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 | Jan 3, 2024
Top 200 Reconstruction Architecture Firms for 2023
Gensler, Stantec, HDR, Corgan, and PBK Architects top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest building reconstruction/renovation architecture and architecture engineering (AE) firms for 2023, as reported in the 2023 Giants 400 Report.
Designers | Jan 3, 2024
Designing better built environments for a neurodiverse world
For most of human history, design has mostly considered “typical users” who are fully able-bodied without clinical or emotional disabilities. The problem with this approach is that it offers a limited perspective on how space can positively or negatively influence someone based on their physical, mental, and sensory abilities.
Giants 400 | Jan 2, 2024
Top 120 Hotel Architecture Firms for 2023
Gensler, WATG, HKS, DLR Group, and HBG Design top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest hotel and resort architecture and architecture/engineering (AE) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.
Resiliency | Jan 2, 2024
Americans are migrating from areas of high flood risk
Americans are abandoning areas of high flood risk in significant numbers, according to research by the First Street Foundation. Climate Abandonment Areas account for more than 818,000 Census Blocks and lost a total of 3.2 million-plus residents due to flooding from 2000 to 2020, the study found.
MFPRO+ News | Jan 2, 2024
New York City will slash regulations on housing projects
New York City Mayor Eric Adams is expected to cut red tape to make it easier and less costly to build housing projects in the city. Adams would exempt projects with fewer than 175 units in low-density residential areas and those with fewer than 250 units in commercial, manufacturing, and medium- and high-density residential areas from environmental review.
Contractors | Dec 22, 2023
DBIA releases two free DEI resources for AEC firms
The Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) has released two new resources offering guidance and provisions on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) on design-build projects.
MFPRO+ News | Dec 22, 2023
Document offers guidance on heat pump deployment for multifamily housing
ICAST (International Center for Appropriate and Sustainable Technology) has released a resource guide to help multifamily owners and managers, policymakers, utilities, energy efficiency program implementers, and others advance the deployment of VHE heat pump HVAC and water heaters in multifamily housing.
Sustainability | Dec 22, 2023
WSP unveils scenario-planning online game
WSP has released a scenario-planning online game to help organizations achieve sustainable development goals while expanding awareness about climate change.
Giants 400 | Dec 20, 2023
Top 160 Apartment and Condominium Architecture Firms for 2023
Gensler, Humphreys and Partners, Solomon Cordwell Buenz, and AO top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest apartment building and condominium architecture and architecture/engineering (AE) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.
Giants 400 | Dec 20, 2023
Top 90 Student Housing Architecture Firms for 2023
Niles Bolton Associates, Solomon Cordwell Buenz, BKV Group, and Humphreys and Partners Architects top BD+C's ranking of the nation's largest student housing facility architecture and architecture/engineering (AE) firms for 2023, as reported in Building Design+Construction's 2023 Giants 400 Report.
