Fostering sustainable innovation for a better world

We know that fostering innovation and the next generation of clean technology solutions is key to helping solve the world’s environmental challenges and improving lives.? That’s where our RS DesignSpark platform comes in. It is a hotbed of design and innovation for sustainable engineering solutions within the industry for over 1.2m engineers and innovators.??

Mike Bray, Innovation lead for the RS Group explains: “DesignSpark is a talented, global community of engineers from many different backgrounds, who when they put their minds together can help solve some of the world’s most fundamental problems.”?

Mike goes on to share: “We are challenging our DesignSpark community through our #ActivistEngineering programme to address big issues like air quality.? Our goal is for our members to demonstrate the power of engineering in working collaboratively to create more sustainable, affordable and creative solutions that will lead to change.?

“The Breathe Better Bear, designed by Cecilia Hillway from Washington State, in the US, is one of those solutions that has emerged to monitor air quality.?If wildfire smoke is a risk, the Breathe Better Bear lets you know when there’s smoke around, with a clever colour-coded system and a sadder face the more smoke pollution he detects – just like when he’s eaten too much porridge!? The project is open-source and can be tracked and replicated by users from around the world.? It’s now going live and starting to share data which can be seen on DesignSpark through the Air Quality cloud.

“Another exciting development for us this year is The DesignSpark Innovation Center, through our partnership with Lake Walk, an innovative corporate campus adjacent to Texas A&M University in the US.? This is our first innovation incubator and customer demonstration centre in North America, seeding the next generation of sustainability. There are a growing cohort of start-ups in residence who are all working on delivering new innovations that will have a positive social and environmental impact.?

“The Center supports businesses that are addressing technology, industry and sustainability challenges, fostering collaboration, best practices and lessons learned, with subject matter experts and consulting services on-hand to help with testing, development and the launch of new products and innovative solutions."?

Frontier Bioenergy Systems, a start-up company based in Texas, working on a pilot project to take agricultural waste from the beef and dairy industries, and converting it into renewable energy, is currently working with the DesignSpark Innovation Center as they look for support and investment for their pilot project.? Founder and CEO of Frontier Cole Mitchell told us: “The Center has provided exposure to lots of incredible people!? It has done a great job of connecting me to investors, mentors and helping us to grow as a business. Going forward, we are looking to complete our pilot and scale it from there, implementing this technology as widely as possible, transforming the way agricultural waste is processed, in a way that’s cleaner and far better for our environment and producing sustainable energy.”

You can find out more about the Breathe Better Bear at: https://www.rs-online.com/designspark/ceciliahillway-breathe-better-bear ?

To find out more about our ESG Goals and Action plans click here .