By Jen Kissinger,
Growing Green Award Planning Committee
Nominations are now open for the 2013 Growing Green Awards! U.S. Green Building Council – Missouri Gateway Chapter is excited to host our 5th Annual Growing Green awards to celebrate and recognize people, organizations, institutions and companies that are transforming our built environment and our community into a healthier, more environmentally friendly and prosperous place to live, work and learn.
We are so proud to recognize local leaders, entrepreneurs, educators, and designers that advocate for high performance buildings, implement sustainably progressive communities, and demonstrate green as good business. Past nominees and winners share a passion for making the region more sustainable – one building at a time. The award categories span a wide range of efforts and are designed to be inclusive of all individuals, groups and organizations that are committed to green buildings and green communities, which includes new and existing buildings, landscapes, objects and systems.
2013 Growing Green Award categories are:
Community Champion: demonstrating leadership in giving back to our community through commitment of time, energy and passion to the built environment.
Education: exemplifying leadership in education pertaining to the built environment. Education occurs in many facets: the classroom; the workplace; in local government; at home; and lots of places in between.
Emerging Leader: recent arrivals to the sustainability movement making great strides in advancing sustainable practices as they relate to our built environment. These individuals or organizations are likely to be our green leaders of tomorrow.
Innovation: exemplifying leadership in transforming the built environment through the pioneering of new technologies and thinking forward to the needs of tomorrow.
Operational Excellence: representing leadership in operating the buildings and landscapes in our community with environmental sensitivity, resource efficiency, and longevity.
Restoration: exemplify leadership in preservation, restoration and redevelopment of our built environment.
Nominations are due electronically by 5 pm on January 25, 2013. Winners will be announced at the Awards celebration and dinner on Thursday, March 28, 2013, which will feature Emily Pilloton as the keynote speaker. Emily is an industrial designer, architect, writer, and builder. A designer on paper and high school teacher in practice, Emily works at the intersection of design and public education, she believes that the processes and products of design can improve life, empower communities, and transform public education.
Emily is the founder of Project H Design, which focuses on curricula, environments, and experiences for K-12 educational institutions in the US. She has contributed to magazines such as GOOD, FastCompany, ReadyMade, Interior Design, ID Magazine and Innovative Home. And her work has been reported and showcased on The Colbert Report, and in The New York Times, Metropolis Magazine, Dwell Magazine, and GOOD Magazine.
Do you know of an individual or organization that deserves to be recognized for their role in transforming the built environment? Then please consider submitting a nomination for the 2013 Growing Green Awards! To learn more or to download the 2013 nomination package, please visit: www.usgbc-mogateway.org/green-awards/.
If you would like more information, please E-mail GrowingGreenAwards@gmail.com or call USGBC-Missouri Gateway staff at (314) 577-0854.