Print Email Facebook Twitter Cultures of sustainability Part of: Knowledge Collaboration & Learning for Sustainable Innovation: 14th European Roundtable on Sustainable Consumption and Production (ERSCP) conference and the 6th Environmental Management for Sustainable Universities (EMSU) conference· list the conference papers Title Cultures of sustainability Author De Jong, A. Mazé, R. Date 2010-10-26 Abstract In our research, we have been expanding our conceptual and methodological frames of reference as designers, in order to explore the complexity of factors involved in environmental sustainability and the consequent challenges posed for design research. In this paper, we discuss some of these issues in user-centered and sustainable design, drawing out and developing relations to concepts from other fields of study, such as the sociology of consumption and material culture. In order to better understand the role that (sustainable) design products might play within peoples everyday lives and lifestyles, we interpret and discuss notions of socio-cultural practices of consumption and frame an approach to studying peoples ways of doing with artifacts. We point to two examples from our previous research on designing for energy awareness and for sustainable bathing practices. A current study is presented in depth, in which families and singles, resident in The Netherlands but originating from different countries, have been observed and interviewed during preparation of a meal, eating and clearing up afterwards. Through studying and reflecting on the different ways of doing cooking, we gained insights into how cooking and a range of associated practices and artifacts are deeply embedded in traditions, meanings and aspirations. Issues of environmental consumption, such as water, energy and waste, are at stake in such design research but, as we argue, so is attention and sensitivity to how these are interwoven in meaningful socio-cultural practices. The setup and findings are presented, as a point of departure for raising conceptual and methodological questions to be developed in future work. Subject environmental sustainablilitysocio-cultural practice theoryuser-centered designresearch through designsustainable living To reference this document use: http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:f966b9d2-d1aa-4c6a-9d4f-bdf2b8b29eba Part of collection Conference proceedings Document type conference paper Rights (c) 2010 De Jong, A.; Mazé, R. Files PDF 282_DeJong.pdf 7.83 MB Close viewer /islandora/object/uuid:f966b9d2-d1aa-4c6a-9d4f-bdf2b8b29eba/datastream/OBJ/view