Stephen Lacey speaks with environmental manager Billi Hayes, about the challenges ahead for creating a truly sustainable planet.
July 5th, 2013
Meeting Billi Hayes is like a breath of fresh air. Indeed, Hayes would like nothing more than the chance for us all to be breathing fresh air for a whole lot longer. But the 25-year-old environmental and quality manager at KE-ZU, a leading furniture supplier in Alexandria, Sydney, is not sure that will be possible unless we see some big changes in the way we consume.
“There is no such thing as a truly sustainable product, there can’t be,” says Hayes. “In fact the most sustainable thing you can do is not buy something in the first place, but that’s not going to happen, because it’s in our evolutionary genes to acquire.”
This being the case, Hayes believes the next best thing is for us to make smart choices when we go shopping. In other words, look for products that have the lowest environmental impact.
“If we’re going to buy something, we should at least make sure that a life cycle assessment has been carried out on it, where the use-phase, maintenance-phase and disposal-phase have been measured,” she says. “The problem is these assessment cost way too much at the moment and so they are out of the reach of smaller manufacturers.”
Hayes says determining ‘good-eco’ and ‘bad-eco’ is not as clear cut as you might imagine. She says it’s only through conducting a life-cycle assessment that such distinctions can accurately be made.
“Take the example of corn kernels, or polystyrene foam as a packaging option,” she says. “You’d assume corn would be more environmentally friendly, whereas a life cycle assessment showed that polystyrene is actually a better choice, because of food security issues.”
Hayes started out her career wanting to be a designer herself, and completed a bachelor of design at UNSW College of Fine Arts. Then she questioned the need to produce more and more ‘stuff’ so enrolled for the master of sustainability at Sydney University.
“I wanted to learn how to break a chair down into its component parts for recycling,” she says. “We put so much effort into manufacturing something, but no thought about taking it apart and disposing of it.”
A searchable and comprehensive guide for specifying leading products and their suppliers
Keep up to date with the latest and greatest from our industry BFF's!
Savage Design’s approach to understanding the relationship between design concepts and user experience, particularly with metalwork, transcends traditional boundaries, blending timeless craftsmanship with digital innovation to create enduring elegance in objects, furnishings, and door furniture.
Sub-Zero and Wolf’s prestigious Kitchen Design Contest (KDC) has celebrated the very best in kitchen innovation and aesthetics for three decades now. Recognising premier kitchen design professionals from around the globe, the KDC facilitates innovation, style and functionality that pushes boundaries.
In the pursuit of an uplifting synergy between the inner world and the surrounding environment, internationally acclaimed Interior Architect and Designer Lorena Gaxiola transform the vibration of the auspicious number ‘8’ into mesmerising artistry alongside the Feltex design team, brought to you by GH Commercial.
Marylou Cafaro’s first trendjournal sparked a powerful, decades-long movement in joinery designs and finishes which eventually saw Australian design develop its independence and characteristic style. Now, polytec offers all-new insights into the future of Australian design.
For #SID17 we’re bringing back our WorkLife and LiveLife seminar series to ensure that your day in design is as informative (and a tad controversial) as possible.
This time, it’s the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) which has recognised the Sydney building as Best Tall Building Worldwide.
Open this week at The National Gallery of Victoria, In Absence is a cultural conversation through architecture by Edition Office and Indigenous artist Yhonnie Scarce.
Place-specific design is so very de rigueur. But beyond the obvious, how is place-driven design being strategically integrated across both macro and micro aspect of a mega development? This was Terry Snow’s objective for his best-in-class Willinga Park Equestrian Centre – and Cox Architecture have delivered.
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
An outstanding line-up of participants will contribute to a beautifully curated exhibition in Thailand that delves deep into the collective thinking of architecture in our region and helps set a progressive agenda for the future of design.
Overcoming pandemic hurdles to redefine guest experiences amidst Sydney’s bustling entertainment precinct, The Darling has undergone a two-year restoration that melds Art Deco interiors with the necessities of hotel living.