Parkhill, Smith, and Cooper. Lubbock, TX

Last week we visited an Interior Design firm that is the first silver LEED certified building in Lubbock, Texas. Parkhill, Smith, and Cooper have offices all over the state and they all work together as interior designers, engineers, and architects. On location there are two buildings that are connected by a parking lot. The second building is newer and is LEED certified but the main bulding is not because it was built before LEED came out in the design field. The buildings do, however, share a lot of similar traits that create unity between the two.

During the field trip we toured the two buildings and learned about some of the materials that were used in construction and many ways of using certain materials to conserve energy and conserve money by using products that are going to be durable and last a long time. In order for a building to be approved by LEED, the application of materials has to be eco-friendly. This is because of the idea that chemicals are mixed in with some materials and can be dangerous when exposed to the companies’ employees.

On the side of the second building there is a small parking lot that was built in order to conserve the Lubbock rainwater. The parking lot is built at an angle so the water can run down and be absorbed in the grass parking spaces. The grass catches any chemicals, oils, or gases and the clean water is filtered through. The water is then used to water the rooftop garden. The rooftop garden is very eco friendly because it does not cost anything to maintain because of the parking lot water system. Unfortunately, when it does not rain in Lubbock it is more costly to maintain. There is a skylight in the middle of the garden to provide natural light to the employees. It has been proven that people work better when exposed to natural light. This also saves energy because the natural light makes it so not all the lights inside have to be turned on during the day.

This field trip was very informative and helped me to understand the everyday life of real interior designers. I realized how important green design is to the design field these days and how many companies really are trying to build with eco friendly materials and fixtures. I learned a lot about ways to be eco friendly and energy efficient. Also, I learned about some trends that are predicted to become just as important as green design.