D4S Design for Sustainability

Google goes Carbon Neutral

2007-06-22T00:26:00.000+02:00

Official Google Blog:

Posted by Urs Hoelzle, Senior Vice President, OperationsClimate change continues to be one of the biggest, most challenging problems our planet faces, and we know that a sustained global effort is needed if we're going to have any hope of reversing its effects. In that spirit, today we're announcing that Google will become carbon neutral by the end of 2007. This is an important step in our long-term pursuit of holistic environmental solutions.Our plan to neutralize Google's carbon footprint includes three basic strategies:

- reduce energy consumption by maximizing efficiency
- invest in and use renewable energy sources
- purchase carbon offsets for the emissions that we can't reduce directly

Tom Dixon & Sustainable Design

2007-06-15T13:20:00.000+02:00

Inhabitat points us to this great video of iconic British furniture designer, Tom Dixon speaking about sustainable design.

Via PSFK Trend

Sony presents Odo line

2007-06-10T04:04:00.000+02:00

Sony, traditionally has been a leader in paradigm shifting technology with their large research and innovation design budgets all though they have lost a lot of ground in the last 5-7 years to companies like Apple and Phillips. Today Sony looks to regain some of that innovation leadership through the development of their fresh out of the oven 'odo' concept line of environmentally friendly products. The 'odo' line of products do not require any AC adapters or chargers because they are mechanically powered. There is the Spin N' Snap camera 'no display', the Push Power Play viewer, the Crank N' Capture video camps, the Pull N' Play headphones, and the solar array Juice Boxes for powering other devices.

Read the full story at Sustainable Day

1000 Words: A manifesto for Sustainability in Design

2007-04-08T23:38:00.000+02:00

an article by Allan Chochinov in core77: interesting perspective!

New D4S manual for Developing Economies

2006-10-24T19:27:00.000+02:00

The new UNEP Design for Sustainability for Developing Economies is now downloadable from http://www.d4s-de.org/

Results of 'Light Objects' design competition

2006-10-19T10:16:00.000+02:00

Winners are fine! but look at the notable entries for some inspiring environmentle friendly objects. click here

Sustainable Dance Club in Rotterdam

2006-10-04T15:15:00.000+02:00

Read more about the launching of the very first sustainable dance club at SustainableRotterdam.com

Next Generation

2006-09-28T16:06:00.000+02:00

Design Competetion

text from the nextgen webpage says... Win $10,000 for your design idea! The 2007 Next Generation® prize will finance the development of a bright idea that focuses on ENERGY, its uses, reduction, consumption, efficiencies, and alternatives. Now in its fourth year, the Next Generation® design competition recognizes design innovation on all scales--from the efficient desk lamp to the innovative city neighborhood plan, and everything in between. The competition is open to young designers in practice 10 years or less; including CAD monkeys in large offices, design students, independent firms or individuals. On your own or in teams we invite you to submit work on urban plans, buildings, interiors, products, landscapes or communications design. The winner will receive $10,000 to realize his or her idea, and will be featured in Metropolis magazine. Runners up will also receive full coverage to empower the next generation of design

Breathing map

2006-09-19T18:01:00.000+02:00

Quite revealing statistics about CO2 emissions, birth and death rates from different individual countries. Its an interactive map also, thanks to Core77 for the initial posting.

Van recycling tot Re-design

2006-09-06T15:05:00.000+02:00

Exhibition during the Inside design week in Amsterdam
from 14th September to 17th September, 2006

LSDP says that one is welcome to make thier own 'hip' products from recycled materials, helped by professional designers in the exhibition organized by Latin Sisters Design Productions and Stadsdeel Oud West. The exhibition is do with recycling and consumption excesses.

