• The Chicago Athenaeum’s 2023 Laureate of The American Prize for Architecture Awards took place on Dec. 13, 2023.
• Chad Oppenheim founded Oppenheim Architecture in 1999 to design a new kind of sensory, site-specific architecture.

In December 2023 in the The Arts Club of Chicago’s chilly, artwork-filled event space, Miami-based architect and urban planner Chad Oppenheim received the Chicago Athenaeum’s 2023 Laureate of The American Prize for Architecture. Wearing a laurel crown, he thanked his team, clients, and collaborators—particularly Beat Huesler, who leads the international branch of Oppenheim Architecture based in Basel, Switzerland—for bringing to life incredible work around the world.

All of Oppenheim’s structures include green roofs, providing thermal insulation, rainwater retention, and habitats for flora, fauna, and humans.

“Subtle, powerful, elegant, and deeply romantic, he is a prolific American architect who is radical in his restraint, demonstrating his reverence for history and culture as well as time and space while honoring the preexisting built and natural environment, as he reimagines a more beautiful and poetic world with modern, meaningful buildings that relate to their context and reinvigorates the landscape and places in which his designs exist,” Christian Narkiewicz-Laine, architecture critic and museum president and CEO of The Chicago Athenaeum, told the crowd.

The Ayla Golf Clubhouse in Jordan was designed by Oppenheim Architecture using shotcrete and soil from the site. Openings are sized to capture coastal breezes, and sunlight is filtered through perforated corten steel screens. Photo courtesy of Oppenheim Architecture

The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies grant the annual award to architects whose body of work pushes the typologies and expectations for architecture to new heights with consistent vision and humanist ideals.

The prize is widely regarded as the highest honor for architecture in the US, and Christian emphasized it is also the only public award in the nation, as he placed a literal crown of laurels upon Oppenheim’s head.

Chad Oppenheim was awarded the prestigious Chicago Athenaeum 2023 Laureate of The American Prize for Architecture.

Accepting the award, the architect also expressed gratitude for science fiction films like Star Wars, Blade Runner, and James Bond that he said pushed his understanding of what architecture can be. His work over the last two decades includes cultural and hospitality buildings, residences, and urban master planning across continents. Many bear resemblance to the films that inspire him, while all offer sensory architectural experiences that respond to their context, guided by the philosophy that design follows life and form follows feeling.

Previous Laureates include Sir Norman Foster, Michael Graves, and last year, SHoP Architects.

The Muttenz Water Purification Plant was designed by Oppenheim Architecture. Photo by Börje Müller

The design of the Muttenz Water Purification Plant takes an industrial building and makes it a beautiful site in a protected ecosystem. The shotcrete rock face is colored with local minerals and this porous geological surface welcomes moss and elemental markings over time, with no required maintenance. Photo by Aaron Kohler

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• The construction industry is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.
• CHRYSO and GCP develop new technologies that help to reduce energy consumption, lower the carbon footprint of cements and concrete, and foster the circular economy.

The UN Climate Change Conference COP28 closed in December and included the release of “State of Decarbonization: Progress in U.S. Commercial Buildings 2023.” It may come as no surprise that the report indicates achieving US climate goals will require deep reductions across the US commercial real estate sector. The report provides key data and strategies for reducing buildings’ carbon emissions.

Some manufacturers, like CHRYSO and GCP (Saint-Gobain Construction Chemicals), have long been focused on sustainable construction with a portfolio of concrete admixtures and cement additives well-positioned to assist the industry on its journey to carbon neutrality by 2050.

We recently talked with Lisa Barnard, sustainability and customer engagement program manager for CHRYSO & GCP, about why it’s important to them to lower carbon—and how that’s ongoing now.

Why is the carbon conversation more important than ever?

GHG emissions by sector according to the “State of Decarbonization: Progress in U.S. Commercial Buildings 2023” report. Image courtesy of USGBC

The construction industry is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. And traditional concrete has long been a major contributor to carbon emissions due to the energy-intensive production of cement. It is our responsibility as a worldwide leader in the construction industry to develop new technologies for sustainable construction that play a critical role in helping to reduce energy consumption, lower the carbon footprint of cements and concrete, and foster the circular economy.

How does that factor into CHRYSO and GCP’s mission?

We are aligned with Saint-Gobain’s purpose of “Making the World a Better Home.” Enabling concrete and cement producers to reduce their carbon footprint and extend the life of their projects makes an exponential difference around the world.

We partner with our customers throughout the cement and concrete life cycle, enabling them to achieve their technical, business, and sustainable objectives. We are focused on delivering solutions that not only reduce carbon throughout the life cycle of concrete but also deliver resiliency and performance.

What solutions show this mission in action?

The integration of CHRYSO & GCP creates a vast depth of R&D expertise and technical know-how, alongside recent technologies for sustainable construction.

CHRYSO®Quad is one of our more recent solutions to assist the industry in achieving technical, business, and sustainable objectives. The innovative product offerings enable the use of lower quality, locally sourced or manufactured sands without compromising concrete quality, while improving the concrete CO2 footprint.

Another example is EnviroMix® SE—a novel class of strength enhancers for concrete. The next generation admixture solution plays a key role in Saint-Gobain’s commitment to the decarbonization of construction.

EnviroMix SE is part of EnviroMix—the first global range of innovative products and services aimed at reducing and controlling the carbon footprint of concrete. EnviroMix SE is the inventive strength enhancer for concrete that reduces the cement factor by approximately 10% in addition to the water reducer while maintaining premium concrete quality and performance. Water reducers are a powerful solution to reduce cement factor, but they can reach limits. EnviroMix SE is a powerful solution to further reducing cement and carbon while increasing the strength of concrete.

What does eco-innovation mean?

Our eco-innovation approach is to reduce the amount of carbon in concrete throughout the product life cycle. This means starting at the macro level by working with stakeholders to optimize design, delivery, and service life while also addressing the micro level to optimize materials,through chemistry and intricate life cycle analysis. This two-level approach allows us to make the most eco-efficient choices.

How have sustainability efforts evolved there?

There are tremendous opportunities/efforts engaged already to reduce the carbon footprint of concrete throughout its life cycle by and not only:

Increasing concrete performance through mix optimization strategies, which can include lowering the cement content

Sourcing locally available aggregates

Reducing rejected concrete loads through the automation of slump management

Treating returned concrete to reduce waste

Optimizing production processes to reduce the energy and water consumption

Evolving construction practices to use less steel reinforcement systems potentially using synthetic fibers instead

Extending the life of concrete structures.

CHRYSO & GCP provide solutions for all these efforts and work hand-in-hand with our customers to maximize their impacts.

Why is low carbon concrete important?

The production of cement contributes an estimated 85 to 90% of concrete’s carbon footprint. CO2 is produced during a chemical reaction that takes place when cement is being manufactured. In addition, the high-heat kilns used to produce cement run on fossil fuels, which results in more CO2 emissions.

We evaluate the entire life cycle of concrete, including cement, to make an impact on its carbon footprint. Thanks to the long life of concrete structures, the finished product has one of the lowest environmental footprints. Reducing the carbon footprint of the production of concrete even further will contribute significantly to reducing the construction environmental footprint, as concrete remains the most used construction material on earth.

What’s next for low carbon concrete?

The journey toward low carbon concrete is an ongoing process marked by continuous research and development and construction standards evolution. One promising avenue of research involves exploring new sources of supplementary cementitious materials, like natural and glass pozzolans and blended cements. These materials have the potential to further reduce the carbon footprint of concrete and offer additional benefits, such as improved durability and reduced permeability.

As a cement additive and concrete admixture supplier, it is key to partner with our customers to address the new and very specific challenges generated by these lower carbon materials.

What are other signs of sustainability at CHRYSO & GCP?

We use LCAs and EPDs both internally and externally for product development and transparency. In the journey toward carbon neutrality it is important to provide accurate and robust data. To that end we work with third-party providers to assist our customers in the development of their own LCA and ultimately mix specific concrete EPDs using our admixture specific data.

