• Reuse as much existing product as possible such as walls, light fixtures, doors and frames, millwork, drywall ceiling, acoustic tiles and grids, flooring, appliances, glass panels, sidelights and mail units.
• Use carpet tiles for ease of reconfiguration.
• Choose linoleum, cork or bamboo flooring.
• Use carpets that are solution dyed or use a recycled fiber.
• Use high efficacy lighting fixtures.
• Use ceiling tiles with a high recycled content and good light reflectance to increase the efficiency of your lighting plan.
• Retrofit fluorescent fixtures with an electronic ballast for increased energy efficiency and relamp with daylight adjusted lamps for increased quality of light.
• Consider reusing incandescent downlights, spotlights, wall washers and MR16s.
• Specify synthetic gypsum wall board, natural insulation and recycled steel products in wall construction.
• Choose recycled glass panels as well as recycled glass floor/wall tiles.
• Consider wall base that is two inches high as opposed to four inches, which uses less material; also consider rubber as opposed to vinyl.
• Look to water-based paints or wall covering made from reconstituted wood fibers.
• Paints should be specified with low or zero VOCs.
• Millwork may be made of wheatboard or gridcore and covered with laminate. Wheatboard finishes up beautifully and may be stained any color.
• Occupants should be given individual light and air controls in their environment.
• Furniture should be easily dismantled for ease of recycling.
• Look for fabrics made from recycled polyester or biodegradable fabrics.
• Select adhesives and glues that are VOC-free and water-based.
• Consider a water filtration system and recycling facilities for occupants.
• In pantries, use laminate fascias above upper cabinets to inhibit dust collection and bacterial growth.
Green Design is a new concept for designers everywhere. It is an idea that has grown into a new way of designing that has brought on a more conscientious approach in the way buildings are being furnished residentially and commercially. This is shown through flooring materials, paints, furniture, and even through structural elements.
Green Design guides the way of constructing buildings, materials used to furnish interiors, use of land, and restoration. Green Design eencompassesnergy efficiency, renewable energy technology, building design, and economic factors and incentives to use "green" building products and services. In the future this will evolve into a standard of inintegrating "green" building systems into the building and manufacturing process.
"Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."