Viridian Note 00199: Meter Contest Winner

Key Concept

Sustainability Institute, Balaton Group, Viridian Energy Meter Contest, Viridian Imaginary Products, Wattbug, Inci Mutlu, Alan AtKisson, Diana S. Wright

Attention Conservation Notice: Someone just got $5,000 for designing a Viridian Imaginary Product, but it wasn't you.

(((The "Wattbug" is the first emanation of the Viridian Movement that might become a real-life, commercially available consumer product. We Viridians didn't plan on this development, and we scarcely did any of the work, but that makes us all the more pleased that it's going on. Furthermore, we plan to buy one! Maybe a whole bunch of them! We'll even pay retail!)))

Link: http://sustainer.org/Viridian

WINNERS ANNOUNCED $5,000 FIRST PRIZE AWARDED WEB SITE OPEN

FIRST INTERNATIONAL VIRIDIAN DESIGN COMPETITION OCTOBER 2000 SUSTAINABILITY INSTITUTE

Dear Contestants, Judges, and Supporters of the First International Viridian Design Competition,

We at Sustainability Institute's Arts & Culture program are pleased to announce that the Competition has successfully concluded, and we have a winner. The web address for the announcement appears below.

The winning design, the "Wattbug," was created by the design team of Inci Mutlu, Suleyman Erdogan, and Safak Emrence, of Istanbul, Turkey. They receive a first prize of $5,000.

The second round judges == who were all those in attendance at the 19th Meeting of the Balaton Group in Csopak, Hungary == were so impressed by the quality of the finalist submissions that four Runners Up were chosen to receive $500 each; and the remaining five finalists were all named Honorable Mentions and awarded $200.

We are now beginning to publicize the results of the competition, with the help of Henry Griggs, a public relations consultant with expertise in energy out of Washington, DC. Viridian Movement founder Bruce Sterling will also be announcing the results at a design conference hosted by WIRED magazine this weekend. (Your help in spreading the word about the Competition results would be greatly appreciated. We think it will make a great feature story.)

The complete Competition results have now been posted at the Sustainability Institute website, www.sustainer.org. The direct URL is: http://sustainer.org/Viridian

(Those of you in the Competition, please check to make sure that the details are correct for the information posted with your submission. Click on your submission's picture to go to the page with your information. Send any corrections to Diana Wright at diana.s.wright@dartmouth.edu)

Checks will be mailed to winners within a week.

The winning design will be introduced to a variety of potential manufacturers, but all finalists are encouraged to pursue their ideas. There is room for more than one Viridian Electricity Meter in the market.

Sponsoring this Competition was a thoroughly satisfying experiment, and we hope you will consider also participating in the Second International Viridian Design Competition, which we intend to sponsor either in 2001 or 2002.

With congratulations to our winner, runners up, and honorable mentions, and thanks to all who participated in making this Competition not only a success, but a lot of fun.

Alan AtKisson Director, Arts & Culture

Diana S. Wright Competition Coordinator