Climate Toolkit
for Interior Design
The Climate Toolkit for Interior Design provides resources and strategies to address the carbon emissions of interior design at every stage of a project.
Introduction
The “Why”
Breakout: Carbon 101
Pre-design Phase
Design Phase
Breakout: The Materials Library
Product Selection
Close-out Phase
Breakout: Advocacy
Videos and Readings
Readings
Viewpoints
Why Interior Designers Must Fight Climate Change
New studies show that interior designers can have a much bigger impact on climate change than they ever imagined.
Profiles
Shannon Goodman is Helping Make Material Reuse the Norm
The former Perkins&Will architect and executive director of the Lifecycle Building Center is part of a community that is breaking systemic barriers and keeping reusable materials out of landfills.
Products
How the Furniture Industry is Stepping Up on Circularity
Responding to new studies on the environmental impact of furniture, manufacturers, dealers, and start-ups are accelerating their carbon and circularity initiatives.
The Climate Toolkit for Interior Design is a first-of-its-kind resource focused on the embodied carbon emissions of interior design.
It’s the product of a long consultative process that began with a virtual hackathon to create the first version in 2021, and then continued with in-person workshops in eight American cities, resulting in updates and revisions. The most recent edits to the Toolkit, including its new structure, were the result of recommendations from working groups facilitated by METROPOLIS editor at large and Studio O+A cofounder Verda Alexander.
Many minds and hands touched this toolkit along this journey and facilitated its development: Avinash Rajagopal, Tina Brennan, Kelly Allen, Verda Alexander, Jaxson Stone, Lauren Volker, Travis Ward, Robert Pracek, Ellen Cook, and Tamara Stout.
PARTNERS
Interface, Dell, Signify, Material Bank, Designtex, Universal Fibers, Cosentino, Keilhauer, Lutron, OneWorkplace, Macho, Steelcase, Momentum, Teknion, Carnegie, Aquafil, Grohe, Ultrafabrics
PARTICIPANTS
2021 Sustainability Hackathon
Adity Phadnis, Designtex • Alex Bullo, Ford • Anne-Rachel Schiffmann, Snøhetta • Bill Ladley, Facebook • Brett Hautop, LinkedIn • Chip DeGrace, Interface • Chris Small, Ford • Daniel Chilcote, FXCollaborative • David Cordell, Perkins&Will • David Sheehan, CBRE • Diana Alley, ZGF • Deidre Hoguet, Designtex • Emily Gross, MSR Design • Francisco Repiso Ferris, Cosentino • Haley van Wagenen, SOM • Jais Kwon, FXCollaborative • Jay Austin, STUDIOS • Jenn Chen, LMN Architects • Jennifer Kolstad, Ford • Jennifer Roundtree, Universal Fibers • Jesse Allen, Hastings • Jon Penndorf, Perkins&Will • José Dos Santos, Signify • Josie Abate, Keilhauer • Justin Glover, Studios Architecture • Kate O’Neill, Hastings • Keith Hempel, LPA • Kjell Anderson, LMN • Lauren Gardner, MSR Design • Lily Weeks, WRNS • Lindsey Draves, HOK • Lisa Britz, LinkedIn • Lisa Conway, Interface • Matt Wall, Signify • Matthew Wasycliw, SOM • Max Driscoll, HOK • Meg Smith, Signify • Meghan Lewis, CLF • Mike Keilhauer, Keilhauer • Melissa Berardi, CBRE • Patty Dominguez, Cosentino • Peggy Brannigan, LinkedIn • Peter Harrison, ZGF • Ranae Anderson, Universal Fibers • Rebecca Best, Material Bank • Rick D’Amato, LPA • Rob Moylan, SmithGroup • Ryan Poole, DPR Construction • Scott O’Connell, Dell • Shirley Lam, Facebook • Stephen Kelley, WRNS • Stephen Roberts, Dell • Steve Kooy, BIFMA • Susan Chung, ASID • Veronica McCracken, MSRDesign
2022 Climate Toolkit Workshops
Washington, D.C.
