Kitchen & Bath Sustainable Design E-Book

Amanda Davis

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Serie: NKBA Professional Resource Library
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 340

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2014

Beschreibung

The leading industry association's handbook for going green in the kitchen and bath Kitchen & Bath Sustainable Design is the National Kitchen and Bath Association's complete guide to "greening" these important rooms. The first book to focus exclusively on kitchen and bath sustainability, this full color guide covers every consideration for both remodels and new construction, making it a handy reference for any kitchen and bath professional. Case studies of award-winning projects demonstrate how space, budget, and sustainability can come together to create beautiful, functional, efficient rooms, and illustrations throughout provide visual examples of the techniques discussed. The book includes information on greening one's practice for the client's benefit, plus an appendix of additional resources and instructional materials for classroom use. Outside of general heating and cooling, kitchen appliances use the bulk of a household's energy. Kitchens and baths together use an average of 300 gallons of water per day for a family of four, and both rooms are high-use areas that require good air quality. Kitchen & Bath Sustainable Design provides a handbook to designing these rooms for sustainability, without sacrificing comfort or livability. With comprehensive guidance on approaching these rooms sustainably, readers will: * Communicate better with builders, clients, and potential clients * Understand technical considerations, and the criteria that make a design "green" * Conduct a full design analysis, including life cycle costing and efficiency * Learn the ratings systems and standards in play in the green kitchen and bath The biggest elements of sustainable interior design--energy efficiency, water use, and materials selection--are all major players in the kitchen and bath. Clients are increasingly demanding attention to sustainability issues, and designers must be up to date on the latest guidelines, best practices, and technology. Kitchen & Bath Sustainable Design is the complete technical and practical guide to green design for the kitchen and bath professional.

Leseprobe

KITCHEN & BATH SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

Conservation, Materials, Practices

Amanda Davis, NCIDQRobin Rigby Fisher, CMKBD, CAPS

“It's kind of fun to do the impossible.”—Walt Disney

Brandon Cole 1984–2014

Cover image: Left photo [kitchen]: Design by Robin Rigby Fisher, CMKBD, CAPS. Photograph © Dale Lang, NW Architectural Photography Right photo [bathroom]: Design by Elina Katsioula-Beall, CKD. Photo by Suki Mendencevic Cover design: Wiley This book is printed on acid-free paper.

National Kitchen & Bath Association 687 Willow Grove Street Hackettstown, NJ 07840 Phone: 800-THE-NKBA (800-843-6522) Fax: [phone] Website: NKBA.org

Copyright © 2015 National Kitchen and Bath Association. All rights reserved.

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey. Published simultaneously in Canada.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, [phone], fax [phone], or on the web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, [phone], fax [phone], or online at www.wiley.com/go/permissions.

Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with the respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for damages arising here from.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data:

Davis, Amanda.  Kitchen & bath sustainable design : conservation, materials, practices Robin Rigby Fisher, CMKBD, CAPS.   pages cm  Includes bibliographical references and index.  ISBN 978-1-118-62772-3 (cloth : alk. paper); 978-1-118-62772-3 (ebk.); 978-1-118-95765-3 (ebk.)  1. Kitchens. 2. Bathrooms. 3. Sustainable design. I. Fisher, Robin Rigby. II. Title. III. Title: Kitchen and bath sustainable design.  NK2117.K5F475 2014  747.7'8–dc23

 2014012666

978-1-118-62772-3

Sponsors

The National Kitchen & Bath Association recognizes, with gratitude, the following companies whose generous contributions supported the development of this new volume of the NKBA Professional Resource Library.

PLATINUM SPONSORS

WWW.COSENTINO-GROUP.NET

WWW.KOHLER.COM

GOLD SPONSOR

DELTA FAUCET COMPANY

About the National Kitchen & Bath Association

The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) is the only nonprofit trade association dedicated exclusively to the kitchen and bath industry and is the leading source of information and education for professionals in the field. Fifty years after its inception, the NKBA has a membership of more than 55,000 and is the proud owner of the Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS).

The NKBA's mission is to enhance member success and excellence, promote professionalism and ethical business practices, and provide leadership and direction for the kitchen and bath industry worldwide.

The NKBA has pioneered innovative industry research, developed effective business management tools, and set groundbreaking design standards for safe, functional, and comfortable kitchens and baths.

Recognized as the kitchen and bath industry's leader in learning and professional development, the NKBA offers professionals of all levels of experience essential reference materials, conferences, virtual learning opportunities, marketing assistance, design competitions, consumer referrals, internships, and opportunities to serve in leadership positions.

