In the five decades since the first Earth Day celebration, sustainability has taken on different meanings for the public and professionals in the building and design industry. While there have always been individuals on both sides who saw the link between a healthy planet and a healthy house, it took a global pandemic to literally and powerfully drive that point home. This shift in focus is highlighted in the new Sustainability in Kitchen & Bath Design Research Report released last month by the National Kitchen & Bath Association. “NKBA knew that its definition for sustainable design needed to focus on environmental responsibility and the health and well-being of the home’s residents,” shares Tricia Zach, the group’s head of research. The latter factors now top consumer concerns, especially for households with children, according to the study’s findings. Zach isn’t surprised.
Kitchens and Bathrooms Focus
“Health and wellness have been influencing kitchen and bath design for many years,” the researcher notes. She’s seen growing interest in air and water quality in these spaces in recent NKBA trend reports. “As more and more consumers become aware that many sustainable design elements have health benefits (e.g., VOC-free/non-toxic paints and stains, non-toxic materials, air purifiers), they are more likely to include them in their kitchens and baths,” she points out. According to the study, 60% of homeowners list nontoxic materials as their top concern.
The California Factor
One kitchen and bathroom feature that spans both wellness and sustainability is LED lighting. This technology is far more energy efficient than incandescent lighting, fulfilling sustainability goals and mandates, especially California’s rigorous CALGreen codes with their national impacts. LEDs also enable wellness through circadian lighting, non-intrusive pathway illumination for safety, and easy changeability for personalization.