As a concept, a product lifecycle makes intuitive sense. Designers conceive of a product or service, and source materials that are mined from the earth, refined, manufactured, packaged, marketed, sold, used, and then either retired in landfill, or in a better world, recycled back into the system. Cradle to cradle, here we come. In practice, knowing the full impact of a product's impact on the environment be the first thing we do as designers when developing a new product idea. A comprehensive approach that takes in all phases of a product lifecycle is the best framework for letting us know which action to take in redesigning for green - which approach is the most environmentally friendly.

Yet as a practice, life cycle assessment is both daunting and complicated, but this may be a case of LCA reflecting the complexities of how we make things today. Let us know if you are interested in joining or are a practicing LCA expert willing to share our knowledge.

On February 1st, 2008 in New York City industry leaders, entrepreneurs, journalists, and designers will gather to discuss the business case for the greening of the consumer electronics industry.

Greener Gadgets is a one day conference featuring key representatives from some of the largest consumer electronics companies in the world, innovators from academic thinktanks, members of startups focused on renewable energy, and some of the leading minds in the word of sustainable design and business.

Topics to be addressed include: design for sustainability, product life cycle management, take-back and recycling programs, energy efficiency, greener materials, and green lifestyle and product marketing. An attached gallery space will feature a green prototype office display and technology exhibits from companies on the cutting edge of green tech.

How o2NYC is involved:

As a supporting sponsors, we're going to ask our o2NYC membership to help volunteer at the event - in exchange for free admission. We'll rotate volunteer times so that all have a change to participate.

If you want to attend the event in full or secure one of the student passes at a reduced rate, register now, the event will sell out quickly.

Register here: Greener Gadgets

Or, email Jennifer to sign up for our volunteer staff: j@o2nyc.org

Find out more information and submit your application for HauteGREEN 2007.

www.hautegreen.com

Learn about HauteGREEN 2006:

HauteGREEN
HauteGREEN Sneak Peek: The Best in Sustainable Design

In 2003, o2NYC hosted Assignment: Green, an exhibit and symposium on green design education in New York City, at the Municipal Art Society. The curated exhibit, held from March 13 - April 29, 2003, covered New York area college level student work and spanned several design fields including architecture, planning, interior design, product/industrial design, fashion, and graphics/communication design as well as related business and policy fields.

The purpose of the event was to both illustrate the current state of green design education and to promote a more aggressive greening of design education. Design schools are beginning to realize that ecological design innovation is an essential ingredient in useful, desirable and responsible design; one that is soon to become intrinsic to all design curricula and corporate design strategies.

As New York area design schools continue to focus more closely on sustainability and methods for eco-design, they will produce a pool of ecologically oriented graduates, and in turn, make the city a world leader for eco-design research, manufacturing and education. When these graduates begin working in NYC companies, they will influence and strengthen those companies’ green aspects, creating a green design business “hotbed.” So the larger purpose of Assignment: Green is to sharpen the focus of design
programs that can, in turn, make the city a world center for ecodesign research, manufacturing and education.

On April 2, 2003, o2NYC hosted the Assignment: Green roundtable forum, facilitated by Metropolis Magazine editor-in-chief, Susan Szenasy, to convene students, educators and department heads from New York's design schools along with local business leaders to debate and envision the future of green design education.

Exhibit Design:

Assignment: Green's exhibit was constructed largely of sustainable and re-used materials. Used cardboard tubes were salvaged from Mecho Shade. Xorel fabric panels from Carnegie were re-utilized from another exhibit, and illuminated with energy fluorescent tubes. Homasote boards were locally produced from 100% recycled newspapers. Other materials included hemp fabric, hemp twine and white glue.

Participating Schools:

CCNY -- Graduate Program in Urban Design

Columbia University -- School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation

Cooper Union -- Humanities and Social Sciences, School of Art

Fashion Institute of Technology -- Fashion Design, Home Products, Development and Marketing

Fordham University -- Environmental Studies

Parsons School of Design -- School of Architecture, Interior Design and Lighting, Department of Product Design, Department of Fashion Design, Center for New Design


Pratt Institute -- Industrial Design, Undergraduate Architecture, Graduate Center for Planning and the Environment, Fashion Design

FIT/Parsons/Pratt Fashion Apprenticeships

o2NYC gratefully acknowledges the support of: Municipal Art Society, Keyspan, Herman Miller, Knoll Materials and services by: Hixon Design Consultants Red Rooster Group, J Ottman Consulting, Inc., Modern World Design, Square Indigo, National MicroRentals, Hewlett-Packard Company

The Municipal Art Society gratefully acknowledges the ongoing support of: The H. Van Ameringen Foundation, the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs and the New York State Council on the Arts, a State Agency.

Exhibit Committee: David Bergman, Erika Doering, Eva Hanhardt, Martha Kellerhals, John Napolitano, and Lisa Smith.