The Move to Repairability

Group Participants: Michael Day, Heike Mertins, Andrew Bauer

Should we be focusing more on repairing the things that we buy, or is repairing things a thing of the past given our present lifestyle and economy?

Why aren't we repairing?

 - 'designed obsolescence'

- easy for the manufacturer and the user/buyer.  

 - How much energy does it take to produce an energy-efficient product?

- cost/timeliness/convenience and trust of repair

- some items might be just plain 'unrepairable' / or not user-serviceable

Consumer - Manufacturer - Government

Consumer responsibility:

     - take some time to repair something simple.

-attitudes and skills

- Educated to ask the right information

- demand disclosure

- ask 'can this be fixed?'

Manufacturer:

- re-introduce / re-emphasize refurbishment programs

- design for longevity and repair

- upgradeability

- make maintenance information availabe (could make use of internet, etc.)

Government:

 - re-introduce technical skills into education,  

- legislate lifecycle responsibility

- mandate service information and reliability information be included when you buy a product

- better product information

- tax incentive for consumers to repair products rather than replace

- carbon / green tax credits / incentives to manufacturers

Vendor:

- better educate consumers (and themselves)

- offer repair services - facilitate service

Areas where innovation could be used:

- refurbishment programs - auto industry - part exchange, discount refurbished parts

- motors / compressors, industrial/agricultural, tools/machinery

- design for longevity/repair

- educate consumers - technically knowlegeable people, frugal/cheap people, environmentally concious people, 'freecycle' - like craig's list/kigigi but free

- service information

 - 'Staber' washing machines