Sustainable Commercial Interiors

A step--by--step guide to designing environmentally friendly commercial interiors. Millions of people in the U.S. workforce rely on interior designers to create environments that make them happy and productive, as well as promote their safety and well--being. Sustainable Commercial Interiors provides an engaging introduction to and exploration of the vast field of sustainable design as it specifically relates to commercial interior spaces. In Sustainable Commercial Interiors, coauthors Penny Bonda, a noted expert on interior design and sustainability, and Katie Sosnowchik, an interior design editor and innovator, share their passion for environmental advocacy while offering designers and architects the technical knowledge important for success in this evolving discipline. The authors apply the concept of environmental responsibility to the design of interiors, and employ the organization of the LEED Green Building Rating System(r) to sort the design process into five categories: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy issues, materials, and indoor environmental quality. Chapters explore: * In--depth information about interior finishes and furnishings, * Best contemporary examples of sustainable commercial interior design projects, including photos and drawings of the design, * Outside--the--boundaries thinking about sites, water, and energy issues, * Materials, with a strong emphasis on life--cycle thinking, * Indoor environmental quality, including acoustics, thermal comfort, daylighting, and views,> * Green design tools, including standards, certification programs, and specifications, Based on the premise that designers, with their power to create, have responsibilities beyond others, Sustainable Commercial Interiors is a vital tool for both novice and veteran green--minded practitioners.

Table of Contents:
Preface. Acknowledgments. Introduction. 1. SUSTAINABLE DESIGN: PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE. Sustainability Defined and Refined. Defining "Green". What Is Green Design? Overcoming the Obstacles to Sustainability. The Integrated Profession. The Design Charrette. Taking the Mystery Out of Commissioning. 2. GLOBAL ISSUES: AN OVERVIEW. As the Earth Warms. Living Lightly on the Land. Wet Gold. Want Not, Waste a Lot. Healthy Buildings, Healthy People. 3. SITES, WATER, AND ENERGY. Matters of Site. Reducing Water Use. Optimizing Energy Use. Lighting. Equipment and Appliances. 4. THE MATERIALS MAZE. Starting the Dialogue. Natural versus Synthetic Materials. Toxins. Material Safety Data Sheet. Life Cycle Assessment. Life Cycle Studies: A Comparison. Furnishings and Finishes: An Overview. From Trash Comes Treasure. 5. THE INDOOR ENVIRONMENT. The Air That We Breathe. The Elusive Thermal Comfort. Noise: The Other Pollutant. Let There Be (Day)light. The Importance of Views. 6. THE TOOLS OF OUR TRADE. Green Building Organizations, Rating Systems, and Design Guides. Product Standards and Certifications. Specifications. The Sustainable Library. 7. THE BUSINESS CASE FOR GREEN DESIGN. Building a Tangible Symbol. Making the Case. A Sustainable, Sustaining Workplace. 8. SUBSTANCE AND STYLE. Greenpeace: Materials Matter (Envision Design,Washington, D.C.). HOK: Working in Daylight Downtown (HOK, St. Louis,Missouri). Haworth Showroom: Sustainable Thinking, Smart Design (Perkins + Will/Eva Maddox Branded Environments, Chicago, Illinois). Toyota: Driving the Path to Sustainability (Gensler, Washington, D.C.). Accenture: Flexible, Fluid, and Ecofriendly (Davis Gardner Gannon Pope Architecture, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania). Continuum Center: Natural Healing (Guenther5, New York,New York). REI Portland: Sustainable Design Hat Trick (Mithun, Portland, Oregon). Herman Miller BG Building: Continuing the Commitment (The Environments Group, Chicago, Illinois). Nusta Spa: Defining Green Tranquility (Envision Design,Washington,D.C.). Sauer--Danfoss: An American Building with European Sensibilities (OWP/P, Lincolnshire, Illinois). Boulder Associates: Well Worth the Wait (Boulder Associates, Boulder, Colorado). Encore! The Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation (Gensler,Washington,D.C.). Notes. Glossary. LEED Terminology. Resources. Print Resources. Internet Resources. Index.