Nesta and UAL announce winners of heat pump design challenge
www.nesta.org.uk/press-release/nesta-and-ual-announce-winners-of-heat-pump-design-challenge/
www.nesta.org.uk/press-release/nesta-and-ual-announce-winners-of-heat-pump-design-challenge/
London, UK – Five students and recent graduates of University of the Arts London (UAL) have been announced as the winners of a competition to reimagine heat pumps.
Winning submissions approached the challenge from a range of viewpoints and creative disciplines, including how to leverage mass media and advertising, redesign the heat pump outdoor unit, incorporate heat pumps into lifestyle choices such as gardening, and a card game exploring the role of heat pumps in reducing carbon emissions.
The “Hot Stuff” competition, run by the innovation charity Nesta and UAL’s Climate Emergency Network (CEN), sought to inspire creative thinking about decarbonised home heating. Heat pumps are a proven green alternative to gas boilers and other fossil fuel heating.
The competition invited UAL students and recent graduates to use their chosen creative disciplines to create pieces of artwork that reimagine, rebrand, reframe and redesign heat pumps. Entries were judged on their creative merit, relevance to the brief and originality by a panel of Nesta, UAL and independent judges.
The winners, selected from a pool of entries received before the 2 August 2024 deadline, will each receiving a £500 cash prize.
The winning graduates are:
The winning students are:
Katy King, deputy director of sustainable future at Nesta, said:
“With heat pumps set to become a commonplace part of our lives, there is a real need to think creatively about this technology. As more and more people get set up with green home heating, heat pump businesses will be in need of a variety of approaches to engage customers, including new branding, messaging and designs.
“The judging panel was impressed with the creativity and ingenuity on display in the entries to this competition. In addition to sparking new creative approaches in the heat pump market, we hope that these innovative designs will help people to see heat pumps in a new light and to understand the role that they can play in decarbonising the UK.”
Kate Keara Pelen, Creative Director of the UAL Climate Emergency Network, said:
"The climate and ecological crisis demands bold and imaginative solutions. We are so proud of our students and graduates for rising to this challenge. Their proposals are a testament to the power of creativity to help shift behaviours, mindsets and narratives. We hope that their creative responses will inspire both the public to see how heat pumps might fit into their lives and the heat pump industry to consider new approaches to design and communications."
The winning submissions will be showcased at an event at Nesta’s offices on 24 October 2024 and shared online.
Heat pump and clean energy-tech company Aira, which manufactures and sells heat pumps across Germany, Italy and the UK, will attend the showcase of the winners.
Pamela Brown, Global Chief Marketing Officer at Aira, said:
“At Aira, we understand how important the aesthetics of a heat pump are to people and their homes; it's one of the key considerations when deciding to make the switch to cleaner, greener, and more affordable heating solutions. This makes it especially exciting to see the next generation at UAL thinking through the same challenges of building a brand and product design for clean heat. Their designs show real ingenuity, creativity and thoughtfulness in engaging people in reducing their household’s carbon emissions while keeping their home warm.”
Winning submissions
Victor Hwang, MA / MEng (Dual Award) Global Collaborative Design Practice Graduate, Camberwell College of Arts, said: “Talking to homeowners about heat pumps, everyone had heard of them and knew they were meant to be better for the environment, but no-one knew exactly how good they were. One person said they thought they were too big for their small garden. This inspired me to look into the size of heat pumps compared to other methods of reducing carbon emissions. I found the average Co2 saved per year, 1,900kg, is roughly equivalent to the carbon absorbed by half a football pitch worth of forest. My design aims to bring this comparison to life.”
Tenley Tomlinson, BA Illustration and Visual Media Student, London College of Communication, said: “My take … is to turn the heat pump into a multi functional object that promotes sustainability within its purposes and use of materials. I created a ‘heat pump garden shed’ where people can utilise the space of the heat pump to store and display their gardening tools. I added shelves and hooks onto the sides of the heat pump for easy storage and decoration. The heat pump garden shed is designed for people to not only be energy conscious, but also take up sustainable hobbies like gardening.”
