From Theory to Practice – Interior Design Education for More Sustainable Future

Abstract

This article discusses the role interior design education plays in the development of greener buildings. Through the encouragement of making sustainable design choices along the design process, the education cultivates a sustainable mindset that contributes to the development of greener spaces, buildings and communities. Even though United Arab Emirates (UAE) shows relatively low per capita CO2 emissions, its building energy efficiency score lags behind that of other nations. This research applies a two-step methodology (qualitative and experimental) to investigate the nexus between interior design, education, and Leadership in Energy Efficient Design-Interior Design and Construction (LEED ID+C) in promoting sustainable buildings design in the UAE. Qualitative methods are applied for the review and analyses of the relevant literature, while experimental measures the efficiency of integrating the LEED ID+C framework into an interior design studio as a teaching method. This experimental teaching method challenges students to comply with LEED ID+C v.4.1 reference guide from the very beginning of the design project and throughout all phases until project completion. The success of the experimental teaching methods is measured through a set of criteria that include information acquisition, knowledge and skills development, and awareness enhancement. As the participant pool varies from level two to level four students, the experiment reflects a comprehensive educational perspective. The results of this study show that such experimental teaching methods contribute to bridging the gap between sustainable interior design theory and practice by instilling sustainability consciousness and skills in students. The results also demonstrate that the experimentation eradicates the barriers to sustainable interior design practice as it relates to Information, Knowledge, and Awareness. The study concludes by highlighting the benefits of the experimental teaching method and suggests how the method can be further improved.