Green Page Smart With a
Green Page Smart With a Social Conscience First sustainability certification for smartphones will focus on socially responsible manufacturing and environment BOSCH CLAIMS EUROPE’S LARGEST A+++ RANGE ECO-friendly appliances are a strong theme at IFA 2013. Products like the new Bosch EcoLogixx 8 washing machine, for example, offers an energy-saving short 15-minute washing cycle. The company’s Active- Washer dishwasher has a similar feature – a turbo-speed cycle – that completes in 20 minutes, which means it uses less water and electricity. Managing director of Bosch, Volker Klodwig said at IFA that these and other energy-saving products accounted for 50% of his company’s sales. The company has a total of 320 A+++ home appliances at IFA and claims to offer Europe’s largest A+++ range. Some of its products are designed to reduce noise pollution: “Our Silence Edition consists of 13 appliances, one of them is truly a world-beater that operates at only 47 decibels,” said Bosch General Manager Harald Friedrich. “The dryers produce only 62 decibels, while the quietest dishwasher is just 39 decibels.” TCO Development has expanded its worldwide sustainability certification for IT products to include smartphones. The new certification will simplify the decision-making process for smartphone buyers looking to purchase a device that meets criteria for socially responsible manufacturing, minimal environmental impact as well as ergonomic design. Niclas Rydell Director of Product Certification at TCO Development An estimated one billion smartphones will be sold during 2014. But this explosive growth also brings about sustainability challenges that must be addressed. Smartphones contain hazardous substances and are replaced much more frequently than computers for example. In the US the average user replaces their device every 18 months, and the recycling rate is alarmingly low. Resulting e-waste is a massive environmental and health problem. Additionally, smartphone manufacturing has developed a reputation for sub-standard working conditions and wages. The certification aims to drive greater social responsibility into the manufacturing of smartphones as well as reduce their impact on the environment and health. Certification criteria include a manufacturer RUSSEL HOBBS’ 2400W EASY KETTLE Using an integrated water-measuring funnel, Russel Hobbs’ 2400W Easy Kettle allows the user to boil just the right amount of water – saving time and up to 87% energy. With a one-cup feature for faster boiling, the Easy Kettle can boil one cup of water in just over 50 seconds and is ideal for accurately measuring boiled water for cooking and preparing baby formula. » HALL 3.1 / STAND 104 KEY USPs Speed : Boils one cup in 50 seconds. Design : Integrated automeasuring funnel. ASafety: Accurately measures liquid for baby food. commitment to improved working conditions and compliance with international labour conventions, as well as the minimisation of hazardous substances including heavy metals, beryllium and phthalates. Other key criteria aim to eliminate the use of nickel – a common allergen - on smartphone surfaces, and require that a headset be supplied with the device. “This new certification will provide public and private sector organisations with a real opportunity to help bring about a more sustainable IT environment, says Niclas Rydell, Director of Product Certification at TCO Development. “When buyers demand that their smartphones are certified for sustainability, this sends a vital message to brands and manufacturers that these environmental and social issues are important. SAMSUNG GALAXY S4 Organisations around the world are deepening their commitment to sustainability in all aspects of their business, including the products they purchase. This certification will provide an extra assurance to buyers that the smartphones they choose can also meet their sustainability goals.” The Samsung Galaxy S4 is the first smartphone to achieve the TCO product certification for environmental design and socially responsible manufacturing. The Galaxy S4 also received the EISA award for European Green Phone 2013-2014. The wide Full HD Super AMOLED screen fits within a slim bezel encased KEY USPs in a polycarbonate body, resulting in a light and sophisticated product. » HALL 20 “a real opportunity to help bring about a more sustainable IT environment” Camera: 13 mega pixel autofocus camera with flash and zero shutter lag Memory: 16/32/64GB memory, microSD slot (up to 64GB), 2GB RAM Technology: Android 4.2.2 (Jelly bean), 1.9 GHz Quad-Core Processor / 1.6 GHz Octa-Core Processor. 34
Designer Page ADVERTORIAL DESIGNER PAGE Danish Design, Conceived in Switzerland Bodum's design centre stays true to the idea that form follows function According to Priska Scherer, Design Manager at Bodum AG, the fact that the kitchen is now integrated into the living area in many modern homes means that the company's elegant, unfussy products are more relevant than ever. And design remains at the core of what the Bodum brand stands for... ©Bodum Bodum has a Design Center in Switzerland where we constantly work on new product ideas and innovations for functional kitchen appliances that also have an excellent design. Our credo is “form follows function” which means that simple to use, high quality materials are the main focus of new product developments. We are very proud that these functional kitchen appliances that also keep winning Design awards. The combination of both function and design is what makes Bodum special. Our coffee maker Bistro b.over is one of our design highlights. Alongside the contemporary design we managed to make the product truly innovative. This coffeemaker comes with a Titanium-plated stainless steel filter; therefore it needs no paper filters. It has a powerful heating element that heats the water as it travels through the machine via a tempered glass tubing system – we do not use plastic – thus brewing the coffee at the optimum temperature which gives it a pure taste. How much does the company’s Danish heritage come into play? Danish Design is well known all over the world and has its roots in the 1950s. It was a movement that started in Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland, and it this that influenced our founder Peter Bodum. What he picked up on at the beginning of Bodum is still present today. Among the main aspects of this design movement are functionality and simple to use products that are also nice to look at and affordable for everybody. I believe that these characteristics are still true for Bodum and e-Bodum products today. What have been some of the key design breakthroughs that have been made by Bodum in recent years? How is the field of design changing today? The design of kitchen appliances is driven by the fact that the kitchen is no longer a separate room used for cooking only. In fact the open integration of the kitchen into the living areas has made it the center of many family homes and a place to welcome friends, and of course this trend influences the design of new kitchen appliances which have to fit in the new style of kitchen. They have to be practical but also nice to look at, and they are an essential part of a new kitchen lifestyle. What new design elements can we see at IFA 2013? Bodum is increasingly reducing the design aspects of its products to “as little as possible”, emphasizing more than ever the functionality and the quality of the materials. We believe in using as little plastic as possible wherever it will come into direct contact with food. Our water kettle for example heats up the water in a double-wall glass container, which not only speeds up the heating process but also keeps the water away from any contact with plastic elements. Considerations like this are the drivers of our design philosophy. Passage Hall 4.1/6.1 Stand 101 Jörgen Bodum and the Bodum design team at work. “The combination of both function and design is what makes Bodum special.” www.ifa-international.org IFA International • Tuesday 10 th September 2013 35
