1. for Residential Design Projects
Sustainable Design
All information is from the ASID website as of
for Residential Design Projects

2. A sustainable approach to design should create interiors that:
Are healthier for people and enhance productivity;
Can be built at market rate and cost much less to operate;
Use less fossil fuels thus conserving energy, generating less global pollution and saving on operational costs by requiring less maintenance;
Use less water;
Manage waste at the highest productive level;
Reduce impacts on both developed and undeveloped land;
Minimize the use of materials and use materials with the lowest environmental impacts.
A sustainable approach to design should create buildings and interiors that 1) are healthier for people and enhance productivity; 2) can be built at market rate and cost much less to operate; 3) use less fossil fuels thus conserving energy, generating less global pollution and saving on operational costs by requiring less maintenance; 4) use less water; 5) manage waste at the highest productive level; reduce impacts on both developed and undeveloped land; 7) minimize the use of materials and use materials with the lowest environmental impacts.
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3. Common Misconceptions (And the Truth):
It is more expensive than other types of design (not necessarily);
Not enough materials to work with (there are plenty, and new ones are launched every week);
Nobody is interested in green (from people concerned about the environment, to families with sick children, to business worried about lawsuits, more and more potential customers are inquiring about, and requesting, sustainable design).
What are sustainable design's key issues and common misconceptions? It is more expensive than other types of design (not necessarily); there are not enough materials to work with (there are plenty, and new ones are launched every week); nobody is interested in green (from people concerned about the environment, to families with sick children, to business worried about lawsuits, more and more potential customers are inquiring about, and requesting, sustainable design).
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4. Reason to Be a Green Designer?
Sustainable design projects continue to increase due to U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) comprised of architectural and engineering firms, design firms, contractors and developers; federal, state, and local government agencies; and professional associations like ASID, AIA, ASLA and IIDA.
Today's designers find themselves with a significant professional opportunity: to specify and build healthy buildings and interiors using environmentally friendly products and materials that have a healthy impact on clients and the planet.
Information taken from

5. Nation’s First Green Residential Remodeling Guidelines
REGREEN
Information taken from
Visit the REGREEN website for more information.
Nation’s First Green Residential Remodeling Guidelines

6. Overview of REGREEN
Nation’s first comprehensive educational program focused on sustainable residential remodeling.
Developed in 2008 by the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) Foundation and U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).
Geared toward interior designers, architects, contractors, builders, manufacturers, project managers, and consumers who want to renovate in an environmentally-respectful manner with a distinct focus on energy-efficiency.
REGREEN® is the nation’s first comprehensive educational program focused on sustainable residential remodeling. Co-developed by the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) Foundation and U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), REGREEN integrates a whole-house, systems-thinking approach with professional collaboration. Launched in 2008, the program is geared toward interior designers, architects, contractors, builders, manufacturers, project managers, and even consumers who want to renovate in an environmentally-respectful manner with a distinct focus on energy-efficiency.
Information taken from

7. Online REGREEN Resources:
REGREEN Residential Remodeling Guidelines are a set of best practices available in PDF format.
Strategy Generator offers a customized list of implementation measures
A green product checklist
Detailed home assessment form
Recommended sources for additional information
The REGREEN Residential Remodeling Guidelines© are a set of best practices available on the website in downloadable PDF format for convenient, off-line portability. The Guidelines dissect the scope, integrated pre-design issues, and materials for typical residential renovations and provide environmental strategies to help you green your project. The interactive, web-based Strategy Generator offers a customized list of implementation measures appropriate to every design and construction phase. The website also provides a green product checklist, detailed home assessment form, and myriad of recommended sources for additional information.
Information taken from

8. REGREEN Education
REGREEN includes a range of online and in-person programming and offers 19 hours of Continuing Education Units (CEUs).
Self-paced courses cover kitchen and bath renovations, home performance audits, and deep energy retrofits, as well as basic building science issues such as moisture control and air movement.
REGREEN includes a range of online and in-person programming and offers 19 hours of CEUs. Self-paced courses cover kitchen and bath renovations, home performance audits, and deep energy retrofits, as well as basic building science issues such as moisture control and air movement. The instructor-led REGREEN 301 workshop synthesizes baseline knowledge from individual studies and delves into "rubber meets the road" issues of current projects provided by participants in an interactive group dynamic.
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9. Online REGREEN Case Studies
Website features a residential renovation case studies from across the country that put REGREEN principles into action.
Green remodeling project include before/after photos, contract documents, project goals, site considerations, materials and resource efficiencies, and projected cost savings attributable.
Case studies describe lessons learned throughout the process to serve as a cautionary tale for future projects.
Sometimes seeing is believing. The website features a growing number of residential renovation case studies from across the country that put REGREEN principles into action. Each green remodel includes details such as before/after photos, contract documents, project goals, site considerations, materials and resource efficiencies, and projected cost savings attributable to high-performance building strategies. Most importantly, each case study describes lessons learned derived throughout the process that serve as a cautionary tale for future projects.
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10. REGREEN Trained™ Certificate Program
Design and building professionals can differentiate themselves in the marketplace by becoming REGREEN Trained.
Professionals who successfully complete the rigorous curriculum receive a Certificate of Completion and access to the REGREEN Trained mark for use on business collateral.
Certificate holders also receive online recognition on the REGREEN website and
Design and building professionals can differentiate themselves in the marketplace by becoming REGREEN Trained. Professionals who successfully complete the rigorous curriculum receive a Certificate of Completion and access to the REGREEN Trained mark for use on business collateral. Certificate holders also receive online recognition on the REGREEN website and
Information taken from

11. Visit the REGREEN website for more information.

12. What is LEED?
LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a voluntary, consensus-based collection of national standards for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings and interiors.
Recognized by professional designers as a complete framework for assessing building performance and meeting sustainability goals.
USGBC also offers a comprehensive system of professional accreditation, training and practical resources.
Visit for more information.
(See LEED lesson for more information) As with any design specialty, green design needed its own standards. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a voluntary, consensus-based collection of national standards for developing high-performance, sustainable buildings and interiors. It has become increasingly recognized by professional designers as a complete framework for assessing building performance and meeting sustainability goals. USGBC also offers a comprehensive system of professional accreditation, training and practical resources.
Information adapted from