The NKBA's internationally recognized certification program provides professionals the opportunity to demonstrate knowledge and excellence as Associate Kitchen & Bath Designer (AKBD), Certified Kitchen Designer (CKD), Certified Bath Designer (CBD), and Certified Master Kitchen & Bath Designer (CMKBD).

For students entering the industry, the NKBA offers Accredited and Supported Programs, which provide NKBA-approved curriculum at more than 60 learning institutions throughout the United States and Canada.

For consumers, the NKBA showcases award-winning designs and provides information on remodeling, green design, safety, and more at NKBA.org. The NKBA Pro Search tool helps consumers locate kitchen and bath professionals in their area.

The NKBA offers membership in 11 different industry segments: dealers, designers, manufacturers and suppliers, multibranch retailers and home centers, decorative plumbing and hardware, manufacturer's representatives, builders and remodelers, installers, fabricators, cabinet shops, and distributors. For more information, visit NKBA.org.

Contents

PREFACE

Professionals as Students

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

CHAPTER 1 UNDERSTANDING THE NEED FOR SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

Triple-Bottom-Line Approach

Designing for Benefit

Summary

Review Questions

Endnotes

CHAPTER 2 WHAT DEFINES SUSTAINABILITY?

Embodied Energy

Renewable Resources

Affordable Comfort Perspective

Summary

Review Questions

Endnotes

CHAPTER 3 SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION

The Path You Take—Beyond Code

Window Specification

Walls and Insulation

Heating and Cooling

Water Conservation and Distribution

Deconstruction

Space Planning

Summary

Review Questions

Endnotes

CHAPTER 4 INDOOR AIR QUALITY

Indoor Air Quality—Why Should We Care?

Kitchen Ventilation

Bathroom Ventilation

Makeup Air

Summary

Review Questions

Endnotes

CHAPTER 5 MATERIALS, APPLIANCES, AND FIXTURES

Getting Started

Embodied Energy

Life Cycle Assessment

Materials

Wall Finishes

Sealers

Fixtures and Fittings

Water Heating and Distribution

Living Room Appliances

Summary

Review Questions

Endnotes

CHAPTER 6 CREATING AN ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE DESIGN PRACTICE

Why Create an Environmentally Sustainable Design Practice?

Today’s Green Client

Incorporating Systems Thinking in Your Business

Summary

Review Questions

Endnotes

APPENDIX A COMPOSTING VERSUS GARBAGE DISPOSALS

Endnotes

APPENDIX B WATER BOTTLES VERSUS WATER FILTERS

Endnotes

APPENDIX C CASE STUDIES

Case Study 1: Morgan Residence, Portland, Oregon

Case Study 2: Maccabbee Residence, Portland, Oregon

Case Study 3: Repurposing Materials, Portland, Oregon

Case Study 4: Bathroom Renovation, Montclair, New Jersey

Case Study 4: Kitchen Renovation, Montclair, New Jersey

APPENDIX D SUMMARY OF PRODUCT STANDARDS FOR GREEN SPECIFICATIONS

Sustainability Criteria

APPENDIX E DETERMINING YOUR CLIENT’S COMMITMENT TO GREEN DESIGN

Designing for Green Living

Construction

Materials

Water Conservation

Energy Conservation: Energy Use

Energy Conservation: Heating and Cooling

Energy Conservation: Preventing Energy Loss

Indoor Air Quality

Designing for Longevity

GLOSSARY

RESOURCES

INDEX

ADVERT

END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT

List of Tables

Chapter 4

Table 4.1

Table 4.2

Chapter 5

Table 5.1

Appendix B

Table B.1

List of Illustrations

Chapter 1

Figure 1.1

World Wildlife Fund Living Planet Report © 2014

Figure 1.2

Total US Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Economic Sector in 2011

Figure 1.3

The Greenhouse Effect

Figure 1.4

The main parts of the triple bottom line are people, planet, and profit, but as this figure shows, there are subsets that further define the TBL.

Figure 1.5

Event-oriented thinking says that everything can be explained by a chain of events: If A or B happens, then C will most likely occur—cause and effect.

Figure 1.6

Systems thinking: To solve a problem, you need to assess what is happening at the base.

Figure 1.7

The HERS (Home Energy Rating System) Index measures the home's energy efficiency. It is the industry standard and nationally recognized for calculating a home's energy performance.

