Mary Ann Lazarus, FAIA, LEED® AP BD+C, has accepted a two-year consulting position with the American Institute of Architects in Washington, DC. Her new position, which begins March 1, will focus on increasing the AIA's impact on sustainability across the profession. The St. Louis-based architect will continue consulting at HOK.
Lazarus, an architect with HOK in St. Louis since 1980, has served as the global firm's director of sustainable design since 2001. She co-authored the second edition of "The HOK Guidebook to Sustainable Design," an influential textbook used by design professionals and universities. Lazarus won Eco-Structure's 2012 Evergreen Award in the Perspectives category, which recognizes one individual each year for advancing sustainable design. In 2011, based on her significant contributions to sustainable design over her career, the AIA elevated Lazarus to its College of Fellows.
"Mary Ann has served as a sustainability teacher and mentor for an entire generation of architects," said HOK President Bill Hellmuth, AIA, LEED AP BD+C. “We are thrilled that she has this opportunity with the AIA and that she will continue to work with us as a consultant. She is an important part of our HOK family."
"I am incredibly proud of HOK's commitment to sustainable design and of what our people have accomplished," said Lazarus. "Our Sustainability Steering Team will continue to keep HOK on the leading edge of innovation in sustainability." The steering team includes Tim Gaidis, LEED AP BD+C, sustainable design leader in HOK's St. Louis office and board member of Sustainable St. Louis.
"Mary Ann has made sustainability central to our culture and practice in St. Louis and all over the world,” said St. Louis Management Principal Rebecca Nolan, IIDA, LEED AP. “As much as we will miss her leadership, we are proud to share her expertise and passion for sustainability with the AIA and our entire profession.”
Lazarus has played a key role in many milestone HOK sustainable projects. In 2010, she led a St. Louis-based project to design Net Zero Court, a prototype for an affordable, zero carbon emissions office building. Since 2011, she has directed HOK's pro bono design team on Project Haiti, a U.S. Green Building Council-sponsored, biomimetic, LEED Platinum, net zero energy orphanage in Port-au-Prince.
HOK's current projects in St. Louis include serving as executive architect for the BJC HealthCare campus renewal project at Washington University Medical Center, executive architect for the Heritage multi-tenant lab and office building in the CORTEX district, architect for the St. Louis Science Center Agricultural Gallery site planning and design, and architect-of-record for the new 200,000-sq.-ft. expansion of the Saint Louis Art Museum.
HOK is a global architectural firm that provides planning and design solutions for high-performance, sustainable buildings and communities. Through its collaborative network of 24 offices worldwide, the firm delivers design excellence and innovation to clients globally. Founded in St. Louis in 1955, HOK's expertise includes architecture, interiors, planning and urban design, engineering, strategic facility planning, consulting, lighting, graphics and construction services. In 2012, DesignIntelligence ranked HOK as the #1 role model for sustainable and high-performance design for the third consecutive year.
Related Stories
Museums | Feb 9, 2015
Herzog & de Meuron's M+ museum begins construction in Hong Kong
When completed, M+ will be one of the first buildings in the Foster + Partners-planned West Kowloon Cultural District.
Multifamily Housing | Feb 9, 2015
GSEs and their lenders were active on the multifamily front in 2014
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac securitized more than $57 billion for 850,000-plus units.
BIM and Information Technology | Feb 8, 2015
BIM for safety: How to use BIM/VDC tools to prevent injuries on the job site
Gilbane, Southland Industries, Tocci, and Turner are among the firms to incorporate advanced 4D BIM safety assessment and planning on projects.
Museums | Feb 6, 2015
Tacoma Art Museum's new wing features sun screens that operate like railroad box car doors
The 16-foot-tall screens, operated by a hand wheel, roll like box car doors across the façade and interlace with a set of fixed screens.
Office Buildings | Feb 6, 2015
6 factors steering workplace design at financial services firms
Grossly underutilized space and a lack of a mobility strategy are among the trends identified by HOK based on its research of 11 top-tier financial services firms.
Cultural Facilities | Feb 6, 2015
Architects look to ‘activate’ vacant block in San Diego with shipping container-based park
A team of alumni from the NewSchool of Architecture and Design in San Diego has taken over a 28,500-sf empty city block in that metro to create what they hope will be a revenue-generating urban park.
Multifamily Housing | Feb 6, 2015
Fannie Mae to offer lower interest rates to LEED-certified multifamily properties
For certified properties, Fannie Mae is now granting a 10 basis point reduction in the interest rate of a multifamily refinance, acquisition, or supplemental mortgage loan.
Airports | Feb 6, 2015
Zaha Hadid-designed terminal in Beijing will be world’s largest
The terminal will accommodate 45 million passengers per year, and will be a hub for both air and rail travel.
Codes and Standards | Feb 6, 2015
Obama executive order requires federal construction projects to consider flood damage caused by climate change
To meet the new standard, builders must build two feet above the currently projected elevation for 100-year floods for most projects.
HVAC | Feb 6, 2015
ASHRAE, REHVA publish guide to chilled beam systems
The guide provides tools and advice for designing, commissioning, and operating chilled-beam systems.