Designing Business for the Sustainable Future

This session will explore the effect that sustainability is having on consumers and how industry and designers must adapt in order to profit. Consumers in North America are increasingly knowledgeable on sustainable products and services, from their food to the facilities where they live and work. Companies promoting sustainable practices are surging ahead in profits, while those unwilling to acclimatize are falling behind. Society is taking responsibility for our effect on the environment, asking questions about the origins of their products and the steps they take to get to them. This accountability is falling to manufacturers, designers, and developers. The steps from a material’s origin to its destination are increasing and we must have responsible answers to stay ahead. With industry goals of zero-carbon buildings throughout construction and subsequent usage, no material, process, or byproduct remains unexamined.