PRESS RELEASE. Contact: Medea Villeré Communications & Membership Coordinator USGBC NJ (973)

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1 PRESS RELEASE Contact: Medea Villeré Communications & Membership Coordinator USGBC NJ (973) th Annual Gala & Awards Dinner: 2013 Award Winners Announced Morristown, NJ (September 13, 2013) The U.S. Green Building Council New Jersey Chapter (USGBC NJ) is celebrating its 11 th Annual Gala & Awards Dinner on October 9, 2013 at the beautiful New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark. We are pleased to welcome the Honorable Cory Booker, Mayor of Newark, NJ back as our keynote speaker and also as an honoree. We are also honoring the Hampshire Real Estate Companies for their accomplishments in the Sustainability arena as a developer. Our Master of Ceremonies this year is Edward Walsh, PE, Principal & Managing Director of Project Management, Avison Young. Each year USGBC NJ recognizes and presents Gala Awards to companies and individuals who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in green building and sustainability. Previous honorees include: Colgate Global Technology Center; PNC Bank; NJ Economic Development Authority; Newark s Lincoln Park Coast Cultural District; Jersey Shore University Medical Center; Duke Farms; CitiLog Newark Urban Sawmill; Stafford Park; Homeless Solutions; BASF Corporation and the Rockefeller Group. The 2013 Gala Award winners are: Corporate Culture of Sustainability & Best Practices: o Panasonic Corporation of North America o Prudential Real Estate Investors Urban Green Project: The Edge Mixed Use Building in Hoboken (Steven Winter Associates) Suburban Green Project: o Center 78 (Normandy Real Estate Partners) o Wyndham Worldwide LEED Certified Campus Not For Profit - Commercial: The Bolger Community Center (Peter Wells Architects, LLC) Not For Profit - Residential: Van Sciver Permanent Supportive Housing Development (Vantage Health System, Inc.) Special Impact Award - Education: Leadership for Sustainable Schools (NJ School Boards Association) Honorable Mention: Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield - NJ Headquarters Honorable Mention - Residential Resiliency: Holmes-Rulli Residence (Designs for Life LLC) -more-

2 These winners represent a wide range of the best practices in sustainability and green design that New Jersey has to offer, said Florence Block, USGBC NJ Executive Director. We are proud to be recognizing and celebrating the accomplishments of the professionals, projects and organizations that are transforming NJ into a more sustainable state impacting economics, health and the environment. Among their many accomplishments, the award winners and those receiving honorable mentions, contribute to the diversity of the USGBC NJ mission and serve as role models to others in our community and business world. They are paying it forward by educating the public and/or landowners/clients in the principles of sustainable design and the LEED programs. These inspiring projects span a wide range of topics, including: the renovation and upgrade of a landmark barn into a new ambulance core and community meeting space (The Bolger Community Center); a LEED Gold housing project for those with special needs (mentally ill and/or homeless) (Van Sciver Permanent Supportive Housing Development); corporations investing in green buildings to not only improve their bottom lines, but also to serve as an example to customers, clients, and other businesses (Wyndham Worldwide/ Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield); and working collaboratively to improve the environmental health and operations of NJ schools, making them safer and more cost-effective places to learn and work (New Jersey School Boards Association). For more on these and ALL the finalists, please see the following Winning Project Descriptions below. The 2013 Municipal Honoree is Mayor Cory Booker, for the Newark Sustainability Action Plan. The 2013 Corporate Honoree is Hampshire Real Estate Companies. Hampshire has an impressive set of Sustainability Principles and Guidelines. See more on these below. Mayor Booker is also this year s keynote speaker. Mayor Booker took the oath of office as Mayor of New Jersey s largest city in 2006 following a sweeping electoral victory and was re-elected to a second term in Elected with a clear mandate for change, Mayor Booker has begun work on realizing a bold vision for the city. Newark s mission is to set a national standard for urban transformation by marshalling its resources to achieve security, economic abundance and an environment that is nurturing and empowering for individuals and families. Mayor Booker is also currently running for US Senate. The USGBC NJ s Annual Gala is the networking event of the year for green building and sustainability professionals in the tri-state area. Registration is available at Sponsorship opportunities are also available, including spots in the Ad Journal. You can also find the Gala on Facebook at USGBCNJGALA. Also be on the lookout for Gala-specific info via #NJGala2013. Find USGBC NJ on LinkedIn (USGBC New Jersey Chapter), Facebook (USGBCNJ), and Twitter (@USGBCNJ). ### GALA AWARD WINNING PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS: Corporate Culture of Sustainability & Best Practices: Panasonic Corporation of North America In 2013, in order to meet organizational goals to become the number one green innovation leader in the electronics industry by 2018, Panasonic Corporation s 100th anniversary, Panasonic Corporation of North America decided to relocate its headquarters to a site which allowed the company to undertake more sustainable practices, educate the community on green initiatives and utilize mass transportation for a large number of employees. The building itself is meant to be a showcase to encourage people, or large corporations, to be

