These are intended as starting points for discussion and should help you generate ideas of your own. Once you have a project, you are encouraged to go straight to the 'Sustain-a-balls' checklist. To do this click on the icon above. Alternatively, you may require a printable specific design brief, for these simply click on the link next to each context.

Practical Action (Southern 2): Packaging (specific design brief)
Many people can only afford to buy every day items such as flour or sugar in small amounts. In some countries, buying and re-packaging goods for re-sale is an income generating activity. Investigate the process of re-packaging and design and make a sustainable method for use in your chosen context.

Practical Action (Southern 4): Rainwater harvesting (specific design brief)
Ensuring an adequate water supply for domestic and agricultural use is a problem in many parts of the world. However, there are opportunities for harvesting rainwater when the rains do come. Investigate possible methods of harvesting water and design and make a method for filtering or storing water suitable for your chosen context.

Practical Action (Northern 8): Generating systems and control design briefs (specific design brief)
Advice is given to help students think of their own design briefs for systems and control projects

CAT (Northern 1): Biodegradable waste (specific design brief)
There is increasing concern about the impact of putting biodegradable waste into landfill sites, mainly because of the methane it then gives off. Design a way of dealing with biodegradable waste that does not cause pollution and has a useful purpose.

CAT (Northern 2): Moving water (specific design brief)
Moving water from one place to another, particularly lifting it, has been an engineering challenge for millennia and very many different methods have been used to do this. Design and make a system for moving water for a context of your choice. 

CAT (Northern 4): Solar water heating (specific design brief)
The potential for using solar water heating systems in Britain is enormous, with over 40,000 already in use in homes across the country. Design and make a solar water heating system for a context of your choice.