When the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) unveiled its new headquarters in Washington, D.C. last June, designers loved the new space. But ASID knew it could do better, so they pushed ahead to achieve LEED Platinum ranking for the building, and now they’ve earned it.
Last month, the ASID headquarters earned its LEED Platinum certification – no easy task even for the savviest designer. Go behind the scenes with Joseph Cephas, Vice President of Communications at ASID, to see how they did it.
Smart Space
Work on the new 8,500-square-foot space began with the three pillars of ASID in mind: sustainability, heath and wellness, and resiliency. Cephas says their goal was to create a “living laboratory of design, research and practice.”
“Taking on the challenge to design a workplace of the future, we envisioned a place that was truly sustainable on all levels — for the environment, organization and the individual,” Cephas explains. “The office connects interior design solutions to the occupant’s productivity, engagement, retention and innovation.”
More than just an office space, the ASID headquarters uses new technologies to improve the health and wellness of employees. Real-time censoring technology is embedded throughout the office and it monitors the temperature, relative humidity, CO2 levels, Ozone, occupancy space utilization and glare.
“The lights works in accord with the shading system that adjusts based on the positioning of the sun to prevent glare and regulate rhythms,” Cephas explains.
The office also uses a circadian lighting system to help regulate the employees’ circadian rhythms. Throughout the day, the light in the office moves from a blueish daylight to the reddish evening light to help employees maintain a healthy sleep-wake cycle.
LEED Certification
Wanting to be LEED certified is one thing; achieving it is another. ASID committed to LEED certification from the very beginning, but it was the commercial designers at Perkins + Will who really kept the project on track.
“Our designers at Perkins+Will did a fabulous job orchestrating all of our project partners and consultants together to ensure we achieved our goal,” Cephas said.
The ASID headquarters is certified LEED Platinum for Interior Design and Construction: Commercial Interiors. The U.S. Green Building Council sets the standards for certification. There are specific standards for different types of projects from rehabs to new residential construction to commercial projects.
The Interior Design and Construction is for commercial spaces, specifically interior spaces dedicated to functions other than retail or hospitality. Buildings earn points in seven categories: location and transportation; water efficiency; energy and atmosphere; material and resources; indoor environmental quality; and innovation and regional priority. The more points a space earns, the higher its LEED ranking. Platinum is the highest rank, followed by Gold, Silver and Certified.
With so many ways to earn points, Cephas had to make sure his team stayed on track with every design decision, from the building materials to the faucets in the bathroom.
“Before we considered using a furniture product, the specified materials had to meet standards for sustainability standards and/or health benefits. BIFMA level standard, Declare, Cradle to Cradle, or Health Product Declarations were required for every product,” he explains.
Though LEED certification may seem like a lot of work, Cephas says that it’s completely achievable. For interior designers interest in LEED certification, Cephas stresses that everyone on the team must be involved and committed.
“Make sure all stakeholders share the goal for sustainability, and understand why it is important in the design of the workplace, the impact it has on occupants, and the positive difference it makes on the environment,” Cephas says. “Thoroughly understand the sustainability requirements of LEED and why they are important, so that your sustainability knowledge becomes a tool to generate innovative design solutions, as opposed to a checklist that you need to follow.”
With a strong team effort and a commitment to organization, LEED certification is worth the effort.
“Truly this was a collaborative effort that could not have happened without our experts sharing the same goal for design excellency through sustainability.”
