Smart Design Studio NSW, Pathway to True Sustainability

Walking the path to true sustainability with Verosol

As the experiences of Smart Design Studio attest, achieving sustainability is no easy task. It involves ambition and true commitment. And it also involves choosing products like performance blinds from Verosol.

Based in Alexandria in Sydney’s inner-west, Smart Design Studio is an architectural practice whose areas of interest include everything from private homes to larger residential projects and public work. Encompassing a broad range, one thing common to all these
projects is their quality. Over the years, they have attracted plenty of praise along with several awards, both local and international.

Another thing common to all is the philosophy that underpins them. They were all designed with the principles of environmentally sustainable design (ESD) in mind.

“Concern for the environment informs everything we do at Smart Design Studio,” said Maggie Lum, a Team Leader and Associate at SDS. “It’s a top priority for all aspects of our operations, from design and material choice to how we handle our own office waste.” Deciding whether or not to specify a given product therefore involves evaluating not just how it will be used in a given application, but also the materials and processes involved in its manufacture.

Blinds by Verosol

Like SDS, Verosol is an organisation that counts sustainability as one of its key principles. Aware of the importance of transparency in this context, it always seeks to underscore this commitment with universally recognized environmental certification.

While certification is an ongoing process for Verosol, as it stands, several of its roller blinds are already EPD third party certified, GREENGUARD Gold certified and have Health Product Declaration (HPD). This means they are able to support with credits within green building schemes such as Greenstar, LEED, WELL and BREEAM. In addition to EPD, the company is also currently working on certifying Best Environmental Practice PVC, starting with 202 and 205 SilverScreen Performance fabrics.

For SDS, all of this adds up to the fact that Verosol is a worthy partner. It means that Verosol products have a role to play in its quest for carbon neutrality.

Barriers to sustainability

Asked about the difficulties a practice like SDS faces as it seeks more sustainable outcomes, Lum said fear of the unknown is sometimes a hurdle.

“What spooks some clients is the economic implications of our approach. And it’s true, there are upfront costs. If you put in PV panels on the roof the initial costs are quite high, but you benefit afterwards from being able to run your building without going on to the grid,” she said.

To return to the SDS example, the choice of Verosol blinds, while representing an initial cost, more than pay for themselves by helping eliminate the need for air conditioning.

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