Sherif Nagy: Sustainability is at the core of designing commercial space

‘The FITOUT’ is one of the top leading companies in the Middle East, providing ‘total interior solutions’, consistent with the highest standards of quality and services; they are encouraging other fitout firms and designers to go sustainable. The General Manager ‘The FITOUT’ Sherif Nagy shed light on why designers must ensure to maintain sustainability in its construction methods by opting for eco-friendly measures.

Over the years, sustainability has gained immense momentum in the society as well as corporate industries, with companies now emphasising on sustainable development to ensure a clean and green future. To attain a sustainable tomorrow, companies must prioritise living in harmony with the nature, reducing their negative environmental impacts by using lesser harmful products, and switching to renewable energy. This is also important because sustainable living paves way for the betterment of our lives, improvement of our health and standards of living, protection of our ecosystem, and preservation of ecological integrity.

Today, sustainability is not just a concept. Various initiatives are undertaken worldwide to advance the development of a sustainable future. The commercial world, for instance, has adopted several policies that ensure sustainability throughout all their operations, be it manufacturing, constructing, building, or design.

Owing to the rising population, as well as new businesses and various public and private infrastructures, there is an increasing demand for commercial and office spaces. As a result, the requirement for interior construction has risen, which could inflate the carbon footprint.  However, recent reports state that companies are rapidly adopting sustainable approaches and strategies, which is reducing their overall carbon footprints.

In the world of design today, while striving to create quality spaces and interiors, designers must also ensure to maintain sustainability in its construction methods by opting for eco-friendly measures. Customers are more eco-conscious, and therefore makes it crucial for designers to meet their varying needs and requirements. Businesses now construct interiors within their own manufacturing facilities, to accomplish this, placing a strong emphasis on sustainability, as well as the usage of recyclable and affordable materials. This is where a fit-out company with their own in-house manufacturing facility becomes an added advantage.

Understanding what can make a space better and yet sustainable is an important planning process. Think about designing a space that is entirely eco-friendly and comfortable for the people living or working in that environment.

For instance, consider an office. Implementing smart green solutions to ensure energy and water efficiency, such as high-quality sensors, solar panels, water-saving features, LED lighting, and technology that monitors everything is a highly effective way to guarantee efficiency in operations. Furthermore, office partitions can also aid in the reduction of carbon footprints. It is a more practical, as well as a low-cost alternative that offers flexibility in organising an office. Custom-built walls are another simple and quick solution for flexibility, which can be easily merged with any existing space. They can be produced from recycled or sustainable materials like glass or wood. Moreover, interiors with creative walls can positively impact teams, further enhancing productivity and performance among employees.

Along with choosing sustainable and eco-friendly designs, integrating environmentally friendly elements to the workspace such as maximising the use of natural light, using plants, installing water fountains, and incorporating more terrestrial colours, have proved to be more beneficial for the environment, as well as in improving workplace health and efficiency. Eco-friendly workspaces can also be created with furniture and equipment built using repurposed tiles, reclaimed wood, and recyclable plastic, for example, carbon-neutral furniture, is a highly recommended choice by experts. These examples have proven to be noteworthy and have already been implemented by several designers and fit-out firms.

This sustainable approach of an enterprise increases the brand value, enhances productivity, unveils new prospects, attracts new talents and meets diverse customer demands.

In the UAE, sustainability plays a substantial role in every construction development they render and is regarded as a fundamental design principle in construction. The region has progressed significantly in terms of interior designing and manufacturing, by incorporating green energy, eco-friendly policies, and sustainable rating systems into their vision and developments. A sustainable design concept is encouraged at every stage of production to minimise the negative effects on the environment, as well as to maintain the well-being of the occupants, all without loosing the financial capability of the project. Consequently, this becomes a viable strategy that can improve all phases of a building's production, including design, construction, and operations.