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• The multifamily industry must balance ambitious climate goals with a first-rate experience for residents while tackling a severe deficit of housing units in the US.
• The Artisan in Cleveland is a 24-story high-rise apartment property that also meets ambitious environmental goals in the city.

Dozens of cities across North America have signed on to sweeping climate pledges, many targeting carbon neutrality or net zero emissions—some by 2040, others by 2050. With buildings playing an outsize role in energy-related carbon emissions worldwide, there is no arguing that these goals will forever change the real estate industry.

A recent CBRE study outlining the climate initiatives of 10 North American cities notes that government regulations are a critical part of decarbonization efforts but also outlines the “transition risks,” or business-related risks associated with these policy shifts. In a market where obtaining capital and purchasing materials is increasingly challenging and the housing crisis grows more severe, the addition of further government regulations is another stumbling block on the road to development. The question becomes: How can the multifamily industry balance ambitious climate goals with providing a first-rate experience for residents and tackling the severe deficit of housing units in our country?

Combatting Prohibitive Development Costs

The Artisan. Photo by Salvi Media

What makes it so expensive to build today? Recent years have deepened certain obstacles—inflation, labor costs, and rising interest rates, to name a few. Outlining overall factors, a 2022 National Multifamily Housing Council report found that regulation by all levels of government accounts for an average of 40.6% of multifamily development costs, with 11.1% of those costs attributed to changes to building codes over the last 10 years alone. The profits ultimately obtained by multifamily developers are also lower than one might expect—the National Apartment Association published a breakdown of where each rent dollar goes on average. Only seven cents of every dollar is returned to owners as profit. The housing deficit in our cities is staggering, and by implementing overly stringent policies too quickly, we risk discouraging anyone from developing at all. In our quest for necessary climate action, we cannot neglect the fundamental needs of our communities.

Of course there are solutions, and there will continue to be great successes along the road to a more climate-conscious building industry. One such example is Artisan, a 24-story high-rise apartment property in Cleveland’s Circle Square. In addition to providing a growing neighborhood with 298 new housing units, Artisan is the first multifamily high-rise project in Cleveland to achieve Green Globe certification. It is also the first multifamily high rise entered into GBI’s Net Zero Energy and Carbon Pilot Programs and is beginning its journey toward zero.

Firsts are meaningful because they set examples for others to follow. Precedent and example play such an important role in how sustainability evolves. So what made this remarkable project financially viable? The city of Cleveland provided tax abatement for the project on the condition that it met the Cleveland Green Building Standard. The Artisan is a testament to what we can accomplish through civic reinvestment.

The Impact on Design

Photo by Salvi Media

Our nation’s cities are going to start looking different. We have fallen in love with the iconic all-glass high-rise in recent decades. As we reconsider how we design exterior elevations to align with increasingly stringent energy performance standards, this may mean more insulation and less vision glass. As an industry we are just beginning to explore what new construction systems we will use and how these will impact the look and feel of our buildings in the future.

The process has already begun. At Artisan we reduced the overall glazing area, upgraded the remaining to a high-performance glazing product, and introduced insulated spandrels in the facade design to increase energy performance. Additionally, a vast green rooftop helps combat the urban heat island effect, reduces stormwater released into the city’s system, and reduces heat gain and loss. The most ambitious design strategies are still at the bleeding edge. They will require a willingness to adapt to (and pay for) unfamiliar tactics, but they will ultimately drive better, and more creative, architecture.

The Resident Experience

Photo by Salvi Media

On the surface level residents may only feel the direct impact of energy conservation measures minimally through our energy-consuming systems. Cities like New York, Denver, and Chicago are shifting away from gas and toward requiring electric appliances. Depending on the type of electric range installed, this may change the way our residents cook and what kinds of pots and pans they use. Residents will also see increased electric bills compared to mixed gas/electric systems. There will be a transitional period, but it will be considered the norm by the next generation.

The impact will trickle down in other ways. Efforts to meet aspirational climate goals will drive system selections that are more expensive to build, which will increase rents. Keeping rents attainable is a huge part of fostering diverse and balanced neighborhoods. Ultimately there is a finite amount of money to spend on any project, and owners and architecture firms will need to collaborate to solve for budget constraints. This could mean cutting back on popular building amenities that increase resident satisfaction to use that available space instead as profitable apartment rentals.

It is important to note that the shift to a more climate-conscious building industry will also have long-term benefits for residents. As we develop better-performing insulation practices, utility costs for heating and cooling will drop. While government regulations for the time being are focusing primarily on energy performance, the industry is prioritizing health and well-being, particularly in the aftermath of the Covid crisis. Our buildings will be healthier, with better indoor air quality and nontoxic materials. Holistic resident wellness was a huge priority in the development of Artisan, which incorporates active filtration equipment, acoustical sound controls, access to green spaces, and materials specially selected for their low- or no-VOC ratings.

Looking Ahead

Photo by Salvi Media

We are in a moment of change. As an industry we are going to struggle, and we are going to find moments of success. As technology progresses many of these hurdles will become easier. Many of our building owners and developers are reeling, trying to survive amidst new regulations instead of striving to do better.

As a firm our motto is to “do better tomorrow than we did today.” The year 2050 is a long way off, and research may have accelerated new building methods we can’t conceive of right now. Instead of hanging our hat on “Net Zero by 2050,” we can set obtainable goals in a manageable time frame.

But to truly implement meaningful change, we all need to work together. With increased government codes, increased government participation is needed—through tax incentives and programs that will make greener buildings possible. Together we all can contribute to a solution.

Mike DeRouin, president at FitzGerald, co-authored this article.

Photo by Salvi Media

Photo by Salvi Media

Photo by Salvi Media

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• A top architect at LRK looks at what it really means to value and integrate nature in architecture.
• Modern architecture and design isn’t just about green buildings; it’s about green communities.
• Consumers are demanding the ability to engage and experience nature in the communities where they live.

Over recent years the architecture community, including our team at LRK, has witnessed a progressive shift in the emphasis on environment and nature as an integral part of design and development. The industry has moved from a focus on green buildings to an emphasis on green communities. Architects are embracing nature when master planning communities and approaching designs and plans with the overarching guide of prioritizing nature first. In addition to honoring our responsibility to the environment, architects and planners are seeing nature as a highly valued part of their developments.

The pandemic shifted the value nature brings in from the consumer perspective; there’s a desire to bring the outdoors into daily living. After the world was stuck inside their homes and unable to be out socializing, a desire to be outside was born. People found value in indoor-outdoor living and nature trails and places where they could be in touch with the outdoors during an isolating period.

The value people found in nature carried over to post-pandemic life and continues to grow. People want to experience nature, not just look at it. Additionally, the pandemic spurred the popularity of remote work and the convenience of delivery. In a world where people have the option to work from home or have food delivered to their front door, what draws people out? The drive to connect with nature draws people out, and we can’t compete with that. We’ve seen this value and emphasis on the experience of nature over just the view of nature across all types of planning and projects—retail, restaurants, office campuses, housing, mixed-use, and more.

When looking at the process of how we ensure we have a seamless integration of nature with development, it’s important to start with listening to the land. We start with walking the property and understanding the landscape and its unique aspects. By observing and listening we can learn from nature and see how it will be seamlessly incorporated. This approach is not new; it is a return to how towns, neighborhoods, and communities were traditionally planned around the advantages the land and natural environment provided. Now we’re seeing more of a return that approach in today’s industry.

Painted Tree in McKinney, Texas. Photo courtesy of LRK

A few specific projects come to mind when thinking of developments that exist in harmony with nature. Painted Tree in McKinney, Texas, is a master planned community where “your front door is your trailhead.” In lieu of a fitness center the community has an expansive system of hiking, biking, and walking trails that run throughout the community. The amenities are designed to nestle in nature and draw upon the architectural vernacular and inspired by state park architecture.

At Painted Tree the architecture is secondary to its surroundings with nature is acting as a backdrop for the built environment. Each building is intentionally positioned to preserve the existing natural environment. The buildings share a language with nature through the use of natural materials and simple details.

