Ever since the World Summit on Sustainable Development in the year 2002 in Johannesburg (South Africa), public interest in sustainable development has increased. Product design plays a central role in this context because the production and consumption of a product’s energy rating is determined up to 90% in the design phase of the product. Accordingly, sustainable design may optimize energy efficiency, minimize the production of waste, have little impact on natural resources, educate social practices and thus contribute decisively to the success of sustainable development. In Germany there are numerous individual initiatives on the topic, such as, for example, the Netzwerk 3plusX, and in June 2007 the conference “Ein grünes Bauhaus” (A green Bauhaus) was held which brought together the most important representatives of the German design movement.
In cooperation with the Japan Industrial Design Promotion Organization (JIDPO, Tôkyô) and the German Chamber for Industry and Trade in Japan (DIHKJ, Tôkyô), the JDZB will hold this workshop to promote exchange between German and Japanese designers and other relevant organizations and associations.