What are some ways to make a positive impact on the environment through green design?
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Green design is the practice of creating products, services, and spaces that minimize the negative environmental impact and enhance the quality of life for people and other living beings. It is a multidisciplinary field that requires creativity, innovation, and collaboration. If you are interested in making a positive impact on the environment through green design, here are some ways you can do it.
One of the most important aspects of green design is selecting materials that are renewable, recyclable, biodegradable, or have low embodied energy. Embodied energy is the amount of energy required to produce, transport, and dispose of a material. By choosing sustainable materials, you can reduce the carbon footprint, waste, and pollution associated with your design. Some examples of sustainable materials are bamboo, hemp, cork, recycled plastic, and organic cotton.
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Emily Moody
Chief of Staff at Connected Women Leaders
Don't be afraid to think out of the box and get creative with your materials! For example, in my organization, we did some desktop research and found a company that creates biodegradable badge holders. We use these for all of our events and rest easy knowing they'll naturally degrade within 5 years. We also found a company that makes lapel pins out of sustainably sourced wood, so we can proudly showcase our brand knowing that the merchandise is net zero. And it's not rude to ask people to give their badges, agendas, or merchandise back if they don't want it at the end of an event - most people appreciate your efforts to remain eco-friendly!
Another way to make a positive impact on the environment through green design is to optimize the energy efficiency of your products, services, and spaces. Energy efficiency means using less energy to achieve the same or better performance. By improving energy efficiency, you can lower the greenhouse gas emissions, operating costs, and resource consumption of your design. Some examples of energy efficiency strategies are using LED lights, solar panels, smart thermostats, and passive heating and cooling systems.
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Leonard Teo
Technical Specialist | Driving Energy and Water Usage Reduction | Certified Energy Manager (SCEM) | Energy Transition | Decarbonisation | Water Circularity | Sustainability Strategy
Energy Efficiency helps make a positive impact to the environment. It is using technology that is already available to improve utilisation and reduce waste. Rather than just focus on buzzwords such as Hydrogen, renewable energy as well as carbon capture and storage, one focus should be to reduce energy use by improving efficiency. According to International Energy Agency, Energy Efficiency could abate up to 40% of carbon needed by 2040. The many technologies within energyt improvement is well documented for both industrial and building sectors and it has the highest chance of success.
Biophilia is the innate human attraction to nature and living things. Incorporating biophilia into your design can enhance the well-being, productivity, and creativity of the users, as well as the biodiversity and resilience of the environment. Some examples of biophilic design elements are natural light, ventilation, plants, water features, natural colors, textures, and shapes.
Circular economy is a model that aims to eliminate waste and pollution, keep products and materials in use, and regenerate natural systems. Applying circular economy principles to your design can help you create solutions that are durable, repairable, reusable, or compostable. Some examples of circular economy practices are designing for disassembly, using modular components, offering product-as-a-service, and implementing take-back or recycling schemes.
Finally, one of the most effective ways to make a positive impact on the environment through green design is to engage with the stakeholders of your design. Stakeholders are the people or groups that are affected by or can influence your design, such as customers, suppliers, employees, communities, and regulators. By engaging with stakeholders, you can understand their needs, preferences, and feedback, as well as communicate the value and benefits of your design. Some examples of stakeholder engagement methods are surveys, interviews, focus groups, workshops, and co-creation sessions.
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Dr Reji Kurien Thomas
I Empower organisations as a Global Technology & Business Transformation Leader | CTO | Harvard Leader | UK House of Lord's Awardee |Fellow Royal Society & CSR Sustainability |Visionary Innovator |CCISO CISM |DBA DSc PhD
Green Design for Environmental Impact:- Energy-Efficient Buildings- In a project I consulted on, we used passive solar design, reducing energy consumption by 40%. This involved strategic placement of windows and insulation materials Sustainable Materials- I worked with a team that prioritised recycled and locally-sourced materials for construction, significantly reducing the carbon footprint Green Roofs and Walls- In an urban development project, we implemented green roofs and walls. This not only improved air quality but also provided urban biodiversity habitats. Water Conservation- A residential complex I advised on incorporated rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling systems, drastically cutting down water usage
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