PRODUCT DESIGN UK

GENERIC DESIGN CONTEXT
It has been recommended for many years that reducing, reusing and recycling provide many opportunities for environmental improvements in our own and other countries and in product manufacture. Design and make a product that uses at least one of these three criteria.

SPECIFIC DESIGN BRIEF
New targets are soon to be introduced for the recycling and recovery of packaging waste. Although it is likely to be possible to meet the plastic recycling target for 2006 from industrial waste sources, more metal and glass will have to be extracted from the domestic waste stream. Design an appropriate separation and storage system for household use.

FURTHER INFORMATION
Click on ‘Recycling: collecting more,’ which gives background information on the likely targets and the design requirements.

CLIENT DETAILS
Eventually all householders in the UK will be required to play a part in recycling. The product must therefore be suitable for a wide range of households from city dwellers in flats and high density housing to rural situations. The product should be designed with local UK manufacture in mind, although it is recognised that current economic pressures tend to drive manufacturing to areas with lower labour costs, e.g. the Far East.

Your first point of contact will be Loughborough University. Initially contact Eddie Norman (email [email protected] or by phone 01509-222659).

SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES
• Reducing the quantity of materials entering landfill sites can significantly reduce the environmental impact of people in the UK.
• The manufacture of an appropriately designed unit would provide worthwhile employment.
• Local manufacture of the product would provide employment in the UK and reduce transportation costs - both economic and environmental - associated with the product.
• Using recycled materials reduces the extraction of raw materials and hence supports biodiversity.

INTERESTED? WHAT’S THE NEXT STEP?
Click on ‘Recycling: collecting more’ for further reference material and website links.

LU 2: REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE - HIGH ADDED VALUE

PRODUCT DESIGN UK

GENERIC DESIGN CONTEXT
It has been recommended for many years that reducing, reusing and recycling provide many opportunities for environmental improvements in our own and other countries and in product manufacture. Design and make a product that uses at least one of these three criteria.

SPECIFIC DESIGN BRIEF
Recycled polymers are generally perceived to be of lower quality than new materials and, consequently, they only tend to find application in products of low added value such as flower pots and bin liners. In turn this makes it difficult to economically justify the additional collection and processing costs associated with recycling. Design a product with high added value, e.g. furniture or a musical instrument from recycled polymers.

FURTHER INFORMATION
Click on ‘Designerly recycling: high added value’ which gives background information on available recycled polymer materials and some of the design issues which need to be addressed.

CLIENT DETAILS
The product is to be sold in European markets and, in order to attract a high selling price, it must be stylish and fashionable. Whichever product area you choose it will be essential to research and understand current market trends. It is also essential to choose a product area where good design can attract a premium price.

Your first point of contact will be Loughborough University. Initially contact Eddie Norman (email [email protected] or by phone 01509-222659).

SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES
• Reducing the quantity of materials entering landfill sites can significantly reduce the environmental impact of people in the UK.
• The manufacture of an appropriately designed product would provide worthwhile employment.
• Local manufacture of the product would provide employment in the UK and reduce transportation costs - both economic and environmental - associated with the product.
• Using recycled materials, reduces the extraction of raw materials and hence supports biodiversity.

INTERESTED? WHAT’S THE NEXT STEP?
Click on ‘Designerly recycling: high added value' for further reference material and website links.

LU 3: REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE - CARDBOARD STRUCTURES

PRODUCT DESIGN UK

GENERIC DESIGN CONTEXT
It has been recommended for many years that reducing, reusing and recycling provide many opportunities for environmental improvements in our own and other countries and in product manufacture. Design and make a product that uses at least one of these three criteria.

SPECIFIC DESIGN BRIEF
Cardboard has many fine structural properties and is finding uses as a building material. It is often made with recycled fibres. Use the structural properties of cardboard to design load-bearing furniture such as a bookcase or a chair.

FURTHER INFORMATION
Click on ‘Reducing weight: cardboard structures’ which gives background information on the use of cardboard as a structural material and some of the design issues which need to be resolved.

CLIENT DETAILS
Flat-packed furniture and related products are now the foundation of a major industry, led by companies like IKEA and MFI. A large number of the products are based on the use of MDF (medium density fibreboard) and, although there are sustainable versions of this material, they are not always used. MDF is also a comparatively heavy material. Used effectively, cardboard could provide a lighter product for these markets, saving energy in transportation, being easier to get home and reducing the environmental impact associated with raw materials.

Your first point of contact will be Loughborough University. Initially contact Eddie Norman (email [email protected] or by phone: 01509-222659).

SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES
• Reducing the quantity of materials entering landfill sites can significantly reduce the environmental impact of people in the UK.
• The manufacture of an appropriately designed unit would provide worthwhile employment.
• Local manufacture of the product would provide employment in the UK and reduce transportation costs - both economic and environmental - associated with the product.
• Using recycled materials, reduces the extraction of raw materials and hence supports biodiversity.

INTERESTED? WHAT’S THE NEXT STEP?
Click on ‘Reducing weight: cardboard structures’ for further reference material and website links.

LU 4: REDUCE, REUSE AND RECYCLE - CD CASES

PRODUCT DESIGN UK

GENERIC DESIGN CONTEXT
It has been recommended for many years that reducing, reusing and recycling provide many opportunities for environmental improvements in our own and other countries and in product manufacture. Design and make a product that uses at least one of these three criteria.

SPECIFIC DESIGN BRIEF
CD cases have been essentially unchanged for many years. They must protect the CD in transit, be effective for retailers, and provide attractive storage for the CDs - if required - for the customer. They include information about the artists, the recordings and also booklets containing the lyrics. However, from a manufacturing perspective they are quite complex. Design a more sustainable CD case.

FURTHER INFORMATION
Click on ‘Reducing parts: CD cases,’ which gives background information on the number of parts in typical current designs and the ways CDs are sold and stored.

CLIENT DETAILS
CD cases must work well from the perspectives of the manufacturer, retailer and customer and it will be important to understand all of these. Your design must be just as convincing in relation to cost and reliability, point of sale and display in the home, as it is in relation to its environmental impact. CDs (and recorded music) have important cultural as well as functional roles. Your design must suit everyone involved in the life-cycle of the CD case, and the environment.

Your first point of contact will be Loughborough University. Initially contact Eddie Norman (email [email protected] or by phone 01509-222659).

SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES
• Reducing the quantity of materials entering landfill sites can significantly reduce the environmental impact of people in the UK.
• The manufacture of an appropriately designed product would provide worthwhile employment.
• Local manufacture of the product would provide employment in the UK and reduce transportation costs - both economic and environmental - associated with the product.
• Using recycled materials, reduces the extraction of raw materials and hence supports biodiversity.

INTERESTED? WHAT’S THE NEXT STEP?
Click on ‘Exploring manufacturing: CD cases’ for further reference material and website links.

LU 5: REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE - SHOPPING BAGS

PRODUCT DESIGN UK

GENERIC DESIGN CONTEXT
It has been recommended for many years that reducing, reusing and recycling provide many opportunities for environmental improvements in our own and other countries and in product manufacture. Design and make a product that uses at least one of these criteria.

SPECIFIC DESIGN BRIEF
Shopping bags are currently an unresolved problem. The Co-op have recently introduced disposable bags using biodegradable plastic and plastic bags have been banned altogether in Ireland. Evaluate current and past shopping bag designs and redesign an environmentally sound solution.

FURTHER INFORMATION
Click on ‘Reusing products: shopping bags’, which gives background information related to shopping bags and indicates some of the design requirements.

CLIENT DETAILS
Everybody goes shopping and so everyone is in a sense your client. We should not be feeling guilty about the environmental damage we cause when we go shopping, because we should have found better solutions to the issues associated with shopping bags by now. Shoppers, retailers, wildlife and all those who care about the environment will celebrate effective answers to this problem.

Your first point of contact will be Loughborough University. Initially contact Eddie Norman (email [email protected] or by phone: 01509-222659).

SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES
• Reducing the quantity of materials entering landfill sites can significantly reduce the environmental impact of people in the UK.
• The manufacture of successful products would provide worthwhile employment .
• Local manufacture of the product would provide employment in the UK and reduce transportation costs - both economic and environmental - associated with the product.
• Reusing materials reduces the extraction of raw materials, reduces mining and hence supports biodiversity.

INTERESTED? WHAT’S THE NEXT STEP?
Click on ‘Throwaway culture: shopping bags’ for further reference material and website links.


LU 6: REUSING MATERIALS - AVOIDING LANDFILL

PRODUCT DESIGN UK

GENERIC DESIGN CONTEXT
It has been recommended for many years that reducing, reusing and recycling provide many opportunities for environmental improvements in our own and other countries and in product manufacture. Design and make a product that uses at least one of those criteria.

SPECIFIC DESIGN BRIEF
Reusing materials as they are is generally a better option than recycling materials, because recycling requires additional processing. Identify a material that is entering the waste stream in significant quantities and design a product that can reuse this material.

FURTHER INFORMATION
Click on ‘Reusing materials: avoiding landfill’ which gives some background information on materials entering the waste stream and some of the design issues which need to be addressed.

CLIENT DETAILS
It is possible to think of this brief just in terms of benefiting the environment, but in the very near future many companies and Local Authorities will have targets to meet concerning the avoidance of unnecessary use of landfill. The number of available landfill sites is declining, landfill taxes are rising and the targets which companies must meet become more challenging every year. Your Local Authority and companies near you may well be able to identify materials that are particular associated with you local industry.

Your first point of contact will be Loughborough University. Initially contact Eddie Norman (email [email protected] or by phone 01509-222659).

SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES
• Reducing the quantity of materials entering landfill sites can significantly reduce the environmental impact of people in the UK.
• The manufacture of successful products would provide worthwhile employment.
• Local manufacture of the product would provide employment in the UK and reduce transportation costs - both economic and environmental - associated with the product.
• Reusing materials reduces the extraction of raw materials, reduces mining and hence supports biodiversity.

INTERESTED? WHAT’S THE NEXT STEP?
Click on ‘Reusing materials: avoiding landfill’ for website links and further reference material.