Talking and Walking Sustainability Conference, Auckland. February 2007

Designing for a Sustainable Future: Partnerships to sustainability

Kel Dummett

Project Manager, Design for Sustainability

Outline•What is Sustainability Victoria?

• What is Design for Sustainability (DfS)?

• Sustainability Victoria’s DfS program

objectives

initiatives

how it works

successes

future

Sustainability Victoria

• Merger of EcoRecycle Victoria and Sustainable Energy Authority of Victoria (SEAV) in 2005

• Implementing the Victorian Government’s sustainability policies

• Promoting efficient use of resources – energy, materials and water

Design for Sustainability

• Sustainability Victoria is mainly concerned about sustainability at use stage and end-of-life issues (particularly waste and energy use)

• Design for Sustainability (DfS) program moves SV’s sustainable thinking to the beginning of the product lifecycle

Design for Sustainability (DfS)

“Products can be considered as the embodiment of environmental harm caused by production, consumption and disposal.”

[Eva Heiskanen, Finnish environmental economist]

And

It is estimated that 70% of a product’s environmental impact is locked in at the design stage.

Design for Sustainability (DfS)

Why the concern?

Source: The Bathroom, the Kitchen and the Aesthetics of Waste. (1992) Upton and Abbott Miller.

Design for Sustainability

• DfS means developing products with minimal or no environmental impacts – not ‘eco’ or ‘green’ products - but incorporating environmental considerations into good design practice for everyday products

Key principles of DfS

• Efficient design - keep the material and resource inputs to a minimum. Do more with less.

• Cyclic design - design to enable materials to be continuously cycled through natural or industrial systems.

• Safe design - avoid toxic and hazardous substances and processes. Keep human health in mind as well as ecological impacts.

• Communications design - ensure product and packaging related communications are informative and accurate. Encourage responsible consumer behaviour.

Benefits for Manufacturers• Maintaining competitiveness• Reducing production costs• Identifying new business opportunities• Gaining advantage as a supplier• Improving liability management• Improved products and product differentiation• Addressing customer needs

Design for Sustainability (DfS)

Designers and product developers are in a key position to influence and reduce environmental impacts

And they can contribute to a sustainable future..

DfS Program

Aims is to firmly place DfS on the political and business agendas,

and

to make environmental considerations a mainstream concern of design professionals, product developers and manufacturers.

DfS Program

Key objectives:

• DfS part of design practice agenda

• Product development and design professionals

aware of and engaging with DfS.

• A focal point.

• Growing awareness

DfS Program

And

Move away from ‘deep green’ or ‘eco’ product image, and position as part of good design practice.

Bottom line: all designers to be aware of and practising DfS – simply part of delivering a professional service to clients.

DfS Program

Key initiatives

• DfS Partnership - DIA, Centre for Design and Product Ecology

• Forums and public lectures

• Sustainable design criteria in design awards

• Product Environmental Labeling

• Sustainable packaging

• Sustainable kitchens

DfS Partnership

Partnership between SV and Design Institute of Australia, Centre for Design and Product Ecology

DfS Partnership

• Industry Liaison Officer with DIA• Professional training course – Head Start – for

designers• Quick Start - a professional resource

• Small grants program• Product showcases• National eco-design curriculum for industrial design

students• Survey of designers

DIA Professional Practice Guidelines

• DIA Professional Practice Guidelines ‘Design for Environment and Product Innovation’

• Includes an overview of product life cycle impacts, selecting strategies, how to get started, resources

‘Quick Start’ series

Telecommunication: Nokia

Furniture: Think chair (Steelcase)

Stratus workstation (Zenith Interiors)• Steel (50% recycled content)• Aluminium (45% recycled content)• Plantation sourced E0 MDF• Ortech Easiboard (is compostable) • Designed for disassembly –

constructed with pins, clips and screws

• Reduced embodied energy and resource demand through use of recycled content and recyclable materials

Mobility: Smart car

• Designed by Swatch and built by DaimlerChrysler • Only 2.5 metres long• Environmental policy and guidelines –

– protection of environment, – energy efficiency and – preservation of natural

resources in all stages of life cycle

Bathroom: Caroma Smartflush

Future challenges - Design in 2050

• Designers will need to face the challenges of a world with reduced and much more expensive resources

• The design community, manufacturers and our leaders need to embrace the challenge now

• A sustainable future is possible, and DfS is a key strategy help to achieve it.

Thank you