Wood Adds a Sense of Warmth and Comfort to Architecture and Interior Spaces

Posted on May 14, 2013 by admin

May 14, 2013 by Lynn Hoffman

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Humans are naturally drawn to nature and feel most relaxed in natural environments such as gardens, parks and forests. This is known as biophilia.

Scientists say the feeling of relaxation felt in the presence of nature comes from a reduction in stress reactivity in our sympathetic nervous system, which is beneficial both physiologically and psychologically.

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The benefits of integrating biophilia into different types of design projects, such as Hospitality, Healthcare, Commercial and Residential has proven to achieve a positive outcome. In order to achieve a positive outcome, architects and interior designers maximize the use all natural light, access to outdoor views and the use of wood, stone and other natural materials in building designs.

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Humans respond positively to wood, as it is visually warm and contributes to a positive, relaxed atmosphere. In addition to emotional benefits, wood contributes to humidity control, controls air borne contaminants and emits very few harmful vapors. Integrating wood into architecture and interior design projects has positive results in both mind and body.

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The Demand For Green Building Materials Is Steadily Increasing!

Posted on May 6, 2013 by admin

Green Building Materials

The demand for U.S. green building materials is steadily moving forward and is forecasted to show an 11 per cent increase annually through 2017!

The Freedonia Group conveyed in their latest Green Building Materials report that the strong demand for green building materials will create a market worth nearly $86.6 billion in the U.S. Permeable pavement and structural products such as recycled concrete, FSC-certified lumber, and ENERGY STAR-compliant HVAC systems are expected to show above average gains during this time.

Because of the increased use of recycled concrete with fly ash, it is expected that there will be a greater demand for green structural building products. In the residential sector, the demand will grow in green building systems, as consumers turn to energy and water efficient systems to reduce their home’s utility costs.

The demand for green building materials in the U.S. has held up well over the past five years even though the global financial crisis generated by the widespread mortgage defaults and a sharp decline in U.S. construction activity from 2007 to 2012.

The Freedonia Group also mentioned in their report that the key driver of growth in the residential sector is the increased demand for green building materials and systems because homeowners are looking to cut costs through the installation of energy saving measures, such as ENERGY STAR-certified windows and HVAC systems.

Other residential construction needs that will increase demands are for products such as concrete, metal, drywall board, and carpeting.

As for the global market, the Green Building Material and Construction report by SBI Energy is equally optimistic about the growth in the international green construction industry. The global market is expected to approach $150 billion by 2016 and $294 billion by 2021.

Top corporations have responded to increased interest in green building by significantly stepping up their involvement in their sectors. The latest annual report released by Dutch electronics corporation Philips indicates that 45 per cent of its 2012 sales came from green products, generating nearly $15 billion.

 

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Too Much Sitting Has Become A Health Crisis!

Posted on May 1, 2013 by admin

Sitting The New Smoking-1Working and living in healthy sustainable office buildings and homes is important for the planet and your health, but have you thought about home much time you spend sitting every day?

Health studies reveal that people need to sit less, and get up and move around more. Many of us spend long hours each day sitting in front of a computer whether in a corporate office space or a home office space. On top of that, we spend more time sitting during our commute to and from work and then even more time in the evening sitting in front of the TV.

Diet and genetics contribute to obesity and overweight and so does simple inactivity. Physical inactivity is a leading risk factor for deaths due to non-communicable diseases. In addition, this is very similar to the number of deaths attributed to tobacco smoking. Studies show that the lack of physical activity is directly tied to 6% of the impact for heart disease, 7% for type 2 diabetes, and 10% for breast cancer or colon cancer. Being inactive for nine hours or more a day is lethal.

Sitting, lighting, air quality and our environment all affect our health. Health and environmental sustainability are linked. Here are several ways you can sit less and live a healthier life:

1. Take short breaks during the day while sitting at your desk and do some stretches from your chair.

2. Stand-up while working on the computer with the use of a hydraulic desk.

3. Take 20-30 minutes out door walk breaks at lunchtime.

4. Use the stairs instead of the elevator.

5. Park further away from your office and grocery store.

6. Become fanatical about walking.

 

 

 

 

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Courtyard Homes Experience a Rebirth

Posted on April 24, 2013 by admin

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Courtyard Homes-2After years of huge yards with rectangular shaped homes, homeowners are starting to return to the courtyard home. Courtyard architecture is one of the oldest home styles in the world. Over 5,000 years ago, courtyards were first built in the Middle East and China as a protective means from harsh weather and unfavorable neighbors. The design was replicated in Spain and the Mediterranean before spreading west to Mexico and California.