Meadowbrook Park in Prairie Village, Kansas. Photo courtesy of LRK

Another great example is Meadowbrook Park in Prairie Village, Kansas, where the community planned for a former 136-acre golf course, surrounded by established neighborhoods lacking sufficient park space, to be redeveloped as a planned neighborhood with significant open space. The community was re-envisioned as two beautiful neighborhoods with a mix of single-family homes, attached homes, luxury apartments, a senior living complex, and a boutique hotel with a café, restaurant, and food truck.

Meadowbrook Park in Prairie Village, Kansas is a former golf course community that was redeveloped to emphasize open green space. Photo courtesy of LRK

Two-thirds of the original Meadowbrook site was transformed into a public park that focuses on three centrally located ponds that were environmentally upgraded. The neighborhood form and building locations intentionally preserve mature trees and blend with the park through a formal frontage, green courtyard connections and neighborhood parkettes that act as a seamless continuation of the park experience. Repurposing private golf courses into public parks integrated with neighborhoods provides more people with opportunities to interact with nature and open space without the limitations of club membership and access fees associated with golf course use.

With master planned communities the return on investment is more valuable when there is an intentional incorporation of nature. The industry has seen heightened interest and sales in developments that have a heavy focus on nature. The accelerated lot sales in communities that integrate nature have enabled developers to see a quicker return on their investment.

The industry has seen heightened interest and sales in developments that have a heavy focus on nature.

Communities and developments that bring an opportunity to engage with nature to the people who inhabit those communities brings an intangible value as well. Being present with nature brings positive impacts to both mental and physical wellness. Discussions among buyers are becoming more and more centered around personal wellness, and in a time where remote work is bringing the office into the home, nature inspired wellness is more important than ever. The calming effect of being within nature has a significant impact on mental wellness, and the opportunity to be outside walking or riding a bike on nature trails contributes to physical wellness.

I believe we will continue to see master planned communities; multifamily developments and all types of projects continue to trend in the direction of incorporating nature. The indoor-outdoor living component is a trend we’re already seeing across all spaces—including retail, office space, and multi-use spaces with sliding doors, screened porches, and garage doors. The industry is moving toward thoughtful integration of nature and the built-form and moving away from creating a contrast between the two.

Moving forward I anticipate the industry will continue to push the envelope when it comes to developments not just coexisting with nature but allowing nature to be ingrained in development. Buildings will be intentionally and appropriately sitting within nature; they will be secondary to what the land already brings, and construction materials will be chosen based on what blends with the land. Consumers will continue to demand the ability to engage and experience nature in the communities where they live, and design will follow that demand.

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• Flooring and surfaces manufacturer Tarkett is a leader in circular design.
• Sustainability leader Roxane Spears says circular design is no longer nice to have; it’s essential.
• From recycling to design, the circular economy encompasses all elements of responsible manufacturing.

In the built environment the days of “out with the old, in with the new” are long gone. But “out with the old to recycle and reclaim materials, in with the next-generation product made from those materials?” It may be a mouthful, but embracing a circular economy is the only way forward, says Roxane Spears, vice president of sustainability at Tarkett, a top flooring and surfaces manufacturer and leader in circular design.

“When we talk about circularity, it’s not a ‘nice-to-have.’ It’s a necessity,” she says.

She’s not the only one who feels that way. In December 2022 the World Bank released its first comprehensive study on the circular economy, which found that the current “take-make-use-waste” model is increasingly unsustainable for not only the environment but also from an economic and inclusion standpoint.

And yet circularity seems to be shrinking. In 2023 the global economy is only 7.2% circular, down from 8.6% in 2020 and 9.1% in 2018, according to the annual Circularity Gap report.

We can’t keep throwing things away.

“We can’t keep throwing things away. We have to keep finding solutions of how we reuse, recycle, and repair because of our limited resources. We need to be able to create that circular economy,” Spears says. “And it’s not just one product, and we’re done. Once we get one working, we need to move to the next type of product, so we’re always thinking about how we can be better.”

The Road to Circularity

So how do we get there?

“The very first part of being able to design something that’s circular is starting with really good principles of design,” Spears says. “We use Cradle to Cradle and their five pillars as our principle of design. That gives us the ability to create a product that has healthy materials that we know we can recycle, that has good social equity, and is not jeopardizing supply chains, soil, air, or water. We don’t want to develop a product that doesn’t have good materials and create it to be circular to just keep putting bad materials out there.”

Of course every material—its makeup and the processes around its manufacture and recycling—differs. Manufacturers must develop a system that accounts for the proper, sustainable way to work with each material across its entire life cycle.

“At Tarkett we’re really working to make sure each product has its home and its process. It’s always a journey, but as a manufacturer you have to be responsible for what you produce. Even if it’s a product we produced 30 years ago, and we can’t use it back in new product today, we still have that responsibility to make sure we do something with it so it doesn’t go to a landfill, that it is recycled responsibly.”

The challenge, though, is often finding those material waste streams to begin with. Spears admits that, at this stage, it’s a hit or miss process.

“There’s no database or specific place you can go to. Where our team has found success is in simply starting conversations,” she says. “A lot of it starts with our procurement team looking for alternate materials and asking new suppliers, ‘Do you have something that’s recycled content that could fit our purpose?’ Or for our current suppliers, asking, ‘What else do you have? What else is out there?’”

Overall the built environment is lacking transparency around what reclaimed materials exist and are available to be reused or repurposed. If you’re not actively searching for circular materials, you won’t find them, Spears says.

“We really need innovation in the way we manage and process waste,” Spears says. “At Tarkett we probably have materials that could be used in a different manufacturing process, but how do we communicate that? That’s a missing link in the circular world.”

It’s Time to Get Creative

Designed for education and health care facilities, iQ Granit is certified asthma and allergy friendly and is part of ReStart, Tarkett’s program for take back and recycling. Photo courtesy of Tarkett

The other missing piece is creativity.

“I think all manufacturers really need to think outside of the box to discover the next generation of ingredients. I would love to see more diversity in the types of materials that are available,” Spears says. “Flooring has to be durable. It has to be easy to clean. It has to have low VOCs and contain healthy materials. But are there non-conventional ingredients we can use and still achieve our objectives? We’re getting to that point where people are like, ‘You know what, I’m ready to take a little leap of faith and try something really innovative.”

Despite current limitations, the industry is still shifting. Spears says she’s heard more general contractors talking about deconstruction and decommissioning of buildings than ever before, trying to figure out what to do with the waste streams they have and determine ways for those materials to live on. Manufacturers across the entire supply chain are in the weeds trying to grasp how to go circular and be more sustainable.

“Some of the suppliers we work with are now saying, ‘Oh, I need to look at my carbon footprint and make sure I’m doing the right things because it’s affecting your carbon footprint. You’re not going to want to use my product if it’s having a negative impact on your flooring,’” she says. “That’s exciting to me because that’s where we can move the needle. We always say designers have great buying power, but manufacturers do, too. We’re buying those raw materials. Let’s use our buying power to affect change across the industry.”

The post Why the Circular Economy is a Must for Manufacturers appeared first on gb&d magazine.

• Wellness is trending across hospitality, with increased efforts to make common areas both more relaxing and inviting.
• More hotels are also incorporating clubs and social activities to improve guests’ stays.
• Wellness in the bathroom is another priority in hospitality, with more amenities to enhance the self-care experience.

Health and wellness have become increasingly important in recent years, shaping our personal lives and how we travel and experience hospitality. As a result hotels and resorts are constantly evolving to meet the growing demand for health-conscious amenities.

The question is: What is wellness, and why is it trending in hospitality?

Wellness in hospitality refers to integrating health and wellness concepts into the guest experience at hotels, resorts, and other accommodation establishments. It involves providing amenities, services, and programs that promote physical, mental, and emotional well-being for guests during their stay.

We recently attended The Lodging Conference in Phoenix. As one of the leading hotel industry events in the world this event brings together the hotel industry’s most influential owners, operators, presidents, CEOs, investors, and dealmakers to strategize development, finance, franchising, management, construction, design, and operations.

