Floods, melting glaciers, forest fires; the effects of climate change are getting more and more apparent. Science is pretty clear about it: the cause of climate change is the rapid increase of CO2 in our atmosphere. An increase which is caused by humans. Our continues urge for more is draining the natural resources of our planet, leaving nothing but pollution behind. In other words WE are the problem…
Quite a negative statement that, nevertheless, can often be found in the news. A statement that can leave you numbed, depressed, not knowing what to do. Studio Synergy, together with product designer Lilian van Daal, wants to brighten this perspective. We want to make humans not just part of the problem, but part of the solutions as well! Hence, the Peltchair.
The Peltchair’s power
The Peltchair is a chair that generates electricity with the body heat of its occupant. Electricity which is used to organically illuminate the chair, giving it a lively impression whilst being constructed from mere an-organic materials. These materials, copper and aluminium, are cast in a nature inspired structure that contributes to the Peltchair’s intrinsic beauty and function. The chair’s form makes it a heat sink, dissipating the occupants body heat to its surroundings. A steady stream of heat will flow from the occupant, though the Peltchair, to the surrounding air and is transformed into electricity along the way. In other words, if you sit down on the Peltchair, your buttocks will create buzzing electrons that power the Peltchair!
The Peltchair will glow more vividly, depending on how much electricity you produce. The production of which depends on the heat flow through the chair, which, on its turn, depends on the temperature difference between your bottom and the surrounding air. The greater this difference, the greater the flow, the brighter the Peltchair will glow. The best thing about this power production is that you do not have to do anything! Just sit down and relax and the Peltchair will bathe you in its intimate light as long as you live.
The catch
There is, of course, a catch: climate change…
If you are in a healthy condition, when taking a break on the Peltchair, your core temperature will be a nice and cosy 37 degrees Celsius. With a surrounding air temperature of about 20 degrees Celsius, heat will flow though the Peltchair and brighten your day with its beautiful glow. However, if due to climate change the air temperate rises, the efficiency of the Peltchair’s power production will diminish. This will be apparent due to its glow fading over time. Once the thermometer hits 37 degrees, the Peltchair will glow no more.
If we do not succeed in combating climate change, the Peltchair’s glow will fade as if life has been sucked out of it. Leaving just a block of an-organic matter, reminding us about the pollution that started it all. Let us therefore sit down on the Peltchair now and take the time to reflect: “what can I do differently to help battle climate change?”. Hopefully will the Peltchair’s glow help ignite a luminous idea. 💡
A work from Studio Synergy co-created by:
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