Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Building Safety Month: Energy & Green Building

Week 4: Energy & Green Building Safety
Americans typically spend 90% of their time indoors and indoor air quality on average is 9x worse than outdoor air quality. Every interior design project, whether it involves space planning and construction or new carpet, furniture and a fresh coat of paint, may affect the health of building occupants.


A Qualified Interior Designer…
  • Creates design solutions that offer occupants access to day light and views, impacting comfort and increased productivity.
  • Specifies and evaluates products that are compliant with US EPA air quality standards that limit formaldehyde or other unhealthy volatile organic compounds (VOCs) often found in carpet, wall covering adhesives, cabinet construction and othe building materials.
  • Understands a building's environmental control system as it relates to the health and welfare of the occupants and ensures good indoor air quality by referencing guidelines such as the SMACNA IAQ Guidelines for Occupied Buildings Under Construction.
Support registration of Interior Designers to ensure consumer safety. Work with a Registered Interior Designer to go green, save energy, and improve your indoor environmental quality.

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Monday, May 20, 2013

Building Safety Month: Backyard & Pool Safety

As the weather heats up, IDC-Oregon encourages you to stay safe in your backyard this summer.

Week 3: Backyard & Pool Safety
Every year, accidents take place in unsafe backyards, accounting for 350 children under five years old drowning in swimming pools, 800 reported injuries and more than 20 deaths resulting from deck collapses (according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission). While everyone needs to be aware of the potential dangers of barbeques and grills, lawn equipment and toys, homeowners can trust a qualified interior designer to design safe outdoor spaces for their enjoyment.

A qualified interior designer…
  • Evaluates the site and existing conditions to design a deck that maximizes views, minimizes negative environmental conditions, complements the architecture, and specifies slip-resistant, durable, weather-resistant, and sustainable materials.
  • Provides efficient and effective space planning to support the desired functions of the outdoor space while improving the connection between interior and exterior spaces.
  • Ensures that all users, including children and the elderly, can safely navigate the deck by integrating code requirements, designing railings that minimize falling and stairs with wide treads and comfortable risers, and specifying flooring surfaces that prevent tripping.
Photo credit: Lovinger Robertson Landscape Architects of Eugene, OR

Monday, May 13, 2013

Building Safety Month: Disaster Safety and Mitigation

It was a big week for building safety across the nation. President Barack Obmama signed a proclamation last week declaring May as Building Safety Month. "Robust codes and standards for our buildings play an important role in keeping us safe," the President states in the proclamation. Read the article here.

Week 2: Disaster Safety and Mitigation
Hurricanes and tornadoes, wildfires and floods, oh my! With extremes of heat and cold increasing in intensity and frequency, the demand for a better house is on the rise that limits the destructive effects of natural disasters while keeping occupants safe and comfortable. When designing for both disaster mitigation and energy efficiency, some measures can work on two levels; protecting the building and its occupants while also increasing energy efficiency. Find out more about disaster preparedness and safety at the ICC Building Safety Month website. (Adapted from Home Energy)

A Qualified Interior Designer…
  • Specifies fire code compliant finishes to prevent flames and smoke from spreading.
  • Creates design solutions in building or retrofitting areas of refuge to ensure the highest level of occupant protection in the likelihood of severe weather.
  • Assists occupants with safety by developing a space planning design for an evacuation strategy in exiting a building when such circumstances arise.

Monday, May 6, 2013

Building Safety Month: Fire Safety and Awareness

This week kicks off Building Safety Month 2013! Stay tuned for the next week's blog on Disaster Safety and Mitigation.

Week 1: Fire Safety and Awareness
Fire protection is more than judicious space planning for safe escape routes through egress, signage, and emergency lighting building code requirements. The U.S. Fire Administration's National Fire Incident Reporting System reports that smoke and carbon monoxide are two equally important life safety risks. Inhalation of toxic smoke kills more people in building fires than structural collapse or heat and high levels of carbon monoxide can cause fatal poisoning within minutes.

A Qualified Interior Designer…
  • Provides code knowledge of the Oregon Fire Code 2010 for correct placement of key fire detection and signaling devices for emergency control functions such as elevator recall.
  • Limits highly combustible and toxic smoke sources found in some finishes and upholstery by specifying materials evaluated by ASTM E-84 Class A, B, and C flame spread ratings.
  • Designs public spaces with smoke confinements, safe egress, fire code compliant interior building materials, suppression and exhaust systems that work together limiting smoke and flame movement so occupants can exit the building safely.
Support registration of Interior Designers to ensure consumer safety. Work with a Registered Interior Designer to prevent injuries and protect property values through your designed spaces.

Wednesday, May 1, 2013

Success in Salem: Capitol Day 2013

Capitol Day 2013 was an enormous success! This year’s efforts were effective and focused, helping to move toward our goal of obtaining commercial interior design licensing.
On February 22nd, a group of over 20 professionals, students, and educators met with a number of legislators to state their case and gather information from legislators about any concerns or ideas on moving the effort forward. Many legislators voiced support, others requested additional information regarding fiscal and economic impacts and where interested in the changes to the bill from years past.

IDC-Oregon President, Ingrid Hoffman, said the day was about building relationships with legislators, garnering support, listening to concerns, and using the information to inform the next revision of the bill for the 2014 session. Attendees reported that legislators understand the difference between interior designers and decorators, noting the technical nature of commercial interior design work. Student attendees were pleased to be part of the legislative process. One Marylhurst student said, “I was so happy that legislators were so gracious, willing and open in talking to us about this important movement.”

Capitol Day attendees took time to write letters to their legislators urging supporting and retelling their personal stories about their connection with interior design licensing. Other designers proudly held up signs around the Capitol proclaiming, "I am an Interior Designer" and explaining their passion for the profession.

Senator Shields, Chair of the General Government, Consumer and Small Business Protection Committee, stated, “I was really happy to give the interior design community a hearing in the 2012 session and would encourage all the members of the community to meet with their own representatives and senators to make the case for the bill in 2013.” Senator Shields is supportive and hoping the legislature can come to agreement to move the idea forward.

We're taking our Capitol Day momentum and hitting the ground running. We can't wait to see what the 2014 legislative session holds.

Check out more photos on our Facebook page!

Thank you contributing bloggers and IDC members: Sermin Yesilada, Linda Coffeen & Ashley Nored