6 Videos Reflection

Autodesk: Whole Systems & Lifecycle

Sustainable solution addressed the whole lifecycle of the product and beyond. It is crucial to have an understanding of the processes from material extraction, manufacturing, transport and distribution, consumption and its end life.     

Designers, through the years, have become aware of sustainable design and how it would impact the people and mother nature. Smart materials choice is essential in contributing a better sustainable design. The material choice can prolong the life cycle of the product as it age through time and some can be disposable but can be recycle and reuse afterwards. The innovation in materials and machinery in modern days affects the lifecycle of the product and its effect towards the world. This short video gave me a better understanding beyond the product itself.

Autodesk: Improving product lifetime

A design that age beautifully through time, design that allows to be repair or upgrade and design that can be recycled is a good design. The inevitability of material extraction is visible not just for designers but extends towards the company/business owners. However, through communication and participation of each of everyone sustainability can be achieved by smarter and more responsible choice of actions.

Designing a product that can recycled or reuse as a same or as another product would be great. Through this way we designer and as a consumer can help to preserve the world.

Autodesk: Green Materials Selection

Variety of materials are widely produced but there's only limited choice in terms of greener materials are limited in terms of choices. Hard wood like oak is widely used for furniture production. It might be a green material but we cannot avoid the fact that it consumes energy from extraction and production. It also affects the forestry all throughout the world for the need of harvesting wood.     

Autodesk: Light weighting

Light weighting is performed by many designers and manufacturers nowadays. In doing this, we conserve and sustain materials and our ecosystem.

In light weighting it involves the reduction of materials which is using what is needed and eliminating what is not. In saying that, this affects the overall design of the product. The form and aesthetics might look minimalistic in furniture design and might be beneficial for less abled people. In terms of manufacturing, this possibly favors designers and business owners financially.
Light weighting is not reducing or stripping materials but using the required without compromising the overall design and function of a product.

Autodesk: Energy Efficient Design

Sustainable design should require less energy in production. For example, S'ukin range products uses polyethylene as their main material in production of their shampoo/conditioner bottles. PET is 100% recyclable material, will be in demand in the next 7 years and uses 30% less energy in production. In that example, it shows considerations towards the design and the impact it make while and after the production.

In modern appliances, energy saving is put into consideration. Designers work with people with other disciplines like the engineers to achieve such energy saving design. Companies like dyson, LG, Samsung and reece bathroom are few of those companies that participate in this energy saving design. 

I think designing that involves energy saving production and coming up with an energy saving product is a great thing to do now and in the future. Of course, without compromising design ethics and the environment.   

Autodesk: Greenfly

The design manufacturing process consumes high amount of energy which depends on the overall specification of a product. Transporting it also consumes high amount of energy depending on the weight, quantity, palletizing of the product and the distance of destinations. Recyclable products is a way of saving energy that it will allow to reuse the old and avoid harvesting raw materials. Furthermore, it reduces the wastes that will be dump into landfills in other parts of the world. I think designing products involves not just the form, manufacturing and use but also the further effects on it in the environment and us.