The LCA.

When designing for a client it is important to perform a systems analysis to better understand each element of a design and the interactions among them. It is important to look at this not only in a design aspect but also a sustainability aspect. To better understand the sustainability aspect, a life cycle assessment or an LCA should be preformed to help identify each phase that occurs in the life of a product and also to determine the natural and human-made resources that are required for each phase. The first stage of the LCA is the stage that identifies all of the components or products involved during the life of an entity or product. In this stage you may determine that you need wood for a chair. The second stage identifies the stages of the products used. This stage can includes the extraction of raw materials, the refining of the raw materials, the manufacturing of the product, the consumers’ use of the product, and the disposal and/or recycling of the product. In the second stage you will identify that the wood for the chair will need to be cut down from a tree (extracted), processed through a mill (refined), built into a chair (manufacturing), cleaned with chemicals (consumer use), and finally taken to a land fill (disposal). During the third process you will determine the environmental impact from each of the stages determined in stage two. This would evaluate, for example, the amount of electricity and GHG’s emitted from the milling stage of wood. Stage four, my personal favorite, is the stage where you will introduce alternatives for the environmental burdens. This is the stage that once you have identified the problems you can come up with creative solutions to reduce their impact. Stage four can help open up the floor to the voice of an interior designer to ask questions like “what materials are used for this sofa’s frame” or “ During the construction of this sofa how did the manufacturer deal with the emissions or solid waste”? It is important to ask these questions to learn the most about where and how products are manufactured and delivered so you can educate yourself and your clients on the interactions between natural resources and the life of a human-made products as well as how these interactions affect the environment.

*Information received from http://www.epa.gov/nrmrl/std/lca/lca.html and Winchip, S. (2011). Sustainable design for interior environments . (2nd ed.). Fairchild Books.

Being an Environmental Steward and Its Importance In Interior Design.

In many cases interior designers are the connection between products and consumers. Interior designers can transform spaces with materials and furnishings. We are the people who suggest bamboo verses oak flooring or what type of appliances will best match a kitchen. So if we have that power, shouldn’t we suggest furnishings that are environmental friendly? That is what being an environmental steward is all about.  Environmental stewardship is the management and care of our natural resources. To restore, maintain, and preserve natural resources requires everyone to be a steward and will result in many benefits including a healthy and happy planet for many more generations to enjoy and flourish on. In the design process it is not only the interior designers but also the architects, engineers, manufacturers, laborers, clients and ultimately every part of the processes to achieve these environmental goals. When attending Neocon this past summer I noticed a large trend in manufactures showcasing their environmental stewardship efforts including Herman Miller who is working towards a zero operational foot print by 2020 (check out this great video by them http://www.hermanmiller.com/about-us/our-values-in-action/environmental-advocacy.html) and Mohawk Group who focuses on transparency, innovation, recycling, and the community to work towards a better planet.

*Information received from http://www.mohawkgroup.com/sustainability/default.aspx

http://www.hermanmiller.com/about-us/our-values-in-action/environmental-advocacy.html and Winchip, S. (2011). Sustainable design for interior environments . (2nd ed.). Fairchild Books.

U.S. History on Sustainability.

The Brundtland Report helped expand views towards sustainability and lead the world to a better understanding of environmental concerns related to the interrelationships between individuals, societies, natural resources, and the built environment as well as the a better understanding of needs and limitations. It also had a great impact on the United States and its development towards sustainability. Two influential people; R. Buckminster Fuller and Victor Papanek show great innovation in design and help define what sustainability is today.

R. Buckminster Fuller (1895-1983) was an inventor, architect, and engineer, whose goal in life was to apply the principals of sustainable development to the built environment to solve global problems surrounding housing, shelter, transportation, education, energy, ecological destruction, and poverty. To help solve these problems Fuller invented one of his most well-known designs, the geodesic dome. The geodesic dome is the strongest, lightest, and most cost effective structure ever designed. Fuller was also known for his overpowering focus on renewable energy sources including solar, wind, and wave energy, as he once commented, “there is no energy crisis, only a crisis of ignorance”.

Fuller standing by one of his geodesic domes     

Eden Project, Cornwall U.K.

Another remarkable person, Victor Papanek (1927-1999), influenced the way sustainable design is practiced today. Papanek was known for his focus on “designs for the real world” and emphasized the moral responsibility of designers during a time where mass production was increasing rapidly. Papanek’s influence was acknowledged around the world through many books that he wrote which included his sustainability theories as well as sustainable design ideas.

Design from Papanek's book Design for the Real World, using recycled tin cans

*Informaton received from Winchip, S. (2011). Sustainable design for interior environments . (2nd ed.). Fairchild Books. and http://www.bfi.org.