Arathi Gowda, ZGF • Brittany McNairy, Perkins&Will • Cameo Roehrich, Studios Architecture • David Cordell, Perkins&Will • Ellen Fowlkes, HOK • Evelyn Fujimoto, National Institute of Building Sciences • Grzegorz Kosmal, IA • Guilherme Almeida, Hickok Cole • Guilherme Almeida, Hickok Cole • Heather Jauregui, Perkins Eastman • Jon Penndorf, Perkins&Will • Justin Shultz, EYP • Katherine Luxner, Studios Architecture • Kelley Dorsett, HDR • Kent Bonner, HDR • Kirsten Lytle, Hickok Cole • Monina Ingle, HOK • Sarah Mehaffey, EYP • Tanya Eagle, Perkins Eastman • Teresa Rainey, EYP • Thomas Gregory, IA
San Francisco
Ammee Synder, HGA • Candace Chan, Revel • Elizabeth Radtke • Jack Rusk, EHDD • Karen Feltham, Huntsman Architectural Group • Karen Letteney, RMW • Katharine Dwyer, Huntsman Architectural Group • Laura Dulski, DLR Group • Lily Weeks, WRNS • Mary Lee, EHDD • Melissa Hanley, Studio Blitz • Montserrat Aguilar, SmithGroup • Pauline Souza, WRNS • Sam Nunes, WRNS • Sean Quinn, HOK • Shona O’Dea, SOM • Sierra Peterson, ODAA • Steve Stenton, RMW • Susan Orlandi, DLR Group • Susanne Susheelan, WRNS • Suzanne Drake, Revel • Ursula Currie, Perkins&Will • Verda Alexander, Studio O+A • Vickie Rush, Stantec
Austin
Allison Smith, HKS • America Alva, Page • Angelica Henderson, Cushing Terrell • Ashleigh Powell, Cushing Terrell • Dawn James, Gensler • Graciela Kessler, DLR Group • James Mooney, Gensler • Jennifer Moore, Cushing Terrell • Jennifer Tart Thompson, Corgan • Kate Sector, Lake Flato • Marysa Zieschang, Stantec • Megan Rangel, Studio8 • Megan Slattery, Project Austin • Riley Bunn, Riley Bunn Architecture • Samantha Flores, Corgan • Sandi Rudy, Cushing Terrell • Wendy Dunnam Tita, Page
2023 Climate Toolkit Workshops
New York
Allison Brown, Perkins&Will • Amy Mays, HDR • Brooke Horan, HDR • Charles Harris, SOM • Daniel Piselli, FXCollaborative • Elizabeth Von Lehe, HDR • Graci Mills, Cookfox • Jackie Moran, SOM • Jais Kwon, Amazon • Jared Gilbert, Cookfox • Karen Martin, HKS • Kevin Nasello, Cetraruddy • Keyana Aghamirzadeh, Moody Nolan • Leela Shanker, The Flint Collective NYC • Mohammed Ayoub, HDR • Patricia Duval, IA • Perry Ashenfelter, Perkins&Will • Remon Alberts, Cookfox • Shannon Andl, Meyer Davis • Sigal Shemesh, SOM • Varun Kohli, Corgan • Ximena Rodriguez, Cetraruddy • Yasemin Kologlu, SOM
Chicago
Andrew Volckens, Huntsman Architectural Group • Brett Gardner, IA • Deborah Nemeth, SmithGroup • Emily Purcell, CannonDesign • Emma Cuciurean-Zapan, SmithGroup • Eric Burnside, IA • Erin Kelly, SmithGroup • Eva Koester, SmithGroup • Evelyn Wilwerding, HOK • Geneva Frank, HDR • Ida Wrocklage, HDR • Irina Katrevich, AECOM • Janeallison NG, Solomon Cordwell Buenz • Jenna Weber, HDR • Jill Maltby-Abbott, Building Green • Kelsie Stopak, AECOM • Lee Greenberg, OTJ • Lisa Adams, HKS • Luke Leung, SOM • Madison George, Huntsman Architectural Group • Marzia Sedino, SOM • Nicole Keeler, OTJ • Olivia Danielson-Veed, HOK • Samantha Dobrusin, CannonDesign • Sandra Dold, Solomon Cordwell Buenz • Stephen Katz, Gensler
Seattle
