The World’s Resources and the Populations That Consume Them.

As the world increases in population so does the need for more buildings. A larger population and more buildings can result in a majority of factors; one main factor though is an increase in energy consumption. To give a better understanding of what and how much energy is being consumed through buildings think about walking into your office or university in the morning. The lights are beaming down, the computers are glowing, the heat provides a comfortable temperature to do your work, and you may even take the elevator up a floor. All of these performances listed use energy and an increase in energy consumption is directly correlated to many of the world’s sustainability problems and since buildings play a large impact towards energy consumption it is important to be aware and apply the many green building certifications that are available. Another factor to take into account is the fact that the majority of these buildings are built in developed countries that can afford to do so. One main problem arising from this though is the fact that these building do not only affect the surrounding environment but they affect environments around the world. So it should be our responsibility to provide assistance to the less advantaged when building a structure. An interior designer, for example, may purchase sustainable sourced lamps in Mexico or purchase bamboo flooring from Asia that will help benefit other countries local economy and encourage sustainable sourcing around the world.

As described above the large growth in population is directly correlated to an increase in energy consumption. Air is one main element that is affected by an increase in energy consumption and more specifically the pollutants that are let off when energy is consumed. These pollutants can lead to acid rain, holes in the ozone, and global warming. Air does not only affect what human’s breath in but it also affects all parts of the eco system including water and soil. There are two types of pollutants: point or nonpoint source pollutants. Point pollutants result from one main source like a factory chimney. Nonpoint source pollutants result from multiple sources like a combination of pesticide runoff from a farm and toxins from a landfill that all combine in a local pond. There are many types of air pollutants but some main ones include modes of transportation, burning coal for oil, and industrial processes. This is why LEED addresses site selection as a category to score points as transportation and burning coal for oil are main contributors to air pollution.

Water is another important element for interior designers to address, as it is a resource that affects people, ecosystems, and habitats. Water is a vital element that is required for all organisms on this earth to survive. So if water become polluted or contaminated from either chemical or physical changes it can be detrimental. Some primary sources of water pollution include airborne particles and contaminants derived from agricultural production, industry, and sewage outlets. As these main sources for water pollution can be related back to buildings it is important for the interior designer to address these concerns when working with a client. For example the designer may recommend a chair that has been processed in a large factory that produces waste and the cotton used to upholster that chair may have let off chemicals into our water systems. These adverse effects should always be on a designers mind when selecting furniture or any other type of elements for a client. LEED also addresses water pollution, waste, and management. As you can incorporate for example, low water usage toilets.

As the population and the demand for more buildings in increasing so is the amount of land that is built on. Thus sustainable soil practices are essential to meet the needs of current and future generations. Reducing land usage and conserving soil is emphasized in LEED as well due to its high importance. If soil and land are not conserved many problems can occur including loss of grown of trees and plants and natural disasters including land slides and fires. As these are problems create both short and long-term problems that we must endure and future generations. Some strategies to prevent these problems from occurring include building in urban or brownfield sites, reducing the amount of space used on the land, keeping natural landscape on a site to be built on, and building green roofs. Check out some creative green roofs and read more on their practicality and innovative styles here, http://www.archdaily.com/193552/green-roofs/. One important way an interior designer can help reduce the amount of space used to build a house includes different spatial strategies. This entails the designer to make spatial decisions that are based on the immediate needs of a client and forecasted long-term changes.

*Information received from: Sustainable design for interior environments . (2nd ed.). Fairchild Books and http://www.archdaily.com/193552/green-roofs/.