Urban Laundry Initiative Proposal
Cities are Growing In 2008, for the first time in history, more than half of the world’s population will be living in towns and cities. By 2030 this number will swell to 5 billion.1 And, out of that sudden increase, 95% of the growth in the next two decades will be in the lessdeveloped world.2 1
UNFPA, linking Population, Poverty and Development, http://www.unfpa.org/pds/urbanization.htm 06/07/2009
2
WUF, World Urban Forum, http://www.unhabitat.org/ cdrom/intro/intro.html, 05/07/2009
Natural Resources need to be used Better For highly industrialized economies, the total volume of natural resources required can be staggering—in the range of 45 to 85 metric tons of material per person each year 1 It is estimated that cities are responsible for 75% of global energy consumption and 80% of greenhouse gas emissions.2 1
World Resources Institute, WASTING THE MATERIAL WORLD: THE IMPACT OF INDUSTRIAL ECONOMIES, http:// earthtrends.wri.org/features/view_feature.php?theme=6&fid=4, 15/03/2010
2
Biovision Life Sciences ,Reducing Cities Ecological Footprint, http://www.biovision.org/reducing-cities-ecologicalfootprint.html 11/02/2009
Alternatives to current habits need to be provided Allowing for slowing down Promoting Co-operation Sharing of Resources
Image: E. Manzini, F. Jegou, Sustainable everyday. Scenarios of urban life, Arcadia Edizioni, Milano, 2003
Life Cycle Impact*
End of life 3% Production 9% Consumer Use 88%
Life Cycle Analysis of existing Washing Machines *Graph based on Electrolux, Resource Efficiency, http:// www.electrolux.com/node280.aspx 20/02/2010
Potential to Reduce product Impact is in its use
During consumer use a Washing Machine uses 96% of all energy used in its lifetime, it contributes to 98% of all Air Pollution, 96% of Water Pollution, 87% of Solid Waste generated. It also accounts for 98% of the products Water consumption.1 1
Loughborough University, LCA Assessment of Washing Machines, http://www. lboro.ac.uk/research/susdesign/LTSN/Blocks/ Block%207/Life%20Cycle%20Assessment.ppt, 15/02/2010
How to make washing more sustainable? Use energy, water and natural resources efficiently Make products that are adaptable to different needs Provide people with incentives for saving energy, water and resources
Re-thinking laundry
Power Use
Increase energy efficiency
Increase water efficiency
Resource use efficiency
Social Context
Use Human Power
Use front loading washing machines, they use up to 75% less electricity to run because continuously rotating action requires less energy than alternating agitation. They also are more effective during spin cycle in extracting water.1
Use polymer beads to clean clothes, Xero claims to use 90% less water. The beads and water interact with the clothes and extract stains. 2
Having a community laundry within an apartment instead of a washing machine per household is an immediate saving of resources.
Creation of a private- public partnership. Where individuals own or invest in participating in the Laundromat.
Use other renewable energy sources
Concentrate on cold water washing, 80 – 85% of the energy used to wash clothes comes from heating the water, and a hot water wash can generate up to 5 times the amount of greenhouse gases than a cold wash.3
One way to increase water efficiency is to use a front loading washing machine. They use on average 50L of water per load as opposed to 120L that top loaders require4
Use of recycled materials, as opposed to raw materials like steel, aluminium and high grade plastics, or recycling existing machines is preferred.
A possibility for creating a micro economy.
Provide both electrical energy and human powered options. Incentives could include human powered use free or discounted.
Facilitate for different load sizes, washing and empty load uses as much energy as a full one.
Consider: The average UK household uses almost 21 litres of water each day on clothes washing 13% of daily household water consumption. This accounts for approximately 455 million litres of water daily, enough water to fill 145 Olympic size swimming pools.5
Design should allow for easy repair, and replacement of parts, efficiency would be maximised by a long product life cycle
A new opportunity for sharing, and social interaction.
Using a clothes line is incomparably more efficient than a clothes dryer.
