Further expanding on the insights shared during the panel moderated by Smart Interiors Horizon on May 19 in La Spezia, during the Blue Design Summit, we spoke with Enrico Lumini (Partner & Design Director at Hot Lab) about the role of design in the sustainable transformation of the yachting industry. From the need to change the language used to communicate sustainability to the importance of concrete and measurable tools, one concept clearly emerged: the sustainability narrative must translate into processes, materials and collaborations capable of generating a real impact.

PressMare - During the panel, you used the powerful example of an owner sleeping under a duvet in the middle of August while the cabin air conditioning is set to 18 degrees Celsius. From your perspective, how can the luxury mindset be changed without making sustainability feel like a sacrifice?

Enrico Lumini - I believe there are two fundamental aspects. The first is that the communities we address are numerically limited and highly interconnected. This means that a new message, if communicated effectively, spreads very quickly. Therefore, when a choice is made by one member of the UHNWIs community, it automatically tends to become a reference point for others as well.

But the key point is another: we must stop presenting sustainability as deprivation and instead explain the added value of a genuinely sustainable approach while maintaining comfort and quality. If the sustainable choice is perceived as a limitation, it will never be accepted. If, on the other hand, it becomes an integral part of an evolved and contemporary lifestyle, then it can naturally integrate with luxury.

PM - Does this approach also work with the new generation of owners?

EL - In my opinion, even more so. The new generations have a different relationship with the concept of ownership. We are moving from a culture of accumulation to a culture of experience. Gen Z UHNW individuals will continue to own important assets and properties, but they place far greater value on experiences than on simple possession.

The experiential ecosystem surrounding the asset completely changes the way sustainability can be communicated. If we explain that sustainable solutions are not a sacrifice, but that those choices can be accompanied by authentic, educational and immersive experiences, then the message is received with much greater interest than in the past.

PM - You also spoke about the risk of sustainability remaining just a narrative. How can it become concrete?

EL - We need data. Narrative is important because it creates vision, emotion and culture, but without numbers it risks losing credibility. In other industries, such as energy, food or automotive, this approach has existed for years through classifications, indicators and Life Cycle Assessments. In our sector we should do the same. One of the most interesting topics we were discussing with Smart Interior Horizons is precisely the creation of shared material libraries with verifiable data. The goal is to calculate the LCA value not only of individual materials, but even of an entire environment, such as a cabin or a bathroom.

Today we have energy classifications for buildings and household appliances. I see no reason why we should not eventually have classifications for yachts as well. In this way, sustainability would become something measurable.

PM - Is there a project that represents this approach particularly well?

EL - Certainly the Sport Hybrid project, developed between 2008 and 2010 together with the naval engineering studio Hydrotec, founded by Sergio Cutolo. It was one of the first yachts with hybrid propulsion and also won an Environmental Award in 2013. What I find interesting about that project was the interdisciplinary work between technical optimization of the hull and consumption, and the design of the interiors. At one point the issue became very simple: it made no sense to optimize propulsion and then load tons of marble onboard.

The solution was to work together, first identifying the problem and then finding shared solutions that represented neither an aesthetic nor technical compromise. We only partially gave up some stone coverings and instead used lightweight marble, reducing weight by 60%. This demonstrates that even a small improvement, even something as simple as this intervention, can have a huge long-term impact. If a yacht operates for twenty years with fuel consumption reduced by 5-10%, the environmental benefit becomes concrete.

PM - So even small steps can make a difference?

EL - Absolutely yes. Between zero and one hundred there are infinite shades. We cannot expect everything to become immediately perfect, but every improvement matters.

There is also a positive aspect linked to competition because ours is a small industry and we all know each other. If a designer or shipyard achieves a good result using an innovative material or solution, others will also be encouraged to improve. It is a form of healthy competition that can accelerate innovation.

PM - Who has the responsibility to transform this narrative into concrete processes?

EL - I believe there are two levels of responsibility. The first concerns communication, since designers and architects hold a privileged position because they often establish a more direct relationship with owners than technicians do. Therefore, we must use this proximity to explain the value of sustainable choices and make them desirable.

The second level concerns technical implementation. Here shipyards, technical offices, propulsion companies and suppliers come into play. Collaboration throughout the entire supply chain is necessary in order to translate sustainability into concrete and understandable advantages for owners, including reduced consumption, greater future yacht value and compliance with IMO regulations.

Without data and without collaboration, the risk is that everything remains theory.

PM - One of the themes that emerged was also the need to create common protocols. How important is this aspect?

EL - It is fundamental and what is needed is a sort of shared roadmap, a set of guidelines helping the industry understand where to begin. For example, we could start by contributing to the common material database that SIH is developing, with verifiable LCA data. Then we could share this information among architects, designers and shipyards, eventually communicating it externally as well.

I understand there are concerns linked to competitive advantage and ownership of research, but I believe there is room for collaborative models. If several companies invested together in research, much more advanced results could be achieved than those reachable individually.

Even using the same materials, every designer would still maintain their own identity and competitive advantage.

Rebecca Gabbi