Our next project will address climate change and domestic energy consumption. We've just finished writing a brief for a design competition that will look at redesigning one householder's experience of energy...watch this space for details.

Until then see what the Interactive Institute in Sweden have been doing in the same rich territory by redesigning products to increase energy awareness.

'Disappearing-Pattern Tiles', bathroom tiles are decorated with patterns in a thermo-chromic ink that reacts to heat, fading away to reflect splashes and intensities of hot-water use. The longer the shower, the less decoration on the wall!

Erratic Objects is a series of objects that behave erratically when an individual is using too much power.

It is usually hard to tell whether radiators are on or off except by laying a hand upon them. Element is a prototype is made out of glass, metal and enough light bulbs to reach the same efficiency as an electric radiator, and the current energy level is visible at all times.

The work will be on exhibition on the 8th and 9th of March at the Energitinget conference in Eskilstuna, all part of Swedens 2005 design year

CATEGORY: CLIMATE CHANGE