Policy & Cooperation Germany Inspiration & Sustainable Choices
picture: International Design Center Berlin e.V.
The German Ecodesign Award (Bundespreis Ecodesign) is Germany’s highest state award for ecological design. In the four categories of product, service, concept and young talents, it awards submissions that meet the highest ecological and design quality requirements.
The winners and nominees receive a certificate and the corresponding logo, and are allowed to use them for advertising. The winners also receive an individual trophy and are presented in a short film. The awards in the category young talent are endowed with prize money of 1,000 EUR.
In order to reach a broader public, the award winners and nominees are presented in a touring exhibition at trade fairs and museums in the following year. This is accompanied by events around the touring exhibition, for example, lectures or workshops with companies, students, designers.
What is the mission of the project?
The German Ecodesign Award is the first design award that places ecological criteria and design criteria on an equal footing. It honours products, services and concepts that meet both ecological and design quality requirements, and are innovative.
Where and when did the project start?
The German Ecodesign Award was offered for the first time in 2012 by the German Federal Environment Ministry, the German Environmental Agency and the International Design Center Berlin e.V. Since then it has been awarded annually.
Where (in which countries) is the service offered today?
It is essential that the submitted product is available on the German market, or in the case of services and concepts that they are oriented toward this market. International companies are also permitted to participate in the competition under these premises.
To whom is this service aimed?
The German Ecodesign Award is aimed at companies in all sectors and of all sizes, as well as individual designers. Start-ups or market leaders, local providers or global players are all addressed equally, alongside design studios, marketing agencies and architectural or engineering offices.
Jury 2020 | picture: International Design Center Berlin e.V.
What do you consider to be the most innovative aspects of your concept?
One outstanding feature of this competition is that the German Ecodesign Award gives equal weight to the environmental quality and design quality of the submissions.
The evaluation of the submissions takes place in a two-stage procedure:
Step 1: A pre-evaluation by a panel of experts consisting of the International Design Center Berlin, German Environment Agency and the project advisory board. In this phase a decision will be made on admission to the jury meeting. It is this interplay of professional expertise in the field of environment and design that makes the German Federal Ecodesign Award so special.
Step 2: The jury members evaluate the original submissions based on the pre-evaluations in a two-day jury meeting.
A comprehensive matrix of criteria serves as an orientation for the evaluation.
What are the most important impacts of the project in terms of sustainability?
The aim of the award is to promote environmentally-friendly changes in development and production as well as in consumer behaviour. Innovative solutions and role models are to be highlighted.
Ecodesign can make an outstanding contribution to improving the environmental properties of products (and other offers) and at the same time meet requirements for sophisticated design.
Which aspects are particularly interesting from a design perspective?
The German Ecodesign Award is the highest state award for ecological design in Germany. Environmental sustainability and good design are not contradictory. Prof. Anna Berkenbusch, jury chair, said:
Designers know the balancing act between perfect solution and compromise. We need a plan B for many familiar behaviours. The Ecodesign Award shows with many interesting submissions that it can be done differently.
Do you also offer the service digitally?
The submission procedure for the German Ecodesign Award is fully digital, via the website.
The winning and nominated projects are a pool of best practice examples.
What are some interesting numbers about the project?
Between 2012 and 2020, 2,558 projects have already been submitted for the German Ecodesign Award, including 136 in the service category, which was introduced in 2013.
241 projects have been awarded the German Ecodesign Award, 27 of them in the Service category.
What happens next? What are your goals?
In 2021, the German Ecodesign Award will be awarded for the 10th time.
In the anniversary year, submissions in English will also be accepted for the first time.
In addition, the establishment of an alumni network for all award winners and nominees will be started in order to support them in disseminating their outstanding ideas.