Sarah Selkirk Dodge

Climate change is society's most significant health threat, affecting our healthcare systems worldwide [1]. However, the healthcare sector also contributes significantly to climate change, with estimates showing that even before the pandemic, it generated 4.4% of global greenhouse gas emissions and produced nearly 5.9 billion tonnes of waste annually [2],[3]. Within the United Kingdom, the National Health Service (NHS) contributes 6.3% to the UK's total carbon emissions [2] and  produces more than 156,000 tonnes of waste currently disposed of through high-temperature incineration or alternative treatment, while only 5% is recycled [4].

Circular Careis an exploratory strategic design kit that aims to provide visual information and insights to enable medical professionals to learn, collaborate, brainstorm, and implement strategies for accelerating the healthcare into the circular economy and reducing medical waste generation in the United Kingdom (UK). Through an in-depth exploratory investigation of current operating theatre practices and estate medical waste generation, this project investigated various strategies (and barriers) for the medical industry to significantly reduce waste generation and improve recycling and recovery of medical waste. 

The outcome of this design research is multifaceted and can be explored in greater detail here.

Air pollution accounted for nearly 1.7million premature deaths in India in 2019, or 18% of all deaths, increasing from 1.24million in 2017. In consulting with residents of Delhi and NGO's advocating for cleaner air, we found that on 15 of 36 have a monitoring system for key air pollutants, most of which are PM2.5. Where air pollution data is available, people don't often understand the cause of the pollution or trust that the government is providing them with real information.

Viyu is a response to these complex problems surrounding air pollution in Delhi. It is a charitable product-service-system that aims to make air pollution awareness viral by enabling people to collect and engagingly share their own hyper-localised data. 

It consists of an open-source, low-cost, and portable air pollution sensor that users can integrate into their commute and daily life. The monitor constantly tracks the concentration of PM2.5 air pollutants and syncs this data with an app providing hyper-localised data of their air exposure. Unique visual and audio representations of the data are used to provide 1. an easy understanding of risk and 2. compelling graphics that can be shared on social networks as a call to action.

Designed with the National Science Museum of Thailand, The Data Box is a content-agnostic interactive and portable exhibition for science communication. Using data visualisation and playful, embodied interactions the pop-up exhibition is built off a system framework that allows the visitor to contextualise themselves within a specific, given topic. Museum staff can easily adapt the pop-up exhibition to any exhibition topic and produce meaningful data for the visitors by following the content-agnostic question framework.

In finding that data has become the primary output of modern scientific research, and that people are beginning to encounter data more and more in their everyday lives, The Data Box was conceptualised as a way to create an adaptable exhibition that also increases data literacy. Furthermore, studies have shown that people are more likely to understand more and engage with data for longer when embodied interactions are employed and a personal connection to the data is established (Alhakamy, 2021). 

For more information including an academic report on the interaction design proposal, please reach out.

Recently, major cities across the world have struggled to adapt quickly to climate change. Cities such as London are facing unprecedented changes in precipitation and temperature, resulting in water shortages, energy blackouts, and heat waves.

In response to these interdependent challenges, we developed Aquavent, an adaptable rainwater harvesting and passive cooling system for urban areas that aims to reduce stress on water and energy systems while providing comfort for people.

Aquavent consists of three primary components - a hydrophobic rainwater harvesting screen (RWS), a water storage system, and a hydrophilic passive cooling screen (PCS) - that can be deployed on the exterior of buildings at windows or freestanding in public spaces. The RWS is folded in an origami fold, allowing it to be expanded and rotated when it rains to maximise the personal water catchment area. The rainwater collected is then usable for flushing the toilet, watering plants, cleaning, and passive cooling. When it is not raining, the RWS can serve as a sun shade or be compacted away. On a hot day, the PCS takes from ancient techniques and utilises capillary action and porous natural materials to cool warm air passing through the screen through evaporative cooling.