The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has announced the recipients of the 2014 Best of Buildings awards, as selected by fellow USGBC members.
The Best of Building Awards celebrate the year’s best products, projects, organizations and individuals making an impact in green building. Nominees and winners were selected exclusively by the members of USGBC, a vibrant and diverse community of nearly 13,000 of the world’s leading organizations invested in sustainability.
“USGBC’s membership represents a diverse community of leaders that have made significant contributions to the advancement of green building,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, chief operating officer, USGBC. “We congratulate the winners, as these peer-chosen awards reflect new and innovative achievements that are to be commended.”
There are 30, peer-selected awardees picked for 48 individual categories in the competition. Awardees were selected based on their region, size and area of specialization and are designed to showcase the most progressive, innovative organizations in the fields of green architecture, landscape, engineering, interior design and manufacturing.
Recipients include:
Non-Profit Organization
- Best Non-Profit Organization: North Shore LIJ Health System
- Best Professional Association: ASHRAE
Professional Services
- Best Architecture Firm – Small: The Gaines Group PLC
- Best Architecture Firm – Midsize: STUDIO DOMUS
- Best Architecture Firm – Large: Perkins + Will
- Best Landscape Architecture Firm – Small: Carlson Studio Architecture
- Best Landscape Architecture Firm – Midsize: Hord Coplan Macht
- Best Landscape Architecture Firm – Large: HOK
- Best Engineering Firm – Small: The Green Engineer, Inc.
- Best Engineering Firm – Midsize: ALPHA Energy & Environment GmbH
- Best Engineering Firm – Large: TLC Engineering for Architecture
- Best Interior Design Firm – Small: Inspirit LLC
- Best Interior Design Firm – Midsize: Polk Stanley Wilcox Architects
- Best Interior Design Firm – Large: Eppstein Uhen Architects
- Best Residential Design Firm – Midsize: Hord Coplan Macht
- Best Residential Design Firm – Large: GGLO
- Best Contractor/Builder – Small: Amerisips Homes
- Best Contractor/Builder – Midsize: Abrahamse & Company Builders
- Best Contractor/Builder – Large: C.T. Taylor Company, Inc.
- Best Commissioning Provider: WSP
- Best Planner: HOK
- Best Real Estate Service Contractor: CBRE (Global Energy & Sustainability Team)
Energy Service Provider/Utility
- Best Energy Service Provider/Utility: Xcel Energy
Greenbuild Exhibitor
- Greenbuild Exhibitor of the Year: Kohler Co.
Products
- Best Product for Water Efficiency: The original rainwater pillow by the Rainwater Collections Solutions, Inc.
- Best Product for Energy Efficiency: Essence by Big Ass Solutions
- Best Product for Green Cleaning: Bio-Amp by Chemsearch FE (NCH Corporation)
- Best Product for HVAC/Indoor Air Quality/Building Controls: Variable Refrigerant Flow Zoning Systems by Mitsubishi Electric US Cooling & Heating Division
- Best Product for Efficient Lighting: Big Ass High Bay LED by Big Ass Solutions
- Best Product for Exteriors: View Dynamic Glass by View, Inc.
- Best Product for Sustainable Construction Materials: Plexicrete Flooring System by Plexi-Chemie, Inc.
- Most Innovative New Product of the Year: Haiku with SenseME by Big Ass Solutions
- Product Manufacturer of the Year - Small to Midsize: Plexi-Chemie, Inc.
- Product Manufacturer of the Year – Large: Big Ass Solutions
- Real Estate/Provider Building Portfolio
- Best Building Portfolio for Retail: Renato Miranda and Associates
- Best Building Portfolio for Commercial: Paramount Group, Inc.
