Change is needed at every level of the design process to have a positive impact on the health of the planet.

By Dianne Pagoda

Key Takeaways:

• Interior design will be responsible for 10 percent of the world’s carbon emissions in 30 years
• The kitchen and bath are the biggest source of carbon emission in the home
• Generational shifts in attitudes toward the planet are starting now, especially with recycling, reusing and sustainability

As the kitchen, bath, design and remodeling industry gets bigger, so does its carbon footprint and its impact on the environment. In fact, Metropolis magazine projects that in 30 years, interior design will be responsible for 10 percent of the world’s carbon emissions — a major contributor to climate change.

“That’s a huge responsibility,” said Avinash Rajagopal, editor in chief of the Metropolis design platform and magazine. “Of all the places in the home, kitchens and baths contribute the most to the carbon footprint because of the amount of material and budget needed to create them. Therefore, it’s important to understand the impact designers have on these issues and how they can help in that process.”

In the U.S., residential renovation is the third-largest source of urban waste — from demolition alone, even before new product is installed. One of the main challenges is reducing the waste cycle and how to supplement that with responsible products.

Rajagopal said change is needed at every level — manufacturing, design practices, contracting, use of space — and advised building partnerships with vendors and manufacturers with responsible practices. He noted that to build a low-carbon home, start with the kitchen and bath. “These are the biggest sources of carbon emissions. And surfaces are probably the biggest hot spot for carbon emissions.” 

Generational shifts in attitudes toward the planet are starting now, said Rajagopal, especially with recycling, reusing and sustainability — the “circular economy.” “In a few years, homeowners are going to be asking you if you can build a carbon-neutral kitchen,” he said. “You have to take those first steps toward learning how to build that now. If you learn how to deal with that now, you’ll have a much better chance when societal and consumer preferences change.” 

“In a few years, homeowners are going to be asking you if you can build a carbon-neutral kitchen.”  —Avinash Rajagopal, editor in chief of Metropolis 

Design, he said, not only has a big impact on people’s lives, but also on climate change and health.  Rajagopal added that designers and remodelers should think of using things in a way that assumes they will have another life. “In other words, take care of them. You want to be a ‘good seed’ for the next cycle of use. For instance, use screws, not glue, whenever possible.

The Climate Toolkit on Metropolis’s website has a good list of resources, said Rajagopal, adding that “Healthy Building Network and Mindful Materials” also have great information about what’s in various products and materials. 

“You already have the skills you need to incorporate sustainable design practices,” Rajagopal pointed out. “Once you learn the fundamentals, the names and the labels, it’s a creative problem to put together the right materials to take care of our health and our planet.”

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This article is an outtake from a feature written about a NEXTStage panel discussion at KBIS 2022  called “Responsible Design: Exploring the Circular Economy”, sponsored by Cosentino.