People are drawn to the design because they want a place where they can be outside and connect with nature, yet have privacy and feel safe. Courtyards allow natural light to flood into a home, which helps save energy during daylight hours.

The rising popularity of courtyards is drawn from the growing desire for transitional spaces that bridge together indoor and outdoor living. Courtyard homes are becoming a trend particularly in dense populated areas where tight property lines do not allow much of a yard, but can still fill the desire for outdoor spaces.

Automobile and entry courtyards have also become popular because they serve as transitional spaces to set a peaceful, off-street atmosphere, and welcome people into the house.

Today’s vast choices of new building technology, such as windows, doors and lighting allows creating whatever style courtyard one desires without too many design limitations. Window and door manufactures currently make 8-foot wide panels that can be combined to create a 32-foot long expanse. LED lighting can transform a courtyard into a purposeful room at night, so it does not become a useless space. With the use of mood lighting, you can create a romantic dining and/or a private hot tub area. Custom wood and gas combination fire pits or fireplaces can provide warmth and a whole other level of enjoyment to the courtyard home.

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We Have Won!

Posted on April 17, 2013 by admin

 

JDR Winner Badge Lg.

We are pleased to announce our blog is the winner in the Green category of the 2013 JDR Industry Blogger Awards!  It was a very tight race.  We thank you so much for taking the time to vote for us.

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The Meticulous Process of Sustainable Interior Design

Posted on April 17, 2013 by admin

Sustainable Design Ext..04.17Sustianabe Design. Int.t.

There is amazing green-building technology and science behind the walls of every new sustainable home.  The components of a house’s system help to improve the health, environment, and save energy and water for new owners.

Yet, the interior finishes and furniture are another major contributing factor to excellent indoor air quality, comfort, and durability of a home. Sustainable interior design is a very meticulous process of selecting the elements that are intended to contribute to and compliment a home’s lifestyle and systems. Collaborating with a project team and the homeowners, interior designers are able to create interior styles that bridge a home to the outdoors and its geographic location.

In creating an interior, it is important to bring the outside to the inside. This can be achieved by using many natural finishes, such as wood, stone and concrete.

The use of stone throughout a house can be used as a central design feature helping to contribute to a clean and calm atmosphere within the home and to reflect its environmental philosophy. A sustainable interior designer’s first choice of material is to try to use locally sourced stone and recycled materials as a key grounding element throughout the design.

Similar to many other finishes used within a home, wood is used because it integrates well with the desired indoor air quality and sustainability goals of a home. Repurposed wood fabricated from reclaimed timber is very well-liked. Tongue-and-groove style flooring is popular with a water-based stain and no formaldehyde, and is well known to clean easily with just soap and water.

Custom cabinetry in the kitchen and bathrooms along with any casement work helps reflect the flow of the home. They should be fabricated locally with low-VOC plywood and hardwood components along with low-VOC finishes.

All products throughout a sustainable house need to be carefully selected.  Should there be a need to have carpet or area rugs in certain rooms, be sure to select Green Label carpet and padding. For other products keep in mind waste, repurposing materials, low or no-VOC paints and low-maintenance materials that will provide a healthy indoor environment.

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Living Walls Help Improve Outdoor Air Quality

Posted on April 8, 2013 by admin

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Air pollution in cities around the world is rapidly rising. Living walls on buildings can help to lessen the damage to human health.

Polluted air can cause severe health problems. In addition to triggering asthma attacks, it can cause irritation to the eyes, nose and throat, bronchitis, pneumonia, and over a longer period, lung disease, heart attacks, liver, kidneys and brain damage.

A recent study of street canyons by biochemist Thomas Pugh and colleagues at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology in Germany has revealed green walls can reduce air pollution by a significant amount. If living walls were planted in street canyons or corridors between tall buildings, they could offer several benefits such as reducing noise, improving the energy efficiency of the building, and cooling city blocks. Besides living walls helping to improve  air pollution, they would esthetically improve the look of buildings and neighborhoods.

Green walls reduce air pollution by lowering intense summer temperatures through photosynthesis by capturing gases and trapping particulate matter. Vegetation-laden walls likewise provide buildings with thermal insulation, which results in less dependence on power and a reduction in harmful emissions.

The green wall study is a good alternative solution compared to reducing emissions from cars because it focuses on how to trap or take up more of the pollutants. It could allow governments to improve air quality in hot problem areas. Integrating leafy green walls into city blocks can take advantage of underutilized spaces.

Hopefully, Pugh’s study will demonstrate to policy makers a feasible way to reduce polluted air that isn’t expensive nor complicated and will provide clear-cut and simple strategies to improve health problems caused by air pollution.                          

