September 2010
Vanessa Brady, president of SBID, presented Wools of New Zealand with a high-profile Sustainability Award for its collaborative work in the development of WoJo™ — a revolutionary sustainable textile for Starbucks coffeehouses in their move to enhance their store interiors.
The award was presented on behalf of the 2010 Campaign for Wool, convened by HRH Prince of Wales, in association with The Society of British Interior Design (SBID).
WoJo™ was conceptualised by The Formary, a New Zealand based design company charged with combining Starbuck’s jute coffee sacks with wool to create a sustainable fabric, in collaboration with UK weavers Camira and wool suppliers, Wools of New Zealand.
New Zealand Trade and Enterprise recommended Wools of New Zealand as a partner, recognising its innovation, global expertise and industry connections as significant sources of advantage in moving the project to completion.
WoJo™ was launched in London earlier this week as part of Wool Week, a campaign to support sheep farming and the wool industry. The 70 percent wool component in WoJo™ is supplied by Wools of New Zealand under the Laneve sustainability brand introduced in 2009 and now adopted by 51 trade partners internationally.
As part of its launch this week, WoJo™ was featured at Starbucks’ flagship Conduit Street store in London’s West End. It will be rolled out across 8,000 Starbucks stores over the next five years.
SBID President Vanessa Brady and Campaign for Wool Chairman John Thorley OBE
January 2010
The design industry needs to put sustainability at its core, reports the SBID conference
The Society of British Interior Design and the Building Research Establishment (BRE) announced the launch of the first stage of its Environmental Strategy that puts the green agenda at the heart of architecture and interior design at the recent Sustainability Conference held by the Society.
The new joint research project is the key element of the Environmental Strategy, and will provide the link between sustainable buildings and organisational and economic performance. The aim is to assess each aspect of ‘bottom line’ sustainability, where interior design provides value and long-term savings in building refurbishment or new-build fit-out.
Nicholas C Thompson, senior partner, Cole Thompson Anders architects, who chairs the Sustainability Sub-Committee for the Society of British Interior Design, said: “There’s little in the way of case study evidence specifically relating organisational performance to good sustainable design. During the research we’ll assess case studies from the Society’s members to see how the sustainability of interior design and fit-out in the UK can be improved.”
Vanessa Brady, Chairman of the Society of British Interior Design added: “However this isn’t just a knowledge-sharing exercise. We realise the opportunity to exemplify and promote the role of design professionals in sustainable regeneration helps the environment and sustain resources. There are clear value-driven benefits for all areas of bottom line sustainability: social well-being, environmental regulations and economic profitability.”
The research project, the first of its kind between the BRE and the interior design sector, was launched by Thompson at the Sustainability Conference, held at the Building Centre, London. The conference was attended by world leaders on sustainability, architecture and interior design - including the John Alker, Head of Advocacy, UK Green Building Council and Thomas Vecchione, Principal at Gensler NY.
Jon Mussett, Head of Building Design Consultancy, BRE, highlighted that the key objectives for this research are:
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To improve the sustainability of interior architecture, design and fit-out
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To lead by example
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To create a universal toolkit or organisational performance matrix for professionals that can be used to assess the impact sustainable designs have on productivity, well being and economic behaviour, as well as building performance
The Society’s Environmental Strategy is based on ‘The Big Idea’ which was identified by Thompson in a collaborative project with Orion Innovations for the East Midlands Development Agency (EMDA). The second stage of this project is being taken forward by E C Harris and the BRE on behalf of the EDMA. This phase of the Environmental Strategy will be conducted over the next six months, with an ultimate aim to create a professional toolkit for the Society’s members.
October 2009
The Campaign for Wool was convened by HRH Prince Charles in 2009 and SBID was appointed as the official body for interiors.
We have worked tirelessly to promote wool consumption and specification in numerous applications and environments as a sustainable fibre.
For more, go to www.campaignforwool.org.
July 2007
Recycling household electrical equipment
The UK’s Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations require that all producers of electrical equipment are with effect from July 2007, now obliged to pay for recycling of household electrical goods. This act passes the responsibility from Councils back to manufacturers and includes products that were not previously recycled at all.
The regulations also require that all retailers both actively assist in delivering a UK wide WEEE collection infrastructure and encourage the participation of consumers in the recycling of electronic equipment.
Individual councils have their own policies and not all council sites have the capability or resources to collect all types of waste electrical goods. To find out your nearest participating site (including other collection facilities that may not be operated by the council) and for advice on all aspects of recycling within the home, visit www.recycle-more.co.uk You will need to enter your postcode in the ‘recycling facilities’ locator.
Electronic waste is one of the fastest growing waste streams and much of it can be recycled and resources recovered to make new consumer goods. To remind consumers of the collection methods available which in turn allow recycling to take place, all electrical items sold now carry the ‘crossed out wheeled bin’ symbol. To ensure your waste electronics don’t contribute to damaging the environment, please use www.recycle-more.co.uk and recycle today.