I recently wrote a piece on biophilic design in which I explored natural and organic design patterns and provided some examples of designers and architects utilizing biophilic principles in their projects. In my research, I kept coming across products and buildings that are not necessarily biophilic per se, but that are “green” or “eco-friendly” or some variation therein. And this makes sense, given that both biophilic and sustainable design are based in nature and natural systems. However, there are some key differences that make these distinct, albeit sometimes overlapping, categories. In this post, I’d like to pinpoint what that difference is, further define sustainable design and the key principles that comprise it, and provide some examples of projects and products that are sustainably designed.
The directive of biophilic design is to create things and spaces that boost people’s well-being by facilitating a connection to the natural world. It draws on elements like greenery, sunlight, natural materials, and organic shapes to bring the outside in. If done well, it utilizes sustainable practices to realize this vision. At minimum, such practices seek to minimize or eliminate adverse environmental impacts and depletion of natural resources.
Sustainable design is a holistic approach that considers the long-term environmental as well as the economic and social impacts and how processes and materials can promote longevity, durability, and reuse. It thus necessitates that both the structure or product itself is sustainable, as are the various processes involved in its creation and its entire life cycle, from design and construction to maintenance and renovation all the way through to disposal and demolition. When done well, sustainable design incorporates biophilic principles for a total approach that both protects the environment and connects us to it.
When it comes to sustainable building design specifically, there are several key principles put forward by experts and cited extensively in the architecture, construction, and engineering industries. The National Institute of Building Sciences’ program, Whole Building Design Guide, defines those principles as such:
Optimize site potential
Consider the location, orientation, and landscaping of a building and how these factors affect or are affected by local ecosystems, energy use, and transportation access and methods. Reusing or rehabilitating an existing building may often be more cost-effective than starting from scratch, but whether retrofitted or new, a building must integrate sustainably in its site.
Optimize energy use
Improve the energy performance of a building and minimize dependence on fossil fuels by reducing the demand-side energy load by incorporating features like high-performance building envelopes and passive solar heating, installing efficient equipment and systems, and maximizing renewable energy sources.
Protect and conserve water
The building site should minimize the amount of paved surfaces and other impervious cover so as to prevent adverse ecological and hydrological impacts to the adjacent land. Features like high efficiency fixtures conserve water, while waste treatment and recycling centers enable water to be utilized for on-site use.
Optimize building space and material use
The materials used in a sustainable building should themselves be sustainably-sourced and adaptable for reuse across their entire life cycle. A cradle-to-cradle approach to design conserves resources while maximizing their value and reduces waste while minimizing impacts to pollution, resource depletion, and global warming.
Enhance Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ)
Improve indoor environmental quality by installing appropriate ventilation and moisture control, optimizing sunlight and acoustic performance, emphasizing occupant control over lighting and temperature, and avoiding building materials with harmful high-volatile organic compounds (VOC) emissions. Aside from realizing energy-savings, optimal IEQ has significant positive impacts on occupant health and comfort.
Optimize operational and maintenance practices
Design for optimal operating and maintenance of a building to increase productivity and reduce energy and resource costs. Employ cost-effective materials and systems that simplify and reduce maintenance requirements by consuming less water and energy. Facilities may include metering to track reductions in energy and water use and waste generation.
Many of these same principles can also be applied to the design of furniture, homewares, and other products. Consider, for instance, the form or structure of a product – its shape, size, and layout – and how this might affect energy consumption, packaging, transportation costs, and fuel emissions. Likewise, the materials used in the manufacturing of a product should be both durable to enable long-term use and adaptable to allow for recycling and reuse throughout its life cycle.
We’ll take a look now at eight examples of sustainable materials, products, and buildings that are both functional and beautiful, as well as the brands and designers behind them.
Finite
A team of scientists at Imperial College London are behind this new biodegradable construction material that could be a low-carbon alternative to concrete. Just as strong as the ubiquitous construction material but with half the carbon footprint, Finite can be recycled for multiple life cycle uses and left to decompose naturally, making it ideal for short-term infrastructure projects. Made from abundant fine-grained desert sand, which has, until now, had little utility for construction applications, this versatile composite material is able to perform many functions and can be shaped into varied forms and finishes. Though still being tested for long-term applications, the team is currently developing Finite to bring it to market on a larger scale.
