Green building practices increasingly reach beyond the construction phase as interior designers also embrace cost-effective ways to conserve resources, add comfort and ease environmental impacts.
Awareness that energy-efficient actions bring social and business benefits make property owners and tenants receptive to space planning and furnishing strategies for reducing use of water, energy and materials, as well as ways to encourage recycling and protect employee health.
Professional designers trained in this dynamic process aren't the only advocates being heard.
Employees who "live green" expect companies to follow the same path.
An eco-friendly workplace reinforces the image of a leading-edge innovator rather than an old-school traditionalist, particularly among generations raised in an era of recycling.
conservation and global warming.
Making environmental awareness a core value earns internal and external respect.
Stewardship Without Sacrifice Best of all, doing the right thing for our planet also makes bottom-line sense.
Green design tactics bring immediate savings from lower utility bills, and any above-average initial costs typically are recovered through reduced operating costs and possible tax credits.
It's stewardship without sacrifice.
So what exactly is green interior design? It vrefers to spaces that use materials with a low environmental impact and conserve resources more efficiently than conventional buildings.
projects reflecting a full range of best practices can qualify for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Commercial Interiors ( LEED-CI ) certification from the U.
S.
Green Building Council.
Meaningful gains don't depend on the time and cost of certification, however.
Clients can use a build-out or renovation process to select affordable green design features.
These are among the most accepted:
- Maximum use of natural light and ventilation
- Energy-efficient windows
- Weather-responsive lighting, plus motion sensors to turn off lights in unoccupied areas
- Measured and timed water-flow regulators at sinks
- Zoned furnaces and cooling systems with individual thermal comfort controls
- High-efficiency lighting, such as twin-tube or compact fluorescent fixtures
- Recycled materials for carpeting, wall coverings and pother furnishing
- Wood from sustainably harvested timber certified by the Forest Stewardship Council
- Avoiding upholstery, window treatment, flooring and adhesives that emit harmful vapors
- Durable products and materials with the longest practical use cycles
Redefining the energy-conscious workplace is not a fad.
That's why progressive designers take an exam to become LEED Accredited Professionals.
The green building and design movement is a long-term response to the challenges of rising energy costs, dependence on non-sustainable resources and global climate change.
It's a direction that makes a difference.