Eco-design is vital

...but it cannot reach the right parts of the system

Many designers would like to do more for a ‘sustainable’ environment but are restricted by their specialist professional role, also by prevailing economic conditions at a national and international level. For this reason, even the most virtuous 'Eco-designer' may unwittingly contribute to inefficiencies, social inequalities, and/or waste of resources at the global level.

We must therefore work at a metadesign level

If designers knew how to enhance the sense of satisfaction and general well being in small sustainable (i.e. ‘live-work’) communities they might be able to play a more transformative role. This is an ambitious but worthwhile quest, because, arguably, even small communities are nevertheless complex systems that may resist useful intervention unless it is appropriately timed and well directed.

'Synergy' may be more popular than 'sustainability'

The idea of sustainability is ineffective partly because it is an ambiguous term. It has gradually become associated with 'reductions' (rather than benefits) in a relatively short period of time. Society tends to avoid 'step change'. Democratic governments therefore do not lead by example, and industry – until recently - has been slow to take the initiative because change requires unfamiliar specifications, tooling up, etc.,.

We need ‘synergistic’ networks

The notion of sustainability is not yet integrated into everyday decision making, whether at the level of the general public, or at business or institutional levels. Within the network we will share our experiences across the design sector, propose generalised and specific models, and explore the most favourable points of intervention, etc...

Eco-design's history spotlights economic obstacles

The main problem is the economic order (see EcoDesignHistory )