The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has named the recipients of its 2011 Leadership Awards. The awards recognize organizations and individuals who signify vision, leadership and commitment to the evolution of green building design and construction.
"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, USGBC. "As the most influential green building leaders in the world, their achievements are bedrock to our mission of transforming the built environment."
Wells Fargo Bank was recognized for its Organizational Leadership in the Private Sector. As longtime users of LEED, Wells Fargo 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.
Anthony E. Malkin of Malkin Holdings was recognized for his leadership in the private sector. Through his real estate business, Malkin has been a leader in existing building energy efficiency retrofits, including the recently certified Empire State Building.
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 Honorable Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of New York City, was recognized for his leadership in the Public Sector. Through PlaNYC, Mayor Bloomberg's long-term sustainability plan, New York City has adopted some of the most aggressive green building legislation in the country, including requiring ongoing energy efficiency upgrades in existing buildings. As chair of the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, Mayor Bloomberg is strengthening the ability of the largest cities around the world to adopt and implement similar, innovative sustainability policies.
Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas (DCMCCT) was recognized for its Organizational Leadership in the NGO sector. 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.
In the Individual category, Kelly Caffarelli, president of the Home Depot Foundation, was recognized for her Leadership in a Non-Governmental Organization. Through her leadership, Caffarelli enabled USGBC to fully engage the affordable housing community in the development of LEED for Homes. Currently, nearly 50% of LEED-certified housing units are affordable.
Deutsche Bank AG was recognized with the inaugural International Leadership Award. With a company-wide goal of carbon neutrality by 2013, Deutsche Bank has worked to reduce its corporate footprint and while providing the tools and resources to help others do the same, through investing in alternative energies and low-carbon technologies. This past year, the company earned LEED Platinum for its own headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany, which is designed to reduce water consumption and CO2 emissions by 74% and 89% respectively.
This year's President's award was given to Greg Kats, President of Capital E and Venture Partner with Good Energies, and to Lynn Simon, Simon & Associates, Inc. The award is given in acknowledgement of a distinguished career and exceptional contributions to the green building movement.
Through his green building research, Greg Kats has helped codify the value of green building, and add clarity to common misconceptions around cost. Kats is the principal author of the most widely cited study on the cost and benefits of green buildings, and is a longtime member of the USGBC community, having served on both the LEED Steering Committee and on the Energy & Atmosphere Technical Advisory Group.
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. Jayni is one of the original leaders of the green schools movement, and serves as a valued member of the Center for Green Schools' Advisory Board. She has been a true champion in making green schools a reality for the millions of Americans who go to school every day.