Week 3
Sustainable Interiors
Sustainability - the ability to meet present-day needs without compromising the ability to meet the needs of future generations.
Several organizations have created certifications, guidelines, or programs for green building. Some are listed below.
Green Building Programs
ReGreen Guidelines
- regreenprogram.org
- Green remodeling is the design and construction of projects that reduce the environmental impacts of remodeling, including energy, water, and materials consumption; waste generation; and harmful emissions, both indoors and out.
- ReGreen Strategy Library (handout, pages 61-64 of Guidelines)
- ASID Principles of Environmental Stewardship
- Advocacy for safe products and services: Interior designers should advocate with their clients and employers the development of buildings, spaces, and products that are environmentally benign, produced in a socially just manner and safe for all living things.
- Protection of the biosphere: Interior designers should eliminate the use of any product or process that is known to pollute air, water, or earth.
- Sustainable use of natural resources: Interior designers should make use of renewable natural resources, including the protection of vegetation, wildlife habitats, open spaces, and wilderness.
- Waste reduction: Interior designers should minimize waste through the reduction, reuse, or recycling of products and encourage the development and use of reclaimed, salvaged, and recycled products.
- Wise use of energy: Interior designers should reduce energy use, adopt energy-conserving strategies, and choose renewable energy sources.
- Reduction of risk: Interior designers should eliminate the environmental risk to the health of the end users of their designs
USGBC and LEED
- The USGBC is a non-profit organization committed to expanding sustainable building practices.
- Local chapter website - usgbcnorthtexas.org
- USGBC Guiding Principles (online presentation)
- LEED for Homes (LEED-H)
- LEED-H Checklist (handout from online document)
- LEED-H cannot be used for remodeling unless the project is extensive (down to studs). ReGreen was developed for remodeling projects
- LEED for Commercial Interiors (LEED-CI)
- LEED-CI checklist (handout from online document)
Green Home Guide
- greenhomeguide.org
- Sponsored by the USGBC
- Tools and resources
- Green Home Checklist (handout)
Bau-biologie
- bau-biologieusa.com
- The 25 Principles of Bau-biologie (handout)
National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)
- nahb.org
- Model Green Home Building Guidelines
- Primary emphasis on six topics:
- Lot Preparation and Design
- Resource Efficiency
- Energy Efficiency
- Water Efficiency/Conservation
- Occupancy Comfort and Indoor Environmental Quality
- Operation, Maintenance and Education
Building America, US Department of Energy
- www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/building_america
- Emphasis on building envelope, construction practices, and energy efficiency
- Best Practices, Vol. 1: Hot Humid Climate
- Best Practices, Volume 4: Mixed Humid Climate
- The Dallas area is on the border of these two climate types. Dallas, Collin, Denton, Tarrant counties are Hot-Humid; Grayson and Cooke counties are Mixed-Humid.
Assignments:
- How do you find green materials? Conduct research on the internet to find rating or certification systems that allow designers to make informed choices about the materials they specify for a project. For example, the ReGreen Guidelines state that wood should be FSC certified. You should be able to find at least five, but find as many as you can. Name each resource, supply the website, and give a short explanation.
- What does LEED have to do with it? Look at both LEED-H and LEED-CI checklists. List which sections would be applicable to the selection of materials for a project, then read about those sections in the guidelines.