Combating climate change is a momentous task but Australia’s Monash University’s innovation in climate change is taking this bull by its horns.
Monash University’s curriculum is intertwined with the sustainable development goals and experiential studies. According to Dr. Mark Richardson, the university programs director every unit in design is infused with sustainability elements that are vital in today’s climate mitigation efforts.
Freshmen in the department of Arts design learn sustainability practically while pursuing the main design concepts in 3D printing and general design. The learners opt for a design with social impacts like upcycling, handmade craft and then contribute their experience in group projects that implore designs for the economy.
Termed as the “crowning jewel”, the students combine sustainability with climate change objectives.
Richardson’s innovation in climate change through industrial designs
Having worked at the Ford Motor engineering Company, Dr. Richardson has immense experience in consumption-driven industrial designs. His works seek to intervene in the way designs and production could evolve from existing strategies to more durable and sustainable systems through innovation in climate change.
Doctor Richardson nods to the agreement that the demand made it difficult to make specialization more sustainable.
Monash education in industrial design is standard and Richardson adds that students should make small progressive changes in their lives in order to impact hugely on career development.
Richardson said that designers could become change agents and many students in Monash agree with him. Jo Szczepanska, a 2007 graduate student from Monash University won an award for water-saving concept design in the Global Index Aspen Design Challenge.
Using tire crumbs, ceramic coated cardboard and banana paper, she made her landscape design known as Veggie patch. She says that Monash gave her confidence to delve into any innovation in climate change designs.
Focus on design, surrounding community and learning
Another successful innovation in climate change ideas from the institution is the Precious plastics Monash. It focuses on design, surrounding community and learning.
Monash University is credited with a mini portable machine for recycling used on a Ute. It is useful in breaking bottles trays and plastics into phone casings, or beams used in structural works.
Other institutions like Royal Melbourne and Seymour are borrowing engineering concepts from Monash in raising awareness about recycling plastics.
These are the nature of works that people can find from the University’s innovation in climate change towards contribution to climate action. Other projects that Monash University has undertaken are solar panels installation adding up to 1.36 megawatts used in harvesting rainwater at its research hub center.
From accelerating sustainable development to the creation of educational experience, Monash university inspires designers to contribute positively to their societies through innovation in climate change.
Featured image credits: Pixabay
