Household technology

The concept of home appliances means the combination of energy-using equipment and procedures for stockpiling , preparation of food , laundry care , dishwashing and floor cleaning in the household .

definition

Household technology initially describes the entirety of technical devices and processes for supplying people in private households . This includes catering, cleaning and caring for dishes, textiles, floor coverings and living spaces. In a broader sense, all household appliances (e.g. telephones, PCs), tools (e.g. cordless drills) and common areas (such as balcony, garden, car) are included. The devices and technical processes used in large kitchens for different catering facilities (canteens, canteens, hospitals, day-care centers, etc.) and gastronomic concepts (e.g. event and system catering) can also be subsumed under the term household technology.

This is to be distinguished from building technology , which includes all supply facilities that are permanently connected to the building (e.g. heating, ventilation, air conditioning, hot water devices). Fitted kitchens are mostly counted as household technology despite their unchangeable character. Household technology has long focused on the responsible use of resources in operation (consumption of electrical energy and water) as well as in production and recycling (raw materials). This will u. a. manifested by the energy label for large electrical household appliances.

Household technology in studies and teaching

In the 1950s and 1960s household technology spread very rapidly , especially in Germany , and was also introduced into science with the establishment of the Ecotrophology course at universities and technical colleges .

Household equipment is an essential part of the curriculum Nutritional Sciences (domestic and nutritional science, English. Nutrition and Home Economics), nutrition and health care management, and other programs (eg. As Facilities Management, Consumer Studies and Consumer Affairs). These courses either form a separate area (ecotrophology) or are assigned to the areas of household and nutritional sciences, agricultural and agricultural sciences, life sciences or environmental sciences.

Subjects related to household technology are:

Physics of household appliances (e.g. heat transport, refrigeration cycle)
Technology of the private household
Kitchen planning
Commercial kitchen technology
Cleaning technology
Energy supply and energy management
Catering management
Measurement and testing technology
Comparative device evaluation
Home appliance ergonomics

Household technology is the subject of teaching at the following universities in Germany:

Universities:

University of Bonn
Justus-Liebig university of Giessen
Leibniz University Hannover
Christian Albrechts University in Kiel

Universities of Applied Sciences:

Anhalt University of Applied Sciences (Bernburg)
University of Fulda
Hamburg University of Applied Sciences
Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences (Mönchengladbach)
Münster University of Applied Sciences
Osnabrück University of Applied Sciences
Albstadt-Sigmaringen University (Sigmaringen)
Weihenstephan University of Applied Sciences (Triesdorf Department)

Former places of study for ecotrophology:

TU Munich-Weihenstephan (until 2005)
University of Bonn (until 2008, now nutrition and food sciences)

Universities with a teacher training course:

TU Dresden
University of Hamburg

Universities outside of Germany:

TU Wageningen (Netherlands)
ETH Zurich (Switzerland)
University of Friborg (Switzerland)
University of Applied Sciences Wädenswil (Switzerland)

There are also a large number of household professions in which household technology plays an important role (see article Housekeeping ).

Occupational fields and employers

The following professional fields and activities are open to graduates from various courses with a focus on household technology:

Device development
Product marketing
Usability test
quality control
Product and sales training
Consumer advice
Standardization work
Market research
public relation
Energy advice
Teaching activity at vocational schools (with additional qualification in pedagogy or training owner examination)
Kitchen planning (private kitchens and large kitchens)

Typical employers in the mentioned occupational fields are:

Manufacturer and trade:

Home appliance industry
Suppliers to the equipment industry
Trading houses and electrical wholesalers
Kitchen manufacturer
Chemical industry

Energy supplier:

Electricity and gas suppliers
Public utilities

Associations:

Consumer associations (e.g. Stiftung Warentest )
Industry associations

User:

Communal catering facilities
Facility management companies
Food industry

Institutes:

Market research institutes (e.g. GfK)
PR and marketing agencies (especially for household appliances, consumer goods)
Testing and certification institutes
Publishers

Schools, universities:

Vocational schools
Adult education centers
General education schools
Universities and technical colleges

Committees and associations

Domestic engineering topics are dealt with in the following committees and associations:

Household Technology Committee (FAHT) of the German Society for Housekeeping (DGH)
International Federation for Home Economics (IFHE)
Association of Oecotrophologists eV (VDOE)
Federal Association of Housekeeping Professions (MdH)
Expert group for efficient energy use (HEA)
Industrial Association of Toiletries and Detergents (IKW)
Professional Association of Housekeeping (bhf)

Magazines and literature

Magazines:

Housekeeping and Science (HUW)
Fundus - specialist magazine house economics
test (test magazine of Stiftung Warentest)
Emporio (test magazine)
Rational Housekeeping (rhw)
Strompraxis (HEA magazine for energy advice)
Appliance Magazine ( Engl. )

German-language literature:

Basics of household technology (Horst Pichert)
Household technology: processes and devices (Horst Pichert)
Electrical household appliances : technology and service (Günter E. Wegner)
Introduction to household science. Household economics, household sociology, household technology (Kutsch, Piorkowsky, Schätzke)
Analysis of work processes in private households with regard to home appliance networking (Claudia Gabler)
Kitchen and technology (aid)
Documentation of the annual meetings of the Household Technology Committee of the DGH
HEA picture service (to be replaced by HEA expertise on the Internet)
Food processing in the household (aid, 2010)

English-language literature:

A Field Guide to Household Technology (Ed Sobey),
Sensors Applications. 5 Volumes: Sensors in Household Appliances: BD 5 (Sensors Applications)