Green Design and Building Services
I believe our homes and work places should nurture us, provide healing and comforting shelter, and help us to live and work more gently on the Earth. They need to be ‘right sized’ to meet our unique set of needs, well-designed to maximize use of space, and be oriented to give us plenty of easy access to the sun and the outdoors.
Green Design and Building
Designing From the Inside Out
My roots in interior design and space utilization bring a different approach to green design and building. I believe we should start from the inside first. My company, Green Built Environments, designs by first prioritizing client wants and needs, right-sizing the square footage to those objectives, maximizing the use of all space, and offering lots of natural daylight and access to outdoors.
Then we can examine the building structure to maximize energy efficiency, identify appropriate construction technologies, select green and healthy materials, and create beautiful aesthetics and comfort. And always working towards a goal to live and work more sustainably.
Interior Design Services
Supporting Our Total Well Being
The interior spaces we live and work in determine how we function every day, and how we feel about ourselves and others. Here's my list of goals for interior designing:
• Create environments that support us through order,
simplicity, and beauty
• Design to meet our unique needs and enhances our daily
activities
• Create interiors to help us stay connected with Nature
• Design spaces that keep all our senses stimulated
• Create interiors that are easy to maintain, and that
last and look beautiful for a very long time
Remodeling and Renovations
Renovating Is Very Green
Remodeling an existing structure can be a very green thing to do. And as our lives change, being able to stay in that same home is often a very smart and comforting approach. These are my renovation strategies:
• Green renovations from smallest project to whole house
• Assessment of homes or buildings to meet unique needs
• Planning to support sustainable living and maintenance
• Inspections for indoor air quality and moisture control
• Research and selection of green and healthy products
• Creating aesthetic beauty and comfort in all buildings
Read the article in Remodeling Magazine about a total house renovation in Asheville, NC.
Writer, Author and Speaker
Save the Planet...and Us, Too!
I started the first newsletter in the US on green interior design and building, and followed that up with a resource directory of the materials and products that were greener. A non-profit followed to offer additional resources and information.
I’ve written lots of articles, presented at many events and conferences, and was a co-author of an important collaboration between the American Society of Interior Designer and the US Green Building Council – the REGREEN Guidelines for green residential remodeling.