3 smarter about making greener choices. Even when moving from the former Secaucus, NJ location, it was important that Panasonic decommissioned the building sustainably. Nearly all of the office furniture, and even some electronic equipment, was donated to non-profit community organizations, in the greater Newark area. Prudential Real Estate Investors PREI has been driving sustainability best practices throughout our company and into the assets we manage in New Jersey, across the US and around the world. Our global LEED engagement encompasses more than 50 managed properties with LEED certifications covering 17.9 million square feet of space with a gross market value exceeding $5.8 billion. Certifications involve multi-family, industrial, retail and office properties, with more than 95% at the Silver level or above. As a result, globally, more than 43% of our colleagues work in a LEED certified space (more than 81% of US employees). To expand our reach further, we offer LEED Green Associate training to our colleagues around the world. Thus far, we ve trained associates in four countries on LEED core concepts and strategies and have associates in another four countries scheduled to participate this year. Urban Green Project: The Edge Mixed Use Building in Hoboken (Steven Winter Associates) A 6-story mixed use project in Hoboken, NJ that exemplifies green building by combining sustainable building strategies and energy reduction measures all the while adding to the city s density and character; Edge Lofts recently earned the ENERGY STAR label and is seeking LEED for Homes Platinum certification. Suburban Green Project: Center 78 (Normandy Real Estate Partners) Rehabilitation/ Redevelopment of a 1980s suburban B property into a premier Class A Office Park, which will achieve LEED Gold CD Certification in late In addition to the many physical attributes that make Center 78 green, Normandy developed and implemented sustainable best practices that will stay with the project past the development phase and into normal site operations. Wyndham Worldwide LEED Certified Campus Wyndham Worldwide, the global leader in leisure and business travel accommodations, moved into its 250,000 square feet corporate headquarters to Sylvan Way, Parsippany, NJ in It also brought Wyndham Worldwide s environmental responsibility activities home to the headquarters. Wyndham s Sylvan Way Headquarters has earned LEED Silver designations for both Corporate Interiors and Existing Building: Operations and Maintenance. They are also in the process of completing a new building on the same campus that is expected to receive LEED for Commercial Interiors certification. Not for Profit - Commercial: The Bolger Community Center (Peter Wells Architects, LLC) The Bolger Community Center is the rehabilitation of a landmark barn structure into an Ambulance Corp and community center. The project is a wonderful combination of philanthropy, preservation and green building design. The building is being rehabilitated into a much needed new facility for the Midland Park Ambulance Corp and community meeting space for the Borough of Midland Park. Upon completion of the construction, they will donate the building to the Borough. Not for Profit - Residential: Van Sciver Permanent Supportive Housing Development (Vantage Health System, Inc.) The creation of the Van Sciver Supportive Housing Project in Closter, NJ was a seven year, $3.5M project culminating in the first LEED Gold affordable housing project for individuals

