Abstract
M.Tech. (Interior Design)
Sustainable material selection is an area where interior designers can contribute significantly. Conscious decisions regarding material selection are crucial in order to reduce the effect the built environment has on the natural environment. However, international studies have indicated the selection of sustainable materials to be a prominent barrier that must be overcome in order to implement sustainable interior design. Therefore, the aim of this study is to identify the external factors influencing interior designers practicing in Johannesburg when selecting sustainable interior surface materials within a South African context.
For this study, a qualitative research approach situated in the interpretivist paradigm was adopted. The study considers both primary and secondary data. This study looked at existing literature in order to gain a facilitated understanding of what is already known and evident about this particular field of study. Secondly, this study focused on interviews as the primary source of data. The primary data comprises five, one-to-one semi-structured interviews. Purposive sampling was used to select research participants. A combination of two approaches that lay the foundation for analysing qualitative data, namely the deductive and the inductive approach were utilised.
The findings revealed two major hindering influential factors; one, the lack of market transformation in South Africa and secondly, the cost associated with sustainable materials. Other hindering factors include the base building and the lack of collaboration among the building industry professionals. However, factors that have been identified to promote the selection of sustainable interior surface materials include: the GBCSA, aesthetics and innovation, and sustainability becoming a ‘buzzword’.
It can be concluded that sustainable material selection remains a significant hurdle to overcome. Radical change is needed to ensure the implementation of sustainable materials in sustainable interior design practices in South Africa. The successful market transformation towards a sustainable built environment will therefore require various role-players to proactively take part in a radical transformation. Government regulation and implementation of GBCSA standards cannot function in isolation but need the support of suppliers, designers and their clients.