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Sustainability is a topic at the forefront of contemporary interior design today. Not only is it better for the environment, for one’s health, and cost efficient; it also has low maintenance, a longer life-cycle and recyclable possibilities. This includes understanding codes, pre-occupancy evaluation of the space, bringing in as many natural elements as possible, making conscientious choices in materials, and providing effective energy sources.
Before you can even start the design process, familiarize yourself with the codes to make sure you are adhering to green and sustainability standards. Discover the guiding theories and principles behind biophilia, cradle-to-cradle design, environmental and health factors. Explore how best to approach a holistic design for your space.
Many factors play into the designing of a green home, most notably the climate and environment of your area. This could be the floor-to-ceiling windows characteristic in the American South to help stimulate airflow in the humidity and heat or it could mean choosing insulating materials for your Alaskan home to keep warm in the winter. However, green homes may also mean living in a multi-family structure like an apartment, condo, assisted-living facility, or government housing that is close to public transit.
After you learned what makes a sustainable structure, it is time to incorporate environmentally friendly materials to your design. Include energy-efficient windows, choose fabrics treated in less harmful chemicals, and up-cycled countertops for your kitchen. Bring in as much natural lighting as possible into the space, replace light bulbs with more energy-efficient LED bulbs, and use lamps as much as possible instead of overhead lighting. Find out what choices you can make to help your environment.
