Designing for Good Indoor Air Quality in Hot,Humid Climates: Development of a Student Design Competition

Abstract

Residential indoor air quality (IAQ) is an emerging issue that deserves attention by educators of interior design. This paper focuses on the development of a national student design competition and supporting materials to address residential design for good indoor air quality in hot, humid climates. Utilizing expertise from consultants in the fields of architecture, engineering, interior design, and medicine, an integrative model for teaching environmental design was developed and applied to a hypothetical residential design project. With expanded knowledge of IAQ design, coupled with instructional units aimed at developing student critical thinking and problem-solving skills for complex environmental design issues, educators can contribute to the “greening” of their interior design curricula.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Katherine Warsco

Katherine Warsco is the chair of the Department of Apparel, Merchandising and Interior Design at East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina.