Future Craft

This week we’ll be exploring the application of environmental impact assessment to the built environment. There are two schools of thought for evaluating the impact of a product on the environment:

1. Quantitative analysis, or LCA (Life-Cycle Assessment) assigns an absolute cost to the material inputs and outputs over the life of a product. The methodology applied to buildings is best defined in the AIA’s guide to LCA (which can be downloaded here).

2. Qualitative analysis (often called Attribute-based) which relies on third-party standards and certifications such as LEED (see the LEED guides to certification here).

https://www.lcacalculator.com/

https://www.sustainableminds.com/

https://www.athenasmi.org/our-software-data/ecocalculator/

https://footprinted.org/

https://sourceforge.net/projects/easylcacalc/

https://nikemakers.com/

Today we’ll be introducing the concept of life-cycle assessment, in theory and in practice. Over the past few years a number of famous LCA’s have been created by major brands. See below:

The seminal ‘1.7 kg Microchip’ by Williams, Ayres, and Heller.

The Levi’s 501 Jean LCA (2009)

Since 2008, Apple has published environmental reports for most of its products.

This MIT LCA sponsored by Dyson makes a powerful case against paper towels.

FUTURE CRAFT

Methodologies & Design Strategies for Radical Sustainability in Products & Ventures

Spring 2014

GSAPP Visual Studies Sessions A+B

Thursday 3-5PM

Avery 505

Instructors: Amanda Parkes + Leonardo Bonanni

First class meeting: Thursday Jan 23rd

From sweatshop fires to superstorms, society is coming to terms with the reality that business-as-usual is unsustainable: socially, economically, and environmentally. A new generation of goods and services is emerging to address humanity’s needs as they continue to grow. Future Craft is designed to look at new ways of making things, from the way materials are sourced and manufactured to the way customers are considered.

We are interested in re-configuring industry, its systems and services. This class will look at ways to reshape business, technology and design to create new, radically sustainable products and companies. Students will learn the latest methodologies for evaluating environmental, social, and financial impact (the triple bottom line).

karenjohnson:

Drum roll, please. Hours and hours of research and prototyping have resulted in something pretty special. We call it Eco-Bed. 

Our appreciation and thanks go to the futurecraftclass teaching team: Amanda Parkes founder of Bodega Algae, Leo Bonanni founder of Sourcemap and Joost Bonson.

Thanks to Phil Ross, Sam Harrington at Ecovative and Duann Scott at Shapeways for taking the time to share knowledge and for mentoring our team along the way.

Finally, a peek at our product:

karenjohnson:

futurecraftclass assignment two explores the world of 3D printing and plastics. Enjoy. 

karenjohnson:

The first assignment for Media Lab’s fall futurecraftclass course was to do a product autopsy. My project partner and I were hungry so we dissected a German chocolate cake. 

karenjohnson:

futurecraftclass assignment two explores the world of 3D printing and plastics. Enjoy. 

karenjohnson:

The first assignment for Media Lab’s fall futurecraftclass course was to do a product autopsy. My project partner and I were hungry so we dissected a German chocolate cake.