Building a Circular Future: Embracing Design Practices for Impact and Innovation
Implement circular design principles to rethink your approach to material use.
Continuing Education Approvals
- 1 IDCEC CEU | HSW-Sustainability | CC-124599 (Your CEU will be reported to IDCEC on your behalf.)
- 1 AIA LU | HSW | BldgCircFuture (AIA Members: Please contact education@asid.org to have your completion reported or add your AIA Member number to your ASID account profile.)
Description
Interior architecture is designed to meet the ever-evolving needs of people and businesses. Repeated interior fitouts tailored to specific requirements can generate as much carbon over a building’s lifespan as its structure and enclosure, a cycle that harms the environment and diminishes the long-term value of materials. As the urgency to reduce carbon emissions grows, the architecture and design industry must rethink its approach to material use. Circular design is a powerful way to reduce environmental impacts because it minimizes emissions and waste while unlocking the economic value of buildings materials. This session will introduce key aspects of circular design and findings from the Circular Design Primer for Interiors, released by Perkins&Will in February 2025.
GATHER 2025 live program recording of session held August 18, 2025.
What You Will Learn
- Describe the principles of circular design and how they apply to interior architecture.
- Identify key strategies for integrating material reuse and adaptability into design processes.
- Analyze real-world case studies that demonstrate successful circular design implementation.
- Evaluate methods to reduce carbon emissions in future projects.
Access Period: GATHER 2025 Virtual Conference Package CEUs available to complete through February 28, 2026.
Brittany McNairy, ASID, LEEP AP ID+C, WELL AP
Senior Technical Coordinator and Senior Associate
Perkins&Will
Brittany McNairy is a senior technical coordinator and senior associate in Perkins&Will’s Washington, DC office. She has experience with a variety of corporate, government, and education projects ranging from small interior renovations to campus workplace planning. Brittany has worked on numerous projects with a particular focus on interior environments and their interaction with occupant health, wellness, and sustainability. Brittany recently completed the design of USGBC Headquarters renovation in Washington, DC, which achieved platinum certifications in LEED, WELL, and TRUE Zero Waste. In addition, she co-leads the Washington DC office’s Embodied Carbon initiative and promotes sustainable design and social responsibility in her work.
This CEU is registered with the International Design Continuing Education Council (IDCEC) for continuing education credits. This credit will be accepted by the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), International Interior Designers Association (IIDA) and Interior Designers of Canada (IDC).
The content included is not deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by IDCEC of any material or construction or any method or manner of handling, using distributing or dealing in any material or product.
Questions related to specific materials, methods and services should be directed to the instructor and provider of the CEU.
This program is registered for 1 CEU | HSW-Sustainability value. The IDCEC class-code is: CC-124599.
Attendees who do not belong to ASID, IIDA or IDC and do not have a unique IDCEC number will be provided with a Certificate of Completion after this CEU.
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