Earth Day – Designed to Last!
This month, we will all be celebrating the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. Asheville interior designer Douglas Stratton – and the entire team of interior designers at Asheville’s Stratton Design Group – believe we each have a role to play when it comes to conserving the Earth’s resources and incredible natural beauty.
One of the ways that we try to do our part is through our membership in the Green Built Alliance, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing sustainability in the built environment through community education, measurable standards and regional action in Western North Carolina and beyond.
The Green Built Alliance is a wonderful resource not only for building and design professionals but also for homeowners. In addition to the wealth of information you’ll find on their website, the Alliance has offered free classes, public forums and even training sessions.
When the first Earth Day was held, people all across America – and all around the world – turned out to show their support for the environment. At that time, many of the nation’s rivers were toxic (The Cuyahoga River in Cleveland was actually on fire!) and the air in our major city’s was heavily polluted.
We’ve made a lot of progress in cleaning up our air and water, thanks to important legislation passed as a result of that first Earth Day celebration, but there is still much to be done.
Green Building
As the Environmental Protection Agency (which was also created as a result of that first Earth Day!) says, “Green, or sustainable, building is the practice of creating and using healthier and more resource-efficient models of construction, renovation, operation, maintenance and demolition.”
Green building strategies provide both environmental and economic benefits, which the EPA also does a good job of outlining:
Environmental benefits
- Enhance and protect biodiversity and ecosystems
- Improve air and water quality
- Reduce waste streams
- Conserve and restore natural resources
Economic benefits
- Reduce operating costs
- Create, expand, and shape markets for green product and services
- Improve occupant productivity
- Optimize life-cycle economic performance
If you would like to talk to Asheville interior designer Douglas Stratton about project management services for a new green building project or connect with a member of the team at Stratton Design and Lighting Group to discuss incorporating sustainable building methods in an upcoming renovation project, please contact us.