Federal Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks said: "Rethinking our economy and lifestyles with an ecological mindset requires everyday products or services to be environmentally friendly but also convincing in their design and handling. I am glad that we will once again be distinguishing outstanding products and services with the Federal Ecodesign Award this year."
Experts from the German Environment Agency, project advisory committee and an interdisciplinary jury assess the quality of the submissions in a multi-step procedure. Market leaders or start-ups, local vendors and global players, along with designers, marketing agencies, architects and engineers, are all encouraged to participate in the contest. Even university students can make entries in the "Young Talents" category.
"Credibility is a valuable good, which is why we are looking for green design that emphasizes transparency and honesty. In this new round of the German Ecodesign Award I am again hoping for entries which demonstrate a high degree of sustainability not only on the outside but also in all of the aspects of product development", said President Maria Krautzberger of the German Environment Agency.
Award winners will be celebrated at a festive event to be held at the Federal Ministry for Environment in late November 2018. The award distinguishes projects in the respective categories and also grants the right to advertise the fact. The prize money for the next-generation design projects is 1,000 euros each. The winning projects will be shown in a variety of media and in an online exhibition on the Ecodesign Award website subsequent to the awards ceremony. A touring exhibition of all the nominated and winning entries is planned.
The exhibition entitled Neu gedacht featuring the winners and nominees of 2017 will open on the same date as the announcement of this year's competition: 15 January 2018 in Ludwigsburg. The other stops on the tour include the Designtagen (Design Days) in Coburg and the Grassi Museum in Leipzig. The exhibition will also be accompanied by workshops and events which focus on the topic of ecodesign.
The competition and award have been announced every year since 2012 by the Federal Ministry for Environment (BMUB) and the German Environment Agency (UBA) in collaboration with the International Design Center Berlin (IDZ).
Deadline: 9 April 2018
Developed and organized by International Design Center Berlin (IDZ)
www.idz.de
Application information and more about the competition and exhibition is available at:
www.bundespreis-ecodesign.de
Jury 2018
- Werner Aisslinger (product designer)
- Prof. Anna Berkenbusch (communications designer, Professor at Burg Giebichenstein University of Art and Design Halle)
- Andreas Detzel (environmental expert, ifeu Heidelberg)
- Prof. Matthias Held (product designer, Professor at the University of Design Schwäbisch Gmünd)
- Dr. Thomas Holzmann (Vice-President, German Environment Agency)
- Prof. em. Günter Horntrich (product designer, Professor (em.) for Design and Ecology at KISD)
- Prof. Dr. Vanessa Miriam Carlow (Professor for sustainable architecture/urban planning at TU Braunschweig)
- Rita Schwarzelühr-Sutter (Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Environment)
- Prof. Friederike von Wedel-Parlow (fashion designer, founder, Beneficial Design Institute)
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