USGBC Recognizes Green Building Leaders

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Green Building Council named the recipients of the 2011 annual Leadership Awards, a program aimed at recognizing organizations and individuals who signify vision and commitment to the evolution of green building design and construction.

The awards recognize leadership achievement in the private, public and non-governmental organization sectors.

“This year’s Leadership Awards winners represent the future of green building — and based on their accomplishments, the future is looking very bright,” said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO and Founding Chair of the Council. “As the most influential green building leaders in the world, their achievements are bedrock to our mission of transforming the built environment.”

The awards will be presented at the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in Toronto at the Leadership Luncheon, sponsored by Otis Elevator Company

Recipients

Wells Fargo Bank was recognized for its organizational leadership in the private sector. In addition to its longtime use of the LEED program, the bank is a participant in the newly launched LEED Volume Program for Operations and Maintenance, committing to pursuing high-performance for banking and office locations across its portfolio.

For his real estate work in the private sector, Anthony Malkin of Malkin Holdings earned an award for leadership in existing building energy efficiency retrofits, including the recently certified Empire State Building.

“LEED Gold for Existing Buildings is a great accomplishment for the World’s Most Famous Office Building and our team of the Clinton Climate Initiative, Johnson Controls Inc., Jones Lang LaSalle, and the Rocky Mountain Institute,” Malkin said. “I thank USGBC for showcasing our effort to create an example from which the world can learn, and share this award with the team.”

The Council on Environmental Quality was recognized in the Organizational Leadership in the Public Sector for its commitment to advancing the President’s environmental agenda through policy and initiatives.

“The way we build has a significant impact on our economy, our security, and the health and prosperity of our communities,” said Nancy Sutley, chair of the Council on Environmental Quality. “President Obama has committed the Federal Government to leading by example toward a 21st century clean energy economy that grows American jobs and protects the health and environment of our communities.”

Also recognized for his work in the public sector, New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg received the award for his long-term sustainability plan, PlaNYC, which has implemented some of the most aggressive green building legislation in the country, according to the U.S. Green Building Council, such as requirements for ongoing energy efficiency upgrades in existing buildings.

Bloomberg also serves as chair of the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group.

In the NGO sector, Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas was recognized for its Organizational Leadership.

“As the first LEED Platinum hospital in the world, Dell Children’s is making a difference every day to the children, staff and visitors who enter, inspiring a world that will benefit from high-performance healing environments,” council officials said.

Deutsche Bank AG was recognized with the inaugural International Leadership Award for its efforts to reduce its corporate footprint while investing in alternative energies and low-carbon technologies to help others do the same.

The bank has a companywide goal of carbon neutrality by 2013, and earned LEED Platinum for its headquarters in Frankfurt ths year.

The President’s Awards were given to Greg Kats, President of Capital E and Venture Partner with Good Energies for his green building research, and Lynn Simon of Simon & Associates, Inc. for her consulting work.

Jayni Chase, chair of Green Community Schools, a program of the MGR Foundation, was honored as the first recipient of the Center for Green Schools Excellence award for her work as a pioneer in transforming schools into sustainable places to learn, work and play, according to the council.