Today is the last day in our special coverage of the 57 nominees for the What Design Can Do Clean Energy Challenge. These exciting projects were hand-picked by our selection committee as frontrunners from a total of 452 submissions worldwide. Let’s take a closer look at the final 10 nominated ideas, which were entered for the city of Amsterdam.
THE BRIEFING
In Amsterdam, the key issue lies in how to align sustainable development with the cultural and historic values of the metropolitan area. This is why we asked creatives to come up with ideas for the question: How can we equip the Amsterdam area for a post-fossil future?
Amsterdam’s city centre is filled with monuments and protected buildings, leaving little space for clean energy infrastructure. At the same time, aesthetic concerns play a role in much of the wider metropolitan area. The result is that only 9% of the energy Amsterdam generates now is classed as ‘sustainable’ (including fuel and heat). Can design help create a shared vision for the city, and prepare its urban dwellers for a much-needed clean energy transition?
→ See the full briefing pack here → Dive deeper into stories about Amsterdam here
THE NOMINEES
We were delighted to receive more than 70 submissions with designs for the context of Amsterdam. After a rigorous selection process, 2 projects were nominated for the Student Track, 3 projects for the Professional Track and 5 projects for the Startup Track. Ready to meet them all?
CHARGEON BIKE
SUBMITTED BY VENUS CHUNG | NOMINEE STUDENT TRACK
ChargeOn Bike is a dynamo which charges smartphones with clean energy generated from cycling. An accompanying mobile app helps to raise awareness about the city’s energy transition.
BLOCK-E: RECHARGING A GREEN CURRENCY
SUBMITTED BY TIES SCHOTEL | NOMINEE STUDENT TRACK
Block-e is a product system that offers a new way to pay with clean energy. At the core of the system is a powerful powerbank, that acts as a wallet and that can exchange its energy by stacking it.
ELECTRIC LIFE
SUBMITTED BY TERESA VAN DONGEN | NOMINEE PROFESSIONAL TRACK
An unconventional light installation that is entirely powered by micro-organisms collected from the muddy soil of rivers and lakes. As they excrete electrons through metabolic processes, these bacteria act as alternative and natural sources of energy and light.
AMSTERDAM DROPS
SUBMITTED BY STUDIO SINDS 1416 + STUDIO FLORIS SCHOONDERBEEK | NOMINEE PROFESSIONAL TRACK
Amsterdam Drops makes use of the city’s existing, historical architecture to provide a new way of generating and storing electricity. Using gravity and kinetic energy, it converts the so called ‘Hijsbalk’ or traditional lifting beams of canal houses, into low-tech batteries able to power street lights at night.
ICONIC ENERGY STORAGE
SUBMITTED BY CLEO DE BRABANDER | NOMINEE PROFESSIONAL TRACK
We aim to create clean energy storage units while preserving historic landscapes by repurposing the city’s 180 currently functionless water towers.
SOLAR VISUALS
SUBMITTED BY ROGER TAN | NOMINEE STARTUP TRACK
Solar Visuals is a revolutionary energy-generating facade material for buildings that is smart, efficient and visually attractive.
BOAT BATTERY SWAP
SUBMITTED BY JOB VELTMAN | NOMINEE STARTUP TRACK
Voltogo is a voltage-giver to use on the go! We’ve developed a universal battery for boats that is high capacity and still portable. It enables boat users to switch to clean and silent electric boating, without the need for a charging point at their boat.
SUPER POWER: WORLD’S FIRST HOME SUBSCRIPTION
SUBMITTED BY RICK VLEGHERT | NOMINEE STARTUP TRACK
Super Power is a monthly subscription for sustainable home technologies. We combine energy-efficient techniques like solar panels, LED light and smart appliances, and offer these to the customer in a one-stop-shop package.
AETHERIUS
SUBMITTED BY MARILU VALENTE | NOMINEE STARTUP TRACK
Aetherius is a public art installation which generates electricity from wind. Using hydraulic piston pumps and a generator, the installation aims at generating enough energy for 600 local households. It also provides an aesthetic and communal space for the public.
CIRCULAR SYSTEMS OFF-GRID LIGHTING
SUBMITTED BY KARLIJN ARTS | NOMINEE STARTUP TRACK
Living Light is an atmospheric lamp which harvests its energy from the photosynthesis process of the plants living in its proximity.
WHAT’S NEXT?
From now until February 10th, the Challenge enters a so-called Refinement Phase. During this time, all nominated teams get the opportunity to read the review team’s feedback and improve their submission before a final round of judgement by the international jury in March.
Visit our platform for more information about the timeline, and to view all the submissions in our project gallery. In the coming few days, we’ll highlight more nominated projects on our social media channels and blog. Say hi to our team at Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to see what’s happening.