Energy Tomorrow, Arting Project 2013

While still a student, initially with disbelief, I assumed that every thing can be defined by three parameters: matter, energy, and information. Now I am convinced that it is worth returning to these basic concepts to understand the essence of design, although objects differ in structure, type of material, degree of complexity and function.

Shaping a mug by a potter from a piece of clay requires some effort, the dexterity of the craftsman's fingers and the knowledge of how to create it, i.e. information. Of course, without the thermal energy required to fire a mug in a pottery kiln, it would not fulfill its role, i.e. the function we expect. A space rocket is the opposite of the previous example, with thousands of parts of various materials and structures, requiring extensive specialist knowledge to develop production and use technology. This knowledge is also information. And of course, energy is needed to produce each part and enormous engine power to lift the rocket into space.

But we live in a natural environment where these three factors are also needed: the energy of the sun and carbon as one of the many basic building blocks of plants or the living world in general, and taken by plants from carbon dioxide in the air. Information is also needed, i.e. in this case the genetic code.

So you can't do without energy! Currently, its production is primarily associated with the combustion of fuels, which have been created in nature for billions of years and now result in the emission of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere in a short period of time. We cannot allow the expansion of civilization into the surroundings to destabilize nature, climate and all natural processes. Hence the need to return to "primary" energy sources such as: sun, wind, water fall, tides, geometry and energy stored in biomass, e.g. in plants, as natural fuel. We define these sources as renewable energy sources that are an integral component of the world around us. Therefore, energy is the factor that determines the possibilities of creation, production and, at the same time, the sensible use of these products. This is the task for designers to combine energy, matter and creativity in a way optimal for human needs, while minimizing the negative impact on the environment. Sustainable development, which is being talked about more and more often, is currently the watchword for a whole range of processes, which means minimizing the consumption of energy and materials while meeting the needs and level of comfort. however, meeting these expectations requires more and more knowledge, including interdisciplinary knowledge.

The changed organizational formula of our competition, linking it with design departments at art universities, and the cooperation of the City Hall in Bielsko-Biała with the Foundation, which is currently involved in the design of industrial forms, is intended to raise the profile of the competition and address it to people prepared to approach design in a multi-faceted manner. product. This can only be achieved by prepared designers who understand the principles of production and use of products found in the immediate human environment.

The main theme of this year's competition is energy. Designers participating in the competition were tasked with designing a product to minimize the need for energy, using it as efficiently as possible and finding opportunities to use renewable energy sources, or proposing a product that uses energy in an interesting way. This topic will increasingly become the most important task in creating new products and modernizing existing ones. Energy efficiency and innovation are priority directions in the current policy of the European Union. It is important to stimulate the creativity of designers and focus on optimizing energy use both in the production process and product operation, taking into account ergonomic aspects. This is not only intended to protect the environment but also to reduce the costs of production and use of devices.

Text: Zbigniew Michniowski

The text comes from the magazine ENERGIA JUTRO - Projekt Arting 2013