IDC Honoured for Green Designs
Industrial Design Consultancy Ltd. (IDC) was awarded two Honorable Mentions at the Green Dot Awards for sustainable product designs that hold great benefits for consumers and manufacturers alike.
One such product design singled out for its eco-friendly credentials was the SolarStore. Costing under £100, the SolarStore is an inflatable solar collector that harnesses the sun’s natural energy to warm domestic water, heating up to three full tanks per day at temperatures close to 80°C.
A product development team including designing, engineering and rapid prototyping created the green design in-house at IDC. The product saves nearly 0.2 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year. Compared to conventional solar hot water systems costing roughly £2000-3000 with payback over 10-20 years, the SolarStore has attracted much attention as it pays for itself within a six month period. There are also plans to use the product design in developing countries where electricity supplies can be erratic.
IDC’s recent development of an online Lifecycle Analysis Calculator also impressed the judges. Free for all to use, IDC’s LCA Calculator provides a quick way to assess the environmental impact of a product. By calculating its carbon footprint and energy input from cradle to grave, the LCA is a great help for manufacturers, engineers and design specialists keen to ensure sustainable product design.
Managing director, Stephen Knowles, was delighted to receive the awards, “Now more than ever is the time for people to consider the environment when it comes to product design. In our experience, green design can offer enormous benefits all round – to the environment, to the consumer for peace of mind, and to the manufacturers who can save money in the process of dramatically reducing a product’s carbon footprint.”
IDC’s product designs have been recognised by several other major awards panels recently, such as the industry respected iDEA. Its multidisciplinary product development team has been honoured for its role in creating groundbreaking medical devices such as a cost-saving disposable insulin pen for diabetes sufferers, through to more commercial products.
The Green Dot Awards focuses on highlighting and rewarding forward-thinking businesses that devise environmentally friendly products or services. They also stand as a consumer guide to excellence in environmentally sustainable practices.