Chapter 2

Figure 2.1

Embodied energy is determined by the amount of energy used in the production of a product from a raw resource through leaving the factory.

Figure 2.2

UNEP Vital Water—Availability of fresh water.

Figure 2.3

UNEP Freshwater Stress and Scarcity. The UNEP estimates that by 2025, the entire continent of Africa will be dire straits in regard to access to fresh water.

Figure 2.4

Graywater and blackwater. In many jurisdictions, systems for the reclamation of graywater in the home are available to homeowners.

Figure 2.5

USEIA Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS)

Figure 2.6

This home, built by Neil Kelly, is the first residential LEED-certified home built in Oregon. It is a net-zero home.

Figure 2.7

Passive House construction techniques can save homeowners “60–70% of overall energy expenses without the addition of active technologies like photovoltaics or solar thermal hot water systems.” (www.passivehouse.use/passiveHouse/FAQ.html)

Figure 2.8

Landfill

Figure 2.9

Curbside composting program in Portland, Oregon

Figure 2.10

Home composting unit

Figure 2.11

USDOE map of residential code compliance

Figure 2.12

C2C logo

Figure 2.13

C2C Five-Category logo

Figure 2.14

GREENGUARD logo

Figure 2.15

ENERGY STAR logo

Figure 2.16

Earth Advantage logo

Figure 2.17

Forest Stewardship Council

Figure 2.18

Heating costs for existing construction

Chapter 3

Figure 3.1

This kitchen by Green Hammer Design Build, based in Portland, Oregon, is made with locally made cabinets and reclaimed wood.

Figure 3.2

This diagram shows the sun’s northern hemisphere path.

Figure 3.3

This diagram shows the sun’s southern hemisphere path.

Figure 3.4

Consider designing a window that will provide passive lighting onto the kitchen countertop from daylight. Install electric sources, such as light-emitting diode (LED) under-cabinet lights for illumination as needed.

Figure 3.5

Windows between the upper and lower cabinets in the Kondylis-Breeze kitchen provide passive lighting during daylight hours.

Figure 3.6

Glass block between the upper and lower cabinets in this kitchen provides passive lighting during daylight hours.

Figure 3.7

The labeling from the National Fenestration Rating Council explains the U-value and SHGC of windows to help consumers make decisions.

Figure 3.8

How U-value and SHGC affect the thermal and energy efficiency within a residence

Figure 3.9

An insulated concrete panel is heavily insulated and ready to go.

Figure 3.10

ICPs delivered to a job site make construction go quickly and efficiently.

Figure 3.11

Structurally insulated panel cross-section

Figure 3.12

This approach to advanced framing shows insulation at the window headers and a conservative use of materials.

Figure 3.13

Wall with batt insulation

Figure 3.14

Blown-in insulation installation using recycled cotton

Figure 3.15

CertainTeed spray-foam insulation installation

Figure 3.16

Wall plate, gasket, outlet, and box

Figure 3.17

Air exchange with a heat recovery ventilator

Figure 3.18

Water use in the home

Figure 3.19

Garden rainwater cistern

Figure 3.20

This Caroma Profile smart toilet uses graywater from hand washing to flush.

Figure 3.21

Trapping heat from water before it goes down the drain

Figure 3.22

New opening framed with salvaged lumber

Figure 3.23

Salvaged cabinetry donated from a remodeling project: This cabinet can be reused in a storage room or garage.

Figure 3.24

The EPA provides certification for lead removal work.

Figure 3.25

LED lamps are energy efficient and have the longest life of all electric light sources used residentially.

Figure 3.26

Daylighting in a bathroom

Figure 3.27

Floor plan Kitchen A

Figure 3.28

Elevation Kitchen A

Figure 3.29

Floor plan Kitchen B

Figure 3.30

Elevation Kitchen B

Chapter 4

Figure 4.1

How radon enters a home

Figure 4.2

Built-up flooring in a kitchen. The black glue is an indicator of the presence of asbestos.

Figure 4.3

As long as the insulation is in good shape, it can remain undisturbed. If you notice

any

peeling or flaking, bring in an asbestos abatement professional.

Figure 4.4

Spillage alarm on a hot water heater with atmospheric venting

Figure 4.5

Natural ventilation

Figure 4.6

NKBA Kitchen Planning Guideline 19: Cooking Surface Ventilation

Figure 4.7

Location of ventilation in a bathroom

Figure 4.8

NKBA

Bathroom Planning

Guideline 26: Ventilation

Figure 4.9

Wind effect on a home

Figure 4.10

a. The stack effect on a home in the winter; b. The stack effect on a home in the summer

Figure 4.11

In a tight home, the kitchen ventilation could pull hazardous fumes from the chimney, furnace, and hot water systems.