Do check out the organizers website, as everyday consist of a workshop.
venue: De Hallen, Tollensstraat 60, Amsterdam

India says no thanks to the $100 laptop

2006-08-29T10:08:00.000+02:00

...according to a wire story picked up in the Indian newspaper The Hindu , the Indian government – one of the largest would-be customers for the machine – has decided that it’s not interested in buying them. Worse for Negoponte, whose One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) non-profit, working with Taiwanese PC maker Quanta Computer, is working to come out with its first models by the end of the year, the Indian official who announced the news didn’t hesitate to criticize the whole idea of the $100 laptop. Education Secretary Sudeep Banerjee’s view: “We do not think that the idea of Prof Negroponte is mature enough to be taken seriously at this stage and no major country is presently following this. Even inside America, there is no much enthusiasm about this.” ... read more at BusinessWeekonline

MVURA - WATER PURIFIER

2006-08-23T19:50:00.000+02:00

1.2 Billion People in the world do not have access to safe drinking water resulting in 2.2 million deaths each year. Mvura is a household water purifier targeted at rural Africa. It is intended to be distributed through aid organisations already operating within communities in need. The cost will therefore be subsidised and the product introduced with training on hygiene and the use and maintenance of Mvura. It utilizes the simple technique of pasteurization using solar heat. 15 litres of water is heated to 65ºC within two hours, which kills all harmful bacteria.

Mvura (meaning 'water') is culturally sensitive in its design to be carried on the head. It is then opened into a pasteurization position. In this state a large surface area of water is exposed to solar heat. This combined with the small depth, black bottom and insulating panels all aid in maximising heat absorption. The panels also serve to protect the bag of water during transport. Soybean wax melts at the appropriate temperature to indicate that the water is pure enough to drink. With replacement parts readily available and its easily repaired hinges, Mvura is designed to be sustainable at a local level.

Industrial design graduate, from The Faculty of the Built Environment, Julie Frost has been awarded the Bronze Australian Design Award - Dyson Student Award respectively at the 2006 Australian Design Awards.

Link to Dexigner article over Mvura

Universal Hanger

2006-08-22T15:59:00.000+02:00

Any sheet material which has a sufficient safety factor (cardboard, corrugated cardboard, thin sheet plastic material) is the main material for the structure of the “universal hanger”. The hanger can be used in clothing stores, hospitals, hotels and other institutions. Due to the minimal thickness of the pattern it is convenient for warehousing and transportation (1000 pieces 3mm thick form a pile 3000mm high). The pattern is transferred to the complete product very quickly and easy. The sheet of the material obtains its volume and final look of the object ready for the proper use. All the hanger area can serve as a big surface for graphics and ads.

thanks to Core77 clogger

website of industrialdesign.ru

INDEX:Award 2007

2006-08-04T10:09:00.000+02:00

Design to Improve Life -design that substantially improves important aspects of peoples' lives.
INDEX: asks that nomination bodies to think horizontally – across design categories and industries – when selecting the best nominees for the five categories vital to human life: Body, Home, Work, Play and Community.

Hippo Roller and Life straw were among the past winners.

Index homepage
Last date for nomination: November 18, 2006

Fhybrid Hydrogen Powered Scooter

2006-07-30T20:00:00.000+02:00

Crijn Bouman, Graduate Student of our school developed a simulated prototype of hydrogen powered scooter, which he calls the Fhybrid. The Fhybrid tops out at 65 km/hr (40mph) and has a range of 200 km (124 miles)--the range is extended due to energy recovery during braking. Acceleration is better than the average traditional scooter. The perfect city flitzer, this bike emits no noise nor fumes. It is driven by a 69 Nm motor in the front wheel, and has a unique parking assist capability: the scooter can be powered slowly in reverse to aid slotting it into that last tight spot on city streets. That's the theory at least.

Power purse

2006-07-25T14:10:00.000+02:00

“Power Purse” from Solar, designed by doctoral student Jo Hynek. The “Power Purse” is a truly functional purse that is covered in solar panels and can charge mobile accessories such as cell phones, mp3 players, etc. Is it worth the $300 pricetag though?

source: mobilemag

Happy Planet Index

2006-07-15T18:07:00.000+02:00

The Happy Planet Index (HPI) is an innovative new measure that shows the ecological efficiency with which human well-being is delivered.

