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What is LEED and how could it benefit me? LEED is a comprehensive standard for certifying and constructing green buildings.

Points are assigned for all different aspects of the building interior, exterior, and even landscaping.

Whether you are designing, building, or purchasing, these criteria benefit us all by raising the bar so that all construction standards will go up over time. LEED is meant to be a standard that rewards excellent performance and continues to evolve. When that excellent performance becomes the norm, LEED will raise its standard to be that much higher again. The program started with mainly commercial buildings and has expanded to certify homes and existing buildings. Run by the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) in my area, the program is adapted for different climates in 16 countries around the world, including the United States (which began the program with the UsGBC), Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand.

The results are...

On October 16, 2009, I had the very great privilege to listen to Dr. David Suzuki lecture at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto on Force of Nature. His message was very compelling.

I have been writing and speaking to urge people to make a difference in choosing green interior design. I believe that our small actions do make a difference and we should continue look for more opportunities to make our actions count. David told me to "do what you can do" when I briefly met him as he signed my copy of his autobiography.

Dr. Suzuki's message was that individual actions only buy us some limited time. We need to tackle these issues on a global scale and we need to act now! He urged the audience to demand that our political leaders take action on the crucial climate change summit in Copenhagen in December. Only our leaders can create the climate so that both "economy" and "ecology" can thrive!

This alphabetical listing of sustainable interior design definitions

contains most of the important terms you will want to access for your resource library.  Look up the major seals and logos you see on products to find out if they are independent third party certified, if they are an industry association or if they are simply a logo made up for 'greenwashing' claims.

Dayle has spent over one hundred hours compiling this list for your simple pdf download, which you will find in the resources section of this website. http://www.daylelaing.com/environmental-green-resources.html

This alphabetical listing of sustainable rug & carpeting definitions

is invaluable for those wanting to know the difference between 'silk' and 'art silk', and between 'closed loop recycling' and 'downcycling'.

Dayle compiled this list from years of college teaching interior design material finishes, and her countless hours of researching the literature and websites.  This is available to you from the resource section of this website. Click on Read more for the short cut to the link.

Glossary_of_Green_Rug_&_Carpeting_Terms - Click for link to the downloadable pdf.

For more information on rugs, you can order Dayle's educational dvd: Rugs_101_-_Using_Beautiful_Rugs_for_Sustainable_Design Click for details and a preview.

This alphabetical listing of green interior fabric definitions is a must for anyone wanting to look up the difference between a third-party certified green fabric and one that has been merely 'washed green', ie. 'greenwashed'.

Dayle compiled this list from her 19 years experience teaching textiles at college, and her hours of research into various textile websites. This is available to you in a downloadable pdf from the resource section of this website. http://www.daylelaing.com/environmental-green-resources.html

“What do killer whales and Canadian women have in common? Scientific evidence reveals that the bodies of killer whales and Canadian women share the dubious distinction of being among the world’s leaders as receptacles for a group of toxic industrial chemicals known as brominated flame-retardants.”  1

Interior designers and decorators know we need to use flame retardant fabrics in commercial (contract) interior projects, even though the standards vary slightly in different locations. They are a good idea for residential projects if clients smoke in the home.

One of the highlights of my recent sailing trip was a stop in Telegraph Cove on Vancouver Island, Canada, where I met Jaime, an Australian marine biologist in the Whale Interpretive Centre www.killerwhalecentre.org . Amidst amazingly huge skeletons of whales, she explained the declining Killer (Orca) whale population and their susceptibility to environmental toxins such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). Females can live to 60-80 years since they are thought to transfer toxins out of their bodies to their offspring when they nurse. Male Orcas live on average 40–60 years because they have no way of eliminating the toxins. The decline in the male and therefore overall population is of particular concern.

(To see more whale photos and read the rest of the story, click on 'read more'.)

You love to pour over design magazines, product catalogues, trade showrooms, retail stores and do internet searches for the perfect product for your design idea.

You attend to all the details of purchase, supply and install. Sometimes you agonize whether you have found the best solution to the design challenge. If this sounds like you, you may be a perfectionist!

During the 19 years I taught interior design courses at college, I noticed that perfectionism seemed to be the most common characteristic amongst the students.  After all, it is attention to detail that makes us successful in our jobs.

