Net-Zero Design Research Network

Lead Research Organisation: Sheffield Hallam University
Department Name: College of Social Sciences and Arts

Abstract

The global coronavirus pandemic has and is forcing much of the worlds population to reshape their, thinking, their behaviours and to disrupt sectorial operating models in order to adjust to new normalities to paraphrase Cohen (2020). We have and are experiencing imposed mobility restrictions and social distancing measures that have resulted in: reducing road traffic and air travel, the development of asynchronous and synchronous learning, a renewal of civic capita, the rise of local e-commence services and self-sufficient local communities. In the age of the Anthropocene, National, Regional and Sub Regional governments, communities and the public at large have experienced at first-hand the collective actions we need to take to realise the UK's pledge to bring all greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by 2050 (UK Government, 2019).

Design is neither immune nor a neutral activity (Thackera, 2013). The Covid-19 pandemic has compelled the design sector to accept and confront its complicity and cognitive dissonance towards the climate emergency. Our reflective gaze has exposed the heaviness of Design's planetary load (across domains of research, education and practice) and an urgent need to escape the stare of the Medusa (Calvino, 1988).

The gravitational pull to a life-centred design approach has a recent history, it is still small and dispersed, and yet, it too has not kept pace with the societal, institutional and business models that have vaulted five years forward as a direct consequence of the pandemic (McKinsey, 2020). Rodgers & Bremner (2019) suggest in their charter for the future design school, we need to learn from the world and to devise new models for living and making with a damaged planet (Haraway, 2016); especially as design innovation, ecology the economy and politics are now almost inseparable components of the UK's post-covid economic recovery plan (UK Government, 2020). Several authors have outlined the justification for 'why' we need a shift to a life-centred approach and the importance of environmental ethics in the age of the Anthropocene (Morton, 2010; Zylinska, 2014; Anderson, 2015; Jagodzinski, 2019). We have also found evidence of the creative industries disciplinary voice for systemic change through the many climate change manifestos produced (First Things First, 1964; 2000 & 2014; IAM, 2017; Do the Green Thing, 2019; Music Declare Emergency, 2019). However, our foreground research has found few of exemplars that provide a clear roadmap for 'how' design-led communities are expected to operationalise 'high-level' strategies into low-level actionable measures in order to meet UK net-zero targets.

The need for this intellectual inquiry is urgent and of strategic importance to the UK. To address this unmet need, we are proposing the development of a Net-Zero Design Research Network (N-ZDRN). The N-ZDRN will stimulate debate and the exchange of ideas to significantly advance our collective understanding of the opportunities, barriers and practical behavior changes and tools needed to support the transition of design education, research and practice to net-zero.

Publications

10 25 50
 
Description This research revealed the intricate relationship between the design process and carbon emissions and provided the underpinning evidence to support the development of a significant follow-on AHRC research proposal. Research surfaced new insights and raised important questions that merit further investigation: i) There are no commercially-available digital tools that capture data to quantify the carbon emissions produced by the design process: researching, conceiving, designing, and developing a design idea; ii) No research studies have investigated the granular carbon emissions created by the act of (re)designing a product; iii) With an absence of research and data, the sector relies heavily on research analyses that is 38 years old (Graedel, Reaves, and Sokolowski, 1995). If introduced appropriately with a compelling case, new data and information about the ecosystem has the potential to revolutionise behaviours and outcomes.
Exploitation Route Developing innovative and impactful research outputs is a key goal of our research team. The team is continuing to disseminate the research findings and contributing to net-zero policy development activities of the Design Council and the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts Manufactures and Commerce.
Sectors Creative Economy

Education

Environment

Government

Democracy and Justice

Manufacturing

including Industrial Biotechology

 
Description The project team has contributed to the on-going policy development work of the Design Council and the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts Manufactures and Commerce related to the piloting of regional net-zero innovation centres and the North of England's creative corridor.
First Year Of Impact 2023
Sector Creative Economy,Education,Government, Democracy and Justice,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology
Impact Types Economic

Policy & public services

 
Description A film celebrating 20 years of the Double-Diamond 
Form Of Engagement Activity A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press)
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Media (as a channel to the public)
Results and Impact Our research findings are highlighted in the Design Council's commemoration of 20 years of the Double Diamond model, alongside organisations that have embraced this universal divergent-convergent process model.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FpKuJSCbx0
 
