An innovative ‘green’ passenger seat for airlines has scooped a University of Derby Design graduate a top national award.

Mark Adair, 25 – who has just completed the BA (Hons) Product Design degree course at the University of Derby – has won the 2008 Northern Design Competition, organised by Leeds Metropolitan University.

He designed a lighter, more environmentally friendly seat for commercial passenger aircraft which replaces traditional materials such as steel and foam with ones seen as more sustainable because of their weight; such as aluminium, mesh and carbon fibre. It’s estimated the design could reduce an aircraft’s weight by up to 30%, saving on fuel and the amount of carbon emissions a flight produces.

Mark’s win was announced at the Northern Design Competition awards ceremony at Headingley Carnegie Stadium, Leeds, on Wednesday evening (June 25). The annual contest, established in 2005, this year attracted more than 2,700 entries in the categories of Illustration, Fine Art, Architectural Design, Digital Media, Fashion, Graphic Design, Product Design and Photography.

The Derby graduate from Underwood, Nottinghamshire, receives £1,000 for winning the Product Design category and a further £2,000 for being named overall Northern Design Champion.

Mark said: “I am absolutely gobsmacked to win this prestigious prize. It’s been a fantastic opportunity to showcase the best design talents in the North and realise that good design isn’t just found in London.

“It was fantastic to win this competition, I really didn’t expect to. I originally came up with the concept for the Virgin Atlantic Design Challenge.”

That challenge was set by Sir Richard Branson when he opened the University of Derby’s new Markeaton Street site last November.

Heading the judging panel at the Northern Design Competition for Mark’s category of Product Design was Trevor Baylis, inventor of the wind-up radio.

Commenting on Mark’s win, Trevor said: “This design was chosen because of the obvious effort, time and energy used in its creation. It combines function with extraordinary attention to detail, innovative use of materials, and the sheer audacity of the design is a pleasure to see.”

Co-founder of fashion label Red or Dead, Wayne Hemingway, who chaired the overall judging panel, added: “Increasingly the future is about doing things on a local scale, which why a competition like the Northern Design awards is coming to the fore. Mark’s winning design responds to the brief, is sustainable and fit for purpose.”

Terry Watson, Programme Leader for BA (Hons) Product Design at the University of Derby, was delighted with Mark’s big win.

“Mark’s aircraft seat is typical of our approach to solving real design problems in an innovative and sustainable manner, he has a real talent and deserves this recognition of his work,” added Terry.

Mark and fellow University of Derby Design graduates will also be exhibiting their work at the 2008 New Designers exhibition, at the Business Design Centre in London from 10-13 July.