Shaping the future
On 1 December 2022, the German Sustainability Award Design was presented for the third time. The award was given to sustainable products and services that show that sustainable design can make a difference in all areas of life. The jury, which this year included Circular Economy pioneer Prof. Dr. Michael Braungart, Vitra trend scout Raphael Gielgen and Stylepark board member Franziska von Schumann, selected 25 finalists from numerous nominees and finally 17 award winners.
In the field of construction, in addition to the world's first fully electric horizontal drilling rig "HDD80-E" by Streicher, the Cradle to Cradle certified acoustic panels by Troldtekt were also awarded. The panels are based on the novel cement type Futurecem and impress with a 30 percent lower CO2 footprint than comparable products. While wood provides breathability and flexibility, cement gives the wood wool lightweight panels the desired stability and fire resistance - without any harmful chemicals. With a service life of 50 to 70 years and recyclability (Cradle to Cradle certificate in gold), the decorative Troldtekt acoustic panels can contribute to leading certifications of climate and environmentally friendly buildings.
With "OrganiQ" from Holzwerk Rockenhausen, another new composite material received an award. The material is based on the renewable plant fibres hemp and kenaf; it offers excellent mechanical properties, can be shaped three-dimensionally and is a real alternative to solid wood - also aesthetically. The material uses only seven percent recycled PET, is free of formaldehyde and phenol, and has been certified food-safe. Already used by well-known European kitchen manufacturers, especially for cutlery inserts, the potential of "OrganiQ" is far from exhausted. The three-dimensional formability in particular offers a wide range of possible applications.
Systems and services that make an important contribution to sustainability, such as the app-controlled rental system for power tools "toolbot.de" from thingk.systems or the "Remanufacturing" service from Girsberger, also received awards. With its offer, the furniture manufacturer focuses on refurbishment and upcycling, i.e. the repair and renewal of existing, worn-out furniture - regardless of the manufacturer. High-quality structures and mechanisms made of wood, metal or plastic are retained; only parts that have become unusable are replaced. Extending the life of furniture demonstrates responsible use of resources and has a positive impact on the climate and the environment. In this way, Girsberger also promotes a rethink in society.
With the new "E-Line Next LED continuous row" from Trilux, lighting is not only climate and environmentally friendly, but also future-proof. The continuous-row lighting system has been on the market for over 30 years and is continuously being developed further. The new E-Line Next LED impresses with excellent energy efficiency and, measured by Abiotic Depletion Potential, is more than 61 percent better for the environment than the previous version. Combined with the "LiveLink" light management system, energy costs as well as CO2 emissions can be reduced by up to 85 percent compared to conventional, uncontrolled solutions. Particularly useful: all previous versions can be converted to LED technology in a few simple steps and thus continue to be used.
The diversity of the entries from all sectors clearly shows that ecological alternatives are necessary and possible everywhere. "Sustainable design provides answers to the most pressing challenges of our time and changes our lifestyles" says initiator Stefan-Schulze Hausmann. "Products and services that make this possible will become increasingly popular."
Winners of the German Sustainability Award Design 2022
Cozero – Cozero Climate Action Platform
edding AG – edding EcoLine
FiltaFry Deutschland GmbH – Fettabscheider FiltaFOG Cyclone
Girsberger Holding AG – Girsberger Remanufacturing
Holzwerk Rockenhausen GmbH & Co. KG – OrganiQ
Laboratoire Biosthétique Kosmetik GmbH & Co. KG – The climate-neutral salon
Max Streicher GmbH & Co. KG – Fully electric horizontal drilling rig HDD80-E
Melina Bucher. Bailey – The handbag of the future
MEWA Textil-Service G & Co. Management OHG – Mewa Peak
Quantron AG – Quantron Cizaris 12 EV
Smart & Green Mukran Concrete GmbH – Wind turbine foundation
thingk-systems UG – toolboot.de
Trilux GmbH & Co. KG – E-Line Next LED
Troldtekt GmbH – Cradle-to-Cradle certified Troldtekt® acoustic panels based on Futurecem.
Zukunftsweine GmbH – Zukunftsweine
Visions:
Tobias Trübenbacher Design - Papilio
J.M. Voith SE & Co. KG - ExcelLine paper production line
This year, two honorary prizes were also awarded: To founder and supermodel Toni Garrn and to Cradle to Cradle founder Prof. Dr. Michael Braungart.
