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We want you to play your part in helping us all reach our net-zero goals’
We report from this year’s AMDEA 2050: Appliances of the Future Conference: The Road to Net Zero.
This year’s AMDEA 2050: Appliances of the Future Conference: The Road to Net Zero was especially timely as it took place the day after UK prime minister, Rishi Sunak, announced a U-turn on the Government’s climate commitments, by pushing back the deadline on key green targets, including the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars, and the phasing out of gas boilers. Organised by AMDEA (Association of Manufacturers of Domestic
Appliances), the UK trade association for manufacturers of small and large domestic appliances, the event (Thursday September 21), which is now in its third year and was supported by City, University London and the OPSS (Office for Product Safety and Standards), saw guest speakers from manufacturing, retail, regulation and policy focus on the next steps for achieving a sustainable home appliance industry, as we move towards a net-zero future.
Keynote Kevin Hollinrake MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Enterprise, Markets and Small Business, gave an opening keynote address via video. In his speech, Mr Hollinrake said achieving net zero targets and ambitions would impact on every aspect of our lives – home, work and play – and would have implications for the lifecycle and the safety of the products we use, including how we operate, produce, dispose of and recycle them. He said the OPSS, which is currently undertaking a Product Safety
Review on regulatory framework to make sure it is fit for now, as well as for the changing landscape ahead of us, has a key role to play. “Now that the UK has left the EU, we have a unique opportunity to design and implement a framework that works for better for us, using our new-found agility to forge our own path, delivering a regulatory framework that prioritises the needs of UK consumers and reduces the burden on business,” said Mr Hollinrake. Ahead of the manufacturer-led panel discussion, AMDEA CEO,
Paul Hide, gave a keynote presentation in which he explained how AMDEA is supporting its members to deliver a more sustainable future for the home appliance sector, but also helping to provide more sustainable choices for householders when purchasing appliances.
AMDEA CEO, Paul Hide “
More than 98 percent of UK homes have at least one large appliance and annual UK sales exceed 12 million large appliances and 50 million small appliances. This equates to a UK market worth close to £8 billion a year at retail and supports many thousands of UK jobs
The one-day conference took place at the Oliver Thompson
Lecture Theatre, in the Tait Building, Northampton Square, City, University, London. Sessions were split into three plenary sessions ‘How Are
Manufacturers Advancing on the Road to Net Zero?’; ‘How Are We Supporting Sustainable Householder Choices?’, and ‘How Will Regulation Enable the Delivery of Net Zero?’ Each session comprised a keynote speech and a panel
discussion, with the chance for delegates to ask questions. The conference was chaired by broadcaster and technology expert, Maggie Philbin OBE.
22 The Road To Net Zero
Achievement Said Mr Hide: “There’s no doubt that appliances have a big role to play in supporting the achievement of net-zero homes. Estimates suggest that within the 29 million UK homes, there are at least 130 million large appliances and over 300 million small appliances. “More than 98 percent of UK homes have at least one large appliance and annual UK sales of this industry exceed 12 million large appliances and 50 million small appliances. This equates to a UK market worth close to £8 billion a year at retail and supports many thousands of UK jobs.” Mr Hide said AMDEA’s responsibility is to ensure there is a net-
zero action plan across the full supply chain – from sustainable raw materials and sourcing precious minerals to carbon-and water-neutral manufacturing, net-zero delivery to the customer’s home, net-zero impact in use and full recyclability and material recovery at the end of a maximum useful life. “That’s a true circular economy,” he said.
Smart appliances Also at this year’s 2050: Appliances of the Future Conference, City, University of London announced that AMDEA is sponsoring PhD research into the self-engineering of smart appliances using AR/ VR. Delegates had an opportunity to visit City University’s AR/VR suite and see manufacturers’ product demonstrations in a showcase area. Commenting on the conference, AMDEA’s Mr Hide said:
“There is no other UK event that brings together such a wide range of stakeholders and it allows us to pause and reflect on our joint progress in delivering net-zero homes, to consider how far we’ve come in the past 12 months, and to discuss the priorities and milestones – both near-term and on the pathway to 2050.”
The Road To Net Zero
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