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Basics of Indoor Air Quality

Posted on April 2, 2013 by admin

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Painting the inside of your home with low or no-VOC paints will not solve your home’s indoor air problem alone.  Improving indoor air quality requires a systems approach.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has responded to consumer demand for healthier homes by developing the comprehensive Indoor airPLUS label for new homes as a sister program to its Energy Star for Homes program.

To attain the Indoor airPLUS label, your builder must first qualify the sources of indoor air pollution by choosing the least hazardous products that are effective for the project. Using low or no-VOC paints to reduce harmful emissions as a sole effort in addressing Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is not sufficient.  In conjunction, the floor sheathing and carpet selections must be included. Specify only materials that minimize the risk of moisture damage and offer reduced levels of harmful chemical content.

Do not install a high-quality, ultra low-VOC carpet over a low-quality, potentially high-off-gassing pad.   It is extremely important to ventilate a newly finished interior prior to occupancy, and to continue ventilating, as much as possible, for several months afterwards.

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Sustainable Interiors Are No Longer a Trend

Posted on March 27, 2013 by admin

 

GreenUp LobbyGreen Living Walls

Americans spend about 90 per cent of their time indoors, because of this interior designers are experiencing a rapid change in client commitment to creating sustainable indoor environments.

Client expectations have increased when it comes to designs that guarantee the built environment and its interiors to promote improved human health and well-being, and products being sourced that support renewable energy, efficient lighting and water solutions.

An abundance of new technology is further supporting sustainable initiatives through commercial ratings like LEED and Energy Star, with the residential market following the same path to make more climate conscious decisions about their indoor environment.

Clients expect optimized energy performance and water efficiency measures in all new buildings and homes.

Indoor air quality and temperature strongly depend on outdoor air quality, weather and ventilation. The use of houseplants is being taken to a new level with green living walls, which are being used to absorb toxins caused by volatile organic compounds, formaldehyde and phthalates found extensively in carpets, finishes, furniture, furnishings, and window treatments. Indoor plants not only help to improve indoor air quality, they also contribute to human well-being and have shown to improve productivity and performance in the workplace and at home.

According to the American Lung Association, common indoor air pollutants such as radon, molds, pet dander, pollen, lead dust and asbestos are just a small fraction of the agents that can cause health risks. The Environmental Protection Agency lists poor indoor air quality as the fourth largest environmental threat to the United States.

The sustainability trend has evolved because of the concept of reuse, which is now known as up-cycling. Up-cycling is becoming more important to consumers whose focus has changed from the need for new and replaceable products to quality and hand made products.

Interior design shouldn’t be trend driven. Finishes and furniture should last a long time so they don’t need to be replaced regularly. Products that have honest sustainable credentials should only be used. Human health and the environment are at the core of the sustainable mission, moving toward ethical interior design will help promote economic and social growth while contributing to a healthier world.

To make a design truly sustainable, products should be sourced from local areas. By using sustainable woods that are farmed within a country where the project is being built, as well as, reducing waste and keeping an eye on water and energy consumption as achievable solutions.

Sustainable design, more than ever, needs to be at the forefront of all interior projects globally and we greatly need to correct the way we produce and consume.

 

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Green Interior Design in the WorkPlace and Home

Posted on March 19, 2013 by admin

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We build new and renovate existing office buildings and homes in order to elevate our quality of life and to make sure in the long term our spaces provide us with the best quality environments possible. 

Today with increasing legislation and the growing consumer demands for efficient and sustainable structures, energy efficiency, sustainable products, environmentally friendly practices are the key criteria in new construction and renovations.  Always keep in mind when selecting interior materials, finishes and new furniture, the effect it will have on a building’s inhabitants’ health.

In the commercial division of interior design, employers who have addressed these issues are experiencing the value of their investment by reaping the benefits from reduced staff sickness and absenteeism, more comfortable work environments, and improved productivity in the workplace.

As for the residential division of interior design, only those who are knowledgeable in the benefits of non-toxic interiors or have family members suffering from health issues tend to actively pursue healthier options.  A lot needs to be accomplished in order to educate people to understand the risks of current practices and the benefits of healthy non-toxic material choices.

The following are green basics to keep in mind when improving your home’s interior environment:

  •  Install good fresh air ventilation and efficient exhaust systems.
  •  Install low or no-VOC cabinetry, flooring and furnishings.
  •  Use low or no-VOC paints, glues and finishes.
  •  Use non-toxic cleaning products.
  •  Use non-toxic pest control.
  •  Purchase products only from companies with ecolabels and certifications, such as FSC, C2C, EcoLogo, GREENGUARD, Green Seal, Energy Star and WaterSense.
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