Interview by Willi Paul

What green associations does Cadiz Design Studio belong?

USGBC
www.usgbc.org
Assoc of Environmental Professionals
www.ocaep.com
Mom's for Mother Earth
www.momsformotherearth.org
Women's Environmental Council, OC
www.wecweb.org
TeamKids
www.TEAMKIDS.org

What are your principles of sustainability?

Hmm....I am actual quite tired of all the Green terminology...integrated good design is sustainable. I like Rosenbaum's 1993 definition of this term "Sustainable means using methods, systems and materials that won't deplete resources or harm natural cycles" This is hard to do when you work in the commercial architecture/interior design field. It is still very hard to know the entire LIFE CYCLE ANALYSIS of all products and processes used in the buildings we create for our clients...but we will continue to learn best practices so we can do our best for each new project and challenge ahead.

How does ecology play a role in your design schemes for your clients?

Ecology is a broad term. I think our designs are always inspired by nature and we are starting to go back to the basics and understand the planet for more inspiration and concept development. I have spent many of my working days inside buildings and I am trying to spend more time in nature to get reacquainted. I'll be climbing Half Dome with my 11 year old boy in June, so I feel my return to these experiences will affect our teams influence with our clients.

How do you balance the needs of the building (site) with that of the surrounding community?

Our office is currently working on our Oregon Case study and developing the house to fit within the site and using orientation( views, wind, sun)as a key role to the design process ( see attached) . This house will be developed as a case study that we hope to share with the local community to demonstrate that sustainable design is affordable. We are excited by the opportunity to create a dwelling that responds to climatic and ecological challenges of the present and future, while providing a comfortable, efficient and contemporary home in a beautiful natural setting.

How much recycled material can you integrate into new projects (if any!)? Please give us some examples.

In Hood River there is a salvage yard that is 5 miles from the site. We are in discussions with them to see what recycled/salvaged material we can incorporate ( i.e.: Old Farm Doors) We are also looking at new material made with recycled content.

Are you actively measuring and responding to your personal and business eco-footprint?

Absolutely. We are still trying to figure out the best way to quantify this process so we can celebrate our wins. I believe our office recycled about 800 lbs of paper in the past 3 months.

How is the green thing going in Orange County? Are you building a green movement there? With who?

Actually it is going well. I am on my way with our sister company: Shades of Green working on our non-profit status and have enlisted a grant writer. I have teamed up with a current Non-Profit TEAMKIDS.org as their environment arm. My Green Team at Vista Verde school is under way. We have worked on a few service projects with the kids and they have adopted a local Labyrinth to weed on a monthly basis in a preservation area. We have a fund raiser this weekend and we will have an environmental project table for the kids to plant some herbs and understand the benefit of local eating effects on Global Warming. They will donate these plants to a local Senior Center...Still much more to do...but we are making progress with our Assignments and Curriculum development to support the kids and their awareness. I believe new green technologies will be key to solving some of our environment issues and these kids will be the leading change agents for this process....

In terms of Cadiz...I am chair of the USGBC-OC Hospitality committee. We are putting on our 1st Annual Green Hospitality Conference in August at the Montage Hotel..so we are in the final stages of formalizing our speaker panels. We are hoping this will raise awareness in the tourism industry in OC.

Are you finding any opportunities through the grants that Obama has helped to create?

I am looking into this with my current grant writer ...but I am sure there is a lot of opportunity out there that our team will tap into in the coming months.

What should the public know about LEED?

As a LEED accredited professional for 5 years...it is a great tool...It is not the end all because there is so much beyond LEED that we need to accomplish

Tell us about your property in Oregon that you are using as a case study in sustainable shelter? What have you learned to-date?

See:architecturenewsarticles.com

How do you assess residential property for green improvements?

There is a lot to be done...but we have to get beyond the eco anxiety phase. I think there is still an overload of information for the actual consumer and it is hard for them to make the right decision which causes no decision. We are working on alliances with others to create a simplified but still comprehensive program to make these steps more attainable and reward the achievements rather than worry about all that is not done yet.

How do you live your personal life "green?"

I am working on a more comprehensive plan for myself so it is really tangible. Composting system is my goal this month....next month it will be Energy reduction. We are working on creating a reproducible system than we can offer to people.

Where will CDS be in 5 years?

5 years is a long way out...Let's just get through this year. I think we are in the mist of having to recreate ourselves. I believe the Architecture profession is in a different spot than last year. I think the smaller, flexible, collaborative firms will help to redefine where we will be going. We will be one of those firms working on more integrated project teams. We are looking into new sectors like: Senior Care and how our Hospitality and Wellness experience can integrate into the current baby boomers coming on the market. They are more educated and want to live and be in a more vibrant thriving environment. I think with the Obama administration there will be more focus on public sector rather than private sector and we are looking for opportunities in that environment with a focus on sustainability and retrofits of existing inventory.

Lorraine Francis, Principal
AIA, LEED AP

Cadiz Design Studio
5932 Bolsa Avenue, Suite 107
Huntington Beach, CA 92649
T 714. 894. 0591 F 714. 242. 7590 C 949. 922. 0591
cadizdesignstudio.com