Longer-lasting appliances to reduce resource waste

One of the value chain collaborations in the Closing Loops program is working to combat the trend of white goods lasting less and less time. The goal is to develop new tools to make better decisions with a focus on consumer use of the products.

Today, white goods in Danish homes are often replaced after just 6-8 years, compared to 10-12 years in the 1990s. The value chain collaboration is in the process of reversing this trend.

The goal is to create concrete knowledge and thereby the foundation for more resource-saving and climate-conscious decisions on maintenance and repair of white goods in rental housing.

Central to the collaboration is the development of a new Ecovalg tool. The tool will provide landlords and administrators with an informed basis for making decisions about maintenance, repair or replacement.

By extending the lifetime of white goods, we expect to achieve climate benefits. Our initial analysis shows significant potential to reduce climate impact through increased focus on repair and maintenance. This requires that we change the way replacement decisions are made today,” says Andreas Egholm Kirt, project manager from the Danish Technological Institute.

The informed choice

Supplier and repairer, SAI Danmark A/S, are the initiators of the value chain collaboration and want to promote informed choice through the project.

We have many hopes for this project. It may open the door to a new way of thinking about the use of white goods. It could potentially be small measures that extend the lifespan. By getting concrete figures on the savings that can be achieved, we can more easily help the decision-maker to make an informed choice and consider the climate savings before replacing their white goods,” explains Niels Kehler, CEO of SAI Danmark A/S.

Documentation strengthens green choices

Initial life cycle assessments (LCA) from the Danish Technological Institute show that significant CO2 reductions can be achieved by extending the lifetime of existing white goods rather than investing in new products. The developed tool will include calculations of the climate impact of both the embedded materials and the operation, providing a solid knowledge base that includes both climate impact and economy to make informed decisions.

The study will provide valuable insight into how strategic lifetime extension through systematic maintenance and repair can be crucial to reduce the overall climate impact, says Maria Preilev Hansen, Business Manager at the Danish Technological Institute.

Behavior and attitudes in focus

An extensive qualitative study will uncover to what extent and why white goods are replaced earlier than necessary. The study looks at the attitudes and behavior of both tenants and decision-makers. The results will be used to develop targeted methods to increase the incentive to repair and maintain white goods.

Broad anchoring in the industry

The value chain collaboration includes property managers, building owners and service companies, as well as the Danish Technological Institute as a knowledge institution. DEAS A/S and AKF Holding A/S participate from the professional rental sector, while SAI Danmark A/S contributes with expertise in the supply, service and repair of white goods.

Read more about the value chain collaboration here:

Closing Loops

*The article is written by Technological Institute