Figure 4.12

Blower door in use

Figure 4.13

Makeup air—engineered opening

Figure 4.14

Makeup air, integrated system: When the motorized damper is opened in this typical HVAC-integrated unit, air enters through an opening that is ducted to the central air handler.

Figure 4.15

Supplementary makeup air conditioning equipment: This unit is similar to the HVAC-integrated system but includes a dedicated heating and dehumidifying unit.

Figure 4.16

Water heater with direct vent

Figure 4.17

Water heater with power vent

Chapter 5

Figure 5.1

Green materials palette created for a kitchen remodel: Wood for cabinets is Forest Stewardship Council–certified; countertops are Eco by Cosentino (recycled content); Marmoleum by Forbo (natural material) is chosen for flooring; Yolo Paint (zero VOC) and Pratt and Larson Tile (locally sourced) are used.

Figure 5.2

Material Safety and Data Sheet by American Clay for their pigments. Each product by American Clay has its own MSDS. Today, most companies have their MSDS available for download from their websites.

Figure 5.3

Applying the Life Cycle Assessment to the products you specify will help you and your client understand the product’s green story.

Figure 5.4

Cork harvesting process

Figure 5.5

American Clay installed in a bathroom

Figure 5.6

American Clay installed in a kitchen

Figure 5.7

Humidity buffering in a bathroom

Figure 5.8

Recycled glass surface used for a kitchen island countertop

Figure 5.9

Kitchen counter made of Paperstone

®

Figure 5.10

This ECO countertop is made with recycled materials.

Figure 5.11

Copper mining

Figure 5.12

Tub made with recycled iron

Figure 5.13

A kitchen sink made of recycled copper

Figure 5.14

A recycled aluminum custom hood

Figure 5.15

Locally sourced cabinets built by L & Z Specialties, Portland, Oregon. NUAF plywood case construction.

Figure 5.16

An induction cooktop

Figure 5.17

With careful and diligent searching, a sink may be sourced from building salvage stores, such as the Habitat for Humanity ReStore.

Figure 5.18

Faucet with low-flow aerator option

Figure 5.19

Runoffs from agriculture, city roads, home pesticides, fertilizers, and industry all find their way into the water supply, creating havoc on the organisms that live there.

Figure 5.20

Single counter-mount stainless steel waste container installed flush to countertop. All parts are easily removed for cleaning.

Figure 5.21

Hot water on-demand tankless system

Figure 5.22

Point-of-use hot water heaters are small and can be installed in a cabinet in bathrooms or kitchens where they are farthest from the main hot water heater. No more waiting for hot water!

Figure 5.23

The 1999 study shows a snapshot of how water is used in a single-family household in twelve North American locations.

Figure 5.24

Average water use per household was found to be approximately 69 gallons.

Figure 5.25

One-piece 1.28-gallon-per-flush toilet

Figure 5.26

Direct vent fireplace installation details

Chapter 6

Figure 6.1

Native Trails incorporates the full triple bottom line—People, Planet, and Profit—into its daily business practices as well as its business plan.

Figure 6.2

Green Hammer follows through with its goal to build for the environment. It does not offer clients bottled water (those bottles have to be recycled); rather, clients are offered fresh water in glasses with the company logo.

Figure 6.3

Portland, Oregon, is an easy bike commuting city. For nearby projects or shopping for samples, it is easier for designer Robin Rigby Fisher to use the bike than trying to find a parking spot.

Figure 6.4

Mobile applications such as DocuSign help keep paper to a minimum and contracts can be filed electronically. Applications like these are invaluable to businesses that offer services to clients in distant geographic locations.

Figure 6.5

Interior designer Tracey Stephens has made a mark in her industry by becoming an expert in sustainable design. Being clear about her environmental standing has enhanced her business’s success.

Appendix C

Figure C.1

Neil Kelly Signature Cabinets made with NUAF FSC plywood and hardwood, and low VOC water-based finish.

Figure C.2

The working side of the island features an induction cooktop.

Figure C.3

Island features custom storage and built-in seating. Table by The Joinery.

Figure C.4

FSC cherry cabinets made with NUAF plywood, Oceanside tile blend was chosen from the colors with the highest recycled content.

Figure C.5

All appliances were chosen for their high Energy Star rating for efficiency.

