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Developing a dedicated tool to support the development of domestic boilers for a circular economy

Hout, N.B. van den (2017) Developing a dedicated tool to support the development of domestic boilers for a circular economy.

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Abstract:Since the twentieth century, the demand for continuous growth has been met by a high-throughput economy that extracts, uses, and eventually disposes resources. The large-scale consequences of this wasteful system have led to increasing concerns about sustainability. In response, a large boiler manufacturer has recognised the need for a more sustainable approach to product development. Therefore, the circular economy is adopted as a model for using resources in more effective ways. In a circular economy, products are designed so that the value they embed, can be recovered, restored, and used again. This challenges organisations to re-think and re-design the products they manufacture. The purpose of this thesis is to develop a dedicated tool that supports the development of domestic boilers for a circular economy. The result is an interactive digital solution that inspires and informs design decisions by means of practical design guidelines and examples. The tool is applicable in the early stages of development and particularly focuses at increasing opportunities to recover embedded resources from end-of-life boilers by design. A usability test has verified that the tool provides engineers with applicable insights on design for the circular economy that translate into new design solutions for domestic boilers.
Item Type:Essay (Master)
Faculty:ET: Engineering Technology
Subject:52 mechanical engineering
Programme:Industrial Design Engineering MSc (66955)
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/72124
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