Ecodesign Trends Map
Life-Cycle Responsibility Cost Status
Opportunities
Innovation Gap
Value
Statement
Trend
www.ecodesigncentrewales.org
Communication
Scepticism
LEGEND
Ecodesign
Design Process
Life-cycle Thinking
LEGEND
FORWARD...
This document outlines the emerging global ecodesign trends. The exploration is displayed as a journey linking the key issues and opportunities posed to designers and businesses. The trends form routes that highlight different processes: the ‘ecodesign’ route, ‘design process’ route and the ‘life-cycle thinking’ route. The document aims to present thoughtprovoking statements and quotes to create interest in this important subject. Links are incorporated for continued reading and case studies.
Ecodesign
Design Process Life-cycle Thinking
Status The world is being reshaped. Ecodesign has gained popularity due to commercial viability, consumer demand and legislative pressure. “The only businesses around in 20 years time will be green and sustainable businesses” (Richard Branson, Virgin, 2008)
Can any brand, in any category, afford to not have a green strategy now?
Value Ecodesign brings value for business and benefits wider society. Ecodesign = good design = good business practice. Good design is sustainable per se.
We must adopt a holistic approach to avoid sustaining the unsustainable Case Study: Boxed water is better
I make energy saving easier. And I’m gorgeous
‘Time to rethink design’
(DIY KOYOTO)
Nature consists of millions of year’s worth of collected design knowledge. ‘Biomimicry’ is one way forward: Case Study: Better By Design
Visualising energy and energy usage could be the key to altering our behaviour: Wattson by DIY KYOTO makes energy saving easier and stylish.
Innovation
Opportunities
Gap “HOW CAN THE GAP, BETWEEN THE CONSTRAINTS OF THE ENVIRONMENT, AND THE NEEDS OF MODERN HUMANS FOR EXPRESSION, CREATIVITY, EXUBERANCE – LIFE – BEST BE BRIDGED BY INNOVATIVE DESIGN?” (John Manoochehri – Sustainability Designer)
Constraints fuel creativity: Discourse on the process of designing for real people.
Opportunities
Statement Design should evoke curiosity, excitement and pleasure through products. Products that customers buy make a clear statement about what is important to them.
Simplicity is persuasive
Trend As long as ecodesign is seen as a trend it is not sustainable. It’s important to see the whole picture, not just the romantic notion of ‘eco’; ecodesign makes business sense.
‘Ecodesign’ is not a trend 'Ecodesign is an industrial necessity': An interview with Marco Capellini.
Gap
Innovation
Communication
The customer is changing everything.
Companies have less control of their brand due to near total online transparency. Business transparency is needed to regain consumer trust.
Who isn’t a customer? The future of brands.
Transparency + trust are key
Scepticism Society has become distrusting; detecting misrepresentation of product and services everywhere.
As consumers increasingly look for something ‘real’, authenticity and story telling is becoming a competitive advantage.
Authenticity - to be able to tell a credible story
Responsibility “98% of products are thrown away within 6 months of purchase”
80% of environmental impacts of a product can be locked-out at the design stage (United States Environment Protection Agency)
Designers must take responsibility. BioThinking: The beauty of sustainable products.
Innovation
Cost
Life-Cycle
We live in a throwaway culture.
Quality is sustainable in itself.
Cheap, ephemeral products lower the consumer’s sense of ownership and affectivity, exacerbating premature obsolescence and over-consumption.
Life-cycle thinking is vital to understand the consequences that our built artefacts have on the world. Sustainable Minds: Design greener products.
Iittala: Design against throwawayism.
Can we afford to buy cheap things?
Quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten (Gucci Slogan)