Green, Sustainable, Eco-Friendly, Healthy Design: Part I – Store Interiors

It’s basically looking at every decision you make and asking yourself, “is there a more sustainable, healthy version or way to do this?” The difficulty comes when you don’t know what the green or non-toxic alternatives are … and with green washing (vendors spinning tales about the “greenness” of their products and services) running rampant these days, it doesn’t make your decisions any easier. But with patience and persistence, you’ll learn to ask the right questions and get the answers you need.

Where do you start?
Begin by auditing your space. Look at the floors, walls, lights, signage, fixtures and furnishings - are they made from healthy, sustainable materials? If not, will they need to be changed in the near future, and if so, what are the green alternatives?

Here are some thoughts and items to consider when auditing the interior space of your business:

Finishes

• Flooring: consider all-natural options such as linoleum, cork, ceramic tile, and concrete. Synthetic options include recycled rubber, or recycled nylon fibers (carpet) with vinyl backing.
• Paint: try a non-toxic paint such as Safecoat® or BioShield.
• Wall Coverings: there are some beautiful natural papers / fibers and recycled vinyl options on the market today.
• Ceilings: gypsum drywall or gypsum acoustical tiles are both all-natural materials that are readily recycled.
• Most floor, wall covering and ceiling manufacturers will accept your old finishes for recycling when you order new.
• Ask installers to use eco-friendly adhesives and sealers.

Fixtures and furnishings
Whenever possible, find fixtures and furnishings made from solid wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), particleboard and MDF without formaldehyde, glass, and / or recycled steel. If you’re having the items custom made, specify non-toxic adhesives and water-based stains and sealers. Upholstery options are all-natural organic fibers & pigments, or recycled nylon fibers. Avoid chemical stain / wrinkle repellants and toxic flame retardants whenever possible. Look for all natural latex cushions over petroleum based poly-foams.

Finding 100% green stock furniture that is affordable is a bit tricky. The furniture industry has been slow to hop on the eco-band wagon. Until there are lines readily available (hopefully in the next year or so), I recommend renovating existing pieces with eco-materials and finishes.

Lighting
Natural light is the best and healthiest form of light (when tempered of course, with sun shades that combat heat, UV radiation and glare). When artificial light is necessary, compact fluorescents have become the popular energy-efficient choice, but they contain mercury and aren’t the healthiest form of light. Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) and metal halides are extremely energy efficient and are healthy light sources with good color rendering properties. They’re expensive up front, but costs are quickly recouped by the dollars saved in lowered utility bills. Over the next couple of years, we’ll see the purchase costs of these lamps come down. When ordering decorative pendant fixtures, floor and table lamps, look for fixtures made out of recycled steel, paper, silk and wood.

Lyn Falk is president of Retailworks Inc and Solterra Studios. She can be reached at www.retailworksinc.com or www.solterrastudios.com.