Lehigh Valley, November 3, 2010 – The Delaware Valley Green Building Council (DVGBC) Lehigh Valley Branch Announces Sustainability Award Nominees.

Green projects, organizations and individuals will be honored at the Lehigh Valley Branch Annual Membership Celebration on Wednesday, November 10, 2010. The gala reception will be held at the Hotel Bethlehem, 437 Main Street, Bethlehem, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

DVGBC is the local chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The Washington, D.C. based USGBC is a 501 c3 non-profit organization committed to promoting a sustainable future through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings.

A 6:45 p.m. awards ceremony will honor all projects and organizations nominated in five categories and announce one outstanding entrant to receive the top award per division. All projects have either received or are registered for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, a third-party green building certification system designed by USGBC.

Categories and nominees for the Sustainability Awards include:

Private Project: For the best example of the implementation of sustainable facility design, construction and management practices within the private sector. Project must have had construction activity and be substantially complete in 2010

· Science Technology Environmental Policy & Society Initiative (STEPS) Building, Lehigh University

· Just Born Building

· Lehigh Valley Industrial Park (LVIP)  VII Office Building

Public Project: For the best example of the implementation of sustainable facility design, construction and management practices within the public sector. Project must have had construction activity and be substantially complete in 2010

· Luis Ramos Elementary School, Allentown School District

· Fred Jaindl Elementary School, Parkland School District

· Willow Lane Elementary School, East Penn School District

· Administration Building, Catasauqua Area School District

· Trexler Environmental Center, Trexler Nature Preserve, Lehigh County

School District: Presented to the school district that best demonstrates the implementation of sustainable initiatives in the management of their facilities and in the educational programs for their students

· East Penn School District

· Parkland School District

Green Campus: Presented to an institution of higher education, healthcare provider or commercial/industrial entity that owns and operates a multi-facility campus following sustainable policies and practices.

· Lehigh University

· Lafayette College

Individual: Presented to the individual that best exemplifies the spirit of sustainable design, construction and management within the Lehigh Valley.

· Becky Bradley, AICP, Director of Planning and Codes for the City of Easton

· Holly Edinger, Director, Lehigh Valley Land Recycling Initiative

· Mike Ondra, President, Ondra Huyett Associates

· Christine Ussler, President, Artefact, Inc.

# # #

About DVGBC and USGBC

The Delaware Valley Green Building Council (DVGBC) is a nonprofit membership organization whose mission is to transform the Delaware Valley through sustainable and environmentally responsible planning, design, construction and operation of the region’s buildings, landscapes, cities and communities, mindful of the legacy left for future generations.

Formed in 2001, DVGBC is a chapter of the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), the nation’s foremost coalition of leaders from across the building industry working to promote buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable, and healthy places to live and work. USGBC is the primary point of contact for users, agencies, and companies interested in creating sustainable communities. The objectives of implementing green building practices include improving site planning, safeguarding water and ensuring its efficient use, maximizing energy efficiency, conserving materials and resources, and ensuring indoor environmental quality in order to significantly reduce or eliminate the negative impact of buildings on their occupants and on our environment.