PARKHILL SMITH & COOPER

The Interior Design class was able to go on yet another field trip. Parkhill Smith and Cooper; other wise known as PSC, which is Lubbock’s first LEED certified building. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and is an internationally recognized rating system for buildings. Not knowing much information about LEED, which can be confusing if you are just learning about it, this trip to PSC was incredibly helpful. Being able to physically see and read what made the building LEED certified was what I personally though to be a great learning tool.

One of the main points of LEED is to improve the environment for your employees or in homes. The information and facts that have been collected are amazing and proof that LEED certified buildings are a great space for anyone. At PSC they have a 12% rate of less sick days taken then that of a non-LEED certified building. This is great for the workspace and productivity of the company. When in a hospital that is LEED certified, it is more likely for a patient to heal faster with the use of natural light and being surrounded by employees who work in a LEED certified space.

            Many materials being used to build homes or commercial buildings are actually very harmful during the building process and even after complete. Paint and carpets have harmful chemicals that do not go away as well as not using the right insulation. To have a LEED certified building it is encouraged to use sustainable, recycled, recyclable, and naturally made materials. At PSC they used friendly paint, duct socks, large windows for natural sunlight, glass walls where needed, and open office plan. The duct socks were new to me, they are used to distribute the air in a building evenly with the use of flexible fabric. When on, the sock inflates and when off it deflates, the duct sock is also more aesthetically pleasing because of the many colors and sizes available.

After going on the field trip, learning more about LEED in materials and studio class, I look forward to the day when I am able to design a LEED certified building.  This design is becoming a huge influence on designers all around the world and its not dyeing out any time soon. With LEED being such a prominent factor in design, LEED will only continue to grow and become more important in building designs. As an interior design student, I look forward to being able to design with LEED and see how it will evolve in the future.