During the conference we noticed a few exhibitors displaying a variety of elements that would enhance a person’s wellness while staying in a hotel. Some were innovative in their use of technology; others were thoughtful about utilizing space that would best suit their hospitality guests. In addition to presenting what we learned at the conference, this article will explore overall health and wellness upgrade trends in hospitality.

1. Common Areas & Wellness Spaces

Photo courtesy of Oatey

Common areas in hotels play a crucial role in enhancing the guest experience. These spaces foster relaxation, socialization, and overall enjoyment during a stay. By incorporating wellness elements into common areas, hotels can create an environment that promotes their guests’ physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

Running or book clubs where guests can share these interests or hobbies are other ways hotels are working to promote guests’ physical, mental, and emotional well-being.

For book club enthusiasts, a common area in a hotel specifically designed for their needs can greatly enhance their experience. This designated space could feature cozy and comfortable seating arrangements with plush armchairs and reading nooks. Ample natural and soft ambient lighting options can create a warm and inviting atmosphere for reading and discussions.

Additionally, providing a quiet and peaceful environment away from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the hotel creates an ideal setting for members to gather and engage in meaningful conversations about their shared passion for reading.

Fostering social interaction in common areas has become more crucial for hotels. By strategically designing and utilizing common areas, hotels can create spaces that support and enhance the wellness of their guests.

2. Wellness in the Bathroom

Photo courtesy of Oatey

Wellness in the bathroom has become a priority in the hospitality industry, with various features and amenities being introduced to enhance the self-care experience for guests. Linear drains are one notable upgrade.

Part of luxurious “wet-room” spa baths, linear drains are used in curbless showers and are popular for how they marry style and functionality. A curbless shower means cleaner lines in the bathroom, less visual clutter, and added accessibility—all features that enhance well-being.

QuickDrain linear drains offer a sleek and modern design that improves the aesthetics of showers and wet areas and provides efficient water drainage. Linear drain cover designs continue to evolve, whereas previously a shower drain might be seen as an oversight. Now designs are available to match the stylistic direction of the overall bathroom, complementing different motifs and aesthetics.

These bathroom features reflect the growing demand for self-care amenities that aid in managing stress and promoting rejuvenation. Additional inspirations like steam showers, extra-deep soaking tubs, water filtration systems, and voice-activated smart features further enhance the wellness experience, allowing guests to create a personalized oasis within their own bathrooms.

3. Lighting Options

Lighting plays a significant role in creating a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere in hotel rooms and can contribute to guests’ overall wellness. Hotels can consider incorporating the following lighting options to enhance both hospitality and wellness.

Natural Light. Maximizing natural light is essential for promoting well-being. Hotels can design rooms with large windows and curtains or blinds that allow guests to control the amount of natural light entering the space. Natural light has been shown to improve mood, boost productivity, and regulate sleep patterns.

Adjustable Lighting. Providing guests with adjustable lighting options allows them to customize the ambiance of their rooms. This can be achieved through dimmable overhead lights, bedside lamps with various brightness settings, and task lighting for reading or workspaces. Control over lighting levels allows guests to create their desired atmosphere and promote relaxation or productivity.

Warm and Cool Lighting. Different light color temperatures can affect mood and well-being. Warm lighting in the 2700K to 3000K range creates a cozy and relaxing ambiance, ideal for winding down in the evening. Cool lighting in the 4000K to 5000K range mimics natural daylight and can help guests feel more alert and energized during the day.

By incorporating these lighting options hotels can create a guest-room environment that enhances hospitality and wellness. Providing an optimal balance of natural and adjustable lighting and options for warm and cool lighting contributes to hotel guests’ overall well-being and comfort.

4. Touch-Free Technology

In light of global health issues and the increased focus on health and hygiene, touch-free technology has become essential in the hospitality industry to enhance wellness. This technology offers guests a safer and more hygienic experience, minimizing physical contact and reducing the risk of germs and infections. Hotels can implement touch-free solutions in areas like the check-in and check-out processes, room access, elevators, and bathrooms.

Touch-free faucets are revolutionizing the hospitality industry, especially regarding wellness and hygiene. These innovative fixtures provide a hands-free experience, allowing guests to access water without touching surfaces. This eliminates the risk of cross-contamination and the spread of germs, which is especially crucial in high-traffic areas like hotels and wellness facilities. By minimizing contact touch-free faucets promote a healthier and more sanitary environment, reducing the chances of illnesses and improving overall wellness.

Guests can enjoy a heightened sense of security knowing they can wash their hands or fill up water bottles without worrying about coming into contact with harmful pathogens. Furthermore, touch-free faucets contribute to a luxury experience, as they are often associated with modernity and sophistication in the hospitality industry. With these innovative fixtures wellness and hospitality establishments can prioritize the well-being and comfort of their guests, providing peace of mind and an enhanced sense of self-care.

5. Guest Room Enhancements

Photo courtesy of Oatey

To increase wellness in hospitality guest room enhancements play a crucial role in creating a comforting and rejuvenating environment for guests. Incorporating elements like aromatherapy diffusers and sprays, soothing lighting, and calming color schemes can significantly contribute to the overall wellness experience. Including ergonomic furniture, supportive bedding with hypoallergenic materials, and noise-canceling features can further enhance guest comfort.

In addition, integrating advanced air purification systems and incorporating natural elements like indoor plants can improve air quality and create a serene atmosphere.

Access to wellness resources like on-demand fitness classes, meditation apps, and healthy food options can also contribute to a comprehensive wellness experience. By investing in these guest room enhancements hospitality establishments can prioritize their guests’ well-being, leaving a lasting positive impression and garnering loyalty.

Overall wellness in hospitality aims to provide guests with opportunities and resources to prioritize their well-being while traveling. By offering a wide range of health and wellness options, hotels and resorts can cater to the needs and preferences of health-conscious travelers and provide a truly transformative and rejuvenating stay experience.

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• The New York School of Interior Design (NYSID)’s Master of Professional Studies in Sustainable Interior Environments program is focused on design for deconstruction and more.
• Interior design and architecture professionals from all over the world enroll in the NYSID program in-person and remotely to gain more knowledge in the field of sustainability.

David Bergman has always been interested in the environment—all the way back to when he ran his high school’s ecology club. “We called it ecology back then,” he laughs. “We did paper recycling drives, stuff like that.”

The founder of David Bergman Eco and author of Sustainable Design: A Critical Guide, Bergman is an “eco optimist” who founded the blog EcoOptimism—dedicated to the belief that positive, often symbiotic, solutions exist to our environmental and economic issues.

Today Bergman is the director of sustainability at the New York School of Interior Design (NYSID), where he oversees much of the programming, including teaching for NYSID’s Master of Professional Studies in Sustainable Interior Environments (MPSS) program. Professional students from all over the world study at NYSID—some in person, some remotely. The program is one of the leading educational programs in the industry when it comes to integrating design with sustainability.

We recently talked to Bergman—who’s also on the executive board of the NYC 2030 District and the Designers Lighting Forum of New York—about how he’s seen the industry change over the years. He shared some of his experience and insight about today’s demands and how NYSID is preparing the next generation of design professionals to provide more sustainable interiors.

What does sustainable interior design mean to you?

Let’s start by asking what it is we’re trying to sustain in sustainable design. I dislike when people say they’re trying to save the planet, because it’s a cliche, and really the planet will do just fine—maybe better—without us. What we’re really trying to do is to sustain a planet that we can survive on, or better yet, where we can flourish.

Then when we ask what sustainable interior design means, we can approach this even more selfishly, which, by the way, I don’t think is a problem because that’s often what appeals to people. It’s not just the universal or local ecosystem we’re concerned about; it’s also the number of indoor mini ecosystems we spend most of our lives in. Essentially what we’re doing is adding concerns about human health to planetary health.

How is the practice of sustainable interior design changing?

We’ve known for a long time that buildings are responsible for 40% of global energy consumption through their lifetimes. What wasn’t widely acknowledged until more recently is that the interiors of our buildings are responsible for a much larger chunk of that than was thought. That has to do with the relatively short life of many interiors versus the longer life of buildings—especially in areas like the hospitality industry, where an interior might get replaced every seven or 10 years. That’s a lot of material churn, a lot of embodied energy, and a lot of landfills.

