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Sustainable by Design: Explorations in Theory and Practice.

Research output: Book/Report/ProceedingsBook

Published
Publication date2006
PublisherEarthscan / James and James Science Publishers, London
Number of pages244
ISBN (print)978-1844073535
<mark>Original language</mark>English

Bibliographic note

This monograph is the result of ten years research, theoretical exploration and conceptual design in the author's principal research area - sustainability and product design. It remained for many weeks in the top 10 environmental books of Amazon.com, and on the publisher's bestsellers list, and has gone into a second printing. Through critique, reasoned argument, and reflective, propositional design, it builds the case for fundamental systemic change in our conceptions of products, production and our notions of and relationships with material culture. Its originality lies in: a) its design-centred approach whereby conceptual design is an integral and essential element of the research methodology; 'designing' is part of the research process and conceptual artefacts are essential to the ongoing critical process, rather than, more conventionally, where designed artefacts are the end result of a process, and b) the critical arguments, informed by designing, step beyond the traditional areas of concern ' such as energy and materials efficiencies and life cycle assessment to embrace social, philosophical, religious and subjective/intuitive considerations. The work is significant as it consolidates and develops the author's extensive research and scholarly publications, and it has been highly influential in leading to many keynote addresses, specifically the Donck Sessions, Rotterdam, June 2007 - three keynote talks and an evening workshop to 45 top business leaders in The Netherlands; guest consultant and book signing at 100% Design at Earl's Court, London, September 2007; a keynote addresses at Arizona State University, Octoer 2007; and a public lecture and workshop at the University of Eindhoven, Oct. 2007. This book also led to an invitation to contribute a chapter to Designers, Visionaries and Other Stories, Earthscan/James and James Science Publishers, 2007. It was reviewed in the e-journal 'Value Created Review', Canada's e-journal for contemporary furniture design and sustainable SMEs http://www.valuecreatedreview.com/news89.htm accessed: September 26th 2006 RAE_import_type : Authored book RAE_uoa_type : LICA