Com as problemáticas ambientais e sociais cada vez mais próximas, causadas pelo crescimento descontrolado e produção exagerada surge a necessidade de se refletir e contribuir para a melhora de qualidade de vida vinculada às questões ambientais. Em paralelo com a aproximação dessas problemáticas nota-se uma proliferação e banalização dos produtos \"sustentáveis\" causando inquietação e gerando uma série de questionamentos sobre a real sustentabilidade dos produtos. Neste sentido, observou-se a necessidade de estudos das relações entre sustentabilidade, design e comportamento, almejando a problematização da associação entre seus conceitos e como as intervenções práticas estão acontecendo nos mais variados segmentos de produtos. Para o desenvolvimento deste estudo, a pesquisa foi dividida em duas partes: a primeira apresenta um referencial teórico que envolve a relação da sociedade vinculada à questão da Imagem e Matéria e os conceitos de sustentabilidade e design sustentável; e a segunda etapa realiza um levantamento de produtos que se designam serem sustentáveis e uma análise a partir das leituras destes com base nos conceitos estudados. Desta forma puderam ser verificadas algumas articulações que vem sendo realizadas entre conceitos de sustentabilidade e o design no contexto atual. / Due to uncontrolled growth and exaggerated production, environmental and social issues get closer to us. This brings the need to reflect the quality of live linked to environmental matters and contribute to its improvement. In parallel with such approach of these problems, the \"sustainable\" products have been increasing. Such proliferation and trivialization of these products cause worry and generate a series of questions that arise about the \"real\" sustainability of the products. Therefore there is a need for studies of the interaction between sustainability, design and behaviour. Aiming to problematize the association between the concepts of sustainable design and the practical interventions that are happening in product segments, this research was divided into two parts: the first part presents a theoretical framework that involves the interaction of the society linked to the issue of Image and Material and the concepts of sustainability and sustainable design; the second part is a survey of products that are called sustainable and they have been analysed from a reading based on the studied concepts. Thus, it could be seen as sustainable design relates to the society and its products indicating a way to sustainability.

<p>Detta projekt har haft som mål att utveckla produktdisplayer för användning i butiker i syfte att exponera produkter som smycken, solglasögon eller liknande. Projektet är utfört som ett examensarbete vid Mälardalens Högskola inom produktutveckling med inriktning formgivning.</p><p>Bakgrunden till projektet är att företaget X-ponent vill utforska en ny marknad. Det vill säga konsumentmarknaden istället för sin vanliga inriktning på industri. X-ponent har fått förfrågningar om produktdisplayer av mindre tillverkare av smycken och säljer idag en enkel variant till dessa.</p><p>Uppdraget har gått ut på att ta fram tre koncept på produktdisplayer ett med ett eget användningsområde; en väggdisplay, för att kunna användas vid vägg; en golv display, för användning på golvet i butiken; och en bordsdisplay, att kunna ställa på bord eller disk. Displayens syfte skulle vara att exponera produkten och locka folk att köpa varför konsument psykologi och marknadsföring i butik studerades. Även semiotik spelade stor roll i konceptens formgivning och studerades noga.</p><p>För att ta reda på marknadens krav och egenskaper användarna ansåg vara bra och dåligt med dagens produkter utfördes en marknadsundersökning i butikerna i Tuna Park i Eskilstuna och på Dustins Elektronikmässa i Annexet i Stockholm. Även en utförlig konkurrensanalys utfördes på konkurrerande produkter.</p><p>Under projektets gång har ett flertal produktutvecklings verktyg används som, funktionsanalys, FEMA och CAD (genom SolidWorks). Arbetsmetoden har varit att ta fram en mängd olika koncept för att sedan metodiskt sålla bort, förbättra och tillslut välja ut slutgilltliga koncept.</p><p>För att göra bästa möjliga val använde jag mig av flera beprövade verktyg. Som Beslutsmatriser, PUGH och QFD. Utöver dessa verktyg hade jag flera diskussioner med uppdragsgivare och handledare.</p><p>En viktig del har varit att presentera koncept som både uppfyller marknadens och uppdragsgivarens krav samtidigt som det är så hållbart för miljön som möjligt. för att göra detta möjligt studerades "sustainable design" (hållbar design).</p><p>De slutgiltiga koncepten presenterades som renderade bilder. Dessa renderades i programmet 3D-Studio max. En säljande produktfolder skapades för att ge koncepten extra tyngd. Även en modell av väggkonceptet togs fram.</p>

