115 Other aspects include attention to reducing water use and unnecessary transportation of materials. A sustainable interior is one created in a way most considerate of humanity and the environment, Ultimately, a circular approach acknowledges that sustainable interiors arise out of a set of decisions which reduce the negative impact on environment, ecology and health. The gold standard is an interior where the full cycle of the product and project life has been planned for, from material sourcing to production and installation, as well as what happens when materials and products are no longer needed. Setting targets for when the ship is in operation, to limit emissions of GHGs, production of waste and consumption of energy, further enhances sustainability. Circular economy and life-cycle approaches can help designers to ensure that all aspects of interiors are chosen to reduce harmful impacts, such as products that are easy to dismantle, sort and categorise for possible reuse and easier replacement when refurbishment is necessary. Measurable and documented sustainability parameters covering the complete life cycle can provide evidence of the impacts of specific efforts, materials or solutions. The benefits of life cycle analysis early in this process include an overall lower environmental impact caused by interiors. With the focus on materials and construction processes that are not depleting Earth’s resources, designers can deliver spaces that ensure the health of occupants while working towards zero-carbon status by reducing the amount of embodied carbon produced in construction. Built to last By considering the end of life of the materials and products used within designs and making them and whole interiors easier to repair, deconstruct, reuse and recycle, it is possible to enable reuse after they have served their original purpose. If the process of an item’s manufacturing is not as sustainable as it could be, then it is even more important to think about how to make it more sustainable in its end-of-life stage. Solutions include high quality furniture built using less or no adhesives (‘screws not glue’) and assembled to facilitate easy renovation, and opting for modularity so that, for example, a seat or leg of a chair can easily be replaced or repaired rather than requiring the whole chair to be discarded when updating to follow trends, update colours and materials, or reflect new brand requirements/rebranding. – “If a designer is involved at the very beginning, they can ensure that the right choices are made in terms of using materials that have low impact on the environment and that can be recycled once the interior is ready for refurbishment or replacement” – “It is when you first take the raw materials that there is a CO2 impact, not when you use or reuse existing furniture”
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