On Friday the 16th of September, Safetyline Jalousie received an Australian Good Design Award for the development of its innovative SmartAir System.
The Good Design Awards are Australia’s highest honour for design and innovation, recognising excellence across 11 design disciplines and more than 30 categories and sub-categories. SmartAir received a prestigious Good Design Award Winner Accolade in the Product Design category in recognition of outstanding design and innovation.
This achievement marks a significant milestone in revolutionising education infrastructure, emphasising the importance of ventilation in learning environments to support both student academic performance and overall health.
“It is an honour to accept this award on behalf of the entire Safetyline Jalousie team,” says co-founder and CEO, Leigh Rust. “We will continue to do our best to create better, safer learning environments for our children to thrive in.”
The SmartAir System is a complete turnkey natural ventilation solution that integrates Safetyline Jalousie’s high-performance, high free air louvre windows with sensor and control technology designed to automate ventilation.
Unfortunately, ventilation is not currently a primary focus in the design of learning spaces across Australia. Air conditioning is often the default method for keeping classrooms cool, but without adequate ventilation, students face a range of health risks.
In a fully occupied classroom, CO₂ levels can rise to four times the optimal amount (from 1,000 ppm to 4,000 ppm). Elevated CO₂ can lead to oxygen deprivation, resulting in difficulty concentrating, headaches, nausea, fatigue, and sleepiness. More serious but less common effects include eye irritations, allergies, breathing difficulties, and the development of asthma and other chronic respiratory conditions.
Projects recognised with an Australian Good Design Award showcase excellence in professional design and the positive impact a design-led approach can have on business, society, and the environment.
The Good Design Awards Jury commented:
“SmartAir is a unique system that allows natural ventilation in buildings through an honest, smart design. It provides a great solution for architects who want to combine comfortable living with beautiful unapologetic design.”
Safetyline Jalousie recognises the direct link between indoor air quality and student performance and wellbeing. The SmartAir System is a fully automated, pre-programmable, and tested solution capable of monitoring temperature, CO₂, and humidity in any learning environment.
The system enables louvre windows to respond dynamically to environmental conditions, allowing buildings to “breathe” naturally. SmartAir detects changes in CO₂ levels, temperature, and humidity, and automatically activates louvre windows to maintain optimal indoor air quality.
Beyond supporting academic performance, this solution plays a vital role in improving public health—particularly in the ongoing context of Australia’s recovery from COVID-19. By ensuring safer and healthier classrooms, Safetyline Jalousie is helping protect the wellbeing of both children and adults across the country.
Dr. Brandon Gien, CEO of Good Design Australia and Chair of the Australian Good Design Awards, remarked:
“To be recognised with an Australian Good Design Award is a significant achievement, given the incredibly high standard of projects submitted in this year’s Awards. The Good Design Award is a valuable independent endorsement of professional design quality. It tells the world this project not only represents design excellence, but it also surpasses the criteria for design innovation and design impact.”
For more information about the SmartAir System, visit https://safetylinejalousie.com.au/products/smart-air/.