In my opinion,

Dayle's 26 year old Kitchen Time to select green interior design for my new kitchen countertop,

after 26 years my builder-supplied kitchen countertop was worn out, to say nothing of being very dated. I have designed many kitchens over the years and this was the first time I had the thrill of tackling my own! This was “finally -- about time” according to several of my more candid designer friends!

The surface of the plastic laminate counter was in remarkably good shape for a family that likes to cook, but the particle board underneath was disintegrating around the faucet and under the front edge. So, what would be the ‘coolest shade of green’ for my family’s requirements?

There are many considerations when going for green interior design. Lifestyle and practicality have to feature prominently because if the client is unhappy with the results, rapid replacement is even worse than not considering ‘green’ to start with! I really like the easy care and zero maintenance of the engineered quartz products and started to research which one to choose. I prefer the appearance of granite but rejected it on the basis of 40 – 50% waste of the stone from quarry to finished slab and the quantity of water needed to cut the slabs, and what happens to that water afterward. The worry about stains from red wine and the annual resealing also influenced my decision. What other factors should I consider?

A while ago you installed a beautiful hardwood floor with a gorgeous environmentally friendly rug to anchor your well chosen furniture.

A few months have passed and suddenly you notice the wood floor next to the window has faded. You lift the rug back and your suspicions are confirmed!

What to do now?  Maybe this hasn’t happened to you yet.  Either way, refinishing the wood should be a last resort. It costs time, money, disruption, valuable energy resources, and unwanted dust in the home. Refinishing is to be avoided for as long as possible.

It is normal that...

 We are creatures of habit.

That can be a good thing when it gives stability to our lives. Do you ever feel you are in a rut with respect to your decorating? Do you enter a room and not really see it? Are you worried that if you focus, it will cost time and money?

First, look around your home for ‘silk’ flowers, plants or trees.  What kind of condition are they in? Are they dust collectors? Are they tired out? Do they simply ‘fill in the corners’ without really adding to the quality to the design?

If the answer to any of these questions is ‘yes’, then here is some advice:

Historically we have pitted ourselves against nature and talked of ‘conquering’ nature. Dr. Braungart discussed this concept in “Cradle to Cradle”.

We are nature and nature is us. There is no “away” to send our used products to. So take a deep breath, and enjoy and respect nature. I just returned from a week long interior canoe trip in Killarney Provincial Park. There is no pursuit that I know that relaxes one more quickly than a canoe trip.

You might well wonder what a world-famous German chemist and professor has to say about the sustainability of interior design products and the state of our environment. Is this more doom and gloom, or is this a refreshing message of hope?

Thankfully, it is the latter. Dayle had the opportunity to listen to Dr. Michael Braungart speak to designers about ‘Cradle to Cradle’ at IIDEX, (International Interior Design Exposition) held in Toronto, Sept. 2008 where his message was, “We see a world of abundance, not limits.”

Co-author of “Cradle to Cradle”, and co-founder of MBDC (McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry), Dr. Braungart regaled us with uplifting stories and amid some dire warnings. Most encouraging is his premise that simply going after zero growth, zero emissions and stopping all consumption is the most efficient, but not the most efficacious answer.  He cited the example of bringing flowers to your sweetheart not being efficient, but certainly it is effective!

Dr. Braungart said...

Do you feel like you are alone in your efforts to choose green interior design? 

Actually you are in good company and you are not a round peg in a square hole!

It is estimated that 1/3 of the population of North America  is a ‘conscious consumer’ and wants to select the most sustainable products and to make their carbon footprint more beneficial.

Fortunately, there are an increasing number of beautiful alternatives for sustainable design, many of which do not cost more, and some of which are a small premium. As we demand more sustainable, recycled and organic products, manufacturers will be inspired to fill the demand.  Innovations on the possibilities are endless!

To learn how you can make a difference by booking a one-hour seminar, a day or a half-day workshop, please contact the office to reserve your date. info@daylelaing.com

Celebrating its 2nd anniversary, the Green Living Show came to Toronto, Canada in April, 2008.

 

Dayle endorses using cloth shopping bags instead of plastic bags that end up in landfill The huge challenge in this business of beautiful sustainable interior design is to learn about all the fabulous new products on the market. This field is changing so quickly that information becomes obsolete in the blink of an eye!

Here was an ideal opportunity with so many manufacturers and distributors in one place. We were not disappointed as we put on our most comfortable walking shoes, took public transit to the Exhibition grounds and started up and down the aisles of displays.

When I first started...