Detta projekt har haft som mål att utveckla produktdisplayer för användning i butiker i syfte att exponera produkter som smycken, solglasögon eller liknande. Projektet är utfört som ett examensarbete vid Mälardalens Högskola inom produktutveckling med inriktning formgivning. Bakgrunden till projektet är att företaget X-ponent vill utforska en ny marknad. Det vill säga konsumentmarknaden istället för sin vanliga inriktning på industri. X-ponent har fått förfrågningar om produktdisplayer av mindre tillverkare av smycken och säljer idag en enkel variant till dessa. Uppdraget har gått ut på att ta fram tre koncept på produktdisplayer ett med ett eget användningsområde; en väggdisplay, för att kunna användas vid vägg; en golv display, för användning på golvet i butiken; och en bordsdisplay, att kunna ställa på bord eller disk. Displayens syfte skulle vara att exponera produkten och locka folk att köpa varför konsument psykologi och marknadsföring i butik studerades. Även semiotik spelade stor roll i konceptens formgivning och studerades noga. För att ta reda på marknadens krav och egenskaper användarna ansåg vara bra och dåligt med dagens produkter utfördes en marknadsundersökning i butikerna i Tuna Park i Eskilstuna och på Dustins Elektronikmässa i Annexet i Stockholm. Även en utförlig konkurrensanalys utfördes på konkurrerande produkter. Under projektets gång har ett flertal produktutvecklings verktyg används som, funktionsanalys, FEMA och CAD (genom SolidWorks). Arbetsmetoden har varit att ta fram en mängd olika koncept för att sedan metodiskt sålla bort, förbättra och tillslut välja ut slutgilltliga koncept. För att göra bästa möjliga val använde jag mig av flera beprövade verktyg. Som Beslutsmatriser, PUGH och QFD. Utöver dessa verktyg hade jag flera diskussioner med uppdragsgivare och handledare. En viktig del har varit att presentera koncept som både uppfyller marknadens och uppdragsgivarens krav samtidigt som det är så hållbart för miljön som möjligt. för att göra detta möjligt studerades "sustainable design" (hållbar design). De slutgiltiga koncepten presenterades som renderade bilder. Dessa renderades i programmet 3D-Studio max. En säljande produktfolder skapades för att ge koncepten extra tyngd. Även en modell av väggkonceptet togs fram.

As a result of widespread urban development over the past two decades, global wetlands are disappearing at an alarming rate. This thesis develops a series of strategies for protecting wetland ecosystems from the ecological consequences that cascade through an ecosystem as a result of such development. This thesis is based on the paired assumptions that ecosystems represent networks of linked processes that operate across both local and global scales, and that the ecological integrity of any ecosystem can be maintained (a) only if the physical integrity of an ecosystem’s constituent processes is maintained, and (b) only if damage occurring at one ecological scale is prevented from affecting processes occurring at another. Thus, the strategies proposed here are multi-scalar and implemented at both the scale of the site and at the broader watershed scale. The strategies developed in this thesis focus on maintaining the physical integrity of the local wetlands as a means of protecting the processes that occur within the broader wetland ecosystem. The thesis proposes that wetland sites might be best protected from the effects of urban development by implementing a series of landscape interventions that provide the ecosystem with the means to reorient itself in new ecological relationships. Instead of attempting to recreate and control a complex set of conditions by imposing a deterministic architectural solution on the site, this strategy seeds new processes and new structural relationships such that the ecosystem reorganizes itself according to its own structural logic and grows into new stable relationships according to conditions that arise out of those processes. Because this approach generates a series of self-sustaining processes, human intervention is minimized beyond the initial stages. The stategies proposed here will be explored in the context of proposals recently announced by oil companies to develop ecologically sensitive wetland sites located on the Athabasca River in north-eastern Alberta.

&lsquo / Green Buildings&rsquo / play an important role to increase the implementation of sustainable strategies in the construction industry. Although there is a process of change within Turkish building environment towards implementation of green strategies nowadays, limited research has been conducted to search the reasons that drive the market and the important barriers that block the green building movement. This thesis is intended to fill this gap in the literature and contribute to the field of knowledge regarding green building construction in Turkey. The results shall benefit both government and market practitioners for the development of green building market. The data presented in this thesis are mainly obtained from a comprehensive questionnaire survey developed based on a deep literature search. The questionnaire is completed by professionals who have an interest on this topic or who have involvement in green building projects. In order to analyze the gathered data, a variety of statistical methods are used and the results are evaluated in detail. In addition to questionnaire survey, six case study green building projects in Turkey are examined and so a snapshot picture of current situation of the green movement is taken. Accordingly, financial considerations, faced difficulties and lessons learned are explained. The findings shall assist in understanding the real needs for green building development in Turkish construction sector. Finally, recommendations for government and researchers are presented so as to steer the construction sector in the direction of sustainability.

