3. Materials research. areas and examples:

woods - sustainably harvested, efficiently utilized

plastics - recycled, non-petroleum based, biodegradable, reusable

resins - non-toxic processes, non-offgassing products

composites - sustainable sourced materials, biodegradable

papers - non-wood based or sustainably harvested, non-bleach

metals - recycled, low embodied energy, reusable

ceramics

textiles - non-toxic inks, non-offgassing materials/products, sustainable sources

For this assignment, you should research (through the library, magazines, Internet and other sources such as Inform and Material Connexion), what materials are "out there," and what their environmental attributes are. Keep in mind that information from the manufacturer or supplier may be suspect and that third party analyses (magazines, independent organizations) may be more accurate or reliable. Your end result should be (at least) two samples of the material(s) - one for you and one for the Product Department's materials library - along with the product literature and an analysis of the properties, LCA, and positive and negative attributes of the material.

See the Guide to materials research posted on the course webpage.

Three weeks. Assigned wk 2 (Overlaps with #2)

4. Put together a Life Cycle Analysis of a product. You will probably not be able to do a precise quantitative analysis, but a qualitative one will do - meaning that you will not have numbers to put into the categories, but you will be able to establish the categories and provide descriptions of the scale of the projected numbers and how those numbers might be developed by others.

One week. Assigned wk 5.

5. Design Project 1: design a product, that through its usage, encourages environmental awareness. Examples: an instrument on a car dashboard that tells you how much milage you're getting and how much money you could be saving; a shower that makes you aware of how much water you are using; These designs should also be positive in their nature - not just making you feel guilty about using them, but work on the level of encouragement and reward as well.

Three weeks. Assigned wk6.

6. Design Project 2: Design a product utilizing one or more of the materials that you and the class have researched and that, as much as possible, incorporates the various aspects of sustainable design practices. This project will also be your submission for the O2 competition.

Six weeks. Assigned wk 9.

Sustainable Design

Week 1 assignment (due 9/12)

1. Find an example of a product that, through its usage, produces or encourages environmentally unsustainable practices. Examples: take out containers, newspapers, circulation cards in magazines. Prepare a short ( 2 - 3 minute) presentation showing the problem(s) engendered by that product. Bring an example of the product if possible.

Reading for week:

Charter/Sustainable Solutions: Chapter 6

Van der Ryn/Ecological Design: Part One

Sustainable Design

Week 2 assignments

Reading: McDonough article (online or in Charter/Chapter 7), Papanek/Chapter 9

due 9/26 (one week assignment): Reconceptualize the product you presented for the first assignment in a way that removes or reduces the environmental issues that prompted you to select it. Prepare a presentation explaining your redefined product. Presentations will be pinned up and copies handed in.

due 10/10 (3 week assignment): Select and research a "green" material. Your presentation is to include at least two samples of the material, a short report (two copies) on your research into the properties and "greenness" of the material, and examples of some of its (potential) applications. Refer to the material research guide on the course web site.

One sample of the material and one copy of the report will be placed in the department materials library. The other material sample is for your use, perhaps in the upcoming projects, and the other copy of the report will be incorporated into a class materials resource. (If possible, I would also like a digital version - by email or disk - to more easily make the reports into a class-wide copy.)