SCAD is collaborating with Delta to assist in the research and development of concepts to give Delta’s surplus of obsolete and unused beverage carts a second life as part of an initiative to reduce Delta’s impact on the environment by creating less waste.
Context
timeline
SCADpro Collaboration
PRO 580 Winter 2020
10 Weeks
JAN 2020 - MAR 2020
team
Hanna Allen
Johnny Cohen
Akash Das
Sam Hartman
Ryan Hance
Lea Im
Lisbeth Lora
Nancy Salazar
Sebastian Wernli
Gabby Wyke
Sriram Venkatraman
Crystal Zhang
Zhaoyu Zhang
contribution
Project Manager for Graphic Design & Deliverable Team
The Problem Space
How might we use retired beverage carts to help Delta connect communities and move people to build a more sustainable future?
Our Solutions
Our solutions came from a collaboration of Delta's values and our own. After thorough research of Delta's brands and values, we collected our own understanding of our individual wants and values and combining the two through heirarchy. Theses are the values we determined for our project:
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Sustainability
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Education
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Community
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Environmental Value
Using these design criteria we conducted material studies of retired beverage carts and researched current sustainability initiatives to find the solutions with the largest cost offset that are environmentally conscious and cost effective. Here are our solutions.
Wind Turbine
Through the creation of clean energy, our wind turbine provides sustainable power and education in communities. Using Delta's collaboration with Habitat for Humanity, we utilized the cart's sides and doors to create a double ringed wind turbine that can be installed in each house built with Habitat to create sustainable and self-sufficient homes. In addition, with the ease of building the turbines, Delta can partner with underprivileged communities to educate students on sustainable design and giving second life to objects by embracing design and engineering.
Defining Sustainability Installation
Sustainability is a joint effort and Delta strives to not only educate their customers on sustainability but also encourages their cooperation in making Delta a zero waste company. Utilizing the non-recyclable parts of the cart, we built a sculpture that brings awe to the viewer and encourages exploration of the pieces welded together within the sculpture. Viewers are then able to read the description of Delta's new sustainability push and scan a QR code to see how they can contribute to a zero waste travel.
Hydroponic Garden
Our last beverage cart creation maintained the shape of the cart and took advantage of its compartments and shelving. With its compact and easy transportability, we created a transportable hydroponic garden that used the interior shelving for storage of the water tank and motor while the shape of the cart was used to create a natural decline for the water fall. By offering an easy to transport garden, Delta could utilize their carts to create community gardens in lower income areas of Atlanta as well as building a community garden within their own offices for their kitchens to utilize.
EcoFlight
Delta moves people from place to place and Delta moves people. Through EcoFlight, Delta can connect to their customers and continue to work with them to push sustainability forward with each mile. EcoFlight helps customers view the waste saved on their flights, read up on Delta's current and upcoming sustainability projects, learn how they can change their own life to become more sustainable, and play games based on the new cart second-life designs. Customers can use EcoFlight on the plane through onboard entertainment and through the companion app. Delta will continue to influence their customers and their sustainability throughout their entire journey.
Process
Initial ideation
We began our research by studying sustainability and Delta's brand and community outreach. From there we pitched multiple design ideas that we as a team wanted to develop.
Development of designs
From our initial ideas, we researched various sustainable options for the cart material and current sustainable and community driven products and sciences that we could incorporate into our designs.
Midpoint Meeting
After thorough research and ideation we presented 5 major designs, each focused on different design criteria. We presented these designs to Delta and together discussed and devised which ideas to pursue.
Consumer understanding
With our new direction and chosen ideas to flush out, we researched further into our consumer groups and existing solutions. As a team we began planning the physical products and their functionality to ensure its sustainable and lasting affect.
Finalization of designs
In the end, we created four fully functioning products from the material given to us. We had designed each with benefit for society and environment as well as the estimated cost of build for Delta to ensure that the process remains sustainable and efficient.
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What I Learned
Sustainability, while difficult to develop, is incredibly worthwhile and defines creativity. During this project we were given a material that many do not believe can be fully salvaged, only taking it for parts. However, by being limited in our material we developed fully functioning and beneficial products that would push Delta further in their sustainability initiative and become the sustainability leader that others can follow.
