Christof Oberender

Ecological design for the usage phase: an interdisciplinary approach to design for environment

The primary contributor for environmental damage caused by electric consumer products is the usage phase Environmental damage incurred during usage is primarily determined by user behavior, which, in turn, is influenced by the product design While very general predictions of the effects of system features may be made on the basis of expert assessment, for more precise estimates empirical testing is required In the current study the vacuum cleaner is used as an example product. Analyses of users revealed a number of ecological unfavorable behavior patterns It is argued here that technical support may be needed The vacuum cleaning process is analyzed regarding to the influence of environmental relevant user behavior, as well as to technical influence factors. From the analyses two product concepts were developed and realized as functional prototypes. The current work is based on an interdisciplinary cooperation of mechanical engineering and work psychology.