EARTH DAY #50 AND GREENER BUILDINGS: “The ones who caught on the fastest to what we were doing were the business leaders – the CEOs, the CFOs and the building owners,” stated Mary Tod Winchester, retired Vice-President for Administration, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, when reflecting on the value green building has delivered for people and the planet
Greener Buildings Are Part of a More Sustainable Future
“For facility owners and managers, green building has been a cornerstone of environmental action,” wrote Sarah Stanley, Director of Communications for the U.S. Green Building Council, in an article that celebrated the 50th anniversary of the first Earth Day.
In the article, Sarah Stanley states that “there are many milestones to reflect on that continue to help motivate and inspire progress.” Milestones include these three:
- 2000 – Philip Merrill Environmental Center in Annapolis, Maryland, becomes the first LEED Platinum building
- 2000 – Kandalama Hotel in Sri Lanka becomes the first LEED-certified hotel and international project
- 2019 – More than 100,000 registered and certified LEED projects in the world
“Earth Day and beyond is an opportunity to recognize the progress made and the opportunities that still lie ahead.”
Philip Merrill Environmental Center, Chesapeake Bay
Philip Merrill Environmental Center
In the article, Sarah Stanley describes how “the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) cemented its position in green building history when its headquarters in Annapolis, Maryland, became the first LEED Platinum building in the world. The pioneering work became the envy of business leaders and organizations who visited from around the world looking for ideas to take back to their own offices and teams.
She quotes Mary Tod Winchester, CBF’s retired vice president for administration, as follows:
“The ones who caught on the fastest to what we were doing were the business leaders – the CEOs, the CFOs and the building owners. They were obviously looking at the bottom line and not necessarily what it would cost them, but what the operating costs were going to be. They talked with staff and quickly realized it was a place people wanted to work and loved to work. They really picked up on so many pieces of the puzzle. They would go on and incorporate what they saw into their own office buildings or new builds. And when you have businesses doing that you move markets.”
The Philip Merrill Environmental Center is named for Philip Merrill, an American diplomat, publisher, banker, and philanthropist.
To Learn More:
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Inside the Philip Merrill Environmental Center