Tireni Adeniji, BA Architecture Student, Central Saint Martins, said: “My approach … leverages the unique flower-inspired design of Petal Pump to transform the image of heat pumps. This design makes the technology visually appealing and relatable, addressing the lack of public awareness and interest. By highlighting Petal Pump's eco-friendly benefits, such as reducing carbon emissions and contributing to net zero goals, the descriptions create a compelling narrative for change. The flower motif symbolises natural beauty and growth, aligning with the vision of a greener future. This engaging and innovative approach aims to increase consumer confidence and inspire more households to adopt sustainable heating solutions.”
Ozge Sahin and Nanthini Sampathkumar, MA / MEng (Dual Award) Global Collaborative Design Practice Graduates, Camberwell College of Arts, said: “Carboned OUT … is a public engagement tool focusing on the daily carbon footprints of individuals. It uses the serious games approach, providing an interactive and engaging way to educate and empower individuals without overwhelming them. Integrating the topic of the transition to heat pumps into the game cards [informs] players about the topic and engage[s] them in conversations. This approach not only raises awareness but also motivates individuals to take action by informing them about the current transition schemes, such as UK BUS, ultimately accelerating the transition.”
Binoy Thomas, MA User Experience Design Student, London College of Communication, said: “Transform the traditional heat pump into a vibrant, eco-friendly garden feature. Integrate a hydroponic modular system, allowing plants to flourish around the unit. Add a green cap that symbolises power saving, equipped with a small solar attachment and a speculative microalgae panel to produce additional energy. This design not only enhances the aesthetic appeal of heat pumps but also highlights their role in sustainable living, encouraging households to adopt this low-carbon technology and contributing to the reduction of carbon emissions.”
Notes to editors
About Nesta
We are Nesta, the UK's innovation agency for social good. We design, test and scale solutions to society's biggest problems. Our three missions are to give every child a fair start, help people live healthy lives, and create a sustainable future where the economy works for both people and the planet.
For over 20 years, we have worked to support, encourage and inspire innovation. We work in three roles: as an innovation partner working with frontline organisations to design and test new solutions, as a venture builder supporting new and early stage businesses, and as a system shaper creating the conditions for innovation.
Harnessing the rigour of science and the creativity of design, we work relentlessly to change millions of lives for the better. Find out more at nesta.org.uk
About University of the Arts London (UAL)
University of the Arts London (UAL) is a world-leading specialist university for art, design, fashion, communication and the performing arts spread across London with six Colleges, four Institutes and five Research Centres.
We’re made up of all types of people, coming together in London, the world’s creative capital. We are designers, artists, performers, thinkers, researchers and makers. Our students, staff and graduates form a global network of creatives, entrepreneurs and leaders.
About the UAL Climate Emergency Network
The Climate Emergency Network is a community of creative changemakers of all kinds, with a focus on urgent environmental action. We include UAL students, staff, alumni and friends.
We support connection, collaboration and reciprocity, and develop campaigns designed to advocate for the role of creativity and culture in responding to the climate and ecological emergency.
About Aira
Aira provides clean energy-tech solutions to consumers and is becoming Europe’s number one direct-to-consumer brand within the industry. Aira accelerates the electrification of residential heating with intelligent clean energy-tech to enable the net zero future we all need. With Aira, consumers across Europe have a go-to-provider for complete home energy saving solutions, with intelligent heat pumps at the heart. Aira's vertically integrated model, combined with a consumer-centric monthly payment plan that requires zero upfront cost, enables best-in-class consumer economics and cost leadership. Aira’s mission is to take Europe off gas by empowering people to join the clean energy revolution, one home at a time. Founded in Stockholm, Sweden, by Vargas Holding and backed by climate and innovation investors including Altor, the Burda family, Collaborative Fund, Creades, Kinnevik, Lingotto, Nesta Impact Investments, Statkraft Ventures, and Temasek. https://www.company.airahome.com
