The Client
The Centre for Design promotes environmental sustainability through a directed program
of research, consulting, professional development, and knowledge sharing. It is
recognized internationally as a leader in the development of design methods and tools
that support sustainable product design. Its programs focus on sustainability and
eco-efficiency as a source of innovation and responsible development.
The organization is supported by the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT)
but must make its full budget through commercial commissioned consulting work. It is
based in the Faculty of the Constructed Environment at RMIT's city campus in
Melbourne. RMIT is one of Australia's largest and most respected technical and design
universities. The integrity of their consulting service comes from their university-based
research and yet they have to be commercially realistic to survive and grow. Their
revenue is from research and consulting services, training, and publishing reference
material in three areas of design: sustainable products and product systems, sustainable
buildings, and life cycle assessment.

By way of example, here is some of the work they have done and are doing:
• A pilot stewardship project—Beyond the Dead TV: Managing end-of-life
consumer electronics in Victoria. The aim of the project was to develop
sustainable solutions that helped reduce and ultimately eliminate hazardous
materials from end-of-life electronics (e-waste) entering landfill and
presenting ecological or human health problems. More than 3,500 TVs,
computer monitors, and VCRs were diverted from landfill during the project.
Every year, a large number of discarded electrical and electronic products
enter the waste stream. There are significant opportunities to recover and
reuse much of the metal, plastics, glass, and other materials. Barriers to
collection, as well as expected costs for collection and disassembly
operations, were studied.
• The EcoHome: A new model project home (the EcoHome) was built in Deer
Park, in outer western Melbourne. This research project investigated the
sustainability outcomes possible in outer suburban project homes using
current building and design technologies, and the barriers to the uptake of
these technologies more broadly in outer suburban project homes. The
outcomes included a critically needed decision support tool to help the
industry meet regulatory requirements for more sustainable housing.
• Centre for Education and Research in Environmental Strategies: RMIT
is working with CERES (Centre for Education and Research in
Environmental Strategies) through the Centre for Design to assist in
developing an urban water conservation demonstration and research facility.
Being a cross between a commercial organization and a University's research division,
the Centre for Design is treading a fine path of commercial promotion and a reference
authority. This project was essentially a challenge to deliver a site that met both
objectives with integrity.
Being the centre for design and the national leading authority on design issues for
environmental sustainability, the site needed to reflect this positioning in its information
structure, navigation, and visual design.
This organization's value lies in its information—the value of the information is in its
depth of non-commercial research. Sharing information increases the reputation and
value of the organization. A website is the perfect place to transfer knowledge globally.
As environmental design is the way of the future, the Centre and its public presentation
materials had to project the intention, depth, value, and professionalism of the
organization.