BetterBricks Awards

The BetterBricks Awards recently completed the annual tour around the Northwest, finishing up in Helena, Montana in March. A total of 19 people throughout Oregon, Washington and Montana were recognized for their achievements in commercial building energy efficiency. Since 2002, nearly 200 people have been honored with a BetterBricks Award – from architects, building owners, school superintendents to property manager, facility managers and even a few politicians. Learn more about all our past winners here.

These awards recognize the outstanding career achievements of commercial building professionals whose efforts in promoting and implementing high performance design and operating solutions result in tremendous energy savings. The Awards are hosted by the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance’s BetterBricks initiative and includes regional utilities and media partners such as the Portland and Puget Sound Business Journals.

To learn more about the latest cadre of winners and to watch their "Words of Wisdom," visit these pages:

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About the BetterBricks Awards
Key Dates
Award Categories
Nominations
Keynote Speakers
Past Awards

About BetterBricks Awards

We have all heard that our buildings consume more than 40 percent of the energy used in the U.S. - approximately half is used in the commercial sector alone. Needless to say, the pressure is on to address the energy needs of our built environment.

There's a cascade of change taking place within the commercial building industry. Whether it was born out of volatile energy markets, catalyzed by AIA's 2030 Challenge, or validated by building owners who voluntarily disclose energy use before it becomes mandatory, one thing is certain: the opportunity energy efficiency offers to both the bottom line and the environment is unmatched. And it will take leaders from across professions to collaborate, take charge, and ultimately get us there quickly.

The BetterBricks Awards salute the individuals leading the way for high performance commercial buildings with an emphasis on energy efficiency. From the building owners who pay for them, to the designers and engineers who design them, to the building operations staff and service professionals who keep them running at peak performance - all have critical roles to play. The annual BetterBricks Awards celebrate the people behind the best projects in the Northwest. The result: a greater number of buildings that offer improved energy efficiency, bottom line benefits and a reduced carbon footprint. The BetterBricks Awards take place in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana.

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Key Dates

The 2012 BetterBricks Awards have come to a close. Information about the 2013 BetterBricks Awards will be posted in the near future.

Award Categories

Advocate

Those who advocate that energy efficiency is the foundation of sustainability in commercial buildings. These champions work both within their professions and throughout the commercial building market to encourage and support the design and operation of high performance buildings. This award is open to professionals in any of the other categories but also, consultants, government, non-profit, educators and others.

Architect/Designer

Those who design buildings and lead the design team on projects that consistently target and achieve high levels of energy efficiency in new construction, tenant improvements or major building renovations. Body of recent work champions energy efficiency as the foundation of sustainability efforts. Open to an individual or a team within a firm. Award open to licensed architects and associate designers.

Design Engineer

Those who have contributed significant solutions to the energy efficient design of mechanical and/or electrical systems for new buildings, tenant improvements or major building renovations. Body of recent work champions designing for high performance, especially in the area of energy with techniques such as energy modeling and integrating controls and systems. Open to an individual or a team within a firm.

Facility Manager/Operator

Open to a team or an individual who champions the energy efficient operation of existing buildings. Ideal for those who operate the facilities of a building, including facility directors and building operators.

Owner/Developer

Those who make decisions about strategic direction regarding investments in high performance energy efficient buildings. These executives, developers, owners and institutional leaders champion the building and operation of high performance buildings.

Nominations

Nominations are now closed for the BetterBricks Awards

Keynote Speaker

PUGET SOUND KEYNOTE SPEAKER:

Kevin Kampschroer, Director of Office of Federal High-Performance Green Buildings, U.S. GSA
Kevin leads the U.S. General Services Administration’s efforts in building sustainability and accelerating industry adoption of sustainable principles across all aspects of a building’s life. Because GSA is the largest tenant in the nation, Kevin brings a unique perspective about the role tenants play in driving energy efficiency within the commercial building arena. He has worked on developing new energy conservation legislation, expanding the scope of sustainable design and training, and creating a rigorous environmental management system.

OREGON / SW WASHINGTON KEYNOTE SPEAKER:

David Bragdon, Director of Mayor Bloomberg’s Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability and former Metro Council President. Former Metro Council President, David Bragdon was hired in September 2010 by Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City to head the Office of Long-Term Planning and Sustainability, the unit of City government which produces and monitors implementation of PlaNYC, the Bloomberg Administration's 132-initiative strategy for making New York City a greater and greener place. Hallmarks of PlaNYC include the conversion of Times Square to a pedestrian plaza and extensive growth in the parks network. In terms of building management and energy conservation, PlaNYC accomplishments include a citywide benchmarking and disclosure requirement for all buildings over 15,000 square meters, new solar tax abatements and expedited review process, over 200 retrofits of municipal properties and the creation of the New York City Energy Efficiency Corporation, capitalized with $37 million in federal stimulus dollars and designed to finance credit enhancements for private building retrofits.

MONTANA KEYNOTE SPEAKER:

Susan Stratton, Executive Director, Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance. Susan Stratton is the Executive Director of the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) whose purpose is to maximize energy efficiency in the Northwest. She serves as the primary liaison between NEEA, its regional funders and other supporting organizations and governments.

Before joining NEEA, Susan had more than 30 years of experience leading both NGO and government organizations. Most recently, as Executive Director of the Energy Center of Wisconsin, she led energy efficiency and renewable energy research, demonstration, program design, and education initiatives in the Midwest. As a key participant and influencer in Midwest energy policy, she supported Wisconsin as a leader in energy efficiency and renewable energy sources over many years and more recently assisted with the development of the statewide efficiency program in Indiana. Susan has also served as a utility regulator in Wisconsin and Virginia, and led the Public Utility Institute at the University of Wisconsin.

Past Awards

Congratulations to all the winners and finalists of the recent BetterBricks Awards in Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington. To learn more about these outstanding award recipients, visit the following pages: