Industrial design and sustainability aren’t often regarded as going hand in hand, but a Sustainability Summit session next month will bring to light the power and positives of the craft.

Titled Creating Sustainable Outcomes, Wellness, And Performance By Using Industrial Design, the discourse will emphasise how design profoundly influences product sustainability across multiple dimensions.

2022 Sustainability Summit

Design choices wield immense influence over product sustainability. Innovations in greenfield design facilitate the use of fewer materials or the replacement of high-footprint virgin materials with eco-friendly alternatives like recycled or biologically based materials.

Within industrial design, the product life cycle emerges as a pivotal concept, encompassing four fundamental stages: manufacturing, transportation, usage, and disposal. Introducing the Cradle-to-Cradle concept revolutionises product sustainability, and with circular economies being drawn up by governments at all levels, now is the time for conversation.

This concept envisions a new purpose for products and their components once their current life cycle concludes. The essence lies in designing product upcycling, recycling, or reuse options as integral components of the product’s design. By adopting this approach, products seamlessly integrate into a circular economy, offering a sustainable shift from the conventional linear economic model.

Despite the promising potential of the Cradle-to-Cradle concept, its widespread application in the building and construction industry remains surprisingly limited. This session will raise critical questions regarding why this sustainable design approach isn’t more prevalent in the industry.

Guiding this insightful discussion is the capable moderator, Tim Phillips from Tilt Industrial Design, while the panel features accomplished speakers and partners deeply entrenched in the realm of sustainable industrial design: Alisa Newey from Re:New Design, Richard Hamber from DECO, Harriet Oswald from Grimshaw and Aidan Hill from Autex Acoustics.

Tim Phillips

Alisa Newey

Richard Hamber

Harriet Oswald

Aidan Hill

Together, these experts unravel the profound impact of industrial design in forging sustainable outcomes, prioritising wellness, and enhancing performance—a crucial step toward a more environmentally conscious and ecologically sustainable future.

The 17th annual Sustainability Summit will be held on Thursday November 9 as a hybrid event. Join in person at Allianz Stadium, Sydney, or online wherever you have an internet connection. Get your ticket now and be in with the chance of winning from our sustainable prize pool on the day.

The Sustainability Summit and Awards are proudly presented by Best of the Best and Carbon Neutral Partner Autex Acoustics, and category partners Billi, BlueScope, Bondor Metecno, DECO, Electrolux, ForestOne, GH Commercial, Holcim, Interface, Knauf, Network Architectural, NeXTimber by Timberlink, Sika, Siniat, Stormtech, Verosol and WoodSolutions.