We’ve gotten a reasonable start on improving energy efficiency of the operations of buildings, which means we now have to shift our attention to the materials, specifically interior materials, and bring those into scrutiny. We need to start thinking in terms of their embodied energy and in terms of the circular economy.

How do you address that high turnover rate in interior design?

That statistic came around a couple of years ago, and we’ve taken it very much to heart. I don’t think any of us really had numbers in front of us that showed the dramatic difference in the longevity of a building of 50 to 100 years versus an interior. You can’t point to very many interiors, except perhaps in landmark ones, that last that long. Look how frequently restaurants change over and how big the dumpsters are going out.

How can that be addressed in current training?

Student work from NYSID’s MPSS program. Rendering courtesy of NYSID

One of the big tools we’re starting to use is something called design for deconstruction; we’re designing for disassembly. The materials are put in knowing they may not stay there that long. How do we take that into account? How do we make that not a total loss? At the same time, by designing with that near future in mind, it may save the client money.

What are NYSID students looking for?

The students who are in the program already have professional degrees in interior design or architecture. Some of them have been working for a while. They’re looking now to focus on sustainability—to add that to their toolkit and be able to apply it in their work. Hopefully the degree opens doors for them.

I tell students as they’re finishing the program that maybe they’ll go into a firm that is already practicing a fair amount of sustainable design and they’ll become an asset to the team. Or maybe they’ll go into a firm that isn’t really there yet, and they can push the firm along.

What is the MPSS program providing the industry?

This work comes from NYSID students Grace Spiezia and Samantha Berlanga. Rendering courtesy of NYSID

It’s literally filling a void. I haven’t heard of any other degree programs where the sole focus is on sustainable interior environments. You’ll find a course or two in sustainability in most any architecture and interiors program, but this is designed for people who already have those earlier degrees. We do nothing but sustainable interiors.

And it’s in-person and remote?

Yes. That’s a big draw for the program. A student can participate from the classrooms here or from anywhere else in the world with a laptop simultaneously. They get exactly the same education. And that was not a Covid development; we’ve always offered this.

What are architects and designers demanding in projects these days?

Almost any design team now is looking to incorporate sustainability at some level into their projects, whether it’s because a client wants them to or because the team brings it into the picture. It’s almost a given that there’ll be some level of sustainability in any project. I think that’s very significant because it’s not only the designers promoting it; it’s the market demanding it.

With more focus on sustainability, are you seeing more sustainability-focused roles?

There are some firms that do have exactly that title—director of sustainability. It’s a specialty. For those of us in the earlier generations of this, we had to figure things out on our own. The people who are now becoming directors of sustainability or starting with a degree like this are still going to have to figure out a lot on their own, but they’ve got a big head start. There’s a lot more knowledge out there and a lot more technical expertise than there was, say, 30 years ago. That leads itself to be more easily embedded in an office.

How has that conversation changed since you were in school?

When I got out of college and grad school it was after the oil embargo. Energy prices got low and cheap again, and people suddenly didn’t care so much about sustainability, though we didn’t call it sustainability then. The firms I was working in didn’t do much about it.

In the early ’90s I started seeing really cool materials that were sustainable in varying degrees, things like wheat board that I would enjoy putting in my projects. I saw this possibility of merging good design with sustainable design that really hadn’t been that possible before. For instance, I had a secondary related company where I designed and produced light fixtures. I did that because I found these cool materials we could make fixtures out of and because compact fluorescent lighting hadn’t become any better at that point. This was long before LEDs. I saw a way to do energy-efficient lighting that looked cool. That was my stepping stone in the early mid-’90s into sustainability.

What do today’s sustainable projects look like?

Biophilic design and natural light are among the sustainable interior design elements seen in students’ work. Rendering courtesy of NYSID

The field of sustainable interior design is maturing. This is something I’ve been saying about the program and the field for a couple of years now. Not long ago a sustainable design might have meant energy efficiency or avoiding paints with VOCs. It’s now much more developed, especially in material health and how materials affect us. It’s so critical because we spend 90% of our lives indoors. All those chemicals are around us. It’s become even more critical in energy-efficient buildings because, ironically, they’re more airtight, so the cocktail of toxic chemicals in interior furnishings and materials stays inside unless the space gets mechanically ventilated. It’s great that our buildings are more insulated. It’s wonderful for energy consumption. But it’s created a secondary problem in the process.

The other thing is that now we’re getting this flood of information and data. It’s hard to understand what it means and how to apply it. When, as a designer, you’re presented with an LCA or EPD, you have to know how to interpret it, how to make comparative judgments, and how to arrive at your own decisions. That’s a big thing I emphasize in the materials course at NYSID. I tell students they have to understand what all the information is because then they’re going to make their own decisions.

How is sustainable design changing commercial projects?

If we’re talking about offices, mostly that brings in a whole additional aspect of employee productivity and efficiency. We’ve found things like daylighting and whether you have local control over the air temperature around your workstation, whether you have a good view of nature, those things can have a tremendous impact on sick days, productivity, and even employee happiness. That becomes a big value proposition to clients.

If a company has poor productivity or high turnover and they have to retrain new people, that’s a huge expense. Investing in sustainable design has a great ROI.

What do NYSID MPSS students learn?

We tackle sustainable design throughout all our BFA and MFA programs, but we really drill down into it in the MPSS because it’s the focus of our courses. We look at both the impacts and tools at our disposal in materials and lighting, mechanical systems, hard and soft goods, and the design, construction, and operation process.

Once we’ve gone through and investigated all of these we ask what’s next. We’re looking at not just what sustainable design is and how we do it, but what we need to be doing moving forward. It’s our hope that the graduates from the MPSS will become the next leaders in the field. We’re seeing that now.

Back to that idea of sustainable design allowing us to flourish—I like talking about that because people sometimes talk about sustainable design as this compromise or things we have to give up. It’s exactly the opposite in most situations. When we practice sustainable design, when we live in sustainably designed places, we live better and we can flourish as people.

When we live in sustainably designed places, we live better and we can flourish as people.

What’s changing now is that we have to simultaneously understand both the big picture and the small picture. It’s not just about specifying low-VOC paints and non-PVC flooring. We now need to be experts in so much more.

We used to practice sustainable design by a gut feeling or, in aviation lingo, flying by the seat of our pants. Now we have modern tools—something more akin to a digital cockpit, but we don’t have autopilot yet. This may be where AI comes in and helps, but who knows at this point?

How are students changing?

I’ve been teaching sustainable design at NYSID and other places for a while. One of the things I’ve noticed is the students coming into these programs—whether it’s a sustainability program or just a design program—know a lot more about sustainability now than they did 10 or 20 years ago.

I teach not just in the MPSS program but sometimes I teach first-year students, and I don’t really have to explain anymore what the greenhouse effect is. They know what fossil fuels are. They see what is happening; they’ve seen it in the news, and maybe they’ve experienced it. So we can start at a higher level.

The post Exploring the Evolution of Sustainable Interior Design at NYSID appeared first on gb&d magazine.

• JZA’s Jeff Zbikowski shares the benefits of walkable design in communities across the US.
• JZA specializes in the dense, walkable projects that aim to ease the affordability crunch in cities across the US.
• Other benefits of walkable design include reduced CO2 emissions from fewer car trips and health benefits from residents walking and biking more frequently.

Across the US two separate but related trends are coming to define the current housing market. On one hand an affordability crisis is putting homeownership out of reach for many. On the other both home buyers and renters are gravitating toward more walkable communities, where daily amenities and necessities can be reached without a car.

For architects like JZA Architecture principal and founder Jeff Zbikowski, specializing in designing affordable and walkable communities, the two go hand-in-hand. That’s because the rise in popularity of denser housing developments that forego onsite parking is helping to alleviate a housing shortage that has driven up costs from coast to coast.

