The focus of NKBA’s free webinar series in April is on sustainable, healthy design. By Dianne M. Pogoda
Keep it clean, keep it green. These are keys to a healthy lifestyle, and designers can help their clients achieve such environments with careful selection of products and materials as well as planning strategies.
Four free webinars next month will cover the important design elements that are trending in health and sustainability, and how to apply them in any size space, all while staying true to a beautiful aesthetic.
April’s series is generously sponsored by the Ceramic Tile Education Foundation.
“The Ceramic Tile Education Foundation is committed to professional development for tile installers. For that reason, we applaud and support the NKBA webinar series and those who take continuing education so seriously,” said Scott Carothers, director of certification and training for CTEF. “We’re excited about the April theme of sustainability because ceramic and porcelain tile are true sustainable materials. And, when installed by the best of the best – Qualified Labor and Certified Tile Installers – the end result is the ultimate in sustainability. [The resulting] project is not only beautiful, but it withstands the test of time while addressing the functional needs of those using the space. It does full justice to the vision of the design professional.”
Speaking on behalf of CTEF at start of each webinar, Christine Whittemore will discuss the foundation’s mission, the significance of partnering with qualified laborers and its Certified Tile Installer program.
The sessions offer attending certified participants 0.1 CEU per event — it’s an easy way to collect the CEUs needed to maintain NKBA certification. Participants must engage in 80 percent of the sessions to receive CEU credit; registration closes two hours prior to start times. All times listed are Eastern.
The first session, at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, April 10, is presented by Lauren Levant, owner of Lauren Levant Interior and a multi-year winner of the Clay Lyon Builder Remodeler Award in NKBA’s professional Design Competition. “Designer Health: Meeting the Demands of Luxury and Lifestyle,” will explore health and wellbeing at the epicenter of luxurious design. The high-end client is willing to pay for premium materials with healthy finishes and non-toxic, responsibly sourced components. This webinar will help designers communicate the importance of incorporating healthy products in a project, recognize effective ways to design for the health-conscious client, and source the products and brands that meet these needs. Levant will also discuss the impact of healthy design on the bottom line and how it contributes to building a business. To register for “Designer Health: Meeting the Demands of Luxury and Lifestyle,” click here.
On Wednesday, April 17, at 12 noon, Paula Kennedy, CMKBD, principal and designer at Timeless Kitchen Design, presents “Spoiler Alert! Kitchens Waste Food.” Kennedy maintains that today’s kitchens might be designed with storage in mind, but that’s very different from food preservation, noting that Americans throw away 30% to 40% of the food they buy every year. That food ends up in landfills, and in emitting methane gas, contributes to the Greenhouse effect. This session will address how to design kitchen spaces and storage and the right equipment to preserve food. Kennedy will also talk about consumer shopping habits and offer tips and tricks for maximizing food life and consumption.
To register for “Spoiler Alert! Kitchens Waste Food,” click here.
In the next webinar, Robin Fisher, CMKBD, principal designer and owner of Robin Rigby Fisher Design, will discuss “Creating the Sustainable Kitchen & Bath,” Monday, April 22 at 12 noon. Focusing on the impact of construction projects on global warming, she will explain how man is contributing to climate change and how kitchen and bath designers can make choices that will benefit the health and wellbeing of their clients as well as the Earth. She’ll cover the methods to incorporate sustainable products in designs and how to sell sustainability without “selling” it.
To register for “Creating the Sustainable Kitchen & Bath,” click here.
Finally, on Tuesday, April 30 at 12 noon, David Tracz, cofounder of //3877 Architecture and Design, will evaluate sustainability practices in residential design on macro and micro levels. He’ll discuss benefits of the latest sustainable technologies and solutions, and how these technologies, can shrink the environmental footprint of the home. Tracz will focus on energy and water conservation and cost savings for homeowners and share how to explain the impact of technologies installed for the whole home impact design, habits, and environmental footprints.
To register for “Large Scale Sustainability in Small Scale Spaces,” click here.
All recordings will be posted to the new webinars page on nkba.org found by clicking here. Note that NKBA does not offer the CEU for viewing recorded webinars.
