Rethinking Carbon Footprint Through Design

What Is a Carbon Footprint and Why Should Designers Care? 

A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions generated by our actions, products, and systems, measured over their entire life cycle. In the world of architecture and interiors, this includes everything from the extraction of raw materials to manufacturing, transportation, use, and eventual disposal. Buildings are responsible for a significant portion of global emissions, and materials play a central role. The carbon cost of a product isn’t just about how it performs in a building, it’s about how it got there and what happens after it's no longer needed.

How Can We Reduce It? 

Reducing a project’s carbon footprint doesn’t always require revolutionary technology. Often, it begins with better choices, like opting for circular materials.

Circular materials are designed to remain in the loop. Instead of being extracted, used, and discarded, they are created from recycled or renewable sources, and can often be reused or reprocessed at the end of their life. This reduces demand for virgin resources and minimizes landfill waste, two major contributors to emissions.

Why Circular Design Matters 

The traditional “take-make-dispose” model is carbon-intensive by nature. Every time a new material is extracted or produced, energy is consumed, and emissions are released. Circular materials interrupt this cycle by maximizing the value of existing resources. They also tend to avoid harmful chemicals, emit fewer pollutants, and support healthier indoor environments an often-overlooked layer of sustainability.

At CoveringsETC, materials are developed with circularity as a core value. But the broader principle is universal: the more we choose regenerative, enduring, and low-impact materials, the closer we move to a future where design heals instead of harms. Design can be a powerful form of environmental responsibility. 

Reducing your carbon footprint doesn’t have to mean doing less, it can mean designing smarter, with intention and accountability.