Abstract workshop:
‘Introducing sustainability in (design)education.’
Leen Van Aken
Lessius Mechelen
Onderzoeker DuOn²(Expertisecentrum Duurzaam Ontwerpen en Ondernemerschap)
Studiegebied technologie en design
Opleiding interieurvormgeving
Context
Sustainability is a topic that is very urgent in these times. Modern lifestyle puts significant pressure on the planet. The ecological footprint of Flanders is 4x bigger than the regenerative capacity of our earth. It is therefore important for a designer to know the ecological impact of his product in each phase of its life cycle (materials used, production, use and disposal).
The Research project ‘ecotools in design’ (2005-2008) has been implemented in our education. The development of an ‘education module’ and a usable ‘ecotool’ for design students was the goal of the project.
- Lecture on sustainable development and implementation in design education.
In this presentation, a general introduction will be given on sustainable development and sustainable design. First of all, a view on the current state of the world will be sketched, and the meaning of sustainable development and its importance will be explained and illustrated. Most of all, attention will go to the role of the designer in sustainable development and how the designer can adopt and apply sustainability aspects in its designs. Lots of examples of objects from students will be shown.
- Brainstorm session:introducing sustainability in (design) education.
Following on the presentation on sustainable development and -design, a brainstorm session will be organized as a preparation for the workshop.
- Association exercise and reflexions
A first association practise will be done, in which the participants are asked to make associations between (the pictures on) a certain page in a design or architecture magazine and what the they thinks is or is not sustainable in the picture and how it could become more sustainable. Observations and ideas are noted on post-its and on a flip chart.
- Designing in life cycles
An introduction on life cycle design Will be given by the workshop leader: what does it mean and how can a designer apply this? After the explanation, the participants are asked to imagine an existing environment that they know very well within the subject of their educational field. In team (2 or 3 persons), the participants will consider the current degree of sustainability of that environment. Some questions that the participants can ask themselves are: what is needed in this environment? What is necessary and what is luxury? The workshop leaders will thereby support them.
- Improvement options
After the analysis of the chosen environment, each team tries to formulate several ideas for making their own subject more sustainable, by writing down ideas on post-its, etc.
- Workshop toapply eco-indicators in furniture design
Two existing chairs will be analysed and compared on their ecological footprint. This will be done with the existing tool: Ecolizer. This tool contents all eco-indicators of materials used in interiors and buildings. Also energy and transport are calculated. Eco indicators will be compared and improvement optionswill be discussed.
Outcome:
Ideas and best practice in how to introduce and implement sustainability in design lessons.
Maximum number of participants: 30.