Figure C.6

Message center is tucked between pantry storage. Island top is FSC maple butcherblock finished with food-safe linseed oil.

Figure C.7

Designed by Anne De Wolf, owner/designer at Arciform

Figure C.8

Designed by Anne De Wolf, owner/designer at Arciform

Figure C.9

Designed by Anne De Wolf, owner/designer at Arciform

Figure C.10

Designed by Anne De Wolf, owner/designer at Arciform

Figure C.11

Vanity made from reclaimed wood

Figure C.12

Floating shelves made from reclaimed wood

Figure C.13

This quartz countertop does not require sealers.

Figure C.14

Before plan

Figure C.15

After plan

Figure C.16

Cabinets made with FSC-certified wood and NUAF plywood were painted with water-based low-VOC paint.

Figure C.17

The red Bertazzoni range was the inspiration for the kitchen.

Guide

Cover

Table of Contents

Preface

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Preface

PROFESSIONALS AS STUDENTS

When the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) approached us about coauthoring a new volume for the NKBA Professional Resource Library, we were honored and ecstatic. We had been recommended based on our educational work at Portland Community College and specifically for work that had been done thanks to a grant from the National Science Foundation. Our colleague Denise Roy, who teaches in the Architectural Design and Drafting Department, wrote and secured grant monies for the education of educators who teach in the building arts.

The goal of the grant is to provide opportunities for educators to add or increase concepts of sustainability in their curriculum through activities. Rather than conducting research, educators in architectural design and drafting, interior design, and building construction technology went to work for individuals and organizations as interns. The result has been nothing short of phenomenal. All three departments now have a strong focus on sustainable design, and the students can’t get enough of it. This mission to educate professionals continues with LOCATE: Technical Education for High Performance summer sustainability conferences. For one week in June, educators in landscape, construction, architectural design, and interior design converge to learn through activities, tours, and from each other.

The goal for this book is similar: educate for applicability. Write about concepts but also discuss implementation and benefits. A sustainable approach to kitchen and bath design includes touching all parts of a project from construction materials to systems to material choices. A chapter on creating a green office and business approach is included in the book. Sustainable design is about cutting waste and reducing carbon emissions, but it is also about creating more comfortable homes that have reduced operating costs.

Writing this book has been journey. It has been rewarding to stretch ourselves professionally and to put the knowledge that we share each day with our students into a textbook format. We were given the opportunity to write a textbook that we would want our students to use. It is many an educators’ dream.

We have enjoyed both attending and presenting at the LOCATE Summer Sustainability Institutes. We have both presented our teaching of green design at the KBIS Educators’ Forums over the years. We both feel that we are always, simultaneously learning, practicing, and teaching.

We hope you enjoy this book.

When the last river has been polluted, the last tree cut down, the last fish has been caught, will we realize we cannot eat the money?

—Native Cree saying

Amanda writes:

I’d like to acknowledge the support and guidance of Johanna Baars, Publications Specialist at the NKBA. I also want to thank Green Hammer Design Build and C. R. Herro at Meritage Homes. Both companies serve as inspiration for green building. I’d like to thank my family for supporting me through this process.

Robin writes:

Writing a book on sustainable design was a longtime goal of mine and has been challenging and exciting. It could not have been done without the help of many people. I’d like to thank Johanna Baars at the NKBA for her patience and prodding; my teaching partner, Dorothy Payton, for her knowledge and insights; my assistant, Brandon Cole, for his project management and Photoshop skills; Bernhard Masterson for his energy, knowledge, and love of mud; Richard and Anna DeWolf for their insights; Nancy Foster for her vast knowledge of toilets; Rhonda Knoche for her support; Tracey Stephens; Green Depot (Portland, OR); Joel Fraley CKD; Janel Campbell, CKD,CBD; Corey Klassen, CKD, CBD; and Hannah Mizar, illustrator extraordinaire! Last, I want to thank my family for their patience and support during this journey.

Acknowledgments

The NKBA gratefully acknowledges the following peer reviewers for the valuable feedback they provided in their review this book.

Darrill Andries, CKD

Janel Campbell, CKD, CBD

Mark Goldman, AKBD

Sigrid McCandless, CMKBD

Karen Richmond, CMKBD

Teresa Slye, NCIDQ, LEED

1Understanding the Need for Sustainable Design

On my first Boy Scout trip, in the mid-1950s, I learned the basic environmental principle that we should leave the campsite as we found it. We were told that the next group of hikers deserved no less and that in fact we should clean the site up if those before us had been careless. I did not as a child understand that the campsite would be global or that the next hikers would include unborn generations.

