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DESIGNING LOW ZERO CARBON PRODUCTS
SYSTEMS Paper 424 Robin Roy, Sally Caird Design
Innovation Group, Faculty of Mathematics,
Computing and Technology, The Open University,
Milton Keynes, UK

• Project objectives
• The development and rapid consumer adoption of
  low and zero carbon (LZC) technologies are key
  elements of UK and EU carbon reduction strategies
  to meet the challenge of climate change. However,
  consumer adoption of LZC products and systems has
  been slow.
• An Open University research project,
  People-centred ecodesign, aimed to
• research the technical and non-technical factors
  influencing consumer adoption and non-adoption
  of energy efficiency products (e.g. energy
  saving lamps) and renewable energy systems (e.g.
  solar PV)
• find out what consumers want from these LZC
  technologies, how they use them and consumers
  ideas for improving them.

• Results
• The ICED07 paper and this poster focuses on
  consumers ideas for improving LZC technologies,
  in order to identify requirements and challenges
  for designing more user-friendly and desirable
  products and systems.
• Consumers ideas for design improvements/
  technical innovationsinclude ( adopters, online
  survey)
• Household energy efficiency products
• Loft insulation
• More non-irritant and eco-friendly insulation
  materials (76)
• Thinner, less bulky insulation materials (60)
• DIY or professional systems to provide storage
  above insulation (39)
• Energy saving lamps
• CFLs similar size/shape/colour temperature to
  incandescent lamps (72)
• Dimmable CFLs (55)
• LEDs suitable for general lighting (57)

• Methodology
• To research these topics a consumer survey
  approach was used, based on methods employed for
  user needs assessment for product development and
  innovation.
• During 2006 the research team conducted
• about 90 in-depth consumer interviews with
  clients of two UK Energy Efficiency Advice
  Centres and a renewable energy advice scheme
• an on-line survey linked to a BBC/Open University
  television series on climate change that produced
  nearly 400 responses.

• Case study heating controls
• Many UK consumers fail to install modern
  heatingcontrols and some find them difficult to
  useeffectively to minimise fuel consumption.
• Their ideas for design improvements technical
  innovations include ( adopters, online survey)
• Inclusively designed controls for all users (56)
• Controls that give users feedback on energy costs
  consumption (53)
• Intelligent controls that automatically optimise
  comfort energy use (51)
• Controls located in a prominent location in the
  home (41)

• Conclusions
• The study suggests that feedback from users can
  help guide the specification, development and
  marketing of LZC technologies.
• The drivers for adoption indicate that an
  engineering focus on improving the energy
  efficiency of LZC technologies is justified, but
  other design criteria, especially cost, market
  and visual appeal need consideration.
• The barriers to adoption and user feedback
  suggest that the design challenge is to offer
  lower cost, user-friendly products that offer
  high reliability and durability as well as saving
  energy.
• Designers and engineers need to design LZC
  products and systems to interface and integrate
  with existing buildings and energy systems.

Acknowledgements Thanks to Stephen Potter,
Horace Herring and Georgy Holden, The Open
University Karen Yarrow, consultant Brenda
Kelly and Angus Murchie, Milton Keynes Energy
Agency Ian Byrne, Gareth Ellis and Safron
Myhill-Hunt, the National Energy Foundation.
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