GDES3003: SAMPLES OF STUDENT DESIGNS FROM THE COUNTY SCHOOLS COUNCIL ENERGY-SAVING PROJECT

Design students have now completed the 'creative concepts' brief for the county council schools energy-saving brief. Here's a selection of comments from both the client and also students who took part in the brief.

Client comments

“Worcestershire County Council Schools Behaviour change belief to Worcester University Design students has been rewarding and enlightening with a wide range of ideas concepts and unique designs being presented providing further discussions and cross working opportunities.”

Robert Edwards 
Energy Manager, Economy and Infrastructure Directorate Worcestershire County Council.

Samples of student comments

“Before this module, I had not really thought about the environmental impact design can have and I did not have such a deep understanding of climate change and ways to save water and electricity as I do now. There was a lot of different insight in lectures and also the trip to CAT got me thinking about my own behaviours.” 
Student 01

“I feel I have learnt a vast amount about communicating with clients and although very tough at times, conveying their input into a functional piece of design. The importance of keeping regular feedback sessions and asking questions has really been highlighted by this project. I have enjoyed the fact that this project has a purpose, one that will impact on my children just as much as any others that this initiative is aimed at.”
Student 02

“This project has opened my eyes... highlighting the various aspects that must be considered, such as ensuring campaign elements resonate with the audience and factual accuracy. I found the challenge of reducing energy and water waste particularly engaging, as the innovative ways to promote these initiatives among students. Additionally, I became aware of the agencies and companies making significant strides in sustainability." 
Student 03

Samples of student creative concepts
(Click to enlarge)

Hannah Bäuerle

Luke Blundell

Adam Fitzer

Ashleigh Priest

Lacey Smith

GDES3003 DAYTRIP TO THE CENTRE FOR ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGY (CAT) WALES 2024

A fantastic day had today with the yr 3 Green Design students over at the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) in Mid Wales.

The students are working on a 'live' design (creative concepts) brief for Worcester County Council which aims to help inform and change behaviours of both local schools, schoolchildren and ultimately their parents in respect of energy and resource-saving.

Paul Allen (Knowledge and Outreach Co-ordinator for Zero Carbon Britain) gave students an on site talk through their Zero Carbon Britain Research which aims to help decarbonise the UK economy. In doing so he talked at some length about energy use and ways to help conserve resources: powering down on fossil fuels and powering up the use of renewables and new agricultural techniques.

In addition to Paul's talk, education expert Sarah Tack (Education Manager at CAT) also talked about her work with schools in which she sought to help explain some of the key principles advocated by CAT regards energy use and sustainable living.

Comments scribbled down from students on the minibus home today about things they found interesting included:

- 'Insightful talk by Paul (Allen) and really interesting to see how different materials are being used to be sustainable'.

- 'Engaging talk, the building structure is very cool'.

- 'I really enjoyed the architecture of the place and materials used'..

- '(I found interesting) the escalator thingy powered by flowing water'..

- 'Finding out the different ways to heat and cool buildings'.

- 'Great to look into how a sustainable world could look' .

- 'The amount of research they're doing'.

- 'How they're engaging multiple demographics to make sustainable change'. 

GDES3003 Research Daytrip to the Centre For Alternative Technology.

Year 3 Green Design students undertook the module's annual research daytrip to one of Europe's largest eco centres today: The Centre for Alternative Technology near Machynlleth in Mid Wales.

The visit is linked to one of the key theoretical backbones of the module which discusses how we can decarbonise and reduce emissions and energy use 'Zero Carbon Britain' (ZCB). The ZCB project's originator Paul Allen gave an onsite talk of around an hour followed by Q+A linked to both the project's aims and what we as designers and visual communicators can do in our creative practice.

As always it was a fantastic day over at CAT and students who travelled with us jotted down a few thoughts about their time on site on the way back to Worcester:

"Really enjoyable and fascinating!"

"A very informative trip - lots of interesting facts"

"A refreshing and positive way of looking at nature and climate change"

"Great experience seeing what different people are doing to combat climate change"

"I enjoyed the talk and I liked the views and being out in nature"

"I liked the materials that they used"

"Was interesting to see sustainable living first hand"

"Amazing place, has given me a sense of hope".

"Really interesting place, people should know more about it"

"So good to be back at CAT and it's looking good in the autumn sun. Always inspiring, talk excellent!"

Here's a set of photos from the day: 

GDES3003 Students Hear Client Briefing From OLPRO

Year 3 students on our Green Design module received their client briefing this week from Chris and Katie at OLPRO. The company is based in the region and is a manufacturer of tents and outdoor gear but also a 'B Corp' which has sustainability writ large within it's ways of working.

