Sustainability And Interior Design

Taking the Pulse - Sustainability and the Interior Design Practice Today’s designers have an awesome responsibility to design environments that are healthy, flexible and environmentally sensitive. Sustainable design principles promote these positive attributes while improving the way tenants feel and perform within a space. In addition, studies are now emerging that prove tenants’ well being directly benefits the client’s bottom line. While designers agree that improving the interior environment for tenants is a critical part of their discipline, many current projects do not incorporate sustainable design elements. Locally, there have been many discussions about sustainable design within the industry, but no documentation to assess the current level of understanding of sustainable concepts. Green Building Services (GBS) wanted to develop a true picture of what interior designers know about sustainable design and how frequently they incorporate it in their projects. To do so, GBS surveyed regional interior designers to get a pulse on these issues. In order to collect information, GBS created a questionnaire and distributed it to interior designers in firms of various sizes and core markets. The survey asked respondents to gauge their knowledge of sustainable principles and the impact of green design on their practice. It also sought to learn what barriers exist in order to implement green design practices into projects. The questionnaire encouraged detailed comments from participants while assuring their anonymity. Survey Results The survey results showed that respondents’ knowledge of sustainable design principles fell at one end of the spectrum or the other. Several participants said that sustainable design is a significant focus of their practice, but most respondents indicated only a moderate understanding of green design concepts such as indoor air quality, water efficiency, energy efficiency and resource efficient materials. Participants knew very little about building systems commissioning. Multiple barriers to incorporating green building practices became apparent through the survey. Client resistance was a reoccurring factor in the designers’ ability to implement sustainable interiors. Respondents also acknowledged that their lack of detailed understanding of sustainable design concepts and a lack of information makes it difficult to educate their clients. Participants also pointed to difficulty in accessing the appropriate informational tools in order to demonstrate the value of sustainable interiors to clients. Some firms are fortunate to have inhouse experts, but those without that resource must work hard to stay on top of the latest green building information. In addition, professionals struggled to obtain accurate information on green products from manufacturers in a timely fashion. Designers said they could do more to help clients achieve sustainable goals if they had the knowledge and access to information to educate their clients. Challenges in bringing green materials to the client’s project included the perceived cost of materials and schedule implications. Participants did not necessarily believe that green design 16280 SW Upper Boones Ferry Road, Portland, Oregon 97224 www.GreenBuildingServices.com • 1-866-743-4277 (toll free) • 503-603-1710 (fax)

Taking the Pulse – Sustainability and the Interior Design Practice February, 2003

costs more, but they noted that research on sustainable projects requires time. Informational pieces demonstrating financial implications to the project, and product life cycle assessments were viewed as instrumental in presenting clients with a strong case for green design. Respondents rarely budgeted post-occupancy evaluations into projects, although this is one of the most effective ways to determine if the space is working effectively and demonstrate the design’s benefits to the client. Lessons Learned Drawing on case studies and personal experiences, GBS found that clients’ attitudes are in the process of changing. Many clients already demand the inclusion of sustainable design concepts in their facilities. Norm Thompson shareholder Jane Emrick had strong convictions about the company’s corporate headquarters’ design. “We believed a dramatically lower impact was not only possible, but economically feasible and ethically imperative.” In addition, clients that have had sustainable principles designed into their spaces are noticing genuine benefits. Debra Brockway, manager of marketing for the King County’s King Street Center, believes employee productivity has increased and absenteeism has decreased since moving into their offices that incorporated sustainable materials and practices. Personnel records for the Sacramento Municipal Utility District Customer Service Center showed a 30 percent reduction in absenteeism among 600 employees one year after of operation. Facility Manager Brian Sehnert attributes this to increased daylighting within the space. Sehnert also believes the enhanced daylighting contributes to fewer on-the-job errors. Sustainable design offers the potential to greatly enhance the interior environment, but requires forethought and planning for proper integration. Greg Acker, designer for the City of Portland’s Office of Sustainable Development in the Jean Vollum Natural Capital Center states, “Basically, if you are willing to search, there are plenty of green options that don’t cost a dime more than the conventional option and, in some cases, are less expensive.” There are also cases where designers and clients are working together in new ways. The Certified Forest Products Council (CFPC) staff and SERA Architects worked together during the design development of the CFPC offices in design charrettes. The CFPC staff created metaphors of different landscapes, such as the forest and the prairie, for the different ways in which they work which influenced the way in which their space was designed. SERA Architects designer, Leslie Eastwood-Bray, speaks of her experience with this process: "CFPC is a client that every designer dreams of having. They loved the idea of pushing the envelope by having a collaborative and different design process along with creating a totally different way of thinking about their workspace. All of this while having sustainability as their number one goal. It's something that I had never experienced." Next Steps As clients become more aware of how their operation affects the environment, and how creating a high performance interior can increase their bottom line, they will increasingly look to designers to guide them in the selection of materials and strategies that protect natural and human resources. Interior designers must prepare themselves to take the lead in guiding and educating their clients on the right choices for their organization.

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Taking the Pulse – Sustainability and the Interior Design Practice February, 2003

There are many ways to get up to speed on new technologies. Hiring a consultant may be one of the best ways to streamline the educational process. Design firms commonly rely on professional consultants for advice about the best sustainable strategies and technologies for specific projects or educational in-house seminars. Other educational opportunities are Continuing Education Unit (CEU) courses. Interiors and Sources Magazine at ISDesignNet.com offers CEU classes and professional organizations such as the IIDA, AIA and ASID may offer additional courses and information. In addition, companies that design systems furniture, such as Steelcase and Herman Miller, post research papers on their web sites. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for Commercial Interiors (CI) is another tool that can be used as a framework for sustainable design. LEED CI is a rating system that addresses the specifics of tenant spaces primarily in office and institutional spaces. It provides the opportunity for building tenants to design high performance, healthy, durable, affordable, and environmentally sound workplaces. Emerging technologies and the changing practice of interior design offers designers many opportunities to learn and to raise the bar of current practice. Designers now have the tools available to provide their clients with a new level of service and design. This is an exciting time for designers to accept the challenges facing them with intelligent and creative design solutions. For more information regarding the topics discussed in this paper, please contact Elaine Aye IIDA, LEED Accredited Professional at 503.603.1626. [email protected]

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