The 2010 Earth Awards Winner: Photosynthetic Foam by David Wendell and Carlo Montemagno
Geschreven op 8-4-2010 - Erik van Erne. Geplaatst in Agenda, Design, Klimaat
17-09-2010: An artificial foam inspired by the meringue-like nest of a South American frog has won the 2010 Earth Awards.
The foam, which could help to tackle climate change, soaks up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and generates sugars that can be converted into biofuel.
The panel awarded $10,000 each to six finalists in August. Tonight, the winning design – a photosynthetic foam developed by David Wendell and Carlo Monetmagno of the University of Cincinnati – was awarded $50,000 at Marlborough House, London, as part of The Prince of Wales’ Garden Party To Make A Difference by Start. Source: The Guardian
08-04-2010: Artificial foam which captures and converts the sun’s energy more effectively than living organisms and earth tiles which empower people to build their own sustainable homes are in the running for a global design award backed by world-leading entrepreneurs. University of Cincinnati Professor’s David Wendell and Carlo Montemagno designed the Photosynthetic Foam while Cambridge Professor Michael Ramage designed Sustainable Shells. Both innovations have been selected from over 500 entries to be shortlisted in The Earth Awards 2010.
They and four other finalists will now pitch to top CEOs at an Innovators Summit in London, to secure funding to bring their designs to market. Judged by the world’s top creative thinkers, The Earth Awards identifies viable ideas from fashion to architecture and consumer products, and marries them with investors to provide a real solution to improving quality of life. It is the only global innovation awards where the aim is to give the designer the means to enter the worldwide consumer marketplace. Professor Wendell’s manufactured system of photosynthesis means that all captured energy is converted to sugars, unlike natural photosynthesis in plants where a large amount of energy is used to maintain the life of the organism. In short, the foam is a far more efficient and versatile energy production platform. Sustainable Shells enables buildings to be created with natural resources by local people, in the world’s poorest and most remote areas. It is the first time that ancient tile-vaulting has been fused with earth to create a building which can be replicated across the developing world, removing the need to import skills or materials.
These ideas highlight the groundbreaking innovation needed to make the Earth Awards shortlist. Having won $10,000 to help take their concepts to market, the following six finalists will now go head to head to compete for a total investment of $50,000 at The Earth Awards ‘Investors to Innovators’ Summit on 16th September.
• Sustainable Shells by Michael Ramage, University of Cambridge, Peter Rich Architects and John Ochsendorf – BUILT ENVIRONMENT
• Polli-Bricks by Arthur Huang, MINIWIZ Sustainable Energy Development Co, Taiwan
• Kayu Sunglasses by Jamie Lim, Kayu, USA
• AskNature by The Biomimicry Institute. Represented by Megan Schuknecht, USA – SYSTEMS
• Artificial Photosynthetic Foam by David Wendell, University of Cincinnati, USA
• The Butterfly Houses by Andreas Gjertsen and Yashar Hanstad, TYIN Tegnestue, Norway – SOCIAL JUSTICE
Source: Earth Awards
8 April 2010: The Earth Awards is a global search for creative solutions designed for the 21st century. Human imagination and ingenuity are the impetus of every good design. All across the world, people from every walk of life are generating good design ideas that offer groundbreaking solutions to the ecological and social challenges of the 21st century. The Earth Awards provides a platform for these visionary ideas, presenting a unique opportunity for individuals and organizations worldwide to expose their design innovations to a global audience. The Earth Awards is committed to the idea of popularizing the most viable of these innovations, and transforming them into market-ready solutions.
The Earth Awards are now seeking innovation for The 2010 Earth Awards. Submission deadline is May 10, 2010. Accepting submissions in six categories: Built Environment, Product, Future, Systems, Fashion, and Social Justice. The selection committee will convene in London in September 2010 to evaluate the six category winners in a spirited debate and select the grand prize winner. Following the debate, the winners of The Earth Awards 2010 will be celebrated with an Awards Gala attended by distinguished personalities and world business leaders. The evening will conclude with the announcement of the grand prize winner.