Chris and Katie talked students through their requirements on what's a real brief linked to a new range of kit they're developing. Students will now research broadly the area of working so they have sufficient background to be able to start their initial visual ideas.

The clients have kindly offered to be on hand for students to ask questions during the process and will be back in to look at/feed back on student progress later in the module.

Client Chris talking to students:

GDES3003 Client Briefing and Feedback

Key to understanding the 'live' brief for this module was to go to where the client is based and hear their 'asks' to students and their considerations (such as using low impact sustainable materials where possible). Additionally, it was also key that client Joe joined us part way through the project to review student progress and to answer questions at that time too.

Client briefing at Monkwood nr Worcester

Client interim feedback session at UW.

GDES3003 DAY RESEARCH VISIT TO THE CENTRE FOR ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGY (CAT)

We undertook our annual research visit to the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) for this semester's Gdes3003 Green Design group in Oct 2022. Always a fascinating visit students were able to explore the site and listen to CAT lecturer Paul Allen talk about Zero Carbon Britain and it's linkages to their assessed brief for the Worcester Wildlife Trust too.

Students were clearly quite affected by the experience and passed back (this below) feedback on the bus back to the university:

"(CAT) was really interesting and I learned a lot from there, the site was amazing with all the natural materials and the architecture."

(CAT) "Was a great experience, I was able to explore and learn throughout the day. Will definitely benefit from the visit for the future (design project).

"Very interesting day, eye opening to see the direction the planet is heading in. Enjoyed it a lot!"

"I really liked seeing all the different ways the found out how to save energy.."

"It was a very different and unusual experience, the architecture was so inspiring.."

"All staff and volunteers at the site are clearly genuinely passionate and want to show their knowledge".

"CAT is a very interesting place and (it was) an enriching experience. I'm glad organisations like this one exist".

"Very interesting renewable energies and a magical environment!"

"The trip to CAT was a very unique experience: from the views, the inspiring architecture to all the economical resources and crafts. I believe that a carbon free (world) is something I'm gonna consider more in the future. The seminar was really helpful for the (University) brief, eye and (mind) opening. I'm really grateful for today."

"In my opinion the trip to CAT was really essential. Findng out differet ways for saving energy and living carbon free was definitely something to consider for our future. I've taken important and key notes with photographs which were really helpful for the (university) brief".

In pictures

GDES3003 Worcestershire Wildlife Trust: Student Output Samples

Students have been working on a 'live' design brief for Worcestershire Wildlife Trust this year. The trust asked students to develop a set of new designed elements ranging from informative posters and flyers to social media and posters. These new designs would be used in situ in their woodlands to help inform the public and visitors of their working practices.

Students had a choice of which elements they outputted from a list of different potential options and decisions from their research.

"We feel that the students have a created some great materials, and it has got us thinking about how we can use infographics more in our future design projects. We feel the students have really thought about the purpose of the materials they were creating and how and why it might be used.

Each of them has created something different visually that has us thinking what we could be doing differently. We are thinking we might use some of the designs, if we do, we would like to credit the student that designed them...

It has been great teaming up with the students for this project... Thanks for all the hard work your students put into the work."

Joe Gillard, Worcester Wildlife Trust

Here's some student feedback at the end of the module:

“This project has given me the opportunity to design with a wider goal in mind, one that is not limited to the product and that puts emphasis on the consequences of my decisions as a designer. I feel like many of the lessons learned working on the brief and during the development of the module can be applied not solely in design work, but also in other disciplines and even in everyday life. This new knowledge is pushing me to make decisions while being aware of the state of the planet and has helped me realize how I fit in the system and what my choices entail.”

Student 02 (from written report)

“ ... this module has been insightful, and very interesting. I have noticed already that it has been useful to learn about all of green designs aspects as they feed into other modules. It is also relevant to today’s industry especially when becoming a Graphic Designer. I also spoke to my sister regularly about this module as she is currently studying a PhD in Geography, looking at the Earth’s carbon levels. We have discussed global issues the planet is currently facing. The trips to ‘CAT’ and Monkwood have been useful when creating my outputs. Also, showing my work in context, where my outputs would be situated this is to show what they would look like in the real world. Overall, I have thoroughly enjoyed the Green Design Module, working with a client and designing my outputs!”

Student 03 (from written report)

Here's a sample of some of the designs submitted (click to enlarge each image).

Laia Armengol

Megan Bailey

Torsten Carlisle

Demi Epstein