West Michigan designer Tom Newhouse says he has been a dedicated environmentalist since the early 1970s. And in 1978, he designed and built his own passive-solar-powered, earth-bermed home and design studio. It won a national design award from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and Environmental Protection Agency, and it's where Tom still works.
Sustainability is built into all of Tom's designs. It's one of his Four Corners of Design approach, along with aesthetics, ergonomics, and economy. The physical result of his philosophy is apparent in the Flute Light he designed for us. Flute costs dramatically less to operate than other lamps, is made of one-third recycled material and is 85 percent recyclable, and reduces energy consumption by 40 to 50 percent.
"I have been passionate on this issue for the past 25 years," Tom says, "and I will continue to be. That's one reason why I love to work with Herman Miller."
Thomas J. Newhouse Design
Grand Rapids, Michigan