Visiting Professor from Savannah College of Art and Design Inspires Eco Design Students with Sustainable Strategies

Last Friday, students in our Eco Design class and our AP Environmental Scince had the incredible opportunity to learn from a visiting professor from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), Dr. Saty Sharma, who brought not just insight and industry experience but also a fresh, passionate take on sustainability in design.

 

With a background in industrial or product design and over 15 years of industry experience working with top brands like Philips and Electrolux, the professor shared valuable insights into how sustainability is often treated as an afterthought in the design world—and why that mindset needs to change.

The professor’s journey began in the world of product design, developing everything from medical devices to home appliances. But during that time, a recurring concern stood out: sustainability was rarely considered at the early stages of design. Often, companies focused on functionality, aesthetics, and user experience—but overlooked environmental impact.

Driven by this gap, Professor Sharma pursued a PhD in sustainable design, focusing specifically on behavior change. One unique angle of their research explored how game-based learning (gamification) could help encourage people to adopt more eco-friendly habits—a blend of creativity and environmental science.
Why Eco-Design?

The session focused on eco-design strategies—a set of design approaches aimed at reducing environmental impact across the entire lifecycle of a product, from raw material extraction to end-of-life disposal or recycling.

The key takeaway? The majority of a product’s environmental impact is determined during its design phase. If designers incorporate sustainable thinking early on, they can reduce the total impact by up to 80%. That’s huge.

To frame the discussion, the professor broke down the full lifecycle of a product:

Raw Material Extraction – High energy use, emissions, and environmental degradation.

Material Processing – Removing impurities, creating usable materials.

Manufacturing – Assembling components, consuming energy and resources.

Distribution and Packaging – Transporting goods globally, generating carbon emissions.

Use Phase – Continuous energy use, especially in electronics and vehicles.

End of Life – Landfilling, incineration, or (ideally) recycling and reuse.

Each of these stages creates an environmental footprint, which can be drastically reduced with smart design choices.
The professor introduced a powerful tool: the Eco-Design Strategy Wheel, a guideline product designers use to evaluate and improve sustainability at every stage. Here’s a brief overview of some shared strategies:

1. Innovation: Do We Really Need a New Product?
Can the design problem be solved with a service instead of a product?

Could the product be shared or rented, especially for rarely used items (e.g. camping gear or wedding attire)?

“The greenest building is the one that’s already built,” the professor reminded us—reusing existing resources is often more sustainable than creating new ones.

 

2. Material Selection
Use fewer materials, or those that are recyclable, biodegradable, or renewable.

Examples included:

Pela phone cases made from agricultural waste.

Shoes made from ocean plastic, helping clean up ecosystems while reducing waste.

Biodegradable umbrellas crafted from hemp and bamboo.

 

3. Smarter Manufacturing
Can you reduce the number of processes or avoid chemically intensive steps like painting?

Highlight: A Herman Miller chair designed for easy disassembly and repair, made with fewer material types and processes.

 

4. Sustainable Packaging and Distribution
Can products be stacked more efficiently to save shipping emissions?

Can reusable materials like blankets (yes, blankets!) replace disposable packaging, like Herman Miller does for its chairs?

The goal: zero-waste packaging.

 

5. Low-Impact Use
Design for energy efficiency during the product’s lifespan.

Ideas included:

Solar-powered lawn mowers

Dyson vacuums with optimized energy use

Phones that track screen time and suggest ways to lower carbon output

 

6. Optimizing Product Lifetime
Can the product be easily repaired, upgraded, or passed on to another user?

Design for timeless aesthetics to reduce disposal caused by changing trends.

 

One of the most powerful points made was about circular design—creating products with the end in mind. Rather than designing something and figuring out how to recycle it later, start by asking: “How will this product be disassembled? How can its components be reused?”
The class was reminded that steel and metals are infinitely recyclable, but often go to waste because products aren’t designed for disassembly. A simple shift in mindset can turn waste into a resource.

 

The professor closed with a challenge—and a spark of inspiration: “You’re not just learning about eco-design. You’re practicing it. What you’re doing in this class is exactly what’s missing in most of today’s design world.”

Dr. Sharma emphasized that designers have a powerful role to play in solving global challenges and that design for sustainability isn’t optional anymore—it’s essential.

This inspiring session offered more than theory—it gave students actionable strategies and real-world examples to apply in their projects. With so many industries still catching up, our future designers have a chance to lead the change toward a more sustainable world.

And thanks to this visiting professor from SCAD, we now have even more tools—and motivation—to make that vision a reality.