It’ll be summertime soon, and excitement is already coursing through my veins. Time for Pina Coladas and ice lollies by the beach! As fun and frolicky summer can be, we should make an effort to spend it in the most eco-friendly manner we can, especially during these times. Though our summer plans may be limited this year, owing to the pandemic, we can still always make use of cool and eco-conscious product designs to have a memorable summer. This collection of summer-friendly products will take care of your summer needs, as well as the environment. Sun’s out!
With summer comes an increase in usage of air conditioners and we know they are not exceptionally healthy for the planet. To help maintain the electricity usage, designers Aileen Ooi and E Ian Siew created an attachment to the common standing fan everyone has stashed away at their homes to make the room cooler. The attachment, named KYL is a humidity filter that funnels airflow output to cool a closed room. KYL would be able to lower temperatures by 1.5degrees Celsius and also make the room arider (a boon in humid places like Singapore, India, and more). Utilizing Bernoulli’s principle to create a cooling effect, KYL comes with a removable filter made up of tiny pieces of silica gel which absorbs moisture from the air. This lowers the humidity in the room and we can reuse the silica gel by washing it then leaving it out in the sun to dry, minimizing the usage of electricity. And removing this filter is easy as it comes affixed with velcro.
The Z-Triton Electric Houseboat was created as a vehicle that could serve as an alternative to the traditional camper. It is comfortable enough to house two adults for a weekend getaway and the choice of land or water is up to the travelers. The amphibious nature of the modern camper fits into the flexible lifestyle we lead today, especially since air travel is not on the cards anytime soon it is opening up a lot of avenues for local trips in less popular/offbeat locations. The durable houseboat measures 3.6 meters in length, 1.2 meters in width, and 1.55 meters in height. It’s perfect for your summer travels!
The Rattan Fan’s form has been inspired by some classic rattan pieces like the iconic chair, woven baskets, beach bags, and lightweight cabinets that you find on islands. It is airy, it technically has to be, but it visually adds a ‘lightness’ to the room it is in. Rattan is a natural sustainable material that is versatile (talk about being used from furniture to fashion) and sturdy. It also adds a touch of luxury while remaining subtle and unobtrusive to the existing interior design. Unlike coolers, the wireless rattan fan is not an eyesore and provides the flexibility to sit anywhere because the power of the breeze is in your hands now.
Meet the Fufu. What it lacks in name catchiness, it makes up for with function. Designed to work as a tabletop air conditioner as well as a mini-fridge, Fufu is your ultimate weapon against a hot and sweaty summer day. With the proportions of a backpack, Fufu sits anywhere in your room, cooling your space as well as preserving your food and drinks. It uses two semiconductor cooling systems that run simultaneously, balancing energy efficiency and cooling efficiency together.
A clever system of terracotta tiles with water channels woven between them is proving to be a natural, cost-effective way to reduce energy consumption for cooling down subway stations during the summer. Designed by Intsui Design, the Terracotta Valley Wind hopes to drastically reduce energy consumption in the summer by relying on terracotta’s naturally occurring evaporative cooling ability. The material is inherently inexpensive and easy to source, while Intsui Design’s clever tiling design is both eye-catching and functional, earning it a deserved Finalist spot at the LEXUS DESIGN AWARD 2021. The way the Terracotta Valley Wind cools spaces is simple and frankly ingenious. Water is fed through channels running through the inside of the tiles. The porous tiles absorb the water, which then evaporates through the outer surface, cooling the tile and the air around it. To circulate this cooled air, the Terracotta Valley Wind ingeniously uses the subway train’s movement as free energy!
Designed primarily with the idea of facilitating responsible sailing backed by clean, renewable energy, the Sunreef 80 Eco yacht has just received the go-ahead to be a real sail for the affluent. The all-electric vessel is designed and will now be produced in-house by Sunreef Yachts to be a custom catamaran that navigates long distances in total silence. According to the builders, the Sunreef 80 Eco will have no range limitations since it will be powered by renewable energy, produced on the go, both above and below the waterline. It is an 80-foot long eco-cruiser that’s likely to feature Sunreef Yachts’ proprietary solar skin comprising the world’s lightest solar cells.
Ditching bulkiness for compactness and swapping chemicals for electric current, Sang Kun Park designed FOLD, a foldable electric mosquito net inspired by the traditional Korean fan. A lot of us are going camping or spending more time outdoors these days, and when the bugs come out hunting, we need to be prepared. Sang Kun Park designed FOLD with Designer Dot so that when nature calls out our names, no amount of mosquitoes can get in the way of enjoying it. FOLD’s compact size is its primary appeal, fitting into even the most tightly packed knapsacks. Resembling the traditional Korean fan’s shape and folding apparatus, FOLD is a handheld, portable alternative to the heavy mosquito lamp that measures only two times the size of an average-sized smartphone when folded.
This is the world’s only cycle that comes with an inflatable paddle board for you easily transition between land and water. A collaboration between Red Shark Bikes and Hammacher Schlemmer, this inflatable stand-up paddleboard is perfect for a beach or a lake day. This dream combination of biking and paddleboarding doesn’t require manual rowing, you just have to use the included pedals to move forward. It was designed to include a built-in bicycle gearing system that provides propulsion. Unlike traditional paddleboards, this one can accommodate the rider as well as two additional people – I bet Rose from Titanic could learn a lesson on maximizing the available space from this. Crafted from high-density polyethylene, this paddleboard uses a double layer of PVC which makes it durable.
The Hydro Flask Cooler Cup greatly expands that window of time. Designed to keep your chilled beverages frosty (or even keep hot drinks hot), the Hydro Flask Cooler Cup is a versatile little holder for your bottle/can that allows the drinks within them to maintain their temperature for longer. A silicone sleeve allows you to snugly and securely fit your drink can or bottle into the Cooler Cup, letting your drink stay refreshingly cool for longer. The Hydro Flask Cooler Cup comes made from recycled stainless steel, and with a proprietary construction that insulates liquids, you put inside it. In fact, aside from using it as a holder for your bottle or can, you can directly use the Cooler Cup as a tumbler/glass by directly pouring drinks into it!
This compact houseboat gives the residents an opportunity to spend time closely in the natural environment and even move their location if they feel like it. The floating cabin has been designed to blend into the existing landscape so the residents get a chance to experience the surroundings on an intimate level. Bene drew inspiration from traditional cabin fishing boats for the form while optimizing the small space to include a small kitchen, dining table, and sleeping area. For a nautical aesthetic, circular windows were added and the interior features warm timber finishes. The essence of the structure will remind you of the organically shaped waterside huts, dinghies, and boats.
The evaCHILL provides each user with their own personal microclimate without the release of Carbon Dioxide! How? It uses the principle of water evaporation to create moist, fresh, and, most importantly, cool air! This isn’t Evapolar’s first endeavor into personal cooling however, it is undeniably the most refined. evaCHILL is compact enough to be mobile, intuitive enough to be easily controlled, and stylish enough to look right at home within your workspace!
For more such exciting summer-friendly product designs, check out Part 1 of this post!
