treatment, anaerobic sludge digestion, and land application of sewage sludge. The estimation was based on eight previous QMRA studies as well as parameter values taken from the literature. A total pathogen risk (expressed as burden of disease) on the order of 0.2–9 disability-adjusted life years (DALY) per year of operation was estimated for the model WWTS serving 28 600 persons and for the pathogens and exposure pathways included in this study. The comparison of pathogen risk with other potential impacts on human health considered in LCA is detailed in part 2 of this article series

Global and local health burden trade-off through the hybridisation of quantitative microbial risk assessment and life cycle assessment to aid water management

Life cycle assessment (LCA) and quantitative risk assessment (QRA) are commonly used to evaluate potential human health impacts associated with proposed or existing infrastructure and products. Each approach has a distinct objective and, consequently, their conclusions may be inconsistent or contradictory. It is proposed that the integration of elements of QRA and LCA may provide a more holistic approach to health impact assessment. Here we examine the possibility of merging LCA assessed human health impacts with quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) for waterborne pathogen impacts, expressed with the common health metric, disability adjusted life years (DALYs). The example of a recent large-scale water recycling project in Sydney, Australia was used to identify and demonstrate the potential advantages and current limitations of this approach. A comparative analysis of two scenarios - with and without the development of this project - was undertaken for this purpose.LCA and QMRA were carried out independently for the two scenarios to compare human health impacts, as measured by DALYs lost per year. LCA results suggested that construction of the project would lead to an increased number of DALYs lost per year, while estimated disease burden resulting from microbial exposures indicated that it would result in the loss of fewer DALYs per year than the alternative scenario. By merging the results of the LCA and QMRA, we demonstrate the advantages in providing a more comprehensive assessment of human disease burden for the two scenarios, in particular, the importance of considering the results of both LCA and QRA in a comparative assessment of decision alternatives to avoid problem shifting. The application of DALYs as a common measure between the two approaches was found to be useful for this purpose

Technical, economic and environmental assessment of wastewater and sludge management solutions designed to overcome common issues

In order to support decision-making in design of wastewater and sludge management within the European Union, the EU FP7 project ROUTES has performed technical development aimed at sludge minimisation, the enabling of agricultural use of sludge and sludge resource recovery. Technical, economic and environmental assessment has been performed for ten case studies in which model (non-existent) reference plants of different size and configuration, representative of real wastewater treatment plants in Europe, have been considered to be upgraded to solve different common problems, based on the new knowledge from the technology development carried out within the project. This paper reports on the methodology used in the assessment with examples of obtained results for three of the case studies. The methodology in particular highlights some critical points that need further attention when similar upgrading is considered in real cases

Method for Technical, Economic and Environmental Assessment of Advanced Sludge Processing Routes

The legislative framework in force in Europe entails restrictive effluent standards for sensitive areas, and quite severe restrictions on the properties of residual sewage sludge, both for landfill disposal and for agricultural use. Several technologies and management strategies have been proposed and applied in wastewater treatment plants to minimise sludge production and contamination. However, their techno-economic and environmental performance has to be carefully evaluated. The ROUTES project, funded within the EU Seventh Framework programme, aims to find new routes for wastewater treatment and sludge management and thereby guide EU members in their future choices. Within this project, the authors have developed and applied a procedure for techno-economic- environmental assessment of new wastewater and sludge processing lines in comparison to reference plants. The reference plants are model conventional plants that experience different types of problems and the new plants are modified plants in which different innovative technologies have been added to solve these problems. The procedure involves a rating of selected technical issues, estimates of operating costs and an assessment of environmental impacts from a life cycle perspective. This paper reports on the procedure and shows examples of results