David Simpson really is鈥攁nd said he鈥檚 healthier because of it.
Simpson, a UofL urban and public affairs professor who chairs the university鈥檚 Sustainability Council, is the first faculty member on campus to occupy an office redecorated entirely with sustainability in mind.
Everything in his office in 100 Urban Studies Institute has been retooled to be environmentally friendly. He鈥檚 even got a 鈥渨alking workstation鈥濃攁 computer-treadmill combination that lets him check and respond to email while pacing at a speed of up to 2 mph.
A soothing color scheme of warm cream and spring green beckons visitors into Simpson鈥檚 new abode. The walls are coated with paint that resists dirt and emits no off-gasses.
Green plants spill cheerily out of the dozen or so chocolate-brown fabric planters made from recycled plastic bottles that adorn his walls. Matching solar shades hang at his four windows, replacing his ugly 20-year-old drapes.
Besides looking good, the solar shades reduce his energy use by lowering the room鈥檚 heat load.
His hypoallergenic carpet, made of at least 35 percent recycled materials, sports a muted, green-and-gray geometric pattern evoking a leisurely stroll through an ancient Tuscan courtyard.
鈥淚 really like it in here now,鈥 Simpson said. 鈥淭he plants make an especially big difference. They make it feel more natural and they improve air quality, which is helpful in an office environment with little to no fresh air.鈥
Interior architecture students created concept drawings for the room redesign under the guidance of fine arts professor Moon-he Baik. Money from urban and public affairs鈥 physical plant and research infrastructure funds paid for the $10,000 renovation.
Simpson, who said he initiated the green office makeover 鈥渢o create a space that encourages health and wellness for office workers,鈥 plans to study its costs and benefits. He has teamed up with UofL鈥檚 Get Healthy Now program and Barbara Stetson, a UofL health behavior change psychologist, to explore research possibilities.
鈥淲e鈥檙e considering going after a National Institutes of Health grant that would allow us to put 50 walking workstations around campus,鈥 he said.
