Abstract

This research study created, piloted, and field tested a new instrument designed to collect perceptions toward an interior designer’s impact on the health, safety, and welfare of the public. The study also established an initial profile of perceptions within building industry professionals, identified the salient factors within those perceptions, and determined the level of these factors through a factor analysis. The Health, Safety, & Welfare in the Built Environment instrument was developed using a table of specifications based on the subject content that interior designers must be familiar with in regards to protecting the health, safety, and welfare of the public according to the Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA) and the interior design Body of Knowledge (BoK). The questionnaire was administered to members of the Construction Specification Institute (CSI) Gulf States Region. A factor analysis on the gathered data determined that there were four underlying thematic sub-groups or factors. They were labeled codes & materials, design strategies, mechanical, and supervision. These factors, along with the study’s finding will be discussed further in this article.