Thursday, 06 June 2013
Cradle to Cradle Institute Announces $250,000 Prize for Product Designers
June 6, 2013
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency ranks indoor air quality in the top 5 most dangerous environmental threats to the public. The problem largely stems from the materials that make up our indoor environment: wall coverings, floor coverings, adhesives, finishes, and a whole host of obvious and non-obvious culprits. The number of chemicals of concern in these products is almost beyond count.
One result of this polluted indoor air is asthma. Healthy Environments: A Compilation of Substances Linked to Asthma, a report from leading global design firm Perkins + Will, identifies 374 substances commonly found in the built environment that are known or suspected to contribute to asthma. Asthma is the leading cause of hospitalization in children, the most prevalent chronic disease in childhood, and the most common cause of school absenteeism. Asthma currently affects an estimated 7.1 million children under the age of 18 years old and it is increasing, especially in young children, both in the number of people affected and in severity.
More people worry about chemicals of concern than ever before, and it’s starting to change how manufacturers are thinking about building materials and products that enter our homes. While building materials are prime targets for change, change has been slow. But now, industry is getting a call to action with $250,000 in prize money.
The Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute and Make it Right are issuing a Product Innovation Challenge with $250,000 in cash prizes. The Challenge encourages manufacturers to design goods for the affordable housing market that are safe for human and environmental health and designed for re-use.
The Product Challenge will have immediate impact by identifying products that can be used in the near term to improve green buildings. Submissions are due June 30, 2013.
Judges include executives from Make It Right, US Green Building Council, Google, First Community Housing, Delta Development Group in the Netherlands, and GIGA in China.
In addition to the $250,000 prize money, contest winners will benefit from a Dwell media partnership and special announcement at Greenbuild 2013. Up to 20 runners-up will receive distinction at the event and benefit from a marketing/PR campaign supporting their work.
All contest details and official rules can be found at www.c2ccertified.org/challenge.