Energy-using products as embodying heterogeneous requirements

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?