REQUIREMENTS ECO-DESIGN VACUUMS BY COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) NO 666/2013

For several years, the executive acts related to the Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council 2009/125/EC of 21 October 2009 establishing a framework for the setting of ecodesign requirements for energy-related products are systematically adopted as a part of European Union legislation. Especially the Regulation 666/2013 concerning the eco-design requirements for vacuum cleaners introduced in July 2013 is strongly discussed. This article presents the background to the Directive 2009/125/EC and explains the concept that underlies the formulation of ecodesign requirements for different powered energy products, with special focus on the role of environmental life cycle assessment (LCA)

Green marketing today – a mix of trust, consumer participation and life cycle thinking

A transition for a green, circular economy has encouraged companies to use new tools which boost sustainability. The purpose of this article is to discuss the consideration of life cycle thinking in green marketing as realized by companies. This theoretical-conceptual study aims to analyze life cycle assessment (LCA) as a useful tool for assessing green marketing goals. We also intend to highlight the importance of creating consumer trust for green business by displaying the green credentials of the products and activities. The article presents t he virtues and shortcomings of the LCA results relative to marketing management. As a result, the literature presents some gaps in terms of addressing life cycle thinking in marketing management and linking with consumer participation and trust

A Dataset Quality Assessment—An Insight and Discussion on Selected Elements of Environmental Footprints Methodology

One of the most recently developed life cycle-based methods is an environmental footprint of products and organisations established by the European Commission. A special procedure of data and dataset quality assessment has been developed as a part of the environmental footprints methodology. The procedure may be recognised as vital and powerful but, at the same time, a bit complicated and time-consuming. It is worth discussing this subject and looking for potential simplification. In this paper, we suggest a possible way for simplification. We propose to remove an impact-assessment-based step from the procedure of company-specific datasets quality assessment. There are two potential benefits: a reduction in the need for expert knowledge and time savings. The threats posed are connected to the fact that all data influences the Data Quality Rating indicator of the entire dataset to the same degree. With a higher volume of data included in the assessment, there is a risk of greater differentiation in their quality. In this paper, an example of raw milk production is presented. The assessment of quality of the dataset was performed in three variants: pursuant to the approach established by the European Commission in the pilot phase, transition phase and with certain modifications employed

A Method for Modeling the Individual Convenient Zone of a Human

When designing products to fit a specific user, it is essential to know the user’s upper limb range and strength capabilities at each point of the range space. This is particularly relevant when those capabilities are atypical, e.g., in cases of nonstandard body dimensions, disability, or old age. In this paper, we describe a new method to measure and model the strength capabilities at each point of any person’s upper limb range and then present this information in the form of an Individual Convenient Zone (ICZ) model, which is helpful in virtual product prototyping (CAD) for a specific user. The proposed new method includes creating a database of multiple, detailed, spatial-force characteristics, quickly identifying and modeling the ICZ of any human, and analyzing the ergonomics of a product using a digital human model in combination with the ICZ model. The paper also describes an example of how the proposed methodology can be used to customize kitchen furniture design to the ICZ of a specific senior. The expected result of incorporating ICZ into the design is a better fit between the designed product and the user’s needs, supporting user-centered design methodology. Using ICZ enables the involvement of end-users in product design (participatory design). This is particularly important when designing for people with mobility impairments who are more sensitive to nonergonomic solutions. The ICZ modeling method described in this article may have broader applications beyond kitchen furniture design; it could be used to design workspaces and other similar areas where humans reside and perform manipulation activities

Selected issues in universal design of yachts for people with disabilities

This paper presents the general principles of building a sailing yacht designed for people with multiple disabilities. Specific requirements for the crew on such vessels have been stressed. A lot of attention has been given to the possible disabilities of the design subjects and accessibility of the new yacht. The universal design method has been adopted to enable meeting ergonomic and rehabilitation requirements. We discuss selected stages of the design process: problem analysis, yacht construction and equipment. We discuss the influence of the type of disability on yacht use, in detail. Two tasks have been combined, that of a sailor with disabilities and that of a yacht. Both of them need to be taken into account in the socio-technical ‘sailor with disabilities - yacht’ system. A set of required yacht adaptations has been developed to meet the relationships in this system. Typical dangers in sailing on the Empatia 60 FD yacht are further enumerated. We provide a set of design rules for constructing dedicated yachts for the disabled and their practical use

Life Cycle Assessment of Municipal Wastewater Treatment Processes Regarding Energy Production from the Sludge Line

