The U.S. Department of Energy recently announced the winner of the Manufacturing Innovator Challenge for Sustainable Manufacturing of Luminaires: the Bamboo Pendant by Brad Koerner, Koerner Design.
The DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) partnered with Freelancer.com to hold several crowdsourcing campaigns in order to find innovative solutions to today’s manufacturing challenges and attract broad industry participation. The Manufacturing Innovator Challenge consists of six individual challenges across multiple technologies to find ideas that will enhance manufacturing in the United States.
The majority of LED luminaires still use aluminum and other energy-dense structural and thermal materials in their designs and manufacturing processes. Through the Sustainable Manufacturing of Luminaires Challenge, EERE sought new concepts in solid-state luminaires designed to be manufactured with sustainable, recycled materials. The use of innovative materials in the luminaire design could reduce both parts and manufacturing cost of the luminaire.
Congratulations to the selected winner: Bamboo Pendant, submitted by Brad Koerner, Koerner Design. The winning entry embodies material and energy efficiency while improving building occupant comfort and quality of life. The design incorporates bio-derived and biodegradable, low-toxicity, sustainable materials and is applicable to net-zero-energy buildings. The forward-thinking design anticipates centralized DC power for buildings, allowing for simplified and efficient driver electronics. The design also incorporates simple construction, fast disassembly, and reduced toxicity, which can help realize reduced life cycle costs and liabilities.
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