| Green
design is the right thing to do. But is it the profitable
thing to do?
Business by Design
this month explores the financial potential for
design professionals of "environmentally
responsible" design.
THIS MONTH:
+ Wanted: a Pollution Solution
+ Learn Green, Earn Green
+ More Work, More Money
+ Wanted: a Pollution Solution
The statistics are staggering: Indoor air can
be 50 times more polluted than outdoor air --
and Americans spend more than 90 per cent of their
time indoors.
"Sick buildings" cost the economy $60
billion in lost productivity and increased health
care costs.
90 per cent of everything we make -- including
nearly four billion pounds of carpet, alone --
ends up in landfills within a year.
Clearly there's a need for "sustainable"
design.
+ Learn Green, Earn Green
But is there good money to be made by design professionals
who specify environmentally-friendly fabrics,
furnishings and wall and floor coverings?
To hear "healthy home" advocates tell
it, there can be a plump payoff for those who
master the green learning curve.
"Green design firms are doing very, very
well," says Penny Bonda, the former ASID
president and a sustainable design pioneer during
her 28 year career.
Adds David Johnston, one of the nation's leading
environmental building consultants: "Green
design is the fastest growing phenomenon in the
building industry. It's a great way for designers
to create a niche, reach a higher level of clientele
and take business away from competitors."
More Work, More Money
Do the nearly 9,000 LEED-certified designers,
architects and engineers earn more than their
uncertified counterparts?("LEED" stands
for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.)
No studies have addressed that. But advocates
contend that design professionals who go green
can get more projects, and can charge more.
And Annette Stelmack, the director of design
at Associates III in Denver, says that it's smart
marketing to offer safe finishes, glues, and furniture
and sustainable design.
"Practicing environmental design gives us
more credibility and a broader client base, and
it sets us apart," she declares.
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