The Open University Design Innovation Group

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The Open UniversityDesign Innovation Group

• Robin Roy, Professor of Design Environment
• OU/UCL meeting 17 January 2007

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Design for the Environment Programme

• Factor 10 Visions - higher education, transport,
  housing
• Ecological footprints of UK households
• People-centred eco-design consumer adoption and
  use of LZC products and systems
• Carbon Connections technical/user evaluation of
  micro-generation

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Factor 10 Visions

• Potential for up to 90 reduction in resource
  consumption and emissions in UK Higher Education,
  Transport and Housing sectors
• Focus on Higher Education (Robin Roy Stephen
  Potter) and Transport (Stephen Potter)
• Housing (Robin Roy study leave at ECI, Oxford) -
  Futures modelling more advanced at UCL, Leeds,
  Oxford, etc.

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Factor 10 Visions Higher Education

• Empirical assessment of energy and carbon
  emissions associated with preparation and
  teaching of 13 campus-based and 7 distance
  learning courses (including on-line e-learning
  courses)

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Factor 10 Visions Higher Education

• Distance learning involves nearly 90 less energy
  and emissions than campus-based teaching per
  course credit (factor 10 reduction!)
• Reasons major reductions in student/staff
  travel (incl. overseas students) residential
  energy consumption economies of scale in campus
  site utilisation
• E-learning involves only 10-20 less energy and
  emissions than paper-based distance teaching
• Reasons more computers computing printing off
  on-line course materials extra home heating.
• DfES/HEFCE Sustainable Development strategy
  ignores environmental benefits of distance
  learning.
• Roy, R., Potter, S. and Yarrow, K. Designing low
  carbon higher education systems, Paper for
  International Journal of Sustainability in Higher
  Education, Nov 2006

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Factor 10 Visions - Transport

• Modelling exercise to identify mix of policies to
  achieve 66 reduction in carbon emissions from UK
  transport by 2030
• To reach target requires
• Major increases in vehicle fuel efficiency car,
  bus, train
• Limiting growth in number/length of all journeys
• Modal shift from car to bus and train
• Potter, S. (2006) The roles of behavioural change
  and technical innovation in achieving sustainable
  transport, Keynote paper for the 2006 Shell
  Eco-marathon

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Ecological Footprints of UK households

• Data on ecological footprint of nearly 1000 UK
  households (via OU students use of EcoCal
  software)
• Analysis of demographic and other factors
  influencing household ecological footprints (i.e.
  land area to sustainably support the household)
• Consumer actions to reduce their households
  ecological footprint

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Ecological Footprints of UK households

• Mean EF of OU households 1.3 UK ha per person
• Average household would need to reduce per capita
  EF by 60 to be globally sustainable
• 11 OU households were globally sustainable
  mainly urban couples with 1-3 younger children
  travelling by bike public transport
• Roy, R. and Caird, S. (2006) Household ecological
  footprints demographics and sustainability,
  Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy and
  Management, December.

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People-centred eco-designConsumer adoption and
use of low and zero carbon products and systems

• Why consumers do (and dont) adopt energy
  efficiency measures and renewable
  energy/micro-generation systems
• Consumers experiences of using these products
  and systems
• Ideas for improving the products and systems to
  make them more user-friendly and desirable

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People-centred eco-design

• On-line survey of 400 peoplevia BBC Climate
  Chaos and Energy Saving Trust websites(energy
  efficiency measures renewables)
• 90 interviews with clients ofMK Energy
  Agency(energy efficiency measures)and National
  Energy Foundation(solar WH)

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People-centred eco-design energy efficiency

• Loft insulation Heating controls Condensing
  boiler CFLs
• Driverssaving money/energy warmer
  home(environmental concerned people pensioners)
• Barriersloft insulation irritant fibres
  clearing loft loss of storageheating controls
  replacing functioning old controlscondensing
  boiler cost of replacing functioning boiler
  unreliabilityCFLs size/shape/ugliness
  compatibility with existing fittings/dimmers
• Benefitsloft insulation warmer home (little
  fuel saving) energy awarenessheat controls
  cond boiler CFLs fuel saving energy awareness
• Problemsheat controls difficult to
  understand/use buttons/displays too small

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People-centred eco-design renewables

• Solar WH PV Micro-wind Wood stove
• DriversAll - saving energy money to
  invest(environmental concerned middle classes
  esp. retired) Wood stove lower cost real fire
  (middle class families)
• BarriersAll - capital cost payback
  reliabilityMicro-wind planning/neighbours
  objections no suitable locationWood stove
  extra dust and dirt fuel storage
• BenefitsAll pleasure using renewable energy
  fuel saving
• ProblemsSolar WH incompatibility with wet
  appliances combi boilersWood stove high room
  temperatures

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People-centred eco-design energy efficiency
improvement ideas

• Loft insulationStorage after installing
  250-300mm insulationEco-friendly loft insulation
  available in subsidised schemes
• Heating controlsDesigned for all
  usersIntelligent controls to optimise
  comfort/efficiencyControls that give
  feedbackBetter installer training on controls
  accessibility

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People-centred eco-design renewables
improvement ideas

• AllLower cost systems innovative financing
  schemes(e.g. installed by energy supplier repaid
  via fuel bills)standards for performance/reliabi
  lity better information
• Solar water heatingPackaged with
  condensing/combination boilersRoof integrated
  systemsProvides feedback on optimal usage
• PV - Better price for exported electricity
• Micro-wind - Building integrated systems
• Wood stoves - Less polluting more controllable
• Roy, R. and Caird, S. (2006) Designing low
  zero carbon products and systems adoption,
  effective use and innovation, In Proceedings
  Sustainable Innovation 06 international
  conference, Chicago.

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Carbon Connections micro-generation

• OU bid with Energy Saving Trust for technical and
  user evaluation of micro-generation systems
  (Scoping study funded)
• Focus
• Solar WH Ground source heat pumps Biomass
  stoves/boilers
• ( parallel Micro-wind study by EST)
• Sample LCBP applicants/adopters (managed by EST)
• AimsDrivers and barriers to adoption of these
  micro-gen technologiesExisting knowledge on
  performance of these micro-gen technologiesTechni
  cal and user evaluation of one of these micro-gen
  technologies Knowledge transfer to industry of
  ideas for improving these micro- gen technologies

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OU Multi-media learning materials

• T172 Working with our environmentTechnology for
  a sustainable future
• T211 Design and designing
• T307 InnovationDesigning for a sustainable
  future
• Domestic Energy Assessor training course?
• Case study BedZED

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Ideas for OU/UCL collaboration

• Sharing know-how, results publications(e.g.
  knowledge of micro-generation evaluation studies)
• Dissemination to industry and governmentvia our
  networks
• Joint research bids/projects
• UCL contribution to OU teaching

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Robin Roy r.roy_at_open.ac.ukDesign Innovation
GroupFaculty of TechnologyThe Open
UniversityMilton KeynesMK7 6AA

• www.open.ac.uk http//design.open.ac.uk