DTLA LIFE MAG #4 | APRIL 2014 | Page 26

Whether built or planted, truly sustainable design demands attention to energy consumption and, with that, new technologies that can reduce our environmental impact. The new Energy 360 track at Dwell on Design explores what has become integral to modern living: sustainable energy harvesting and delivery. Design-savvy companies will be onhand to share innovative products and tools, while trailblazing thinkers will untang le crucial issues surrounding technology at home in a series of talks with Dwell editors. ! Architect Doris Sung is something of a pioneer when it comes to thinking about technology and “smart” homes. The University of Southern California professor, who will be in attendance at the show, calls on building science and biol- ogy as she researches how to make more intelligent, energy-efficient buildings—electronics and gadgets not neces- sarily required. Her Bloom project, for example, is a breathable system that autonomously responds to the sun’s in- tensity, potentially cooling buildings without consuming extra energy. ! Energy efficiency remains a major consideration when it comes to designing homes for today’s evolving families. As houses become transitional places for aging parents, or havens for family members with specific health needs, Dwell explores the changing family landscape with the Modern Family Pavilion on the show floor. There, attendees will find inventive products that can adjust to myriad family quirks, and encourage a little inventiveness, too. ! Take Lille Huset—meaning little house in Norwegian—a company founded by Alyson Beaton, who fell for urban buildings as an architecture student. Tapping into the joys of home, Beaton created DIY houses made of eco-friendly paperboard for kids to build and decorate. She’ll join Dameron onstage for a talk about how architecture inspired her business, and bring her colorful, American-made Lille Huset homes to the show floor. Nearby, Paper Punk founder Grace Hawthorne will host visitors of all ages at the show’s Urban Fold-a-Thon, in which attendees will collaborate on a growing “city” of modern paper houses. ! ! With its stimulating lineup of speakers, and products both fun and functional, this year’s Dwell on Design is sure to inspire homeowners and design professionals alike, while showcasing the very best of downtown Los Angeles. Visit dwellondesign.com for show information schedule, presenter directory, and exhibitor listings. ! Dwell on Design June 20-22, 2014 Los Angeles Convention Center www.dwellondesign.com