Author(s)

G. Wallenborn, N. Prignot, K. Thollier, C. Rousseau & A. Van Cutsem

Abstract

This paper presents a newly founded research project that is conceived as an integrated socio-technological study about the manufacturing and use of household energy consuming appliances (often referred to as EuPs). This project will examine how standards and ecodesign could take into account the different kinds of users and their role in the use phase in terms of energy consumption. The paper presents the motives to study the use phase of EuPs. It presents these products as embodying conflicts and trade-offs of constraints pertaining to different categories of requirements: technology, economy, ergonomics, social and cultural aspects, health and safety, ecology, ethics. What do EuPs tell us about a culture of energy that is needed for a sustainable development? Keywords: energy-using products, eco-design, ecological standards, users. 1 Introduction: a new culture of energy is required This paper is the starting point of a new research about the ecodesign of energyusing products (EuPs). In our research, we shall conceive these products as a conjunction of different domains of practices: standards of different kinds, conception and construction process, users, policies, market. All these domains of practice are obviously interconnected through the analysed products. Practices that are occurring in these domains precisely define them: some people take time to build standards, others try to achieve proper legislation, while some make their best to provide nice and cheap products that some others have conceived,

Keywords

energy-using products, eco-design, ecological standards, users.