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Interior design doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It is an integral part of any building construction or renovation project. Building interiors are fitted with materials, products and systems from a network of raw materials that stretches around the globe. Occupants of those interiors use energy and other resources in ways that are driven, at least in part, by the design of the space itself. Good interior design, and especially sustainable interior design, must be informed by all these interconnections and impacts.
Buildings, their supporting infrastructure and their associated maintenance represent an enormous proportion of mankind’s direct and indirect impact upon the environment. Although the total impact of buildings goes far beyond energy use, the construction and operation of residential and commercial buildings consumed 40 percent of the energy and 72 percent of electricity produced in the United States in 2003.
Tags: Sustainability Spotlight