Description Council for Higher Education in Art and Design (CHEAD) Annual Conference 2023 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Other audiences
Results and Impact Invitation to present at the Council for Higher Education in Art and Design (CHEAD) Annual Conference 2023. The CHEAD Annual Conference 2023 creates an opportunity to discuss the critical issues facing art and design education across the UK in 2023. The conference theme being proposed (Creative Graduates: What is the Future Now?) contained three interwoven strands of discussion. This facilitated, promoted, and enhanced debate around some of the core issues that educators are all facing within Art Schools and across all creative subject areas: Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: at the heart of everything we do; Sustainability: and the creation of sustainable futures; Future Skills: Proposing change, challenging educational policies and securing futures. Our research was disseminated as part of CHEAD's Innovations in Practice session.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
URL https://www.chead.ac.uk/conference/
 
Description Cultures of Creative Health 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact guest speaker series for Cultures of Creative Health
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
URL https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/guest-lecture-series-working-with-communities-2922139
 
Description Decarbonising Design Lecture 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Undergraduate students
Results and Impact A lecture was delivered to second year undergraduate students studying BA(Hons) Product Design at Sheffield Hallam University. Decarbonisation Design shared information about the future contextual driver that will shape their future design practice as professional designer. Content included: United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); the principles of the Paris Climate Agreement (climate justice); What is CO2e? A brief history of climate change/carbon emissions; The difference between Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. A second part of the presentation focused on steps and actions design and designers could make. This included: perceptions of carbon intensity and the carbon footprint of everyday things; your professional responsibility as a product designer; simple ways you can reduce your impact as a designer: approaches, methods and tools; recognising that 'Design for Planet' is a future employability skill that will be in demand.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Design Education A-level to HE Roundtable 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact A expert panel discussion hosted by Pearson. This invite-only event brought together those closest to this phase of education (A level teachers of D&T, HE academics and organisation leads), and provide an opportunity to discuss and constructively debate the purpose of A Level design qualifications within the secondary school pathway choices and, importantly, define what is needed to ensure that future design qualifications align to the requirements for progression. The aim was to define what a successful pathway looks like for students who go through future A levels in this subject, that provide the strong foundation needed for future design and engineering undergraduates. The outcome will be a report for policy makers that proposes a fundamental change to design education in UK schools.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Intersections 2022 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The research was disseminated at the Sheffield Hallam University's Department of Art & Design Teaching and Learning Conference. 60-minute themed discussion. The title of Swann and Mcdonald's 60-minute themed discussion was: The transitioning of art & design to a low-carbon future and delivered to an audience comprising of course leaders and module tutors. The presentation surfaced the unintended carbon consequences of designing and delivering student-centred learning experiences.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Net Zero Design Innovation Leaders' co-development workshop number 1 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Organised by the Design Council at hosted by Leed Metropolitan University, this workshop brought together innovation leaders from across the North for a half-day session to create better green innovation outcomes for local place. The focus of this session, was the co-creation of a trailblazing 'green innovation' centre building upon current industrial strength to explore different approaches to accelerating regional climate transition. Over 50 attendees from within the North's creative corridor were in attendance; representing Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, Hull, York and Northumbria. Working in regional teams, three dimensional models representing an aspirational net-zero hub were built using mixed media. The Sheffield team's vision was for a metaphorically 'net-zero human library' incorporating services such as a help desk, reference sections, a searchable database, and the short-term loan of expertise.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Net Zero Design Innovation Leaders' co-development workshop number 2 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Building upon the first workshop organised by the Design Council, regional teams reconvened for a second half-day work to further develop their vision for a 'net-zero human library'. The session sparked further questions and discussion related to sustainability, reach and impact. The outcome was the refinement of the original proposal and to mobilise the 'net-zero human library' into the community; a vehicular solution that travel across the region to sites such as schools, business parks, industrial estates and regional public events.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2024
 
Description Parliamentary Roundtable: Plans for Growth - Industry and Skills 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Policymakers/politicians
Results and Impact An invitation to participate at a Parliamentary Plans for Growth: Industry and Skills' roundtable to discuss for the Labour Party's industrial strategy and Lord David Blunkett's report on learning/skills. Our contribution centred upon the importance and development of 'green capabilities' which is different to 'green skills'. Capabilities enable individuals to engage and function more broadly across the exo-meso-micro ecosystems, rather than in a silo- such as the workplace.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Sustainability: Climate Action Event 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Undergraduate students
Results and Impact An invitation to take part in a panel discussion by the Deputy President Sheffield Hallam's Student Union. The event's theme was Sustainability: Climate Action. This provided an opportunity to highlight with undergraduate/ post-graduate audiences the outcomes of our research and provided an opportunity share practical examples on how students' may decarbonise their academic activities.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023