Alonso Alvarado, WRNS • Brie McCarthy, Miller Hull • Charlotte Jolly, ZGF • Chris Hellstern, Miller Hull • Diana Alley, ZGF • Duncan Griffin, HDR • Galen Carlson, McLennan Design • Gayle Bart, HOK • Jennifer Stormont, Miller Hull • Jerica Sifuentes, JPC Architects • Jerica Sifuentes, JPC Architects • Jessica Earp, Cushing Terrell • Jill Kellett, JPC Architects • Jill Myers, Weber Thompson • Joanna Jenkins, McLennan Design • Johanna Collins, McLennan Design • Justin Schwartzhoff, LMN Architects • Karina Sniquer, NELSON • Keli Dean, Gensler • Kelly Pavey, LPA • Kimberly Frank, GGLO • Kirsten Jones, NELSON • Kjell Anderson, LMN Architects • Kelly Pavey, LPA • Kimberly Frank, GGLO • Lisa M. Lazar, DLR Group • Loren Heslep, WRNS • Mariah Osland, Gensler • Matthew Moyano, WRNS • Megan Burns, HOK • Mitch Pride, MG2 • Molly Addington, Gensler • Nikita Choudhary, HDR • Rachael Berry, GGLO • Sarah Wright, ZGF • Shea Oliver, HDR • Shelly Engels Yancy, DLR Group • Susanne Susheelan, WRNS • Vikram Sami, Olson Kundig
2024 Climate Toolkit Workshops
Los Angeles
Joey-Michelle Hutchison, Arcadis • Julia Ragragio-Ruiz, Gensler • Laura Fox, Perkins Eastman • Liz Bixenman, DLR Group • Meghana Joshi, MG2 • Michael Borter, SOM • Nadine Quirmbach, CannonDesign • Neethi Abraham, HLW • Pablo La Roche, Arcadis • Russell Fortmeyer, Woods Bagot • Samantha Neel, HKS • Santiago Tolosa, RIOS • Sergio Lechuga, HMC Architects • Soham Patel, HLW • Stephanie Kingsnorth, Perkins Eastman • Susan Suhar, HDR • Tannaz Tahmassebi, Gensler • Tatsiana Bau, Corgan • Tom Tessier, Revel • Venus Emrani, HMC Architects • Ying Song, RIOS
Atlanta
Annette Colis, Corgan • Brandi Kmoch, HKS • Carissa Oyedele, Corgan • Chad Wilkey, HLG studio • Channah Garcia, HOK • Eileen Gohr, HDR • Emily Phillips, IA • Jane Taylor, Page • Jessica Juarez, TVS • Karla Orellana, HKS • Livia Klein, Perkins&Will • Matt Hayner, HLG studio • Olivia Perron, IA • Paul McKeever, TVS • Rachell Kim, Corgan • Ronnie Belizaire, HKS • Sarah Keithly, Cooper Carry • Susanne Susheelan, WRNS Studio • Valerie Smith, Fogarty Finger • Victor Renteria, Perkins&Will • Xiao Sun, Cooper Carry
2024 Climate Toolkit Working Groups
Client Communication and Collaborative Processes
Aarthi Gowda, ZGF • America Alva, Page • Ashleigh Powell, Cushing Terrell • Brett Gardner, IA • Charlotte Jolly, ZGF • Pauline Souza, WRNS
Design Process and Operations
Kjell Anderson, LMN Architects • Lauren Perich, Studio O+A • Tanya Eagle, Perkins Eastman • Varun Kohli, Corgan
Carbon and Circularity
Brittany McNairy, Perkins&Will • Lisa Adams, HKS • Mitch Pride, MG2 • Suzanne Drake, Revel
Special Acknowledgements
From METROPOLIS Editor in Chief, Avinash Rajagopal
- Tina Brennan and Kelly Allen, for orchestrating every step of the Climate Toolkit journey.
- Carbon Leadership Forum, for the foundational research that shone a light on the embodied carbon emissions of interior renovations.
- Jenn Chen, Kjell Anderson, Jon Penndorf, David Cordell, and Brittany McNairy for their pioneering work on low-carbon interiors.
- Chip DeGrace, Lisa Conway, and the team at Interface for their constant support and guidance.
- Rebecca Best for her unflagging enthusiasm and always advocating for progress.
- AJ Paron for sparking the idea of the 2021 Hackathon, and steadfast support at every stage of the Climate Toolkit journey.
- Verda Alexander for tirelessly driving the evolution of the Climate Toolkit.