Global warming challenges designers to pay attention to environmental effects of manufacturing when designing new products. This examination project was a personal challenge to uphold ethical responsibility as a designer and consider emotional aspects of design while aiming to create a pleasurable lighting for the home environment. The underpinning idea for the project was to promote the use of recycled materials and an environmentally friendly light source aiming to create a sustainable everyday commonplace product that it is possible to manufacture. High power LED-technology was chosen because of its energy efficiency, flexibility and a particularly long life-cycle. Recycled plastic and fibre cardboard were chosen to be applied as the shades of the lamps. Both these recycled materials can be broken down and recycled again after use. Emotional design aspect was the leading theory in the design process. The intention was to consider different levels of emotional aspects when defining the main characteristics of the lamp to create pleasurable lighting: Among usability and aesthetics the concentration was on the semiotics of the product and its usage context. It was designed with the aim of evoking pleasurable feelings in users who desire to lead an active and urban life-style but who are simultaneously worried about global warming. Both of the lighting designs are for a dining context. They are supposed to create a pleasurable atmosphere around a dining table while separating the party around the table from the rest of the space. Other lights can be dimmed or switched off when it is time to gather around the table to accentuate the illumination and feeling of togetherness. Inspiration for the project came from sustainability, contemporary thoughts and trends embodied into maps. The products turned out to be silent statements of today’s global world; Antarctica refers to glacial retreat while Town symbolises the importance of people’s own origin in this globalised world.

As a result of widespread urban development over the past two decades, global wetlands are disappearing at an alarming rate. This thesis develops a series of strategies for protecting wetland ecosystems from the ecological consequences that cascade through an ecosystem as a result of such development. This thesis is based on the paired assumptions that ecosystems represent networks of linked processes that operate across both local and global scales, and that the ecological integrity of any ecosystem can be maintained (a) only if the physical integrity of an ecosystem’s constituent processes is maintained, and (b) only if damage occurring at one ecological scale is prevented from affecting processes occurring at another. Thus, the strategies proposed here are multi-scalar and implemented at both the scale of the site and at the broader watershed scale. The strategies developed in this thesis focus on maintaining the physical integrity of the local wetlands as a means of protecting the processes that occur within the broader wetland ecosystem. The thesis proposes that wetland sites might be best protected from the effects of urban development by implementing a series of landscape interventions that provide the ecosystem with the means to reorient itself in new ecological relationships. Instead of attempting to recreate and control a complex set of conditions by imposing a deterministic architectural solution on the site, this strategy seeds new processes and new structural relationships such that the ecosystem reorganizes itself according to its own structural logic and grows into new stable relationships according to conditions that arise out of those processes. Because this approach generates a series of self-sustaining processes, human intervention is minimized beyond the initial stages. The stategies proposed here will be explored in the context of proposals recently announced by oil companies to develop ecologically sensitive wetland sites located on the Athabasca River in north-eastern Alberta.

Access to abstract restricted until 05/2015. / Access to thesis restricted until 05/2015. / Department of Family and Consumer Sciences

<p>Global warming challenges designers to pay attention to environmental effects of manufacturing when designing new products. This examination project was a personal challenge to uphold ethical responsibility as a designer and consider emotional aspects of design while aiming to create a pleasurable lighting for the home environment.</p><p>The underpinning idea for the project was to promote the use of recycled materials and an environmentally friendly light source aiming to create a sustainable everyday commonplace product that it is possible to manufacture. High power LED-technology was chosen because of its energy efficiency, flexibility and a particularly long life-cycle. Recycled plastic and fibre cardboard were chosen to be applied as the shades of the lamps. Both these recycled materials can be broken down and recycled again after use.</p><p>Emotional design aspect was the leading theory in the design process. The intention was to consider different levels of emotional aspects when defining the main characteristics of the lamp to create pleasurable lighting: Among usability and aesthetics the concentration was on the semiotics of the product and its usage context. It was designed with the aim of evoking pleasurable feelings in users who desire to lead an active and urban life-style but who are simultaneously worried about global warming.</p><p>Both of the lighting designs are for a dining context. They are supposed to create a pleasurable atmosphere around a dining table while separating the party around the table from the rest of the space. Other lights can be dimmed or switched off when it is time to gather around the table to accentuate the illumination and feeling of togetherness.</p><p>Inspiration for the project came from sustainability, contemporary thoughts and trends embodied into maps. The products turned out to be silent statements of today’s global world; Antarctica refers to glacial retreat while Town symbolises the importance of people’s own origin in this globalised world.</p>

The goal of this thesis is to understand how the Biomimicry Toolbox (BT), a practical tool for applying biomimicry, currently supports strategic thinking in order to create sustainable solutions. A pragmatic qualitative research approach was used, in which the BT was analysed through the lens of the Five Level Framework (5LF), a tool for planning and analysing in complex systems and the Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development, the application of the 5LF for sustainability endeavours. Interviews were conducted with people experienced with the BT. Results show that the BT has several aspects of strategic thinking. It supports the application of a systems perspective, provides a success goal to move towards and offers tools for a strategic process to follow. The authors conclude that the BT could benefit from including understanding of the patterns and structures of the social system in relation with the earth system. Also, it can benefit from including a section on upstream thinking helping users of the BT consider root causes. Lastly, it could benefit from a strategic approach for evaluating how sustainable solutions are and include a simple and clear prioritisation process. The improvements can make the BT more impactful in supporting societies transition towards sustainability.