Benchmarking Synergy Levels to Encourage International Standards of Sustainability for Metadesign

21st century society faces many serious threats such as climate change, reductions in biological diversity, and pollution of the natural environment. These have been exacerbated, if not caused, by a global economic system that is designed to proliferate more and more products to a rapidly expanding market. Most designers have seen little option but to apply their skills in support of the market forces. Unwittingly, they have helped to create a society driven by over-consumption and waste. Collectively, we have so far failed to make significant impact on the above problems. Despite the heroic efforts by the pioneers of ‘eco-design’, ‘design for sustainability’ etc, global carbon emissions continue to rise, and bio-diversity is reducing. This is because measures undertaken so far have been insufficient to tame an economic system designed for limitless growth. This proposal will develop therefore a more pervasive, comprehensive, and consensual mode of co-design (i.e. ‘metadesign) by bring together specialists and experts both within and beyond the orthodox boundaries of design. Notably, our researchers will include economists and managers.

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