April is home to Earth Day, and what better way to treat our Mother than with free webinars on sustainable design. By Dianne M. Pogoda
It’s becoming painfully obvious that taking care of our environment is of growing importance. NKBA’s free webinar series in April, generously sponsored by Geberit, are focused on sustainability.
Each month, NKBA offers free 60-minute webinars, each of which features a presentation by an expert in the specific subject matter, delivered via a virtual platform. The sessions offer certified participants 0.1 CEU per event — it’s an easy way for designers to collect the CEUs needed to maintain NKBA certification. Participants must engage in 80 percent of the live sessions to receive CEU credit; registration closes two hours prior to start times. All webinars in 2020 begin at 12 noon, Eastern Time. Create an account at the NKBA store at www.nkba.org to register.
Starting things off on April 1, C.R. Herro, VP of Innovation for Meritage Homes, and J. Stace McGee, LEED AP, LEED AP+Homes, Green Rater, and principal of Equiterra Regenerative Design, will present “VISION House Seattle Cascades: A Template for Sustainable Design.” In this session, Herro will discuss the sustainable design and green building features, mainly in kitchens and baths, of the VISION House Seattle Cascades project he is developing in conjunction with Green Builder Media. In addition, McGee will focus on the Green Builder initiative and the design, construction and operation of high-performance, resource-efficient homes. The off-grid, net-positive, healthy home utilizes sustainable design to enhance performance, livability and cost-effectiveness the most advanced and reasonably priced green building products, systems, and technologies available today. Attendees will learn about these systems and products and how they can enhance wellness in the kitchen, bath and whole home, as well as understand how to leverage connected technologies to improve energy performance, water conservation and indoor air quality while reducing operating costs and monthly bills.
To register for “VISION House Seattle Cascades: A Template for Sustainable Design,” click here.
On April 8, consultant Joe Cain of Eco-Fitting Your Home will discuss “Climate Change Adaptation for Designers.” In this webinar, participants will learn about data used to monitor climate and how the building industry has contributed to current climate disruptions, including learning how technology has evolved and why quick action can help alleviate stress on the environment. In their unique role as advisors to homeowners, design professionals have an opportunity to make a major impact on the environment while designing for a healthy home. The webinar will cover basic steps that can help improve indoor air quality, promote convenience and reduce carbon emissions from the built environment, as well as product selection and design concepts.
Cain is a Subject Matter expert who contributed to the NKBA Specialty Badge on Sustainability. To register for “Climate Change Adaptation for Designers,” click here.
Next up, Marla Esser Cloos, owner and president of Green Home Coach, LLC, will focus on “Designing Everyday Green Homes” on April 16. Clients want homes that look great, feel great and perform well. An Everyday Green Home is just that, and impacts daily life through health, comfort and performance, says Cloos.Designing green doesn’t need to be hard but it does require attention to detail and careful planning to ensure the needed elements are met. This webinar will cover why “green” in design matters, the basics of a green home and especially kitchens and baths, and how to accomplish it. Attendees will learn to identify the categories of green remodeling/building practices and their benefits, best building practices or products associated with these categories and resources to help go green in design projects.
To register for “Designing Everyday Green Homes,” click here.
On April 20, Robin R. Fisher, CMKBD, CAPS, and principal designer at Robin Rigby Fisher Design, will present “Good Design IS Sustainable.” Fisher will illustrate how designers can improve their clients’ lifestyle while lessening their impact on the environment — all while increasing their bottom line. She’ll address how to design kitchen spaces, storage and equipment to better serve the client and the environment. Proper food storage reduces food waste, which saves money and saves food from ending up in a landfill and negatively affecting the environment. It also supports the client’s health by having healthy snacks readily available. Fisher will also talk about new kitchen equipment that must be planned for, as well as getting back to the basics of home gardens and preservation techniques, and the future of the food industry.
To register for “Good Design IS Sustainable ,” click here.
Finally, on April 28, exploring the topic of “Washing Wisdom – Dishes to Clothes Facts, Myths and Future” is Paula Kennedy, CMKBD, CLIPP, owner and principal of Timeless Kitchen Design.
Dishwashers and washing machines are an essential and integral part of daily life. Human nature often defaults to “how we’ve always done things,” says Kennedy. Myths are handed down through generations even though technology has changed, and appliances have become more efficient. Most people want the newest and best products, but only use what’s familiar — often utilizing only 10% of what these devices and appliances are actually capable of — for instance, just washing everything on the “normal” cycle. Change is happening at a rapid pace, and sustainability is driving much of this change due to energy and water consumption, as well as how Living in Place, wellness and technology are impacting the conversation.
To register for “Washing Wisdom —Dishes to Clothes Facts, Myths & Future,” click here.
