Interior design principles and practice

Green Interior Design

Just a short few years ago "green building," "green living" and "sustainable development" were ideas and concepts known almost exclusively to the environmental and conservation movement. And to perhaps a few progressive builders and custom designers. But today the green movement and sustainable living concept are the dominant themes across the board. This paper delves into the importance of using sustainable products and building strategies. The need to use sustainable products, to reduce the amount of energy used, and to employ sustainable building practices is pivotal to builders, to manufacturers, to the interior design community -- and to the health and safety of clients and the public.

Meanwhile, Dr. Louise Jones' essay in the book Environmentally Responsible Design reports that 78% of Americans in a recent poll (Roper, 2002) believe they are at "an increased risk" due to "poor environmental conditions" (Jones, 2008, p. 84). And while Jones praises the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) she asserts that "no one is concentrating on a comprehensive understanding of environmentally responsible FF&E" (furnishings, finishes and equipment). Jones (LEED AP; IDEC; ASID; IIDA) further believes that because of the dearth of information vis-a-vis FF&E there is presently in the interior design industry an "information void for architects, interior designers, and facility managers" who wish to use only sustainable materials and practices for interior design (Jones, p. 85). Jones, a noted interior designer in the UK, notes that although environmentally responsible design has only been a big story in the industry over the past 8 or so years, a survey in 1999 among "nonresidential interior designers" showed that 83% understood "they had a moral obligation to offer environmentally responsible solutions" to their customers (Jones, p. 88).

On page 91 Jones explains "the 3 R's" (reduce, reuse, recycle) and goes on to report that "buildings use more than two-thirds" of the electricity used in the U.S., and one-eighth of the water. Doing the math Jones figures that buildings produce 136 million tons of construction and demolition waste and 40% of the raw materials that are used globally. In other words, the building industry -- including those who design and build interiors -- is a huge contributor to climate change and corporate waste. In conclusion, Jones urges the interior design industry to: a) develop flexible space plans; b) support "closed loop manufacturing"; c) specifically ask for and use FF&E that don't give off volatile organic compounds (VOCs) or formaldehyde (both are carcinogens); d) don't use FF&E made with polyvinyl chloride; e) keep materials dry during construction to avoid mold growth; f) monitor indoor air quality (IAQ) through testing and adjust ventilation as needed; g) educate clients as to environmentally responsible maintenance strategies; h) make lighting energy-efficient; i) reduce water use through eco-plumbing; i) use only FSC-certified wood from "managed forests"; j) launch zero-waste practices; k) use recycled, refurbishes, and "rapidly renewable materials" (Jones, p. 97).

On page 271 of Environmentally Responsible Design Jones notes that the USGBC is the only "nationally recognized consensus organization" representing the whole building industry when it comes to the interaction between the building industry and the natural world. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and the USGBC are the leaders in the effort to create "a national consensus for producing a new generation of high-performance buildings" that will both protect the health and safety of humans in the buildings and lesson the amount of waste that goes into landfills and carbon that goes into the atmosphere (Jones, p. 279). It was the USGBC that developed LEED and that essentially established the rules for certification for green construction and interior design of buildings. The seven categories that LEED considers prior to certification include: a) sustainable sites; b) efficiency of water supply; c) energy and atmosphere; d) materials and resources; e) indoor environmental quality; f) innovation and design process; and g) LEED AP are involved in the project (Jones, p. 283).

Green finishes: Consumer Reports (February 5, 2010) offers a review of low-VOC finishes and found that Behr Premium Plus Ultra paints "earned the top spot in low-luster, flat, and semi-gloss categories" with less than 50 grams of VOCs per liter. Green sealers: these sealers must "prevent the gases and compounds" of the materials they are being applied to from escaping into the environment; also, concrete kitchen countertops must have sealer that is labeled "food grade" in order to protect humans from contamination; most green sealants are water-based and do not contain VOCs (www.concrete-design.com).

Green dyes: According to research by the University of Massachusetts Lowell many synthetic dyes are toxic and cause allergic reactions and moreover to produce them they require heavy metal catalysts, acids, alkalis and solvents -- hence they are unfriendly to the environment (Sengupta, et al., 2003). Hence, by using bioengineered "green dyes" the benefits will be several: a) reduced use of toxics; b) decentralized production will reduce shipping costs; c) after extraction of the dye, the biomass can be then used for "energy generation" and the growth media can be recycled; and d) higher UV absorption by the fabric (which contains natural dye) may result in "reduced incidence of melanoma (Sengupta). Green pigments: The Huntsman company has manufactured a pigment called TIOXIDE ( TR85 titanium dioxide pigment designed for use in "low VOC decorative paints" (www.huntsman.com). The company says it uses Ferrous Sulphate to "chemically reduce Chromium (VI) in cement."

Part TWO: Wall system materials: The Environmental Wall Systems company (EWS) claims that its environmental wall systems are sustainable, practical and cost-effective. The product is IrisWall and EWS says it is sustainable and supports USGBC and LEED rating system. The IrisWall panels are composed of 95% recycled material (certified by Scientific Certification Systems) featuring 85% recycled gypsum. The panels' insulation uses long filament fibers (not respirable into the lungs) and fiberglass is "rotary spun" and hence not a cancer risk (www.ewswalls.com). The ceiling track, panel frames, floor track are made of recycled aluminum (65-85% post industrial). The components are "up to 100% reusable."

Ceiling system materials: USG ceilings claim they are LEED-rated because they reduce energy consumption (high light reflectance); USG takes back used mineral-fiber panels and recycles them; recycled aluminum is used in metal ceilings; panels may contain corn and wheat starch binders, alternatives to petroleum-based binders; all USG products are low-VOC emitters.

Glass Block: The Eastern Glass Block company asserts that its product "can provide more than double the thermal resistance of single-glaze" for energy conservation. It "not only supports LEED building certification," it is made from sand, it is recyclable, it is durable and leaves "low construction waste" (www.easternglassblock.com).

Glazing / Windows: Today there are "self cleaning" photocatalytic coatings that are called "smart glass" because they can control light and heat; moreover, the recent developments in framing systems offer "enhanced energy efficiency along with improved convenience and comfort to occupants" (Smith, et al., 2008). The "latest breakthrough" in solar cell (photovoltaic) technology includes the use of a coating fired into the glass during the manufacturing process, and uses "about 100th the amount of silicon" as older generation photovoltaic cells did (Smith). No product names are presented in this article.

Wood products: Unfortunately Americans use about 27% of all wood harvested in the world but much of that wood is harvested in an unsustainable manner. The Forest Stewardship Council recommends buying wood from "third party certifies" like Smartwood and Scientific Certification Systems. Those two certifiers assure customers that forests are managed in ways that: a) support fair labor practices; b) respect local influence over those managing forests; c) protects forest ecosystems (native species, soils, etc.); and d) avoids chemicals and genetic engineering. If consumers demand FSC-certified wood it helps forest owners that are sustainable.