“Eliminating cars typically frees up ground floor space for retail and eliminates basement parking, which reduces the cost of construction and allows developers to provide more dense housing,” Zbikowski says. “That increases supply and further drives down the costs of those units, creating a more affordable community.”

A number of factors have made walkable design increasingly popular, especially among young professionals in major cities. The rise of remote work and post-pandemic desire for socialization has had a large impact.

“People really value living in a community where they don’t need to drive to work. They’re biking, taking transit, and walking around,” Zbikowski says. “If you’re not spending 45 minutes a day each way going to the office, you have so much more time to go out and live in your community.”

Strong walkability design in a multifamily project like Beta Apartments may include reducing or eliminating parking, freeing up space for pedestrians. Rendering courtesy of JZA Architecture

But as Millennials age and struggle to purchase a home as previous generations have, the affordability that walkable design offers is critically important.

Few areas have experienced the nationwide affordability crunch like cities such as Los Angeles. But over the last year conditions have begun to change—dramatically—with a new California state law. “This year it turned into the wild west with these affordable, walkable projects,” Zbikowski says. “Developers are building crazy density right now.”

In January 2023 California eliminated parking minimums within a half-mile of transit stops. That law complements a 2014 LA transit oriented development (TOD) ordinance that allows greater density the closer a development is to transit. This, along with increased affordability bonuses and reductions in red tape, has led to a boom in walkable, affordable development.

“Last year we had 600 units under contract. This year that’s up to 4,000 affordable housing units under contract,” Zbikowski says, despite rising interest rates. “The vision for the future is to continue on this trajectory, bringing identity to each project, being respectful of local contexts, and promoting walkability.”

Other benefits of walkable design include reduced CO2 emissions from fewer car trips and health benefits from residents walking and biking more frequently, like from these Cherokee Avenue Apartments. Rendering courtesy of JZA Architecture

JZA’s Cherokee Ave. Apartments in Hollywood is one such development that benefited from these zoning changes. One of Zbikowski’s first projects when he founded the firm back in 2017, Cherokee Ave. is emblematic of the many roadblocks that slowed dense, walkable projects under the former development regime.

Initially planned as a 12-unit apartment building, Zbikowski was then tasked with redesigning the project into 18 units before opposition to the increased density sent the unit count back down to 12, and then from an apartment building to a small-lot subdivision. With the changes in state law, Zbikowski and the developer were able to bypass the traditional review process and were approved for a 53-unit, five-story affordable development.

“We were able to convince city planners that we’re on a busy street and should be able to build higher density, taller, and still create something that’s tasteful,” Zbikowski says. “Now you have affordable housing, density, and it’s in an area where you can walk to retail and grocery stores.”

Though taller and denser than its immediate neighbors, city officials agreed the Spanish Revival design with a modern twist fit well into the neighborhood context. Construction is expected to start in late 2023.

And while affordability is top of mind for many, it’s hardly the only advantage of designing walkable communities. Additional benefits range from fostering social interactions among neighbors and enhancing a sense of place within communities to the climate benefits of fewer cars on the roads and the health benefits of walking and biking.

That’s one of the key approaches Zbikowski takes to designing walkable projects. “We typically like to oversize our bicycle parking while reducing car parking,” he says, and adding space for larger, rentable cargo bikes gives residents another way to get to the grocery store without a car.

JZA Architecture says dense, walkable projects like the Beta Apartments aim to ease the affordability crunch in cities across the US. Rendering courtesy of JZA Architecture

At the under-construction Beta Apartments near the University of Southern California campus, JZA planned a large space for bicycles given the area’s walkability and the transportation needs of students—who tend to get around without a car. “Designing walkable projects is very site-specific,” Zbikowski says. “You can’t just place a 100-unit building with no parking anywhere.”

Though LA has long been infamous for its car-centric design and urban sprawl, the city may look quite different a decade from now as these types of dense, walkable, and affordable projects continue to proliferate. “Creating these smaller community-centric developments will be a catalyst to create more walkability in these neighborhoods,” Zbikowski says. “The demand is certainly there.”

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• The Solutions Studio team at Arktura is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in architecture.
• A design professional shares his experience and journey to joining the Arktura team.
• Solutions Studio is a team within Arktura that specializes in creating custom solutions for clients.

Architecture is an ever-evolving field that requires constant innovation and creativity. In this industry it’s never enough to simply keep up with trends and innovation; you must be ahead of the curve in all aspects of engagement. Solutions Studio from Arktura is a team of architects, designers, engineers, and more creating groundbreaking designs that push the boundaries of what is possible in architecture.

The team at Solutions Studio creates customized systems for the built environment from a passion for developing beautiful, functional, and sustainable structures that stand the test of time. The mission of Solutions Studio is to elevate space from all angles—whether it’s tailored metal panel systems or acoustical installations or even inventive solutions like the custom exterior facade above featuring custom designed Vapor panels with Arktura backlighting.

To offer a better sense of the innovative nature of Solutions Studio, its products, and its team, allow me to take a step back and provide some additional context into how I stumbled upon this one-of-a-kind company.

My Journey to Arktura

Solutions Studio, along with the team at Arktura (including members of the design and production team), collaborate to create custom-designed solutions. Photo courtesy of Arktura

I’ve always been fascinated by the inner workings of things. The process of assembling components in a particular order excites me, and I enjoy building something new out of these pieces. Even when studying architecture and developing my own design style, creating something in two dimensions was not enough. I was always curious about how it would be constructed.

When I graduated from the University of Southern California I found a job in the architectural lighting industry designing custom light fixtures integrated into facades featuring high-resolution media screens. I enjoyed this work more than traditional architecture because it allowed us to engineer and fabricate custom products for each project. More than simply designing complex solutions, I also wanted to get my hands on the production and manufacturing side of projects on this scale. One project opportunity that came to our desks required a custom perforated light column, and my coworker knew of a company in South LA that could assist—Arktura.

Soon after we toured Arktura’s facilities and I discovered a team who shared my passion and interests. Their Solutions Studio caught my immediate attention for the members’ creativity, design, and fabrication skills. After seeing their remarkable work and meeting the enthusiastic team, I knew joining the company was the right decision for my career. It was clear to me that this specialized team was the design-build synergy that I’d been searching for.

In 2018 I became part of the Arktura team as a project manager. I eventually moved into a new position as a sales manager with Solutions Studio where I could further design and create for the built environment. Working with Solutions Studio I was able to contribute to the future of commercial design and develop my skills.

The Architect’s Architect

Custom solutions can be developed for any size space. This custom acoustic wall is based on a preconfigured system, then adapted to this specific project’s parameters at Geodis, designed by Gresham Smith and Partners in Brentwood, Tennessee. Photo by Robbins Photography

In the simplest terms, Solutions Studio is a team within Arktura that specializes in creating custom solutions for clients. They offer a range of standard and preconfigured systems that can be adapted to suit individual projects. Solutions Studio collaborates with clients with our design assist to fulfill their design vision on any scale.

Challenging demands require an experienced team of designers, engineers, machinists, and critical thinkers to fully realize these projects. Solving these unique design and manufacturing challenges is the type of work that attracted me to Arktura. Creating possibilities and designing solutions is the type of work I’ve been fascinated with since I was young.

Arktura’s Core Values

Arktura sets out to embody its core values of accuracy, resourcefulness, and technology in everything they do. Photo courtesy of Arktura

Resourcefulness. Solutions Studio still requires and embodies all those things, but as our company grows and times change, we are uniquely positioned to adapt. Doing this requires balance. On the one hand we embody a white glove, concierge, and high-end luxury vehicle service that helps our client’s unique visions become reality. On the other our process needs to be sustainable, forward-thinking, and resourceful.

Metal fabrication shops are plentiful in our industry and are becoming more saturated with acoustic material manufacturers. But while most places can cut perforations into a metal panel, few have the same level of design comprehension, customer service, quality standards, and outlook toward efficiency as Arktura’s Solutions Studio.

Accuracy. Accuracy and efficiency are not just how one cuts or bends something correctly. Efficiency also means ensuring the maximum amount of material is sustainably utilized. Generating scripts can save time on thousands of cut files while designing a fixture can make a repetitive task easier for the assembly team. The order in which a system is installed and accessed in the future should also be considered, as well as ensuring something will remain timeless for years to come for everyone interacting with it.

