Energy Utilization, Storage, and Distribution
- Resource management and sustainable production focus on three key issues:
- Consumption of raw materials
- Consumption of energy
- Production of waste
- These factors are crucial for managing resources effectively and making production more sustainable.
- Think about how each design choice impacts these three areas.
- This mindset will help you create more sustainable solutions.
Nature and Aims of Design
Nature of Design
- Efficient energy use is a critical consideration for designers today.
- The goal is to reduce the energy required for products or services by:
- Using newer technologies
- Implementing creative system
Driving less is energy conservation, while driving the same distance with a higher mileage car is energy efficiency.
Concepts and Principles
Embodied Energy
Definition
Embodied Energy
Embodied Energy is the total energy required to produce and maintain a product or service. It helps designers understand the energy impact of their choices.
Components of Embodied Energy
- Materials: Energy used to extract and produce materials
- Transport: Energy used to move materials to factories or sites
- Assembly: Energy used in construction or production
- Recurring: Energy for maintenance or use
- Recycling: Energy for recycling at end-of-life
Strategies for Reducing Embodied Energy
- Use less material
- Minimize scrap through design choices
- Select low-embodied-energy materials
- Choose low-energy construction systems
- Use naturally available or renewable materials
- Opt for durable materials and components
- Prioritize reusable and recyclable materials
A plastic water bottle has embodied energy from:
- Oil extraction (to make plastic)
- Plastic production (factories process it into a bottle)
- Transportation (moving it to stores)
- Refrigeration (energy to keep it cold)
- Disposal or recycling (energy to break it down)
Key Idea: The more steps in production and transport, the higher the embodied energy.
LCA is a method used to measure the environmental impact of a product from start to finish.
Life Cycle Stages:
- Raw Materials – Where do materials come from?
- Production – How much energy and water are used?
- Transport – How far does it travel?
- Use – How much energy does it consume?
- End of Life – Can it be recycled or will it become waste?
An aluminum can:
- Mining – Bauxite is mined for aluminum.
- Manufacturing – The metal is processed into a can.
- Transport – Shipped to stores.
- Use – The drink is consumed.
- End of Life – Can be recycled into a new can, reducing waste.
Distributing Energy: National and International Grid Systems
Energy grids
The energy grid is the system that delivers electricity from power plants to homes, businesses, and factories. It includes:
- Power Generation – Energy is made in power stations (e.g., coal, nuclear, wind).
- Powerlines & Transformers – Electricity travels through wires to different areas.
- Connections to Consumers – Homes, schools, and factories receive electricity.
Key Fact: Electricity is often produced far away from where it is used, so a grid ensures power gets to the right place.
