Prefabrication and Modularity are new eco buzzwords on the menu this year. From homes to furniture, designers are beginning to employ new methods of construction and transportation to cut waste and energy consumption, ensure safety, and achieve greater overall methods of sustainability. When we hear the term “modular prefabricated homes,” we probably think of a little trailer down by the river. This is hardly the case with the modern rise of Steve Glenn’s LivingHomes. When you think of modular furniture, it doesn’t seem very sturdy, huh? But in fact, many of us have all used it- you buy a put-it-together-yourself desk, bring it home in a flat box, and construct it in the intended room. Just think about how many more desks can be shipped in one truckload in their deconstructed, flat form. Lots more! This cuts shipping costs, emissions, total embodied energy…

Prefab homes are constructed in a similar way, just on a larger scale. LivingHomes is a new cutting edge modern ecolicious house in Santa Monica, CA. The first model is Platinum LEED certified by the USGBC. Exquisitely designed by two renowned architects (Ray Kappe and David Hertz), LivingHomes has a portfolio of designs that their customers can choose from. The premise of the prefab/modular home is quite similar to that of a Rubik’s cube. In other words, as long it maintains a similar shape and structure, the rooms within a design can be shuffled around. The home is first constructed in a factory, then carted off to the construction site and put together in modules. The modules were completed in less than 6 months. On site construction of the first LivingHomes took under 12 hours.

Why choose prefab? Here is the skinny on the prefab eco accomplishments. Since the modules are constructed in a factory, a higher quality construction can be ensured than on site stick-built homes. The fasteners are accurately applied, materials are cut with more exactness, and since they have to withstand transport, everything is tighter and more secure. This extends the lifespan and cuts the upkeep. Modular prefabrication also saves significant amounts on their waste. While 30-40% of the material from a standard home construction site is carted off to the dump, modular homes generate only about 2% waste. That is a pretty large gap. Additionally, since the duration of construction is shorter, the cost is lower!

In terms of furniture, the complete cycle of Ecosystems Furniture resembles a quite responsible cradle to cradle method. The deconstructed components are intended to be flat and standard; therefore, the design can be sent to a computer and cut in masses at regional locations, packed flat, and shipped to more local distribution areas. The pieces are then purchased and assembled on site.

New trends on the horizon: Constructing a home in a warm climate is different from home construction in the variant climate of Michigan. Some are figuring out how to prefabricate well-insulated, secure, efficient, sustainable, and beautiful homes, even in the northern states. Challenging conventional construction techniques, a young architecture group called HueProjects in the greater Detroit area just completed a beautiful prefab home for five in the a Detroit Suburb. As the trend grows, progressive universities and community colleges are developing programs in prefabrication. Up north, prefab allows builders to construct homes year round, even in the blustery months of January and February. This concept improves efficiency and ability, meanwhile achieving all of the modular prefabrication benefits.

In the design world, often times young architecture/design firms and even individual designers will apply to competitions during the young part of their career to get public recognition, build credentials, and experience the social circuits around design.

As a young aspiring designer myself, I have made a keen observation of the design industry this year. Many of the call-for-entries and competitions this year have been for solutions related to sustainable development, energy, climate, biodiversity, environmental degradation, etc. Naturally we would expect these type of call-for-entries to come through the EPA grant programs, the NRDC, and other governmental organizations for the environment. Instead the call for action is coming from design firms, architecture magazines and other NGOs alike.

Allow me to take this opportunity to highlight some of the forthcoming competitions and competitions past that have sparked interest in publications of all sorts. The entries to these competitions not only alert us to solutions most of us have never thought of, but through the venue of these competitions many will have the opportunity to be realized! The following are just a few examples of the aforementioned. Look out world, great solutions are coming!!!

Design 21: the Social Design Network, is a mainly internet based collaborative project between the global design and merchandise company- Felissimo; and the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (known as UNESCO). They seek to inspire social activism through design- design for the greater good. “We connect people who want to explore ways design can positively impact our many worlds, and who want to create change here, now.” Design 21 has been hosting international competitions since 1995 mostly based around social themes.

