IMPLEMENTATION OF EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL FOR SUSTAINABLE INTERIOR DESIGN AT KONSTFACK AND HDK VALAND

As future interior designers, students will have a significant impact on the environment through their design and material choices. By integrating the focus of the current research project into their education, they can develop the necessary knowledge and skills to create interiors that are environmentally friendly and sustainable. This will make them more qualified and relevant on the job market, where sustainability is increasingly in demand, and where being up to date with the latest is required. “In order to really bring about a change in behaviour, it is incredibly important to get future stakeholders and clients on board, and we greatly value their views and input in the Hållbar interiör research project” – Kristin Östberg, interior designer and main project manager of Hållbar interiör.

Konstfack and HDK Valand are prominent educational institutions offering programmes in interior architecture and furniture design. Konstfack is well known for its strong artistic and design traditions and is one of the leading players in the field. HDK Valand also has a prominent position in design and artistic crafts. Both schools already have a firm focus on sustainability and are therefore ideal partners for implementing the training modules in their programmes.

The training material is the foundation for a five-part course based on the Hållbar Interiör research project. Hållbar Interiör is funded by Vinnova – the Swedish innovation agency. The training material was developed in spring 2022 by researchers at RISE Research Institutes of Sweden AB, with support from project partners of Hållbar Interiör. The course is structured with the intention that the lecturer will present all five modules in order. Each module takes one hour to complete and contains both lecture parts and active parts that invite discussion where the students participate and reflect on the topic of each module.

Module 1 – Introduction to sustainability. This training module begins with some short reflection exercises to get students engaged and thinking about who and what influences the choices made in an interior space. The training material covers who can influence how interiors are designed and a brief introduction to the concept of sustainability and the Hållbar interiör project.

Module 2 – The circular economy. This training module explores the difference between the linear and circular economy and focuses on resource use and waste. The reflection exercises cover three different aspects of circularity: recirculation, utility and sustainability. Students will reflect on their own and other stakeholders’ roles in creating circular and sustainable interiors.

Module 3 – Hållbar Interiör criteria selection methods. This training module focuses on how to go about developing a new standard/certification. We go through which stakeholders should be involved in the work and how to get started. Finally, the different criteria are linked to the circularity concepts from Module 2.

Module 4 – Hållbar Interiör sustainability criteria. In this part of the programme, we go through and reflect on what characteristics a good criterion has; why they have been designed in the way they have been and why it is so important to have a transparent process. Various examples are presented and finally we go through the criteria in Hållbar interiör and discuss whether these are easy to measure and are at a reasonable level.

Module 5 – Hållbar Interiör in practice. Here, students are invited to apply the Hållbar Interiör criteria to two case studies. Students will first make their own judgement and then discuss them together.

By implementing the education modules, Konstfack and HDK Valand can strengthen their organisation and offer their students a more comprehensive and updated education in sustainable interior design. Students will learn about sustainable material choices, energy efficiency, recycling, circular economy and beneficial interiors. This will equip them with the knowledge and skills to become sustainable-change agents in their profession and help shape a more sustainable future. “The Hållbar Interiör training material can be a way to bring in a more industry-specific view of sustainability and how sustainability aspects are practically implemented in all phases of an interior design project. We will test parts of the training material in the bachelor’s programme this autumn. It will be the first time the material is used, and we hope it can become a tool in the future, either in its current form or a variation of it” – Thomas Paltiel, architect and lecturer at Konstfack.

The research collaboration between RISE, Konstfack and HDK Valand within the framework of the Hållbar Interiör project is of great significance. The project is working on developing an eco-label for interior design projects, which will help to establish industry standards for sustainable interior design. The collaboration between research and educational institutions ensures the transfer of the latest research and practice into education, creating a favourable and up-to-date learning environment for students. “The whole purpose of Hållbar Interiör is to raise awareness and change wear-and-tear behaviours in interior design projects. Educating students and future interior designers is an important investment for us to reach our goals. We look forward to receiving feedback from teachers and students to develop the training material in the next phase of the project. It is important that the education is of high quality, that the material is user-friendly for the teachers and that the content is relevant for the students” – Derek Diener, senior researcher at RISE.

In a world where sustainability is a priority, it is of utmost importance that educational institutions like Konstfack and HDK Valand play an active role in educating and shaping the next generation of interior designers. By implementing the education modules in sustainable interior design, these institutions can give their students the tools and knowledge they need to drive sustainability forward in the interior design industry. “It is through collaboration and education that we can create a future where sustainability is an integral and self-evident part of our work and lifestyle” – Cecilia Tjärnberg, Interior Designer and Communications Manager at Hållbar interiör.