by Rebecca Walker — February 26, 2010—The Sustainable Buildings Industry Council (SBIC) announced the results of its 2009 Beyond Green High-Performance Building Awards on Capitol Hill.
The event was held in partnership with the High-Performance Buildings Congressional Caucus Coalition (HPBCCC) and showcased high-performance buildings and initiatives. The event also kicks off an educational outreach program for policymakers, building trade professionals and the general public.
The 2009 Beyond Green High-Performance Building Awards attracted more than 40 entries from projects across the country. Entries were judged based on the eight design objectives which define a high-performance building: Sustainability, Accessibility, Aesthetics, Cost-Effectiveness, Functionality, Productivity/Health, Historic sensitivity, and Safety and Security.
The competition challenged public and private sector practitioners to demonstrate the successful application of the whole building approach by showing how they integrated the eight design objectives into their projects. The program is open to both SBIC members and nonmembers.
Submissions were entered in two categories: High-Performance Buildings and High-Performance Initiatives. High-Performance Building entries included commercial, government, institutional, residential, and school buildings. High-Performance Initiatives included policy programs, educational initiatives, consumer awareness efforts, research product development, and new construction processes.
The recognized projects will be featured on SBIC’s web site, described in depth as case studies on the Whole Building Design Guide, and integrated into a variety of SBIC educational programs. First place for High-Performance Buildings is the integrated energy retrofit of the Empire State Building in New York City. Also recognized were Emerson’s Energy-Efficient Global Data Center, in St. Louis, Missouri; the Charlotte Vermont House in Charlotte, Vermont; and the Kroon Hall, School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.
Water Independence in the buildings of Portland, Oregon, was cited as a high-performance initiative.
For more information, see the Sustainable Buildings Industry Council Web site.