Find uses for grey water
Design for manufacture Design for Disassembly
1
the system Percentage of Population that live in high density housing in Australia Estimated laundry habits
52%
33% Couples under 35
Lone People under 35
Business People
37%
21% Single Parent Families
Lone People 65+
Australian Bureau of Statistics, Housing stock: Changes in Australian housing, http://www.abs.gov.au 12/10/2009
FRESH WATER
the fast system
in
Easilier to SUN dry
PHYSICAL ENERGY in ELECTRICAL ENERGY in
Water efficiency Energy efficiency Load segregation possible Hand crank washing facilitated Grey water harnessed Use of reycled plastics in production
GREY out WATER
in
R Y LA G S O NER E
the slow system FRESH WATER in
Easilier to SUN dry
ELECTRICAL ENERGY in
Filtration Water efficiency Energy efficiency Load segregation possible Made for sharing loads while maintaining hygienic standards Grey water harnessed Use of reycled plastics in production
GREY out WATER
in
R Y LA G S O NER E
the co-op system
Easilier to SUN dry
FRESH WATER in
PHYSICAL ENERGY in Water efficiency, rain water capture Energy efficiency, and pedal power Load segregation possible Made for sharing loads while maintaining hygienic standards Grey water harnessed and reed filtered Use of reycled plastics in production
Wetland Filtration GREY out WATER
Secondary Incentives
Primary Incentives
the incentives
Financial Savings or Profit
A product better adapted to individual needs
Outsourcing of Regular Maintenance
the mechanisms
Left to Right: Locking mechanism of washing bins used when in storage and in use as washing container, hand crank mechanism, grey water trolley and interlocking drawer, centrifugal two layer drum, water in hose attachment, pivoting water inlet/outlet, bin lids and locking attachments.
the physics
ion
rot at
velocity
centrifugal
centripetal
axis
the components
the materials Axpoly Plastics Why?
• 100% post-consumer recycled polymer (recovered from refrigerators) • 93% less CO2 impact compared with virgin* • Successfully replaces virgin grade resin • ISO9000 quality certified • Available in a range of colours • Cost savings compared with virgin polymer grades * As detailed in Axion’s report ‘Carbon Footprint Evaluation of Recycled HIPS’ August 2008. Calculation made using data provided by WRAP and Plastics Europe.
More information at http://www.axionrecycling.com or http://www.materia.nl/575.html
Alternative Power Use
Energy Efficiency
Water Efficiency
Recycled Materials
Opportunity for sharing
the research 1
KEIDEL, Why buy a Front Loading Washing Machine? XERO, Technology, -polymer-technology.htm, 13/02/2010 1 C. Balston, Your Carbon Footprint , Your-Appliances-More, 12/02/2010 1 Greenhome, 1
1
-load.htm, 13/02/2010 -Friendly/Your-Carbon-Footprint-Habits-to-Make, 05/06/2009
University of Leeds, , 10/02/2010
Sustainable Everyday Project http://www.sustainable-everyday.net/ scenarios/?page_id=26
Materia: Home http://www.materia.nl/
Historical Washing Machines & Patents http://www.oldewash.com/
Preliminary Sketches http://issuu.com/joszczepanska/docs/washing_mechanism_sketchesprint
Mechanism Tests http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=OMskojQwRag
Water Use During Hand Washing http://www.greeninformation.co.uk/housework/hand_washing_versus_machine_ washing__clothes/
Hand Washing Review http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/02/ hand-powered-po/
Housework and Health http://jech.bmj.com/content/56/6/473. abstract
History of Housework http://www.aei.org/article/24043
Calories and Mechanisation http://www.healthplans.com/articledetails. php?menuid=10&articleid=4324
Unilever- Handwashing detergent http://www.unilever.com/innovation/productinnovations/default/
Time Spent on Housework Krantz-Kent, R.. 2009. Measuring time spent in unpaid household work: results from the American Time Use Survey. Monthly Labor Review, July 1, 46-59
Washing Machine Museum http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=l3Ih4zbwkPs
Pedalpower washing Machine from India http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=qxryeNycJX0
Pedal Power to Electrical washing Machine http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=EN6iqicgaXI