—John Sitter

Learning Objective 1: Discuss the concept of designing for benefit rather than austerity.

Learning Objective 2: Apply sustainable design concepts to kitchen and bath projects.

Learning Objective 3: Identify the basic needs for applying sustainable practices.

Our world is in dire straits; human impact on the earth is affecting the future of the planet (see Figure 1.1). Consider these facts:

The average temperature of the earth has risen by more than 1.4° F over the last century.

1

Oceans are warming and becoming more acidic, ice caps are melting, and sea levels are rising.

2

From 1880 to 2011, the average sea level rise was 0.07 inches per year, but from 1993 to 2011, the sea level rise was between 0.11 and 0.13 inches per year.

3

Emissions of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide [CO

2

], methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases) have increased due to human activities such as:

The burning of fossil fuels.

Anaerobic decay of organic waste in landfills due to industry processes and commercial and household chemicals (see

Figure 1.2

)

Figure 1.1 World Wildlife Fund Living Planet Report © 2014

World Wildlife Fund, www.panda.org

Figure 1.2 Total US Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Economic Sector in 2011

www.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/usinventoryreport.html

Global warming or climate change occurs when the greenhouse gases redirect too much radiation toward the earth. Radiant energy, in the form of heat, comes from the sun. In a most amazing natural cycle, unnecessary (and potentially harmful) radiant energy is sent out of the earth's atmosphere into space. With the exponential increase in the amount of greenhouse gases in the earth's atmosphere over the last 150 years, this process is being interrupted. The gases are trapping the energy as heat (see Figure 1.3).

Figure 1.3 The Greenhouse Effect

www.epa.gov/climatestudents/basics/today/greenhouse-effect.html

The term “greenhouse gas” is a blanket term for compounds that exacerbate this situation. These gases are by-products of industry. Waste emissions from the burning of fossil fuels are the leading source of these gases, but they are not completely responsible. Other sources of greenhouse gas include the manufacture of hydrofluorocarbons (refrigerants), emissions from landfills, emissions from livestock, and off-gassing of chemicals.

The construction industry has only added to our current problem. Research shows that the construction industry impacts our global problem with residential buildings accounting for:

38.9 percent of total US energy consumption

38.9 percent of total US CO

2

emissions

13 percent of total US water consumption

4

TRIPLE-BOTTOM-LINE APPROACH

We can answer the question “Why sustainable design?” with inspiration from the triple-bottom-line (TBL) concept (see Figure 1.4). This book is written in what appears to be the end stages of the worst economic crisis (recession) since the twentieth century's Great Depression. It is an exciting time. With the kitchen and bath remodeling sector experiencing a return to business growth, there is an opportunity to make this return to prosperity a green one. How do things look different now from four years ago? How will they look four years from today? The conversation about sustainable building, design, and remodeling practices is an evolving one.

Figure 1.4 The main parts of the triple bottom line are people, planet, and profit, but as this figure shows, there are subsets that further define the TBL.

NKBA

At the end of the twentieth century, many companies were profiting at the expense of many workers and the natural environment. People, planet, profit is a business concept also known as the triple bottom line (TBL).

The term “TBL” first was used in 1994 by economist John Elkington. At the time, it was a revolutionary approach to business as usual. The TBL asks that businesses create three sectors with measureable outcomes to determine the success of the company. It states that it is not enough simply to look at the final success (profit) of the company as the one bottom line; one must also look at how the business affects the environment (planet) and how the business supports its community (people).

In this book, we examine ways to create sustainable kitchens and baths by understanding the need to become a steward of the environment. Creating a sustainable design practice means planning for benefit: saving your client money, paying homage to the environment, and designing healthy interiors that will enhance your clients' lives.

Event-Oriented Thinking, Systems Thinking, and the Butterfly Effect

There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root.

—Henry David Thoreau, Walden

The environment is a big issue—one country, one government, one community, one business, or one person cannot resolve all the issues, but if each one of us does our part, then change will occur. It will take a new way of thinking—a paradigm shift.

To make a paradigm shift, we must look at our attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs. This is not a linear process; it is a loop. Let's look at this in a different way:

Midterms are fast approaching, and you are getting a cold. Your homework is piling up, but there is a party this weekend, so you take cold medicine and head out. You spend the next three nights pulling all-nighters, take your midterms, and spend the next few days in bed very sick (see Figure 1.5).

