Abstract
M.Tech.
The majority of low income households in South Africa are based in either informal
settlements or low cost housing. These households use paraffin as their primary fuel source
for cooking and heating.
The objective of this study was to identify design factors that should inform paraffin stove
design. These factors include the design process, the problem context, the problem
identification, the understanding of stove safety and interface issues through laboratory
testing, understanding the user through user testing and developing recommendations from
the research of these factors.
The four main problems associated with paraffin usage as identified in this research are
unsafe stoves, fires caused by these appliances, the high levels of emissions given off by these
appliances in small enclosed households and issues related to the storage of paraffin that leads
to the accidental ingestion of paraffin.
The outcome of this research includes a set of findings and recommendations which were
compiled to inform the design of future paraffin stoves. Finally, this study reflects on a
commercial design process that was used to develop a series of design solutions for the
Paraffin Safety Association of South Africa’s paraffin stove design competition in 2005.