- Best Building Portfolio for Residential: Renato Miranda and Associates
- Best Building Portfolio for Hotels: Renato Miranda and Associates
LEED Certified Projects
- Best Project Design for LEED BD+C: U.S. Coast Guard, Cleveland Boat Maintenance Annex/Moorings (U.S. Coast Guard, AMEC)
- Best LEED ID+C Project: STUDIO DOMUS (STUDIO DOMUS)
- Best Project Design for LEED ND: Shanghai Expo UPBA Development (EXPO SHANGHAI GROUP, Arup)
- Best LEED O+M Project: 701 Brickell (TLC Engineering for Architecture, JLL, TIAA-CREF)
- Best Regional Project: Asia Pacific: 1 Bligh, Sydney, Australia (Perkins + Will)
- Best Regional Project: Europe: Centro servizi Credito Valtellinese, Italy (Deerns)
- Best Regional Project: South America: STUDIO DOMUS, Guatemala (STUDIO DOMUS)
- Best Regional Project: Middle East: KAPSARC - Saudi Arabia (HOK)
Individuals
- LEED Green Associate of the Year: Leslie R. Yager, OH, USA
- LEED AP (with Specialty) of the Year: Neil Rosen, NY, USA
Related Stories
Giants 400 | Sep 18, 2023
Top 200 Office Building Architecture Firms for 2023
Gensler, Stantec, HOK, and Interior Architects top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest office building sector architecture and architecture/engineering (AE) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report. Note: This ranking includes revenue for all office building work, including core and shell projects and workplace/interior fitouts.
Resort Design | Sep 18, 2023
Luxury resort provides new housing community for its employees
The Wisteria community will feature a slew of exclusive amenities, including a market, pub, and fitness center, in addition to 33 new patio homes.
Life of an Architect Podcast | Sep 18, 2023
Life of an Architect Podcast Ep. 134: Management 101
It happens to most people eventually. Some get there quickly, while others take a bit longer. Transitioning into a management role is a natural evolution of skill development, but that doesn’t necessarily make it any easier. Chances are you’re ready for management, but in case you’ve questions, we think we have answers.
Hotel Facilities | Sep 15, 2023
The next phase of sustainability in luxury hotels
The luxury hotel market has seen an increase in green-minded guests looking for opportunities to support businesses that are conscientious of the environment.
Adaptive Reuse | Sep 15, 2023
Salt Lake City’s Frank E. Moss U.S. Courthouse will transform into a modern workplace for federal agencies
In downtown Salt Lake City, the Frank E. Moss U.S. Courthouse is being transformed into a modern workplace for about a dozen federal agencies. By providing offices for agencies previously housed elsewhere, the adaptive reuse project is expected to realize an annual savings for the federal government of up to $6 million in lease costs.
Data Centers | Sep 15, 2023
Power constraints are restricting data center market growth
There is record global demand for new data centers, but availability of power is hampering market growth. That’s one of the key findings from a new CBRE report: Global Data Center Trends 2023.
Engineers | Sep 15, 2023
NIST investigation of Champlain Towers South collapse indicates no sinkhole
Investigators from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) say they have found no evidence of underground voids on the site of the Champlain Towers South collapse, according to a new NIST report. The team of investigators have studied the site’s subsurface conditions to determine if sinkholes or excessive settling of the pile foundations might have caused the collapse.
Office Buildings | Sep 14, 2023
New York office revamp by Kohn Pedersen Fox features new façade raising occupant comfort, reducing energy use
The modernization of a mid-century Midtown Manhattan office tower features a new façade intended to improve occupant comfort and reduce energy consumption. The building, at 666 Fifth Avenue, was originally designed by Carson & Lundin. First opened in November 1957 when it was considered cutting-edge, the original façade of the 500-foot-tall modernist skyscraper was highly inefficient by today’s energy efficiency standards.
Healthcare Facilities | Sep 13, 2023
Florida’s first freestanding academic medical behavioral health hospital breaks ground in Tampa Bay
Construction kicked off recently on TGH Behavioral Health Hospital, Florida’s first freestanding academic medical behavioral health hospital. The joint venture partnership between Tampa General (a 1,040-bed facility) and Lifepoint Behavioral Health will provide a full range of inpatient and outpatient care in specialized units for pediatrics, adolescents, adults, and geriatrics, and fills a glaring medical need in the area.
Adaptive Reuse | Sep 13, 2023
Houston's first innovation district is established using adaptive reuse
Gensler's Vince Flickinger shares the firm's adaptive reuse of a Houston, Texas, department store-turned innovation hub.