SUSTAINABLE DESIGN - Environmental design/eco-design
Anthony Leonsins & Carmen Briner
CONCEPT OF SUSTAINABILITY ‘seeks to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’ – Brundtland Report, 1987
Evolved from a variety of concerns, experiences and needs • 1970’s oil crisis
• Recycling efforts • 1980’s ‘sick building syndrome’
Design impacts environment in many ways
Sustainable design – Skillful and thoughtful designing of objects
Doing better with less
BACKGROUND TO ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
1. Air pollution • CO2 and other • Ozone depletion • Transportation – raw material to finished product • Waste disposal via burning • Effect on humans – resp problems, eye irritations, allergies,
carcinogenic and teratogenic
2. Water pollution • Increased usage of water • Wastewater pollution – wildlife and environment
3. Noise pollution • Industrial machinery
4. Deforestation
PRINCIPLES OF SUSTAINABLE DESIGN
Design to minimise environmental and social impacts.
Analyse each stage of the product life cycle
Design for the environment • Process design • Material design
• Energy consumption design
Strategies - Reduce, Re-use, Recycle, Restore
Goal – 100 % cyclic, safe and renewable
material harvesting & transportation to manufacturing sites
material processing & transportation to production sites
manufacturing, assembly, packaging, transport to final
destination
energy & emissions during normal product life, required maintenance & product re-
use
end of life – recycling, landfills, liquid waste, gas emissions etc…
LIFE CYCLE ANALYSIS
DAVID COLWELL
Sustainable Furniture Designer
‘Do the mostest with the leastest’
• British Furniture Designer - chairs • 1944, London • Royal College of Art • Trannon Design - Wales • Believes in ‘form follows function’ –
style is by-product of the piece’s use, making and context
• Context today – include need for sustainability
LOOKING AT THE PROCESS…
PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE
• Raw Material Acquisition • Processing • Manufacturing • Waste Management • Product Life
Raw material acquisition
Wood – 100% natural • not always a sustainable resource • UK 90% timber is imported • timber industry – want tall trees with side branches. Trees
initially planted close to each other – grow faster. As get bigger - thinning.
• 4 out of 5 original trees planted are felled • Thinnings - left to rot - sold cheaply for pulp/firewood
ASHWOOD – material of choice • Strongest and fastest growing – faster it grows = stronger • Self-seeding • Absorbs more atmospheric carbons than any other tree
• Since young trees are the strongest – thinnings are used
• Affordable • No sapwood – less wastage • Low moisture content – dries quicker & no extra
processes needed to augment drying • Endemic to UK - plentiful - transport
Processing & Manufacturing
STEAM BENDING Simple process Strips of wood are heated using a steam box – wood pliable
Best trees to bend are young trees ie: thinnings Green wood is used
• Therefore less energy needed to bend Process of steam bending simultaneously seasons wood
• Recently cut wood = Green wood which is unseasonsed, ie: not dried
• Wood is normally dried - over time - forced drying in Kiln • Therefore less energy used as no kiln drying needed also less
time, money and noise.
Waste Management
Ashwood has no sap – less wastage
No Kiln drying – less energy expended and wasteful by-products
Minimal planing (shaping) and sanding of wood – less waste (sawdust)
Product Life
AESTHETIC FORM AND FUNCTION The triangular geometry - strength and durability Tubular rivet construction using recycled copper plumbing pipe rivets
for all joints - durable Chair is ergonomic and looks nice - long term sustainability
Designs by Jacque Fresco © 2011
Designs by Jacque Fresco © 2011
Designs by Jacque Fresco © 2011
Designs by Jacque Fresco © 2011
R.B.E. Holistic socio-
economic system
No money
No credit
No debt
Resources become the common heritage of all of the inhabitants
Earth is abundant with plentiful resources
NO MONEY?
???
Designed by Jacque Fresco © 2011
New Society based on fundamental principles of science and the comprehensive knowledge of the interrelationship between people and the environment
CYBERNATED GOVERNMENT
Designs by Jacque Fresco © 2011
Jacque Fresco The Venus Project Founder
Designs by Jacque Fresco © 2011