Stanford University’s Redwood City Campus was desgned by Clive Wilkinson Architects with a heavy emphasis on color and smart use of furniture—creating impact with very few elements. Photo courtesy Bruce Damonte/Clive Wilkinson Architects

Design Phase

Dematerialize and Decarbonize

Tell a Story Through Materials

Strive to create an emotional connection between the materials and the end users of the space. Incorporate reuse and recycling as part of placemaking. 

Jon Penndorf, associate principal at Perkins & Will, explains how his team was able to drive down the embodied carbon emissions of their new office’s interiors by 56%, focusing on using fewer materials and avoiding finishes where possible. Read more here: https://metropolismag.com/profiles/specify-hot-list-perkins-and-will/

Discover the Power of “Less is More”

An optimized, minimal material palette can open up creative solutions and make for a powerful spatial experience, while also keeping the carbon footprint low. Similarly, consolidate amenity spaces so that multiple users share multifunctional amenity spaces—this can help build social cohesion while doing more with less. 

Dematerialize 

In every application, use the lowest quantity of the product or material that can fulfill the purpose. Next in priority, prefer products or materials with the lowest number of components or layers. Pull back on the complexity of walls and surfaces. 

Be Prudent with Aesthetics

Stay away from trends and prefer timeless aesthetics for substantial, highvolume, high-value, and permanent items. Guide clients on this connection between aesthetics and carbon footprint.

Evaluate Materials and Furniture for the Projected Life Span 

Consider: is this an area that may stay the same after the next tenant? Is this a trend or a design specific to the client?  Areas that potentially could outlast clients could be designed in a more ‘timeless’ way with long lasting materials.  Areas that are branded for the company or feature bold aesthetic choices should use materials with a shorter life span, that can be de-installed easily, and can be recycled easily or decomposed!

Pick Low-Carbon Options

Prefer carbon-neutral products wherever available. Prefer products that are manufactured with 100 percent renewable energy, and where manufacturing waste is reused. 

Understand the Impact of Furniture

The carbon impact of furniture in a design project can be huge! In an interiors embodied carbon case study done by LMN Architects it was discovered that roughly 50 percent of a remodel’s total embodied carbon was attributed to furniture and of that, 29 percent was attributable to workstations. 

Select Products for the Long Term

Pick materials and products that can be resurfaced, reupholstered, or refinished. Partner with manufacturers to develop products that can be refaced or updated for the second life of a space. A reupholstered lounge chair could contribute up to 80 percent less carbon than buying that same chair new!

Design for Minimal Waste

Think about waste when you design—you can get two 17” x 17” throw pillows out of a yard of fabric. If you choose 18” x 18” you can only get one throw pillow out of a yard of fabric, and the leftover fabric is thrown away. 

HELPFUL LINK: 


If you have feedback on the Climate Toolkit for Interior Design, write to: [email protected]