Figure 1.5 Event-oriented thinking says that everything can be explained by a chain of events: If A or B happens, then C will most likely occur—cause and effect.

NKBA

This is event-oriented thinking. This process looks at the world in a linear fashion: A happens, then B, then C. Event-oriented thinking assumes that each event has a cause and that changing the cause will correspondingly change the event. The rest of the system that produced the event need not be considered.

We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.

—Albert Einstein

Now let's look at your cold in a new way.

Midterms are fast approaching, and you are getting a cold. After a few days of being miserable, you start thinking, “I seem to get a cold close to midterms often. Why is that?” You are recognizing a pattern. So, what happens at midterms each time? Well, the amount of work is beginning to pile up, but you are still going out with your friends on Friday and Saturday, not eating well, and your exercise regime has gone by the wayside. Now you are seeing what is influencing the pattern. To make a change, you need to make a shift. What can you do to break the pattern? Perhaps you can only go out on Saturday if all your studying is done, plan your meals in advance, get a workout partner, and focus on your health.

You are on your way to break the cycle. This is systems thinking (see Figure 1.6).

Figure 1.6 Systems thinking: To solve a problem, you need to assess what is happening at the base.

NKBA

System thinking is the process of looking at things as interdependent systems where one part influences another. Event-oriented thinking is linear cause and effect, but systems thinking is circular (a causal loop). Systems thinking is not reacting to a problem; rather, it encourages a more holistic approach to solutions.

The metaphor of the butterfly effect illustrates system thinking. A butterfly flaps its wings, and the small current has the ability to effect change as large as the path of a storm. The concept involves considering that small, almost imperceptible events can alter larger ones. It involves understanding that there is an interdependency of all events on the planet and that all circumstances are sensitive to one another. Much like the butterfly effect, systems thinking reasons that small events can be separated by time and distance and still affect one another.

This is the appropriate way to look at sustainability. Just changing your lamps to compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) or light-emitting diodes (LEDs) can be part of the solution; but as a designer, you have the opportunity to effect larger change. You can be part of the solution.

That's what this book is about—arming you with the knowledge and tools to effect change.

Imperceptible Change?

In a Pew Research poll conducted to determine Americans’ views on global warming, it was found that while 67 percent of the respondents believe there is “solid evidence” for climate change, only 30 percent consider it an issue that the president and congress should address.

Why?

It has been suggested that our inability to deal with this issue is due to the way our brain functions. Daniel Gilbert, a professor of psychology at Harvard, suggests that because “global warming doesn't take human form,” it is difficult for us to see it as an enemy. He further suggests that because global warming has occurred slowly, our minds have had time to normalize it.

In the ninteenth century, experiments were made using a frog and some water on the stove. If the frog was placed in uncomfortably warm water, it jumped out of the pan. However, if the frog was placed in a pan of cool water and the water was heated very slowly, it was believed that the frog would not notice the change in the water temperature until it was, sadly, too late.

This story has become a cultural metaphor for the inability of user groups to “see” or understand gradual change. People don't feel an urge to change their behavior until it is too late.

Even if you have not been incorporating any sustainable design practices in your business, you don't have to embrace all of the concepts we will be presenting at once. Instead, find a concept that resonates with you (e.g., indoor air quality, buying local, energy efficiency, recycled content, water efficiency), and start there.

The Myth of Apathy

Dr. Renee Lertzman is a consumer researcher who uses her background in psychology and communication to advise on green issues from a behavioral perspective. “The Myth of Apathy” is reprinted from Dr. Lertzman's Web site (http://reneelertzman.com/the-myth-of-apathy/) with her permission.

We reprint Dr. Lertzman's words here as a means of discussing how the subject of sustainable living can be conflictual. When faced with so many habits to change and so many activities to modify, it is easy to become overwhelmed. More specifically, many individuals choose to do little or nothing because they believe in the all-or-nothing approach. The perspective this book is offering is to do something. In terms of kitchen and bath design, it may be specifying an alternative to an old water heater or using a material that is sourced locally. The goal is a paradigm shift first; behavior changes will follow.

The Myth of ApathyBy Dr. Renee LertzmanThe Conundrum

At this moment in time, there is no shortage of good ideas about how to make the world cleaner and greener.

We live in a time where there is an abundance of juicy good ideas, more awareness than ever about our ecological contexts. Information about biodiversity, creatures in the deep seas and remote corners of this planet, the fragility of our home. Information about the threats.

