Introductory Comments for Juror Process and Re:Vision

Introduced by Jack Cherry (Rohm & Haas)

This next Award winner is a small business of very talented and inspired designers that are game changers in sustainable building design and innovation.   This mission driven business was founded with a goal to re-vision and restore the balance between natural and built environments.

To accomplish this mission, this for profit business focuses on making immediate, substantive changes to the built environment through greendevelopment projects.  But the associates of this business firm also disseminate their expert green building knowledge by mentoring and collaborating with many architecture, engineering, development, and non-profit organizations each year.  They average giving one high-level lecture per week about green development and it is estimated that they provide well over 1,000 individuals each year with green building information.   

For green building projects that can innovate beyond standard methods and technologies, this firm provides complete architectural design services and the firm’s profit sharing decisions use their key factor of  "eco-awesomeness" (I love this word – speaks volumes about their culture) in order to tie their personal financial rewards to environmental success. The firm’s rate structure is also deeply discounted for Brownfield and infill projects in order to encourage sustainable development.  Since the firm’s startup in 2002, staff members have continued to contribute their time in leadership roles in many organizations that support the firm's mission, such as the Delaware Valley Green Building Council and the Sustainable Business Network of Philadelphia.

And here are some of their amazing professional accomplishments illustrating their leading role in many sustainability firsts:

1- the first LEED-NC project in the Delaware Valley (W.S. Cumby Headquarters in Springfield, PA);

2- the first LEED-Homes projects in the state (two zero-energy homes for Jackie O'Neil in Schwenksville, PA);

3- the first LEED-Platinum project in the state (One Crescent Drive at the Navy Yard in Philly).

They are also leaders in architectural innovation and some of theirfavorite projects are those that blend age-old sustainability strategies (like passive solar design) with innovative technologies that often require education at the state and local level.   For example, the firm worked with state and local code officials to allow straw bale construction in Aerzen's US headquarters in Coatesville, PA.   Straw bale construction is creates an exceptionally energy efficient building envelope, sequesters CO2, and supports Pennsylvania's farmers.