Technology. If we can’t find the perfect solution we’ll create it. If we cannot find the right software or development tool, we will develop it ourselves. Our team explores ways to integrate design with the latest technology and techniques, giving our clients access to the most advanced methods for custom manufacturing. Solutions Studio exemplifies how we are a technology company at heart and committed to using computation and machinery in innovative but practical ways. We see every bit of technology as a chance to improve our clients’ outcomes, and that holistic approach means we stay ahead of the competition.

The Solutions Studio Process

Custom solutions come to life thanks to the dedicated team of designers, engineers, fabricators, and more at Solutions Studio. Photo courtesy of Arktura

What sets Solutions Studio apart from other metal and acoustic manufacturers isn’t just our process but the people behind it. It’s the dedicated designers exploring the unknown in developing innovative new systems and solutions. Our engineers closely examine and test these new systems, ensuring they meet our stringent standards. Our fabricators create and assemble these systems to bring a new wave of design to the built environment. Without these hard-working teams our systems are nothing more than an idea.

If the client doesn’t have a specific vision for their project our design assist team is here to help with a fundamental approach to collaborative design. Solutions Studio’s team can assist in design development, from the earliest stages of an idea to fully finished concepts. This partnership extends from the initial consultation call until the project is installed on-site.

The Art and Emotions Behind Architecture

More than a focal point, custom projects can be tied into the client’s branding, as seen with this gene sequence displayed into perforated Soft Sound for Amicus Therapeutics in Philadelphia, designed by CRB. Photo by Connie Zhou

A building or system’s appearance and functionality are less important than the emotions they evoke. I learned in school and continue to learn daily that a space or object can unexpectedly provoke genuine feelings within you, which is the most fascinating aspect of the experience.

I could look at renderings, fly around a 3D model, or understand how certain materials and finishes react based on their physical properties but still never fully grasp how something will look once it’s made. The excitement when you meet with a designer and see their initial renderings and sketches is due to knowing there will be infinitely more ways to experience what will be constructed.

When looking at a design concept through multiple lenses—the lens of an architect, engineer, or machinist—one does so with a deeper understanding of what’s involved and what limitations exist. This understanding comes from experience and acquired knowledge, which ultimately helps guide a project to success.

One critical lens that continues to gain traction is sustainability. More than ever it’s vital that we design and construct with sustainable intentions as architects and developers of the built environment. This intentionality can come in the form of using recycled materials and how we utilize materials to their maximum potential and the tools required to fabricate them.

Our Vision—Today and Beyond

With close collaboration, cutting-edge technology, and Arktura’s resourceful team, Solutions Studio was able to bring innovative solutions to the built environment for this Tesla project, designed by Michael W. Folonis Architects in Santa Monica. Photo by Art Gray

Solutions Studio wants to continue being the one-stop shop for ideas—striking the right balance between white glove service and resourceful business innovation.

Through constantly exploring new materials, processes, and innovative technologies we can push the boundaries of what is possible in architecture and design. We want to be the experts who make dreams reality and achieve that in even more conscious and inventive ways. It’s not about saying no to things based on limitations but saying yes with a thoughtful and intelligent lens.

The post Solutions Studio Pushes Boundaries in Architecture and Art appeared first on gb&d magazine.

• The circular economy model aims to eliminate waste and resource over-extraction by keeping materials in circulation for as long as possible via recycling, reusing, refurbishing, leasing, and repairing products.
• Architects, engineers, designers, and product manufacturers can promote the circular economy by reusing materials wherever possible, ethically and sustainably sourcing raw materials, incorporating green energy, and more.

Current data estimates that the built environment is responsible for approximately 40% of the world’s carbon emissions, while the construction and demolition (C&D) industry as a whole produces over 33% of the world’s waste and accounts for nearly half of all resource extraction.

“Excessive waste is the unfortunate byproduct of a consumer culture that grew during a time when the world did not understand the perils of overconsumption,” Richard Skorpenske, head of sustainability and public affairs at Covestro, previously wrote for gb&dPRO. “Through a combination of market forces, design trends, and consumer demand, an ‘extract, use, discard’ cycle became the dominant mode of manufacturing and consumption.”

Historically our economic method of production and consumption has been incredibly linear, following the “take, make, waste” philosophy—resources are extracted and products are manufactured before being sold, used or consumed, and finally disposed of once they are perceived to have outlived their usefulness. This model uplifts convenience and profit at the expense of conservation and sustainability.

This does not, however, have to be the case, as there are other economic models which seek to eliminate waste production altogether and facilitate a regenerative approach to resource use: enter the circular economy.

What is the Circular Economy?

Amsterdam is on track to becoming one of the world’s first cities to adopt the circular economy model. Photo by Alan Jensen

While the concept itself is a bit more complex than can be conveyed in a single article, the fundamental idea behind the circular economy is that of creating a system of production and consumption which emphasizes reusing, refurbishing, repairing, leasing, and recycling existing materials and products for as long as is feasible.

Ultimately the circular economy’s goal is to reduce pollution and waste production as much as possible by extending the life cycle of each and every product or material in circulation. In this way the environment as a whole is less impacted by human activity and is actively encouraged to regenerate what has been lost to over-extraction.

Achieving a circular economy varies depending on the sector, industry, or other socio-economic entity in question; the individual consumer, for instance, plays a different role in reducing waste production than, say, a grocery store or energy provider, though there is some overlap.

10 Ways to Promote a Circular Economy

Here are a few ways in which architects, engineers, and designers can promote the circular economy in their work and projects.

1. Prioritize Renewable Energy

Initiated and developed by the residents themselves, Schoonschip Amsterdam includes 46 self-sustaining floating homes powered by solar energy. Photo by Isabel Nabuurs

Prioritizing the adoption of renewable energy sources over the burning of non-renewable fossil fuels is fundamental to promoting a circular economy. Hundreds of millions of tons of fossil fuel combustion waste—that is, the slag, ash, and other particulates created by the burning of oil, coal, and natural gas—is produced each year, most of which contains toxic heavy metals or other harmful compounds.

These waste byproducts, of course, are in addition to the greenhouse gasses (GHGs) produced by fossil fuels as they are burned—the very same GHGs fueling advanced anthropogenic climate change. Incorporating renewable energy sources like wind, solar, geothermal or hydropower helps remove these waste and pollution streams, while also helping to lower a structure’s operating costs. Excess energy can even be shared with others via an energy cooperative or using block chain technology, as practiced by the Schoonschip Amsterdam integrated community in the Netherlands.

It’s important that the transition to renewable energy sources does not inadvertently come at the cost of producing new forms of waste. Lithium, nickel, cobalt, and other high-value materials, for example, are often crucial to the production of renewable energy technology—but the mining of these materials often generates harmful waste that pollutes local soil and waterways.

Fortunately there is already a large amount of these materials in circulation via discarded phones, laptops, and batteries, of which may be collected and repurposed for use in green energy technologies.

2. Use Renewable & Sustainable Materials

Photo courtesy of StructureCraft

Similarly the widespread use of renewable, sustainable building materials—like timber, stone, bamboo, cork, and the like—helps eliminate construction waste in that they may easily be recycled, reused, or left to decompose once they have reached the end of their operational lifespan.

For help in finding sustainable products and considering the environmental impact of building materials, architects and engineers can look to Cradle to Cradle, a platform that certifies products based on their ability to contribute to the circular economy. This makes it easier to design buildings whose materials may be collected and repurposed at the point of demolition, similar to how one draws money from a bank to spend it elsewhere.

“In the future, we will create buildings that are essentially material banks whereby the materials a building contains are selected based upon principles of circular design, material health, and design for disassembly and recovery,” Stacy Glass, vice president at the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute, previously wrote for gb&d. “In turn, this approach will help owners realize greater economic value, occupants will have improved health, and the environment will bear less of the burden of growth and consumption.”