More information, period.

And yet, the riddle at the center of just about any sustainability effort is why more people are not taking action. People meaning “the public,” elected officials, and all in between. Even more specific: people taking the actions that we know would have a good chance of mitigating the most severe threats facing our horizon, from climate change to overfishing to toxic contamination of air, water, and dirt. Actions that we know would do us all—plants, critters, humans—a lot of good.

For decades, the environmental movement has been situated as the naysayer, poised to pounce on anyone who would dare buy a battery farm chicken, buy cheap sweatshop clothes made with pesticide-saturated cotton, or take a short-haul flight. Worse still, those who dare to buy and drive large gleaming SUVs or buy extravagant McMansions. Flagrant consumption of finite resources and the ignorance of where our energy comes from is a veritable sin.

However, the image of the moralizing environmentalist appears to be changing. Marketing agencies and corporations are cottoning on to the fact that if we make green sexy, hot, and profitable, more people will “buy” into it (pun intended). Green sells. Yet in the move to commodify green as quickly as possible, something fundamental is overlooked, glossed over. It is as if we can somehow suture together the rifts inherent in our consumptive-based way of life, and all that led us to this point (yes, all of it, from the first coal mines carved out of Wales to the present moment), and smooth it all into one lovely, profitable, ideologically consistent, and seamless green dream.

While this vision is intensely appealing—as we generally want to avoid pain and struggle, and are drawn to comfort, ease, and pleasure like bees to honey—it is psychologically retrograde, emotionally confusing, and ideologically incoherent. Most of us are embedded in the very practices, desires, goods, textures, and sensations that contribute to our ecological ills.

It's the paradox at the center of an ecological consciousness, and one that runs to the heart of why people may do nothing to help save or protect our environment, despite our best wishes, hopes, desires, and dreams to do so.

Being green is attractive, desirable, and profitable. However, it is also potentially frightening and threatens what many of us hold to be central to who we are—how we construct meaning in our lives. Until we incorporate the whole picture into our vision of being sustainable, we are going to be fighting a battle. Flowing against a current. When, in fact, we can be flowing with the current—if we can acknowledge paradoxes, contradictions, and dilemmas these topics can bring up.

“Apathetic” is a description of a lack, a deficit, when something vital appears to be missing. We think of apathy as the central driver for public inaction in the face of serious issues, whether it is political injustice, ecological devastation, or plain wrongness in the world. Apathy is perceived commonly as an “enemy” of reform, political action, and up-take. It can also be seen as shorthand for “selfish,” “ignorant” or “greedy”—attributes often ascribed to “the public” for not “doing enough” to protect our collective resources, fellow creatures, and planet.

In order to believe in apathy, and the studies that seem to suggest people don't really give a toss, we find some surprising assumptions about human psychology. Assumptions that require being challenged, including:

If someone believes, feels, or values something, there is a necessary correlative, or “the face value myth.”

That we are aware of all of our thoughts, feelings, desires, fears, and conflicts at any given time and can adequately provide them on request. This is the “transparency myth.”

Humans have the capacity to quite literally turn off their feelings, sensations or responses to the world around them, or “the robot myth.”

The “public” is largely passive, and what is required are ever more ingenious communication strategies to mobilize, inspire, cajole, threaten, frighten, or force specific actions. This can also be called “the sheep myth.”

What all of these assumptions have in common is a particular conception of human psychology: that we are largely rational beings who are self-determined, transparent to ourselves and to others, and with the right levers and motivators, we can be enticed to take certain actions and avoid others. (And these levers and motivators can be in the form of a compelling campaign, reward scheme, or social acceptance.) That we are ultimately self-interested and focused on self-preservation more than anything else. It's a stunning image of human nature once you scratch the surface, and not a pretty one.

The alternative is not recourse to a Pollyanna fantasy that humans will always do what is right and just, for we know this not to be the case. A more compelling and arguably accurate conception of human nature may be one that assumes and presumes contradiction, ambivalence, paradox, and dilemmas. It takes on board that with change, there is often loss. And with loss, there is often mourning and melancholia. And with grief and loss, there can be space for creative engagement, participation, care and concern.

Dr. Renee Lertzman is an applied researcher, speaker, instructor, and strategic communications specialist who focuses on the deeper psychological dimensions of sustainability—charged issues requiring sensitive communications. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, the Guardian, the Ecologist, Time, Orion Magazine, the Sun magazine, Climate Access, and on numerous other web sites and blogs. Used with permission.