Sustainable Materials
The aptly named Sustainable Materials produces high performance green products for use in interior design projects. Their Muratto collection of wall finishes is made from cork, which is not only rapidly renewable and bio-degradable, but incredibly resilient, anti-microbial, and boasts sound absorption and thermal insulation properties. Wall panels, blocks, bricks, and tiles in an assortment of shapes, sizes, and colors allow for varying finishes compatible with virtually any style in any space. The Versacork line of cork flooring even offers applications in the bathroom, with mosaic sheets that provide a waterproof and durable cushion underfoot.
mnmMOD panels by Minarc
California design studio Minarc has created an energy efficient alternative to traditional cheaply-made and poorly-constructed low-cost housing solutions – the mnmMOD system. The interlocking prefabricated structural panels are manufactured from a blend of 30% recycled steel and air-tight expanded polystyrene insulation that helps reduce heat loss and gain, resulting in a tighter building envelope and lower carbon footprint. The panels are both long-lasting and fully recyclable, and unlike traditional wood framing, do not support mold, termites, warping, or fire. Panels are customized to fit specific building plans and require only a screw gun to assemble, which means faster, cheaper construction and virtually no wasted materials.
North Transfer Station, Seattle Public Utilities
Located in the Wallingford-Fremont neighborhood of Seattle, the North Transfer Station was designed by architecture firm Mahlum with extensive input from the community. The low-profile station is buffered from the surrounding neighborhood by an open lawn with walkways and a sports court made from pervious concrete that allows water to penetrate directly into the ground. Integrated into the landscaping is a catchment system that filters discharge from trash and recycling materials and deposits the cleaned grey water directly into nearby Lake Union.
The station itself takes in around 400 tons of various materials on a typical day but has capacity to handle up to 750 tons to accommodate Seattle’s projected population growth. Skylights over the tipping floor allow diffused daylight to be distributed evenly across the space and are supplemented by a south-facing wall of translucent polycarbonate panels that help keep the trash from heating and limits off-gassing of VOCs and other chemicals. Above the tipping building, photovoltaic solar panels generate 150 kilowatts of electricity to be used on-site, which is enough to power 10-12 homes for one year. Meanwhile, green roofs above the administration and recycling buildings filter stormwater and decrease runoff while reducing the station’s heat island effect.
The Crackle Collection by Kohler WasteLAB
The WasteLAB, an initiative of the Kholer Innovation for Good, partnered with designer Ann Sacks to create a line of tile made from recycled dry cull, a by-product of the vitreous china or enamel coating process. The tiles are hand-cut before a glaze is applied and then fired to create a fine crackle across the tile face. Tiles are available as hexagons and in varying square and rectangles sizes in six vivid shades, including a jewel-toned emerald and deep scarlet mahogany.
Tala
British lighting brand Tala creates low-energy LED lighting products that reproduce the warm glow of traditional incandescent bulbs. The brand recently launched two new lines – the Magma collection made from Glaskeramik, a material produced from upcycled glass, and the Alumina line, manufactured from a high-grade technical ceramic that is usually reserved for industrial applications and is built to last. Magma products are outfitted with disc-shaped light sources with dim-to-warm light features that mimic natural light and can be rotated to allow for custom orientation. Committed to reducing carbon emissions, Tala donates a portion of its revenue to reforestation programs across the globe, including the UK-based The Heart of England Forest and the National Forest Foundation in the US, which plants trees in areas affected by forest fires.
The Joinery
The Joinery is a Certified B Corporation furniture brand that crafts high-quality wood furnishings like live edge beds and dining tables. Made to stand the test of time, their furniture comes with a lifetime guarantee and is locally sourced from Forestry Stewardship Council-certified forests in Washington and Oregon. The Joinery employs sustainable principles throughout the product life cycle and rewards its employees for practicing sustainability through an annual award to the most innovative piece of furniture made out of scrap lumber. The Joinery gives back to the community as well, donating wood briquettes made from sawdust collected during manufacturing and compacted on-site into briquettes. To top it off, their Portland facility employs high-efficiency lighting and is powered by solar and wind energy, and their delivery truck runs on biodiesel fuel.
Vestre
Oslo-based Vestre’s mission is “not only to make beautiful furniture but to use the design process to contribute to a better, safer, greener future,” according to its CEO Jan Christian Vestre. The steel used in the company’s range of “anti-throwaway” outdoor furniture comes with a lifetime anti-rust warranty and has 30 percent less emissions compared to the world average, while the wood is sourced locally from pine forests within Scandinavia. In addition to tables, chairs, and benches, Vestre also manufactures a range of modular “parklets” designed to provide urban areas with more space for seating and plants. Vestre itself embodies the sustainability ethos, with a goal to be recognized as the world’s most sustainable furniture brand. With nine of the 17 UN sustainability goals integrated into its business model so far and a factory that produces enough solar energy in the summer to power itself, Vestre is well on its way to earning that title.
