A new way to Decorate
Well, this might be slightly exaggerated, but my point is that I would assume that most of us do take some time everyday in front of the mirror to make sure we look okay and presentable. We are not narcissistic, but our appearance is important, especially when making first impressions. I am almost sure that everyone owns a mirror at home, whether it be a full size mirror by the front door or a small mirror above the dresser in your room. Since everyone has, and probably needs, a mirror somewhere in their home, why not add another feature to it? A mirror that heats your room, for example?
What I am about to present to you is far from a new idea, but it was definitely the first time I heard about it when I saw it. There are now infrared heating panels for sale on the market now. These are large panels installed on the walls of any room, be it offices, bedrooms, living rooms, or yoga studios, to warm nearby objects and imitate the warmth of sunlight to warm the room. Instead of directly heating the air, this option does not make the room “drier” and is more comfortable than conventional heating such as portable heaters. This technology is called the Infrared Heating Technology, and is up to 50% more efficient than traditional baseboard heaters or electronic heaters, thereby saving money along the way as well. Most importantly, it is a green alternative to heating your home instead of using natural gas.
The best feature about this is the variety of sizes, colour, and finishing it has. As a mentioned before, mirrors are a staple in any household. Perfectly enough, these infrared heating panels can come in a mirror finish to be more functional. If you are an art-appreciator, you may also choose to customize the panel with your favourite painting on it. That way, the panel would act more than just a heater, but also a piece of art to decorate your home with.
There are many benefits to using infrared heating panels, such as cost-saving in the long run, functional and decorative, more comfortable than conventional heating systems, and being a sustainable option to heating an interior space. However, I am a bit skeptical about the life span of this product, and also how recyclable the panel is at the end of its life cycle. As discussed in class, we not only want products to be made out of sustainable material but also have a cradle-to-cradle, closed loop life cycle. I would like to see more information about the recycling process of the product, especially when it contains high technology inside. Speaking of “seeing more information,” I browsed several online retailers of this product and none of them mentioned how to dispose of the panel. Again, this is about transparency and if the product is supposed to be environmental and green, it would be natural for the company to disclose all the information relating to the sustainability and longevity of the product.
In a nutshell, I think this is an innovative way to make a home more ‘green,’ although it may cost a bit up front to purchase the panel. However, it is a great investment that will save money in the long run. Plus, it can look great, so why not!
Sources:
https://irheating.ca/
http://www.infraredheatpanels.com/
This is an interesting concept and the first of its type that I have heard about. This is a great example of stage 4, developing new business models, as discussed in Ram Nidumolu, C.K. Prahalad, and M.R. Rangaswami’s article, Why Sustainability is the Key Driver of Innovation, that we went over in class. This product is a great example of how companies can meet consumers’ needs differently by developing new business models that explores such alternative to current ways of doing business, as discussed in the article.
Infrared heating technology is also a great example of eco-innovation, as it innovated at the concept stage and delivers to consumers the same function as existing heaters but with significantly less impact—as you mentioned, 50% more efficient than comparable products. I think this is amazing because it meets consumer demands and enables profits for businesses to be made, while minimizing impact to the environment. I would say that this product falls under Jacquiline Ottman’s sustainable product innovation, type 3, sustainable technology development, as it redefined the purpose of this product radically.
I also think that a transparent explanation of a full LCA of this product would be very beneficial and increase credibility for the company’s sustainability claim. This would really be helpful in determining what to do once the product is at the end of its life and needs to be discarded or hopefully recycled. Perhaps partnering up with NatureWorks LLC would be viable. The company can help address recycling issues and help achieve recycling results that would be beneficial for the community as well as the environment. Bellow is a link, feel free to check it out:
http://www.natureworksllc.com/The-Ingeo-Journey/End-of-Life-Options/Recycling
Hi Jennifer,
I think this is really cool, and it looks quite sleek and elegant. I would like some in my house! But I can understand your concerns with how someone might dispose of this after its use has expired. I have never thrown out a mirror before, so the process is definitely a mystery to me. But what concerns me more is how marketers will be able to convince people that they will save money in the long run by using these products. I was with my friend while she was completing a survey comparing two products, and she did not care that one product was more energy-efficient than the other (and thus, would save her money overall). She just wanted the option with the cheapest price tag. It’s definitely a challenge to consider, since people in general weigh immediate outcomes more heavily than more distant ones, as the article below describes.
https://faculty.fuqua.duke.edu/~jglynch/articles/Lynch%20and%20Zauberman%202006%20JPPM.pdf
Great post! I checked out the websites and this product looks amazing. I can’t believe I’ve never heard of it before. They cost around $400 and would probably shave $100-$200 off a year’s heating bill in Canada easily, so would have a payback period of 2-3 years. I know the disposal may not be green, but at least it would save energy in the meantime. If the products were built to last for a very long time as well, this could be a great way to help reduce energy consumption in households. I may look into getting a few in the future!