E:DN event - Exploring materials, chemistry and ecodesign in Wales

10th March       Cardiff, Wales

E:DN, the network on design and sustainability for designers in Wales, run by the Ecodesign Centre, hosted a workshop on the 10th of March. Our guest speakers were Dr. Mike Pitts from the Chemistry Innovation KTN and Jakki Dehn from Kingston University. This was an exciiting workshop exploring the role of materials, chemistry and design for sustainability. Both speakers brought a wealth of knowledge and opened up a number of relevant and pertinent discussions.
Mike Pitts is the Sustainable Technologies Theme Manager for the Chemistry Innovation Knowledge Transfer Network (https://ktn.innovateuk.org/web/chemistryinnovationktn). He made a presentation on the relationship between chemistry and design. He highlighted how designers can work with chemists and visa-versa. He also highlighted a number of key sustainability issues facing the industry in the coming years such as material scarcity. Mike also presented some case studies from industry on how chemistry and design can work together to drive innovation.
Jakki Dehn is a furniture designer and has exhibited and sold work worldwide. She is currently teaching full time at Kingston University where she undertakes research into sustainable design issues
(http://fada.kingston.ac.uk/staff/jakki_dehn/jakki_dehn.php). Her research into new materials made from waste and has led to the development of a library of sustainable materials. Jakki gave a presentation on the role of materials from waste and how these can be incorporated into new designs.
Following these two talks, the Ecodesign Centre facilitated a 1-hour design challenge, the purpose of which was to address key issues related to materials, design and sustainability.

Available images –
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ecodesigncentreimages/sets/72157623637640698/