December 2022 ertonline.co.uk


REVIEW


Ensuring safe extended product life Ian Moverley, Director of Communications and Government Relations, Whirlpool UK


According to our research, 29 per cent of companies do not have a net zero target or a plan on how they’re going to achieve better sustainability. It starts with design to make sure that products can be repaired and repaired easier. Then it’s about focusing on the manufacturing process


itself,


whether that be reducing emissions, reducing waste or the transportation of the product. And then the product itself of course – whether that’s using less energy, recyclable components, also the repairability and the recyclability of it.


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Manufacturers need to think about the product’s whole lifecycle – it’s journey from cradle to grave is absolutely vital. And making a product more repairable is critical to ensure safe, extended life. What about obsolescence? There’s often talk that obsolescence is built in and that’s simply not true. What manufacturer or brand is going to want the product to break down and risk disloyalty when it comes to the power of recommendations and reviews that could damage future sales.


We want to make sure that consumers continue using our products and we want them to be able to repair them, but we also want to make sure that people care for and maintain them. Does extending life and making sure that actually not buying new is best? Not always.


A brand new washing machine today will use 40 per cent less energy than the exact same equivalent model just a couple of years ago and that roughly equates to £40 a year in running costs. No manufacturer wants a consumer to change a


product that is three years old, but knowing that information and helping consumers to make a more sustainable choice in the future is really important. AMDEA’s Know What’s Watt campaign really helps with this, because it not only tries to show an explanation of the energy rating, but also talks about lifetime running costs, but then making it clear in terms of repair versus replace. Manufacturers will continue to make products that are more sustainable, but also more repairable


The Safety Innovation Award 2022 Ian Moverley


and recyclable


at


the


end,


providing


better


information that’s clearer for consumers so they can make the right choice – the right choice that’s important for them and for the planet.


over 30 years of experience developing life-critical safety solutions for the Home Office, Police and Network Rail.


Martyn Allen, Technical Director at ESF, said: “Connected Innovations’ entry was the judges’ unanimous winner. We believe the company has developed a product and system which could make a major contribution to reducing electrical fires and would be a significant safety protection measure if established in tower blocks.” Mr Parfitt added: “We are delighted to receive the award. This is the result of so much hard work which was inspired by the tragedy of the Grenfell Tower fire. Too many lives are lost to preventable electrical fires and Ci technologies can help prevent these tragedies from happening again. “Electricity is the leading cause of fires in homes;


Andrew Kelly, Chief Operating Officer at Connected Innovations (right), being presented with the award by Maarten van der Dussen, MD of Product IP, the award sponsor


This year, ESF’s coveted Safety Innovation Award was won by Connected Innovations for its complex and clever socket outlet, backed by a core safety and communications system, which monitors a range of


external factors, and can ultimately prevent the risk of overheating that could otherwise lead to a fire. The product was invented by the Founder of Connected Innovations, Anthony Parfitt, who has


more than half of electrical fires start in the wiring, plug or socket, when heat is released from loose connections or electrical arcing, causing them to ignite if not addressed. With our patented smart devices linked via the Internet of Things, we aim to elevate the humble electrical socket to the front line in the fight against devastating electrical fires.” Connected Innovations’ sockets detect heat build-up in the plugs and nearby wiring and turn the appliance off, stopping the fire risk before it starts. The same patented technology can be deployed within the appliances themselves.


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