This year, one competition called Heated Issue, was a call for an environmental campaign; another was for an educational “Childs Play” toy that encourages children to cultivate their own imagination; and the third, Shelter Me, is for a new design of a natural disaster temporary relief shelter. The competition award recipients were voted on by the public, and the winners were just announced! So go ahead, view the future!

Metropolis Magazine: an architecture, design, interiors magazine has strongly directed its focus towards sustainable development in design over the last few years. Annually, they host a design competition called the Next Generation Design Competition that awards $10,000 to the winner and they choose a list of runner-up proposals that get published as well. This year the competition focused on solutions for ENERGY reduction, consumption, efficiencies and alternatives. The award recipients this year designed a city streetlight that conserves urban energy based on the lunar cycle. Check it out. Metropolis also just announced next year’s theme: WATER.

Droog Design: an international design collective based in Amsterdam, seeks to “create innovative concepts that change perspectives." This past month they had a call for entries for concepts based on Climate Change. As a result of picking a winner, they hope to develop a product that pushes boundaries, changes perspectives of environmental issues, and invent new experiences, interactions, and participations… How exciting. Droog will select the top 10 designs, and the public will be able vote online to pick the winner. Public voting begins in September, so look it up and get your vote on.

Aside from the competitions calling specifically for sustainability conscious and socially responsible entries, many award recipients of internationally acclaimed annual design competitions are being recognized for their environmental awareness. Competitions such as the ID Annual Review, the Red Dot Design Award and the Spark Awards. This interesting progression is to be noted among the design circuits as a landmark in sustainable development. Lets hope that this is not the trend of the year but an annual progression towards more socially and sustainability conscious design and cradle-to-cradle conscious products.

Kiss & Cathcart, 2020 towerIsn’t it the best thing in the world when you find out that making a decision about your lifestyle is not only the environmentally-friendly decision, but the economical one too?!!! It makes me want to run through the streets with my arms flailing, telling the world that we are going to be ok. Blue collar, green collar, white collar, red collar… we can all save a bit of money by taking a healthy and responsible action for future generations.

Increasingly, homeowners and businesses are getting bank loans and even grants to install solar and wind power systems on the site of their property. The Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency is a great place for homeowners to start. It is common to now receive an incentive to reduce the cost of these systems from 25 to 40%, depending on location, of course. The state of Oregon now has 50% Business Energy Tax Credit for all renewable project costs. Not only does this incentive make alternative, local power generation an affordable option, but in provides individuals, families, and groups with the possibility of claiming energy independence from the electric grid.

Following is a supreme example of how the business management of renewable energy systems is gaining strength and incentives. The largest investment bank in the U.S., Morgan Stanley, will finance and own the PV systems that are to be installed atop 7 Wal-Mart stores in California. The way this works is that Morgan Stanley signs on as a financing partner of SunPower, the supplier, designer, installer, and maintenance supplier of the systems. Morgan Stanley pays for the system up front and the customer pays for it over a long period of time, as opposed to 100% up front. This means low investment risk and instant availability. Big business is seeing green in dollars returned by investing in alternative energy that makes good business sense to them. Not only is it just good business because it looks good and tops their environmental checklist, but it’s economical. Tiffany’s, for example is expecting a $500,000 annual savings on the 1.3 megawatt solar installation divided between 2 distribution centers in New Jersey.

I am not writing to debate the politics of appreciating solar value, market value due to commercial demand, and increasing utility prices; I’d just simply like you to appreciate that there is a greater demand. According to Solar Buzz, “Over the last 20 years the cost of solar energy systems has come down seven fold…” According to The Economist, “Global investment in renewable power-generation, biofuels and low-carbon technologies rose from $28 billion in 2004 to $72 billion in 2006.” If you think about it fundamentally, it makes sense that there be more value at a cheaper cost to us in something that is renewable. These businesses are not signing the Declaration of Energy Independence (yet), but they are partially acting on the economical incentive present. Even though designing these stores and warehouses to maximize on natural light might be the most energy efficient option, investing in solar to power the devices within this space has to be applauded.