Abstract
Both the daily use and renewal of kitchens significantly contribute to the overall environmental impact of domestic buildings. To identify design implications related to circular consumption in domestic kitchens, 20 household interviews and one focus group session were performed, investigating how kitchens are used and transformed to meet households’ wants and needs. This study determined that daily kitchen resource use is greatly affected by kitchen design and that typical kitchen design generally does not promote sustainable resource use. Key factors that support minimization of resource use in the kitchen are the availability and planning of storage and workspaces. Furthermore, kitchens should be equipped with functions that enable households to use energy and water efficiently. Regarding kitchen renewal, various motivations that may initiate kitchen renovations can be summarised as follows: (1) Functional demands and changing needs, (2) aesthetic demands and changing trends, (3) obsolescence due to wear, and (4) linkage to another home renovation. This article concludes that a combination of design strategies is needed to reach a higher level of kitchen circularity. Moreover, these design strategies must be accompanied by circular business models and efforts to increase awareness of the environmental impact related to activities in and involving the kitchen.
Highlights
Kitchens have become increasingly multifunctional living spaces and a frequent target for renewal [1,2]
This paper reports on the empirical data that were gathered during a focus group meeting in a selected resident-owned housing association (HA) and semi-structured interviews with randomly selected households of various residence tenures
The findings from the previously described research methods are presented in three main subsections that cover resource use in the daily use of kitchens, kitchen renewal, and barriers to kitchen circularity
Summary
Kitchens have become increasingly multifunctional living spaces and a frequent target for renewal [1,2]. 10 million tonnes of furniture are discarded in the European Union, of which kitchen furniture represents approximately one-fourth [5]. In collaboration with international academic and industry partners (housing developers, kitchen manufacturers and appliance producers), the research team aims to develop new types of kitchen furniture and appliances, accompanied by a business model based on circular economy principles. To successfully reach this objective, it is critical to understand the end-users’ needs and demands. Research activities, such as a focus group session and interviews, were designed to collect insight into end-user perspectives regarding kitchens.
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