The efficient and timely removal of organic matter and nutrients from water used in normal municipal functions is considered to be the main task of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Therefore, these facilities are considered to be essential units that are required to avoid pollution of the water environment and decrease the possibility of triggering eutrophication. Even though these benefits are undeniable, they remain at odds with the high energy demand of wastewater treatment and sludge processes. As a consequence, WWTPs have various environmental impacts, which can be estimated and categorized using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) analysis. In this study, a municipal WWTP based in Poznań, Poland, was examined using the method defined in ISO 14040. ReCiPe Endpoint and Midpoint (v1.11), in a hierarchical approach, were used to evaluate the environmental impacts regarding 18 different categories. All calculations were conducted using a detailed database from 2019, which describes each chosen facility. It was found that the energy component, related to the wastewater treatment process demand and electricity production, is the main determinant of the sum of the environmental impact indicators in light of the modelled energy mix. Therefore, it determines the entire process as an environmentally friendly activity

Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Refrigerator Modelled with Application of Various Electricity Mixes and Technologies

Improving national electricity mixes and increasing a share of renewable energy covered by credible and reliable tracking systems are vital topics, also in a context of life cycle assessment. There are many publications devoted to the relevance of energy in the life cycle of products, but only few LCA examples applying residual mixes have been found in the literature. The paper presents the results of an LCA study for a refrigerator calculated with using different electricity mixes and technologies. The life cycle was divided into eight stages and the electricity consumption was modelled as renewable energy, national residual mix, or national supplier mix. Electricity mixes for three different countries were selected and used. The study aimed to answer the following questions: “what are the most relevant elements in the life cycle of the analysed refrigerator?”, “do the elements change if various electricity mixes are applied?”, and “what differences are there in the environmental impact of electricity generation modelled as residual and supplier mixes?”. From the life cycle perspective, not only may differences in national electricity systems between countries turn out to be important, but equally significant may be the choice between different types of mixes for a certain country

Development of Transport for Disabled People on the Example of Wheelchair Propulsion with Cam-Thread Drive

The increasingly frequent use of electric drives is a new direction of development in personal transport. Sometimes these drives take over the work of human muscles, and sometimes they only support them. This is particularly evident in means of transport such as bicycles and scooters, but also in transporting people with disabilities. This study questions whether this is the only right development direction, and explores the possibility of developing means of transport for the more effective use of human muscles by proposing new structural solutions. We identified that such an action favors the minimization of the environmental load generated by technical facilities and, at the same time, may be a response to social needs resulting from the principles of sustainable development. This paper presents the operation principle of the innovative Wheelchair Cam-thread Drive (WCD), followed by field tests, laboratory measurements and biomechanical analyses of the WCD, comparing it with a typical Wheelchair Push-rim Drive (WPD). We found that the WCD allows efficient driving on flat and level surfaces, but its propulsion method can adversely alter the location of the center of gravity on the human-wheelchair system. A brake is also required to control the driving speed. Ultimately, the WCD was found to put less strain on the human movement system, so it could be used for rehabilitation exercises. The WCD appears to be a promising design, deserving further research into the drive biomechanics and the optimization of the mechanism operation. Such an innovative manual drive presents an interesting alternative to electric drives

Development of Transport for Disabled People on the Example of Wheelchair Propulsion with Cam-Thread Drive

The increasingly frequent use of electric drives is a new direction of development in personal transport. Sometimes these drives take over the work of human muscles, and sometimes they only support them. This is particularly evident in means of transport such as bicycles and scooters, but also in transporting people with disabilities. This study questions whether this is the only right development direction, and explores the possibility of developing means of transport for the more effective use of human muscles by proposing new structural solutions. We identified that such an action favors the minimization of the environmental load generated by technical facilities and, at the same time, may be a response to social needs resulting from the principles of sustainable development. This paper presents the operation principle of the innovative Wheelchair Cam-thread Drive (WCD), followed by field tests, laboratory measurements and biomechanical analyses of the WCD, comparing it with a typical Wheelchair Push-rim Drive (WPD). We found that the WCD allows efficient driving on flat and level surfaces, but its propulsion method can adversely alter the location of the center of gravity on the human-wheelchair system. A brake is also required to control the driving speed. Ultimately, the WCD was found to put less strain on the human movement system, so it could be used for rehabilitation exercises. The WCD appears to be a promising design, deserving further research into the drive biomechanics and the optimization of the mechanism operation. Such an innovative manual drive presents an interesting alternative to electric drives