3. Harvest Natural Materials Sustainably

The Green School in Bali is built almost entirely out of ethically-sourced bamboo, a highly-regenerative plant that may be harvested multiple time throughout its life. Photo by Tommaso Riva

Whether you’re sourcing raw materials directly or purchasing them through a manufacturer, care should be taken to ensure that those raw materials were harvested in a sustainable, regenerative manner—that is, they are replenished at a faster rate than they are extracted.

Construction-grade timber and wood products, for example, should only ever be sourced from manufacturers or material providers that utilize timber from FSC or Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) certified forests. These forests are managed to strict social, economic, and environmental standards to ensure that biodiversity is preserved and that local peoples’ benefit from the activity.

4. Prioritize Material Reuse

Waste—including fishing nets, industrial plastic, and carpets—is collected to be regenerated into ECONYL nylon. Photo courtesy of ECONYL by Aquafil

The reuse of existing materials—even high-carbon materials like concrete and plastic—should be made priority whenever possible, as reusing these assets ultimately eliminates more waste and reduces the overall demand for new materials.

Reclaimed wood, for one, can be used in a multitude of ways, from flooring and siding to furniture and even as accent features. Steel—one of most prolific building materials out there—also has near infinite recyclability and can be continually re-melted, molded, and shaped without losing its desirable qualities.

Out of all existing materials, plastic is the most widely available and one of the most uniquely suited to reuse in product manufacturing. Aquafil—one of the leading manufacturers of synthetic fibers for the textile industry—for example, has recognized the role of plastics in the circular economy, as evidenced by their ECONYL® fiber.

Made from nylon waste sourced from recycled carpets and fishing nets, ECONYL® helps breathe new life into a material often discarded with wanton abandon. “We are trying to create a new world for plastics and fibers that can be regenerated to open the doors to solutions,” Giulio Bonazzi, chairman and CEO of Aquafil, told gb&d in a previous interview. “Making raw materials from renewable sources, recycling them at the highest possible level without the necessity of taking new resources from the planet—this is our vision.”

5. Avoid Toxic Chemicals

Valspar’s Signature paint is one of this brand’s low/no VOC offerings. Photo courtesy of Valspar

While a circular economy primarily seeks to eliminate waste, there is also a focus on reducing pollution and the use of harmful chemicals and compounds in materials and products; we want these resources to be kept in circulation for as long as possible without compromising human and environmental health in the process.

When it comes to the built environment these toxic compounds are most present as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), or gasses that are gradually emitted throughout a product’s life cycle. Long-term exposure to VOCs can exacerbate existing respiratory diseases, lead to the development of respiratory diseases, and even cause certain cancers. Paint thinners, sealants, coatings, adhesives, and solvents are the most notorious VOC producers.

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When choosing materials or products for a project, verify whether they bear an LBC Red List Free label. Compiled by the International Living Future Initiative, the Red List is a comprehensive guide to the “worst in class” chemicals, materials, and elements that are known to cause serious harm to human and ecosystem health. Red List Free products fully disclose 100% of their ingredients at or above 100 ppm in the final product and do not contain any chemicals on the Red List.

Most Red List Free products and materials are, by definition, also low- or zero-VOC as well.

6. Implement Regenerative Design Principles

Construction for the MAC Lodge minimized the impact on the neighboring trees. Photo by Chad Holder

From an ecological perspective, “regenerative” refers to the ability of an ecosystem—that is, the land itself and all of its living and non-living inhabitants—to recover and replenish from ecological harm.

Regenerative design in architecture describes a specific methodology or philosophy that views the built environment as an extension of the natural environment and seeks to construct buildings with a positive impact on their respective ecological communities. Rather than simply reduce their consumption of energy or resources, regenerative buildings actively give back more than they take by mimicking the circular biological systems found in nature.

In practice, regenerative architecture makes use of a variety of design principles, including: landscape integration, whole systems thinking, resource replenishment, collaboration, and more.

7. Involve the Community & Design for Multi-Use

Wheeler Kearns Architects designed The Night Ministry in Chicago, renovating three floors of a former manufacturing facility in the Bucktown neighborhood. Photo by Kendall McCaugherty, Hall + Merrick Photographers

Another way to promote equitable adoption of the circular economy is by involving the community early on in the design process for all planned development projects. In conversing with long-term residents, architects and their clients can better understand the needs of the community and the different ways they might use a space over time.

For this reason new building projects should be designed to be flexible (e.g. an open floor-plan that may be easily rearranged) and multipurpose or multifunctional, so that a structure may change and adapt to the community’s needs without necessitating additional resource extraction or the demolition and the construction of an entirely new building.

This concept applies to existing buildings as well—before deciding to build from the ground up, verify whether there isn’t an existing building that has since outlived its original purpose that could be adapted to the community’s or client’s present needs. Similar to reusing materials, reusing an entire structure (or its envelope and framework, at the very least) will always be better than constructing a new one, as it prevents a significant amount of waste from entering landfills and reduces demand for new material.

8. Take Full Advantage of Building Construction Technology & Software

3D BIM software can help architects prevent construction-site waste before it happens. Photo courtesy of Enscape

It’s one thing to talk about reducing waste on the job site, but it’s another thing entirely to actually achieve it. Fortunately, advancements in building construction technologies and software—specifically those relating to 3D printing, building information modeling (BIM), real time visualization, building performance simulations, and construction site monitoring—have made it easier for architects to minimize on-site waste production at the outset.

“These technologies deliver a new level of precision to the building process and can significantly reduce waste and rework,” Dustin Stephens, vice president of Sage’s construction and real estate practice, previously wrote for gb&dPRO.

This same line of thinking also applies to preconstruction and prefabrication technology, which offer increased levels of control and quality-assurance that ultimately reduce waste produced by the manufacturer as well as waste produced on the construction site.

9. Conduct a Life Cycle Assessment

DIRTT was the first interior construction provider to complete an LCA for one of their products. Photo courtesy of DIRTT

Another way architects, designers, and even product manufacturers can promote the circular economy is by conducting a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). This particular tool utilizes scientific principles and methods to evaluate a product or built structure’s environmental impact over the course of its entire life-cycle.

LCAs can help identify potential weaknesses when it comes to a product or building’s waste and carbon production—but they can also help assess potential solutions or other options that may resolve those weak spots. Changing the input parameters of a project’s LCA can also provide insight into how certain factors may influence the performance and impact of the building or product over time.

DIRTT, for example, is a company that provides fully customizable interior environments for a variety of facilities—what makes them special, however, is that they were the first interior construction provider to complete LCAs for their products as a testament to their efforts at attaining circularity. “As a custom manufacturer we recognize that we will always have some waste. However, we work diligently to reduce waste production and responsibly manage what we do generate,” DIRTT previously told gb&dPRO.

When combined with circularity indicators—such as the Circular Transition Indicators developed by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development or the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Material Circularity Indicator (MCI)—an LCA can even more effectively measure the circularity of resources and material flows.

Keep in mind that LCAs are most useful and most reliable later in the design process, after there is a better understanding of how certain resources and materials will be implemented within the project.

10. Practice Efficient Communication & Encourage Shared Responsibility

Effective communication on (and off) the construction site can help prevent wasteful errors. Photo courtesy of Sage

Even when practicing the other nine strategies outlined above, construction-site waste can still come about through human error and miscommunication. This can be avoided in part by creating and utilizing effective communication networks that allow all involved parties—architects, developers, contractors, clients, etc.—to stay up-to-date on delays, project setbacks, design changes, and the like.

Cloud-based construction management systems, for example, can drastically improve communication by providing an easily-accessible, collaborative hub where all involved parties can access and relay information in real-time.

Another way to foster effective communication and collaboration is by using the Integrated Project Insurance (IPI) system, a contract between all key parties with conditions that incentivize shared responsibility by eliminating conflicting insurance concerns.

Under an IPI contract, architects can work more closely with material and product suppliers, engineers, and construction professionals to design out waste from the outset or make minor design adjustments as needed to reduce energy, material, time, and money wastage.

The post 10 Ways to Promote a Circular Economy appeared first on gb&d magazine.