Green industrial design firm wins award

Better Place was recognized for their EV refueling products

The INDEX Awards are an annual event that commends people and organizations who work toward solutions for global problems. Electric vehicle (EV) services provider Better Place has won this year's INDEX: Design to Improve Life award for their latest technology for refueling EVs.

Positive impact on the environment, increased job opportunities and affordability to consumers are the main reasons Better Place's EV fueling solutions were selected to win the award.

"From day one, our philosophy has been that electric cars need to be more convenient and more affordable than traditional petrol-powered cars if consumers are going to go green on a global scale," said Better Place Founder and CEO, Shai Agassi.

The Denmark-based awards organization gives media visibility to projects deemed worthy, but it also provides prize money to foster further development. The Design to Improve Life Award comes with a cash prize roughly equivalent to $140,000. Better Place says they will use the money to foster a design competition in which students will help design hands-free EV fueling products.

Industrial design is not always focused on the environment, but as new green technologies become available, more are being incorporated into it. Those who would like to help design new green products may want to examine their option in industrial design education programs.