additional environmental impact generated by the change of design is lower than
the avoided impacts allowed during the use phase in order to have a net benefit.
This study finally showed that it is possible to make beneficial specific usage
recommendations but the data results are not enough to give specific usage recommendations for each user and their specific usage. In fact, depending on the
business of the customer, the recommendations could be adapted. It could be useful
to have a specific tool in order to analyse the behaviour of each end-user and to
estimate the potential savings by identifying undesirable usage practices. The
savings can be estimated based first on experimental data, then on the real data
feedback from the end-user. Based on this tool, an “eco-feedback” design strategy
to encourage sustainable behaviour can be used. Eco-feedback involves informing
the end-users of their energy consumption and associated environmental footprint.
This requires real-time data processing analysis and environmental footprint calculation. However, the potential savings of energy consumption and thus the
reduction of the environmental footprint (up to −41.7% between an optimal and a
sub optimal practice of use) can be worth the effort.
4 Conclusions
In this study, we compared average fuel consumption, based on the use of a TRU to
transport goods, to specific energy consumption, depending on different parameters.
The study aimed at showing the influence of energy consumption modelling on the
assessment of the environmental performance of the product under study. The
hypothesis was that energy consumption modelling based on experimental data
provides a greater understanding of the influence of the different parameters useful
to model energy consumption.
The results have proven the importance of giving specific usage recommendations to the customer to improve the environmental footprint of TRUs.
It is therefore important to improve the modelling of usage scenarios and of the
lifecycle inventory of energy consumption, especially for energy-using products,
for which the energy consumption is the major source of environmental impact
during the lifespan of the product. However, the gain in using specific scenario
modelling must be compared to the additional resources needed to collect data.
References
1. Brezet H, Van Hamel C, Ecodesign: A promising approach to sustainable production and
consumption, Paris: UNEP, 1997.
2. Lockton D, Harrison D, Neville S, Making the user more efficient: Design for sustainable
behaviour, International Journal of Sustainable Engineering, Vol. 1, No. 1, 2008, pp. 3–8.
3. Wever R, Van Kujik J, Bock C, User-centred design for sustainable behaviour, Procedia
CIRP, Vol. 40, 2016, pp. 469–474.
Is It Useful to Improve Modelling of Usage Scenarios …
239
the avoided impacts allowed during the use phase in order to have a net benefit.
This study finally showed that it is possible to make beneficial specific usage
recommendations but the data results are not enough to give specific usage recommendations for each user and their specific usage. In fact, depending on the
business of the customer, the recommendations could be adapted. It could be useful
to have a specific tool in order to analyse the behaviour of each end-user and to
estimate the potential savings by identifying undesirable usage practices. The
savings can be estimated based first on experimental data, then on the real data
feedback from the end-user. Based on this tool, an “eco-feedback” design strategy
to encourage sustainable behaviour can be used. Eco-feedback involves informing
the end-users of their energy consumption and associated environmental footprint.
This requires real-time data processing analysis and environmental footprint calculation. However, the potential savings of energy consumption and thus the
reduction of the environmental footprint (up to −41.7% between an optimal and a
sub optimal practice of use) can be worth the effort.
4 Conclusions
In this study, we compared average fuel consumption, based on the use of a TRU to
transport goods, to specific energy consumption, depending on different parameters.
The study aimed at showing the influence of energy consumption modelling on the
assessment of the environmental performance of the product under study. The
hypothesis was that energy consumption modelling based on experimental data
provides a greater understanding of the influence of the different parameters useful
to model energy consumption.
The results have proven the importance of giving specific usage recommendations to the customer to improve the environmental footprint of TRUs.
It is therefore important to improve the modelling of usage scenarios and of the
lifecycle inventory of energy consumption, especially for energy-using products,
for which the energy consumption is the major source of environmental impact
during the lifespan of the product. However, the gain in using specific scenario
modelling must be compared to the additional resources needed to collect data.
References
1. Brezet H, Van Hamel C, Ecodesign: A promising approach to sustainable production and
consumption, Paris: UNEP, 1997.
2. Lockton D, Harrison D, Neville S, Making the user more efficient: Design for sustainable
behaviour, International Journal of Sustainable Engineering, Vol. 1, No. 1, 2008, pp. 3–8.
3. Wever R, Van Kujik J, Bock C, User-centred design for sustainable behaviour, Procedia
CIRP, Vol. 40, 2016, pp. 469–474.
Is It Useful to Improve Modelling of Usage Scenarios …
239