As shapers of the physical environment, designers play a unique role in determining how people experience the world. Choices about such elements as material, lighting, and climate control help create a humane, civilized place for human activities.

In Eco-Interiors, interior designer Grazyna Pilatowicz shows fellow professionals how to take the design process one step further - by making earth-sensitive decisions about building materials, energy, resources, and products that expand the concept of a humane environment to include a responsible attitude toward the earth itself.

Eco-Interiors makes direct, vital connections between large-scale global issues and the indoor environment and shows ways to reconcile the apparently conflicting demands of economy, efficiency, and environmental consciousness.

It offers interior designers, architects, and design students clear directions on how they can make their design procedures more environmentally responsible in such areas as energy efficiency, water conservation, climate control, and waste management; environmental impact of different materials, including wood, plastics, textiles, leather, floor coverings, paints, metals, and glass and the health effects of indoor air pollution, ventilation, and electromagnetic fields.

A series of carefully selected case studies demonstrates how many of the ideas and methods presented in the book have been successfully implemented in actual practice. A special appendix provides quick access to reliable, often hard-to-find information on environmental legislation, certification initiatives, organizations, and publications.