Signals & Stats 05.10.2022

Need to Know

A wellness brand combining NASA technology with the blockchain, a sun-centric exhibition, and water companies are forced to return £150m to customers.

An exhibition dedicated to solar-powered futures

The Energy Show at Het Nieuwe Instituut, The Netherlands
The Energy Show at Het Nieuwe Instituut, The Netherlands
The Energy Show at Het Nieuwe Instituut, The Netherlands

The Netherlands ­– What would a world running on solar energy look like? This is the main focus of The Energy Show, an exhibition exploring interactions between the sun, solar energy, people and design.

The exhibition, hosted at Rotterdam’s Het Nieuwe Instituut, is centred on the sun’s significance for humankind and all of the cultural, social and ecological possibilities it offers. The project takes visitors through a history of energy usage, inviting them to reflect on their own use and showcasing examples of innovative solar technology.

‘Solidarity is the turn towards the sun, a turn towards solar ideas. With The Energy Show I welcome you to the New Power Generation: designers, artists, architects, citizens – all humans designing, living or imagining new energy systems with the sun,’ explains Matylda Krzykowski, the exhibition’s curator.

While this project stands out with its radical focus on the sun, other curatorial projects have investigated sustainable design’s role in creating better futures, like Design with Nature at the 2022 Milan Design Week.

Strategic opportunity

How can your business play a part in the transition to solar energy as we continue to move towards a post-carbon future?

The fragrance brand embracing NASA and blockchain

Aeir, US Aeir, US
Aeir, US Aeir, US

Aeir, a new fragrance and wellness brand, has launched a collection of fragrances combining NASA and biotechnology. Co-founders Enrico Pietra and Rodrigo Caula met when attending Cantonale d’Art de Lausanne in Switzerland, also known as the university of luxury. After their studies, both went on to work for the likes of Tesla and Hermès.

The new line of fragrances – unlike traditional brands – is entirely lab-made, protecting the environment from the extraction process, resulting in a product with the lowest carbon footprint possible. The silver coating achieved on the packaging is produced through a process developed by NASA that not only creates a sleek design but creates zero waste. The brand is also creating a Web3 app that provides exclusive access to its Aeir ID product line.

Inspired by future space travel, scents are designed to be reminiscent of our home planet, creating earthy fragrances inspired by the ocean, the desert and fresh sheets, for a future-facing take on wellbeing-first fragrances.

Strategic opportunity

Now more than ever, consumers want to purchase from brands driven by purpose, so think about how your product will inspire positive change, socially and environmentally.

Google adds sustainability credentials to travel searches

Global –To help identify greener travel choices, Google is rolling out a series of new search tools and filtering options.

Travellers conscious of their carbon footprint can now filter out flights and hotel results on Google based on their sustainability rating.

New filters include a Low Emissions option for flights, and an Eco-certified label for properties and hotels, based on information provided by organisations like the US Green Building Council and the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, which are importing their databases of eco-certified hotels to the search engine.

Google also launched a direct purchase option for train tickets on Google Search for travel in several countries, hoping to incentivise train travel over more polluting car or plane journeys.

Globally, 81% of travellers say that sustainable travel is important to them (source: Booking.com). Accelerating Post-conscious travel, such large-scale initiatives that enable them to act on this preference will be welcomed by this group.

Fedje Hotel, Norway

Strategic opportunity

Simple solutions can empower consumers to make better decisions. How can you optimise communications around your sustainability commitments?

Stat: Water companies face penalties for missing pollution targets

Jolie, US
Jolie, US

Ofwat, the water regulator for England and Wales, has announced a cut in customer bills after it found that 11 water companies have missed their pollution targets. Thames Water and Southern Water will have to return £51m ($58m, €58.1m) and £28m ($31.9m, €32.1m), respectively, after failing to comply with regulations on water treatment, pollution incidents and internal sewer flooding from 2021 to 2022.

The government and water companies have faced widespread criticism for permitting the dumping of raw sewage, despite the practice only being allowed during periods of high rainfall. ‘We expect companies to improve their performance every year; where they fail to do so, we will hold them to account,’ says David Black, CEO of Ofwat.

With growing consumer calls to protect the environment, some organisations are awarding legal rights to the natural world as a way to help stop ecological destruction, and to ensure sustainable actions are a legal requirement.

Strategic opportunity

Companies should look to implement preventative measures now, as laws and policies could become tougher. Consider the natural world and adopt a less human-centric mentality within sustainability strategies.

Previous Signals & Stats Articles
Chanel’s le19M brings Parisian craftsmanship to Tokyo

Signals & Stats

Chanel’s le19M brings Parisian craftsmanship to Tokyo

Chanel’s le19M has landed in Tokyo with La Galerie du 19M Tokyo, an exhibition that unites Parisian artisans and Japanese craftspeople in a celebra...
Luxury : Fashion : Design
Healf 2025 explores the future of wellness, longevity and human potential

Signals & Stats

Healf 2025 explores the future of wellness, longevity and human potential

Held at London’s 180 Studios from 3–5 October, Healf 2025 brought together the leading voices in health and science to explore the future of w...
Global Events : Health And Fitness : Men's Health
Stat: Cognitive difficulties rising sharply among young American adults

Signals & Stats

Stat: Cognitive difficulties rising sharply among young American adults

A new study published in Neurology reveals a significant increase in self-reported cognitive difficulties among US adults, particularly those under...
Stats : Stat : Statistic
Future Château launches mid-strength wines at Selfridges

Signals & Stats

Future Château launches mid-strength wines at Selfridges

Future Château, the new wine brand from author Tom Benn, is launching at Selfridges in October 2025 with a debut range of premium 5% ABV wines desi...
Drinks : Retail : Food
OpenArea reframes nature as cultural canvas with new London festival

Signals & Stats

OpenArea reframes nature as cultural canvas with new London festival

OpenArea, the brainchild of cultural strategist Ollie Olanipekun, transformed Camley Street Nature Reserve in King’s Cross into a vibrant hub of ar...
Nature : Food : Design
Stat: Americans push back against tipflation

Signals & Stats

Stat: Americans push back against tipflation

Tipping fatigue is intensifying across the US, with 65% of consumers saying they are tired of tipping – up from 53% in 2023, according to Popmenu’s...
Retail : US Market : Hospitality
Lancôme opens luxury retreat space and cafe in Doha airport

Signals & Stats

Lancôme opens luxury retreat space and cafe in Doha airport

Lancôme has unveiled Café de la Rose inside Doha’s Hamad International Airport, its first travel retail café and only the second globally.
Retail : Beauty : Travel
Foresight Friday: Rose Coffey, senior foresight analyst

Signals & Stats

Foresight Friday: Rose Coffey, senior foresight analyst

Every Friday, The Future Laboratory team offers an end-of-week wrap-up of the topics, issues, ideas and virals we’re all talking about. This week, ...
Foresight Friday : Fashion : Beauty
Stat: Americans turn to travel to connect with loved ones

Signals & Stats

Stat: Americans turn to travel to connect with loved ones

A new survey from Hyatt’s Inclusive Collection reveals Americans are craving more meaningful time with loved ones, and travel is emerging as a key ...
Travel : Statistic : Optimised Odysseys
Toyota opens Woven City as a living lab for future lifestyles

Signals & Stats

Toyota opens Woven City as a living lab for future lifestyles

Toyota has opened its experimental Woven City at the base of Mount Fuji, creating a testbed where residents live alongside prototypes of emerging t...
Technology : Design : Toyota
You have 2 free News articles remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN