By Grey Lee
Congratulations to the Green Giants of the green building community in Western Massachusetts!
The West Branch of the USGBC MA Chapter has recognized outstanding contributors to the growth of our movement.
The winners were recognized at a joint USGBC MA West Branch & AIA Western Mass. annual dinner event on Dec. 4th, 2013. Over 60 people came out to celebrate the Green Giants and to hear from a series of presenters on local architecture and planning successes.
The following is a synopsis by Laura Fitch, the organizer of the Green Giants program:
Green Giants – 2013 Green Building Local Hero Awards Program
Sponsored by the US Green Building Council Massachusetts – West Branch (USGBCMA-West)
Committee: Laura Fitch, Aelan Tierney Jon Birtwell, Lawson Wulsin
Jury: Grey Lee, Sandra Brock, Phoebe Beierle, Stephen Muzzy
The Green Giants Award Program was created by our chapter to honor the work of trades people, educators, and owners/program directors. These members helped to build, educate, envision and fund the green buildings located in Hampshire, Hampden, Franklin, and Berkshire counties. This program is intentionally distinct from other building design awards in its attempt to look at and honor a wider range of participants behind the sustainable building movement in our region.
Buildings consume a huge percentage of our energy and resources, creating a tremendous amount of waste. In this time of global climate change, the USGBC is actively promoting green buildings as part of the solution. This goal, however, is largely implemented by Trades People, Educators or Building Owners – the true unsung heroes in this critical movement.
We chose to award 7 people in 3 categories. The following summarizes the presentation made regarding these recipients at the awards event:
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Trades Category
The Green Giants Program sought to recognize individuals from any building trade or maintenance program who have gone the extra mile to ensure that a building (or campus) meets its sustainability goals.
Green Giants – trades
Sean Jeffords, Beyond Green Construction and Western MA Green Consortium
Honorable Mention – trades
Michael Broad, Construction Supervisor
Honorable Mention – trades
Tom Rossmassler, President and CEO of Energia in Holyoke
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Educational Programs Category
Green Giants sought to recognize any teacher or organization behind an innovative green building program that inspires and actively teaches the next generation of designers, engineers, and trades people who will in their turn advance our green building revolution.
Green Giant – education
Teresa Jones, Greenfield Community College
for her work in developing the Sustainable Practices in Construction curriculum at GCC
Honorable Mention – education
Westover Job Corps Center, Chicopee
and Gregory Briggs, Carpentry Instructor
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Owner Category
The Green Giant program also recognized owners and institutions that envisioned and funded an exemplary green project, knowing that without their vision and money, none of this would happen.
for Private Owner
Riverstone Development
for Two Pond Farm Land Co-op and Sustainable Neighborhood.
For Institutional Owner
Bement School
For two dormitory projects (as yet un-named)
Global Head of Sustainability, Superior Essex
Sustainability Director, Steven Winter Associates
PE | Associate, LeMessurier
Vice President, AEW’s Architecture & Engineering group
Interior Designer, Jacobs, Boston
Senior Vice President, Market Transformation and Development U.S. Green Building Council
AIA LEED AP BD+C | Senior Associate, Gensler Boston 
LEED Fellow, WELL AP | Founder and Principal, Ecoworks Studio
AIA, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP
LEED AP BD+C | Environmental Sustainability Manager, Armstrong World Industries
Assistant Professor of Exposure Science | Director of the Healthy Buildings program
Managing Director, Harvard University Office for Sustainability
Principal & Director of Certifications and Consulting, Epsten Group, Inc.
Vice President of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility, Jamestown
Director of Sustainability Programs, DASNY | LEED AP BD+C
Associate Principal, BuroHappold Engineering
Senior Vice President, Sustainability at Kilroy Realty Corporation
Co-Founder, Facilitator at The Laurentia Project | LEED AP BD+C, LFA
Vice President of Sustainable Development, Shaw
Founder and President, Board of the Healthy Building Network
Building Technology Director, Kingspan North America
LEED® AP ID+C, BD+C, USGBC Faculty, WELL® AP, WELL Faculty and Fitwel Ambassador
Workplace Strategy Expert and Researcher, EYP
Principal, Integrated Ecostrategy
Senior Vice President, International WELL Building Institute
Principal, Bruner/Cott
Architect, Associate, and Sustainability Design Leader, Stantec Architecture and Engineering
FAIA, LEED Fellow, Long Green Specs
Products & Materials Specialist, BuildingGreen
Director of Acquisitions and Development
Director of Restorative Enterprise, Interface
Sustainability Manager, Consigli Construction Company