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‘Haptik’ Suite combines sustainable features and luxury feel
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WATG and IDEO have teamed to win the first-ever Sustainable Suite Design Competition sponsored by the U.S. Green Building Council. The contest called for interior designers to showcase the best hospitality design strategies that boast environmental responsibility while enhancing guest experience.
IDEO and WATG dubbed their winning entry “Haptik,” a Greek term meaning to experience interactions based on sense of touch. The USGBC said the suite created a juxtaposition between sustainability and luxury, by redefining the guest experience without sacrificing either ideal.
Among the innovative winning strategies were the suite's many energy-reducing features, such as an “all-off ” switch to ensure lights are automatically turned-off based on passive infrared sensors (PIS) and room conditioning equipped by a four-pipe horizontal fan-coil system. Additionally, water use was also key in reducing environmental impact as the Haptik suite includes a Trombe wall in the shower that captures solar heat to warm the shower water and a graywater irrigation system that filters and recycles shower water to outdoor gardens and landscaping.
Design submissions were judged on three overarching categories: design elements (water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources and indoor environmental quality); education (guest room attributes and guest practices); and overall design (integrated design approach, originality and innovation, general aesthetic and financial feasibility). In addition to the USGBC, the competition was sponsored by the American Society of Interior Designers and NEWH.
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