Providence, Rhode Island-based Gilbert Design has been presented with the Mohawk Windpower Partnership Award for its recent sustainable initiatives in the design of the RISD (Rhode Island School of Design) viewbook.

The Windpower Partnership Award was presented to Joseph Gilbert, Creative Director, Gilbert Design, and Edward Newhall, Director of Admissions, RISD, for their collective contribution toward producing a more sustainable admissions viewbook through considered design and responsible paper selection.

The 2008 RISD viewbook was printed on FSC-certified Mohawk Options. And, 100% of the electricity used to produce Mohawk Options, and all of Mohawk’s papers, is offset with Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) from non-polluting windpower projects. “The viewbook is the flagship publication for this leading design school. We wanted to use Options not only for its great ink holdout and printability, but also for its environmental benefits. This piece is evidence of RISD’s commitment to design for a sustainable future,” said Joe Gilbert.

Using Mohawk Options to produce the RISD viewbook created an instant environmental savings: according to Mohawk’s environmental calculator, the sum of that savings was equal to 15,233 lbs. of air emissions not being generated, and six barrels of crude oil saved from being used. Furthermore the wind-generated electricity associated with the manufacturing of Mohawk Options is equivalent to taking one car off the road for a year or planting 1,030 trees for the future.

“The difference Gilbert Design and RISD are making is significant, not only with the RISD viewbook but with their shared approach to sustainable thinking and design, and educating our future designers to continue along that path,” said Thomas D. O’Connor, Jr., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Mohawk Fine Papers.