Design for Sustainability

Bol

As our global society wrestles with climate change, depletion of resources, and unsustainable practices, the need for sustainability becomes urgently necessary. Design has an integral part to play in shaping how we interact with the world; architecture, product development, fashion, or urban planning decisions all play their own unique part in making an impact on who we are as humans and society at large. Sustainability in design refers to creating products, environments, and systems which are ecologically friendly, socially just, and economically feasible. Achieving this requires adopting a holistic approach which considers all stages from extraction of raw materials through production, use, and eventual disposal - in other words minimizing negative environmental impacts while maximizing positive contributions that design makes to communities and the economy. Sustainable design goes beyond simply reducing harm; it also involves improving well-being and creating opportunities that benefit environmental, economic, and social goals. Sustainability involves the incorporation of environmental ethics into design practice so designers aren't solely concerned with aesthetics and functionality but must consider ways of lowering carbon footprint, conserving resources, and encouraging inclusivity as they go about designing solutions. With this paradigm shift in mind, this book examines the fundamental principles and practices of sustainable design. We will look at ways the design process can be modified to align more closely with sustainability goals as well as explore what lies ahead for this essential discipline. From architecture and urban planning to product and fashion design - sustainability has increasingly become the yardstick by which successful designs are measured.

Bol Partner

With radical and innovative design solutions, everyone could be living in buildings and settlements that are more like gardens than cargo containers, and that purify air and water, generate energy, treat sewage and produce food - at lower cost. This title presents examples of integrated systems design based on ecological principles. With radical and innovative design solutions, everyone could be living in buildings and settlements that are more like gardens than cargo containers, and that purify air and water, generate energy, treat sewage and produce food - at lower cost. Birkeland introduces systems design thinking that cuts across academic and professional boundaries and the divide between social and physical sciences to move towards a transdiciplinary approach to environmental and social problem-solving. This sourcebook is useful for teaching, as each topic within the field of environmental management and social change has pairs of short readings providing diverse perspectives to compare, contrast and debate. Design for Sustainability presents examples of integrated systems design based on ecological principles and concepts and drawn from the foremost designers in the fields of industrial design, materials, housing design, urban planning and transport, landscape and permaculture, and energy and resource management.