Light Objects: A design competition on sustainability

2006-07-05T11:52:00.000+02:00

Open to anyone, entrants are encouraged to go beyond mere “sustainability,” and push the idea of lightness - creating objects that are actually beneficial for the environment instead of just less bad.
Deadline: 13th August 2006
competition homepage

LightCap

2006-05-17T13:47:00.000+02:00

Solar Powered LED Light & Water Bottle

the water bottle with a light in the lid. The LightCap is one-liter water bottle with solar powered LED light. The cap has a built-in waterproof solar panel, battery pack and LED light.

solar powered LightCap™

World Challenge 2006

2006-05-13T23:04:00.000+02:00

BBC World, Newsweek, and Shell present the World Challenge 2006, a competition aiming to find individuals or groups from around the world who have shown enterprise and innovation. You can let them know about that project you are aware and believe it deserves recognition. Winning entries will receive juicy prices to beneffit the projects.

The rules read:
• We are looking for your nominations for innovative projects or ideas that demonstrate an entrepreneurial spirit working for the benefit of the community whilst adopting a responsible approach.
• A project that shows initiative, the innovative use of technology or an invention
• Small business projects that increase investment into the local community
• Projects that take a responsible approach to the environment in which they are operating

World Challenge 2006
Submit an entry

Power Studio @ Interactive Institute

2006-05-09T11:34:00.000+02:00

"In objects typical of the domestic or personal sphere, such as lamps, refrigerators, mobile phones, energy is often left either to the user’s own devices (in the choice, for instance, of a light bulb or brand) or it is an invisible aspect of ongoing product experience that shows up in periodic electricity bills, when power runs out or is shut off. Electricity, as a product, is easily reduced to an abstract, invisible phenomenon whose only concrete representations are ‘two holes in the wall’. In a series of design examples, we explore how everyday products might be designed to better express – and thus stimulate reflection on – daily or long-term patterns of energy use"

Interactive Institute
Via Miguel Bruns (thanks!)

Intocontext

2006-05-02T00:07:00.000+02:00

Cale Thompson & Jon Rodriguez from DfS are involved in a project in Uganda. At their site we read "this project aims to clarify which technology interaction forms can facilitate person to person microfinance. The research will be developed through the case study of the person to person Internet lending system Kiva in eastern Africa"
For fresh updates of what Cale & Jon are doing down there, check regularly their blog where they post impressions of the trip.

Intocontext website
Intocontext Blog

GRID Arendal Library of Sustainability maps

2006-04-25T00:42:00.000+02:00

This service is an on-going project to collect and catalogue all graphic products that have been prepared for publications and web-sites from the last 15 years in a wide range of themes related to environment and sustainable development.

Earth Day

2006-04-22T13:06:00.000+02:00

Today is Earth Day, so you have the perfect excuse to consume sustainable experiences to spice it up. Here some suggestions:

- Build a project from the guys at Readymade
- Set aside stuff to be re-used during Konninginendag
- Set plants and flowers over the house
- Switch off that light & unplug unneeded devices
- Build up a solar air heater

Puma Folding Bike

2006-04-20T23:55:00.000+02:00

On a recent trip to US we spotted few interesting sustainable initiatives that called our attention. The following four posts show the most eye-catching ones.

It seems that the guys of Puma are exploring new business opportunities by partnering with bike manufacturer Biomega and gear specialist Vexed Generation. The result is UM (Urban Mobility) a concept embracing a folding bike and a collection of urban gear. According to what we saw at the Puma Store, the bike is robust and has lots of details that make it and interesting artifact. Furthermore, the catalogue mentions that it has “all the benefits of a folding bike but without looking like one”. Regarding the gear, we saw a sneaker designed for street bike performance which protects your pants from the chain meanwhile looking pretty cool.

Puma UM site