Title: Determine how environmental sustainability and ecological issues affect interior design.
Course: Interior Design I (19263-I) > Section: Investigating Influences on Interior Design

Determination should include

- summarizing current environmental sustainability and ecological issues, such as those pertaining to air quality, water quality, soil and forest preservation, and energy conservation
- explaining how each of these issues affects the design of interior spaces, including current trends in the use of green-built design, sustainable design, and environmentally friendly interior materials
- describing sustainable certifications and their relationship to the interior design industry.

Process/Skill Questions:

Thinking

- What are current environmental issues?
- How do these issues affect the design of interior spaces?
- What legal and ethical concerns related to the environment are associated with designing interior spaces?

Communication

- How can a professional communicate environmental concerns to a client?
- What strategies can help a designer encourage a client to incorporate environmentally friendly designs and materials, even though doing so may cause higher costs?

Leadership

- How does an interior design professional educate a client about the influence of environmental issues on interior design decisions?

Management

- How do interior design professionals incorporate environmentally friendly interior materials into a design project?
- What management procedures are required to ensure use of environmentally friendly interior materials in a design project?

Teacher Resources:

- U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) EnergyStar program
- International WELL Building Institute’s WELL Building Standard
- Living Building Challenge, International Living Future Institute
- Southface’s EarthCraft
- Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association (BIFMA) LEVEL certification for furniture