Debating (In)Justice of Energy Futures Through Design

Abstract

This article presents a design investigation of how to address social justice concerns in participatory activities when debating energy futures. As the climate crisis grows and technological progress exacerbates environmental issues, the design field is increasingly committed to understanding and mitigating the impact of new products in the world. This is resulting in a conscious redesign of products or in developing strategies to nudge sustainable behaviours. Yet little methodological work exists on how to address social concerns when designing in the context of energy transitions. This paper explores this gap by delineating an energy scenario of Switzerland in 2030, designing two fictional artefacts and a participatory toolkit, and then hosting a world café with twelve participants. The results provide insights into the value as well as the methodological challenges of designing for debating justice in energy futures.