4 with disabilities in New Jersey under NJHMFA s Special Needs Housing Trust Fund! Because of this project, 16 individuals with mental illness, 8 of whom were homeless, now live in a safe, secure, environmentally friendly home. Special Impact Award Education: Leadership for Sustainable Schools (New Jersey School Boards Association) New Jersey School Boards Association (NJSBA) is creating a multi-faceted approach for school districts to foster healthier school environments at lower operational cost and connecting sustainability to student academic performance. NJSBA is the only School Boards Association in the country that is dedicating resources and personnel towards sustainable schools. Honorable Mention: Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield New Jersey Headquarters To ensure a high standard of sustainable practice at 3 Penn Plaza, HBCBS targeted and achieved LEED Gold Certification for their mixed use lobby project. Through the achievement of LEED Gold, HBCBS is demonstrating its commitment to sustainability in New Jersey, setting a strong precedent for similar building types, while ensuring that tenants uphold these standards for the life of the building. Horizon is also in the process of completing a Phase II LEED project in the same Headquarters facility. Honorable Mention - Residential Resiliency: Holmes-Rulli Residence (Designs for Life LLC) This LEED Silver Certified house set a standard for green home construction that remains on the cutting edge since its completion in 2007/08. Its approach to site, water, energy, materials, and indoor environmental quality is one of integration, collaboration, and resiliency. This house is a testament to the synergy between LEED and resiliency, having survived storms such as Sandy with no damage. Since its completion, the homeowners have opened their home to hundreds of conference attendees and students for tours, using their home as a teaching tool and promoting sustainability in their community. This house stands as a testament that green building is both affordable, beautiful, and environmentally friendly. HONOREES: Municipal Honoree: Mayor Cory Booker- Newark Sustainability Action Plan According to the Action Plan, Under Mayor Cory Booker, Newark has made an unprecedented commitment to sustainability. Since 2006, based on a planning process that involved hundreds of Newarkers and built on decades of activism, the City hired its first Sustainability Officer, established the Newark Environmental Commission, and formally created an Office of Sustainability within the Economic and Housing Development Department. The City has leveraged state and federal resources and organizational partnerships to promote energy efficiency, boost recycling, plant trees, increase urban farming, reduce air pollution, clean up brownfields, and more. This Plan builds on all the work that has been done to date and lays out a policy framework, principles, and priority Action Items for moving Newark s sustainability agenda forward over the coming years. Corporate Honoree: Hampshire Real Estate Companies Hampshire has an impressive set of Sustainability Principles and Guidelines. These include striving to: Make the necessary long term commitment to understanding, educating, and integrating the values of sustainability and responsible investing into Hampshire s management, culture, and operations; Proactively seek ways to cost effectively limit the environmental footprint of the firm s operations and assets, while maintaining the primary obligation as fiduciary to our investors; Educate our tenants, partners, consultants, and employees as to the benefits of sustainability efforts; and Measure and strive to reduce the energy use, water consumption, and waste production of the firm s

5 assets, where practicable. Hampshire is also committed to educating and encouraging tenants to adopt environmentally sensitive operating procedures within their spaces. Hampshire also encourages all employees to develop sustainability expertise. Hampshire s Morristown, NJ Headquarters is LEED Silver certified. About LEED LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a trademark of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). Platinum certification is the highest achievement attainable through the LEED green building certification program which encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices through a suite of rating systems that recognize projects that implement strategies for better environmental and health performance. About the U.S. Green Building Council - New Jersey Chapter USGBC NJ is a non-profit organization focused solely on advancing green building and sustainable communities. The mission of USGBC NJ is to transform NJ s built environment to become ecologically sustainable, profitable, and healthy. We accomplish our mission through education, advocacy, and collaboration. As New Jersey s green building advocate and education resource, USGBC NJ provides over 150 educational programs, events, green building tours, research studies, and advocacy initiatives each year, through its three-branch, state-wide network. There are over 3,000 LEED accredited professionals in NJ and over 900 LEED registered and 300 certified projects in New Jersey, plus over 2000 certified LEED Homes. For over 10 years USGBC NJ has served as the meeting ground, catalyst, and propeller for sustainability-minded individuals in building-related professions. Through the NJ Chapter, LEED and green building in general, have found fertile ground in New Jersey. The New Jersey Chapter s 1,500+ individual members represent the entire spectrum of New Jersey s green building community. Currently, USGBC NJ is providing grant-funded green building and resiliency education to NJ businesses.