A collaborative project for eco-design in ocean racing
A group of 11 companies from the competitive sailing sector and Breton universities have joined forces to launch the Eco Sailing Design project. They will work together to develop a tool to facilitate eco-design in the sector and to train the members of these companies in this field. The project is funded by the research centers of the Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Rennes and the University of Southern Brittany, for 43%, the Brittany Region for 36% and companies for the remaining 21%. It has a budget of 520,000 euros.
We find in the collective shipyards as well as equipment manufacturers, sailmakers, riggers or design offices:
- Avel Robotics
- Gsea Design
- Guelt Nautic
- Ino Rope
- Karver Systems
- Lorima
- Nautix
- North Sails
- Pixel on sea
- SMM
- VPLP
Mobilize and support the industry towards more sustainable boats
The budget will allow the employment of two employees. A PhD researcher will focus on the development of the eco-design computer tool. This tool will be compatible with the solutions already in place in companies, particularly for Life Cycle Analysis or LCA. It should facilitate decision-making. At the same time, an engineer will be in charge of making the link between the tool and the companies and will accompany them to structure themselves around the eco-design issues.
Carole Bourlon, from Bretagne Développement Innovation, insists on the global issue of Eco Sailing design which goes beyond the eco-design software tool: "Beyond the tool, what is important is to create a dynamic in the sector. The project is very complete on a subject that will be structuring in the company with precise referents. There will be private training on the subject. The tool will be a means of steering with economic, environmental and technical elements to help make choices. But above all, what we want is to get the industry moving."
