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2017 LEADERSHIP Award Winners

Collaboration and partnership is key to advancing environmentally and socially responsible buildings. The Leadership Awards recognize individuals and organizations who are helping make sustainable communities a reality in the D.C. metro area.

Awards were not given in all categories.  This is done when there were no submissions, or were not submissions which met, in the judging panel’s opinion, the standard of excellence and innovation that the Leadership Awards are intended to recognize.

Excellence in Government, Advocacy, or Policy

Advocacy plays an important role in who we are and what we do. We believe that the green building movement has the power to change the way we live today and the ability to transform the legacy we leave tomorrow. Successful, game-changing advocacy starts at the local level. Applicants for this award will have worked to bring about real and meaningful change through local codes, the use of LEED in more communities, the construction of green schools, the collection of key building performance data and in many other areas where green building approaches are established and successfully implemented. Applicants should demonstrate, in their application, their contributions in one or more of the following areas:


Leadership with LEED

Improving Energy Data Access

Mainstreaming Building Benchmarking

Greening our Schools

Improving Housing

Building Better Codes

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EXCELLENCE IN GOVERNMENT, ADVOCACY, OR POLICY

WINNER - Patrick Kunze

Select Notable Application Excerpts

  • "Kunze's technical skills were enlisted to develop questions for the USGBC when the updated the national LEED Accredited Professional exam in 2009."

  • "When the District of Columbia moved to develop and implement their own green building codes, Patrick was at the forefront of that effort.  Patrick has advised  Montgomery County, Maryland, as they  move to implement their own version."

  • "Since the Spring of 2012 , Patrick has been a volunteer voting member of the DC  Green Technical Advisory Group (TAG). In this role, he participated in a group that reviewed every section of the International Green Construction Code and  made recommendations for improvement and adoption by DC Government. As part of this work, he helped bring in outside experts, presented information to stakeholders, and prepared responses to public comments."

  • "Since June 2016, Patrick has been actively participating in the DC Green TAG meetings to update the Green Code to reflect changes in the 2015 ICC codes and to amend the Energy Code to reflect the updated ASHRAE 90.1 standards."

  • "In July of 2015, Patrick received the DC Mayor's Certification of Appreciation for his contribution to the Sustainable DC Plan to 'make the District the healthiest, greenest, most livable city in the nation'."

Patrick Kunze, PE, LEED AP

Senior Principal at GHT Limited

EXCELLENCE IN ADVANCING HEALTH + WELLNESS

WINNER - Andrea Swiatocha + Rachel Cowen

Select Notable Application Excerpts

  • "The AIA|DC Design and Wellbeing Committee was created in 2012 with Andrea as a founding member. Rachel joined the committee in January 2013."

  • "They worked together to facilitate four years of educational programs and advocacy events aimed at creating a space to discuss the relationship between what we build and how people live."

  • "Growing out of its infancy, Andrea helped steer the committee forward by introducing more targeted  educational content; moving beyond simply presenting concepts of health and wellness into identifying  strategies, policies and standards which address the topic in measurable forms and an emphasis on what designers can do now."

  • "Rachel’s leadership encourages two levels of focus for health and wellness in the built environment: identifying community localized policies, practices and success case studies, and tracking growth on a national scale.   Rachel focused the committee o n educating members on development and diversity of emerging standards and policies regulating occupant health within physical and environmental building projects."

  • " In addition to joint committee leadership, Rachel a nd Andrea have worked together at Hord Coplan Macht to  lead the regional firm into the future of design +  health. Over a series of months in 2015, the two introduced  each working studio to the concepts of chronic heal th epidemics and the role architects play integrating  demonstrable health outcomes into the profession and design services. They created a series of presentations  with case studies specific and relevant to studio building type aimed at educating employees on the initiative  and strategies for the firm to take action."

Andrea Swiatocha, AIA, LEED AP

Associate/Project Architect, Hord Coplan Macht Architects

Rachel Cowen, AIA, LEED AP, WELL AP

Associate Architect, Hord Coplan Macht Architects

EXCELLENCE IN SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS PRACTICES

No Award Made in 2017

VOLUNTEER LEADERSHIP - MEMBER OF THE YEAR

WINNER - Julia Craighill

Julia Craighill, BREEAM USA In-Use Assessor, LEED AP

Founder-Ensight Consulting

Chair, Existing Building Education Series

Past Chair, Education Committee

 

"Julia has been a highly committed and valuable volunteer, providing calm and upbeat leadership of the task force. She has combined strong subject-matter expertise with excellent organizational skills to lead this large group of fellow volunteers to success."

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