Teaching Sustainability in a Design Context Professor Tracy Bhamra Loughborough Design School
Summary Introduction Why teach Sustainability in Design? Sustainable Design at Loughborough Key Lessons
Loughborough Design School Formed in August 2010 by the merger of the Department of Design & Technology, Department of Ergonomics and the Ergonomics and Safety Research institute. Department of Design & Technology was established in 1930 for the training of teachers. Since 1977 taught undergraduate programmes in Design and has being integrating issues of sustainability into these since 2000. Undergraduate courses BA Industrial Design and Technology BSc Product Design and Technology BSc Design Ergonomics BSc Ergonomics Postgraduate taught programmes MA/MSc Industrial Design, User-Centred Product Design, Sustainable Product Design, Virtual Product Design, Product Design in Business MSc Ergonomics PGCE and MSc in Education with Qualified Teacher Status
Why Teach Sustainability in Design? Now widely recognised that sustainability must be considered in the way we design, produce and use products. But implementation of sustainability is difficult and requires. Support Tools Guidance Companies currently lack expertise to implement and/or sustainable thinking, so we need to educate future Designers to think differently.
Why Teach Sustainability in Design? Designers have a responsibility to think about the impact of the products they design
Why focus on Design? …this is where the most critical decisions about cost, appearance, materials selection, innovation, performance, environmental impact, quality, longevity, durability, and reparability are „locked in‟
… everything designers do affects the environment Every product created: • Uses resources & energy when manufactured • Uses energy when transported • May use energy when we use it • Creates waste & pollution at the end of their life [Source: http://www.environment.gov.au/settlements/industry/corporate/eecp/publications/shop.html, October 2007]
Different products have different impacts at different stages… Furniture = raw materials Household appliances = use; energy consumption [Source: http://www.environment.gov.au/settlements/industry/corporate/eecp/publications/shop.html, October 2007]
A Solution to the Problem Develop the ability to tackle sustainability before designers enter professional practice. Clear that sustainability was a key issue for design education. Look for ways to integrate it into the BA Industrial Design & Technology and BSc Product Design & Technology
Sustainable Design at Loughborough In 2000 Sustainable Design was introduced only an optional module. Since 2003 sustainability thinking has been increasingly integrated throughout degree level teaching on the BA Industrial Design & Technology, BSc Product Design & Technology and BSc Design Ergonomics . Introduced to first year students through both the Design Contexts and Design Practice Modules – approx 160 students per year. Second Year builds upon first year through further integration into the Design Practice module and offers an optional module on Sustainable Design. Final year students encouraged to select sustainable design focus for design projects and dissertations. Postgraduate teaching Masters course in sustainable design. Education for sustainable development included in the PGCE course.
Sustainable Design at Loughborough All of the educational initiatives described above begin by introducing the concepts of sustainability building sustainable design knowledge, they then move to supporting learners who are expected to be working on live design projects. The success of the initiatives can be attributed to the methodologies by which they were developed. Whilst developing these initiatives we also developed the tool box for sustainable design education funded by the Higher Education Academy http://www.lboro.ac.uk/research/susdesign/LTSN/introduction/Introduction.htm
Module Outline Semester One Content Focus Introductory lectures Scoping sustainability Breadth and diversity of the concept of sustainability Core concept lectures: Resources Understanding and analysis of People core sustainable development Systems themes Guest Speakers from industry Self Directed Seminars Eco-Efficiency Understanding, Integrating and Service Systems Articulating links between sustainable development and design Developing presentation skills Semester Two Supporting Lectures for Creativity Applying different approaches Sustainable Design Emotional Durability within designing Activity User interface Tools and Methods Information Resources Sustainability Design Examples include: Analysing, re-framing and Briefs Packaging Redesign, Educating delivering on the brief set; consumers about energy use, presenting to a range of developing refill systems, public stakeholders; demonstrating lighting. sustainable design thinking and practice in real-life problem solving context.
Linking Sustainability & Design Linking Design & Sustainability Need to open designers‟ minds to scope of connection between sustainability & design. Translate abstract concepts into language and actions that has resonance.
Linking Sustainability & Design = a wider context for design Linking Design & Sustainability Need to create a shift sustainability design sustainability design Designers may wander into the Sustainability being the thing we are realms of sustainability all thinking about, when you are designing you are part of this movement Dewberry, E.L & K. Fletcher (2001)
Linking Sustainability & Design Key concepts addressed one at a time via 1 hour lecture followed by 90 minute small group design activity and 30 minute large group presentation and feedback session. Design activity allows students to explore and develop their own understanding of the issues by responding to them through a practical design task. Outputs not final solutions but flexible framework for discussion and reflection.
Live Design Projects Live Design Projects These run for 12 weeks in Second Semester All projects set by external clients, examples include: E-on Boots Unilever Philips Oakdene Hollins Environmental Consultants Lectures and practical sessions around Creativity Emotional Durability User interface Tools and Methods Information Resources All learning applied directly to live design project Results presented back to clients for feedback at the end of 12 weeks
Key Lessons Key Lessons This is one route to foster a sense of exploration and creative investigation into asking different questions around complex problems. Problems around sustainability usually have a number of different solutions and which very much depend on an individual‟s perspective. Team approach has meant each student has gained a greater awareness of the possible solutions and therefore increased the learning that can be taken forward to the next project. Industry Speakers & Case Studies used to add element of “real - life” Design briefs set require students to use their skills and knowledge quite differently. Has shown students that sustainability isn‟t just an addition to their designing but rather it is an opportunity to re-vision design solutions.
Thank you Professor Tracy Bhamra Loughborough Design School Loughborough University t.bhamra@lboro.ac.uk www.lboro.ac.uk/lds
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