What is Just. Good. Design?

Just. Good. Design. encapsulates the essence of simplicity, functionality, and aesthetic appeal while emphasizing equity and sustainability. This philosophy prioritizes clarity of purpose, ensuring every element serves a meaningful role and enhances the overall user experience. It underscores the importance of sustainability by promoting the use of renewable materials and regenerative processes that minimize environmental impact. This approach celebrates the interplay between form and function, where beauty is found in the seamless integration of practical needs and visual delight without compromising the planet's health or social equity.

By valuing Just. Good. Design. principals, designers can implement enduring solutions that remain relevant and valuable over time, fostering innovation by eliminating waste and pollution, circulating products and materials at their highest value, and regenerating nature in the process. This can be achieved through concepts like: recycling, remanufacturing, refurbishment, reuse or even the regeneration of nature. Whether it's product design, a digital interface, or an architectural space, this design ethos seeks to improve the quality of life for everyone, demonstrating that good design is not a luxury but a fundamental right that promotes a more just and regenerative world.

BUTLR: 2024 Core77 Design Awards Professional Winner for Sustainable Design

Tech startup BUTLR harnesses the power of body heat sensing technology and artificial intelligence to revolutionize how we understand and utilize physical spaces. Their palm-sized, wireless Heatic™ sensors detect body heat and movement in a space, providing real-time and historical spatial insights. This data then allows building operations professionals to optimize energy usage, increasing energy efficiency. The sensors are purposely designed to be incapable of capturing any personally identifiable information, which ensures individual privacy while also helping to reduce the carbon footprint of building operations.

The system was designed in-house by the BUTLR design team of Jiani Zeng, Honghao Deng, Jillian Qua, Felix Ho, Qiting Fang, Georgios Grigoriadis and Chang Liu.

"Designing a sustainable future involves pushing the boundaries of innovation while remaining grounded in respect for people and the planet," says Zoé Bezpalko, Senior Sustainability Strategy Manager at Autodesk and member of this year's Sustainability awards jury. "What we see in Butlr is a perfect example of this balance: a cutting-edge solution that respects individual privacy, elevates human dignity, and contributes to energy efficiency."

So how does it work? Butlr's 3D interface offers a real-time view of how spaces are being used, helping you make the most of every square foot. Whether it's monitoring desk usage with 'Zones' or tracking trends with the 'Space Visualizer,' these features make it easy to optimize any space. Plus, their API-first approach means you can easily integrate Butlr with your existing systems to boost revenue modeling, space planning, energy efficiency, and tenant interactions.

Butlr also uses low-resolution thermal data to detect movements, ensuring your privacy is always protected. Their sensors have a multi-year battery life and provide real-time data, perfect for applications like 'Butlr Care GPT' for senior care or 'Butlr GPT for Smart Buildings.' This means more efficient, comfortable, and safer spaces for everyone.

Did you know that buildings account for almost 55% of global electricity use?

This makes it more crucial than ever to focus on energy-efficient design and building operation. With the global population expected to grow significantly by 2050, the pressure on our infrastructure and climate are set to intensify. Therefore, implementing solutions like Butlr's Heatic™ sensors is a key step towards reducing the energy consumption of buildings and creating a more sustainable future.

Butlr is being adopted across various industries, including hospitality, senior living, healthcare, commercial real estate, retail, and public transportation. Employers and real estate professionals are using Butlr to create collaborative work environments that emphasize safety and comfort. By integrating discreet technology, Butlr improves spatial understanding while respecting privacy and dignity, enabling richer experiences, higher care quality, and improved business outcomes.

"At Autodesk, we believe in technologies that help our customers make a positive impact on the world. We support innovations like Butlr because they align with our commitment to solving global challenges like climate change through strategic use of technology and design," mentions Zoé Bezpalko. "By shaping the future of sustainable buildings for work and living, Butlr is not just creating a product. They're contributing to a more sustainable and efficient world. And that is simply Just. Good. Design."

About the authors:

Farrell Calabrese is a purpose-driven leader dedicated to integrating sustainability into company culture and operations. Through her venture, FMC Impact, she is on a mission to address the most pressing design challenge of our time: Climate Change and its impact on people and society.

Zoé Bezpalko is an accomplished environmental engineer and designer leading the sustainability strategy for Autodesk's Design & Manufacturing industries. With a strong belief in the strategic use of technology and design, she develops innovative solutions that help customers reduce their environmental footprint and achieve their sustainability goals.

Congratulations to all of this year's honorees! You can view the honorees in all 23 categories on the Core77 Design Awards website.