Building Systems Week 1- SJF

 

As an interior designer, you have a lot of ethical, moral, and legal responsibilities. Designers are required to do what is in the best interest of their clients, however, this is not the only factor that helps to make our decisions. We must follow our own moral guidelines. Additionally, we must follow the laws, codes, regulations and any other rules that the government has for us to follow in order to do our jobs to the best of our ability.  

When it comes to an Interior Designer’s role in a sustainable design project there is a lot of ways in which they can contribute. Designers can make sure that they are picking the most sustainable products to put into their designs. There are many theories of sustainable design that they can follow to help in this process. 

Some of these are: The Natural Step which encourages a sustainable society to eliminate contributions to degrading our Earth. Ecological Design, which is integrating the built world and the natural world. Following the Hannover Principles. Using design found in nature to solve human problems, which is Biomimicry. Permaculture, creating a local ecosystem that is sustainable. The National Park Service. Eliminating waste on behalf of the planet, known as Cradle to Cradle. Biophilic Design, which is Integrating nature and designs based on nature in interior design, which is meant to heal the body, soul, and mind. Finally, the Ecological Footprint, which measures how fast we consume resources and generate waste.  

A great way to make sure that you have an integrated approach to a design project is to make sure that every single member of your team is on the same page about sustainability. This team includes architects, interior designers, engineers, general contractors, owners, specialists, and a LEED Accredited Professional. When these people work together from social, environmental, and economic aspects, they can create an amazing sustainable design.  

Comparisons between architects and interior designers are shown above and are found in the book. But to summarize, interior designers focus more on the interiors of buildings, the space planning and cosmetic aspects.  

Some rating systems (that can give certifications) include the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI), Forest Stewardship Council, EnergyStar, Scientific Certification Systems (SCS), Master Painter’s Institute (MPI), Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), Greengaurd, Green Seal, Green Squared, Cradle to Cradle, Planet Positive, and WaterSense. 

Certifications are split into three parties; first, second, and third. The third party is considered the most rigorous review by an outside review organization. Some examples of these are the Forest Stewardship Council, Energy Star, Scientific Certification Systems (SCS), Master Painters Institute (MPI), Sustainable Forest Initiative (SFI), Greengaurd (which meets LEED rating requirements), Cradle to Cradle, Planet Positive, and finally Green Seal. Second party certifications are provided within one’s own industry, such as the CRI or Carpet and Rug Institute. While first party certifications are done by the company who produces the products.   

The space that I decided to evaluate on campus is chapel. Emotionally I have felt a lot of feelings in the building; happy, sad, excited, angry, confused, and probably every motion in between, but in general, I usually feel happy as soon as I walk in the building. Physically, honestly the building brings me both comfort and pain. When sitting in the comfy seats I am perfectly content, however, when we are required to stand for long periods of time, my knees get extremely sore due to ongoing knee problems. Spiritually I would definitely say that it is the place on campus where I usually feel closest to God. It is where chapel is held, so I worship in the building, along with listening to lessons from pastors, teachers, and all sorts of people from all over the globe, which can often be extremely inspiring.