Energy efficiency as design objective using utility-based indicators
Year: 2013
Editor: Udo Lindemann, Srinivasan V, Yong Se Kim, Sang Won Lee, John Clarkson, Gaetano Cascini
Author: Martin, Paul; Albers, Albert; Ply, Johnny
Series: ICED
Institution: IPEK - Institute of Product Engineering at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany
Page(s): 231-240
ISBN: 978-1-904670-48-3
ISSN: 2220-4334
Abstract
In engineering design, Energy Efficiency (EE) has been part of systems of objectives mainly due to economic relevance of the energy required to provide a desired utility value or by ecological aspects with holistic claim and intention. However, increasing economic impact, power intensities and legal regulations related to EE as well as the raising number of mobile systems lead to various motivations and according understandings of EE as a design objective. This causes a need for methodical approaches to support designers and deciders in handling EE as a design objective in a differentiated and target-oriented manner. This paper discusses the different motivations and perspectives regarding the relevance of EE as a design objective and presents an approach to systematically quantify targets for in-use EE. This is achieved by means of utility-based indicators, that describe the efficiency’s numerator by an operational reference characteristic and the sum of weighted utility values as functions of fulfillment of task-specific utility-characteristics. Further validation must conclusively prove its consistency and suitability to represent in-use EE as a design objective.
Keywords: Design to X, energy efficiency, requirements, indicators