Finalists Selected for MHN’s First Annual Green Initiative Awards

By Erika Schnitzer, Associate EditorThe finalists have been chosen for MHN’s First Annual Green Initiative Awards. Products, services and corporate initiatives were chosen based on progress toward advancing green ideals.The panel was comprised of five judges who have demonstrated an understanding of sustainability in the multifamily industry. The panel included Tim Button, a partner at Stedila Design Inc., an interior design firm commissioned to work on New York-based The Albanese Organization’s Visionaire, Solaire (LEED Gold) and Verdesian (New York’s first LEED-Platinum high-rise); Anne Sadovsky, certified speaking professional, member of the Multi-Housing World Advisory Board and a recycling advocate; and Robin Reigi, founder and president of Robin Reigi Inc., a company specializing in the sourcing, development and marketing of innovative building and design materials. Joining them were Michelle Lauterwasser, development associate at Becker + Becker, a development firm specializing in adaptive reuse, whose green building projects include the Octagon, designed to achieve LEED Silver, and Chris Putnam, co-owner of Putnam-Pritchard Ecodesign Ltd. in Santa Fe, N.M. and director of development for the Sustainable Furniture Council (SFC).In judging the submissions, the judges discussed the significance of life-cycle assessment, as well as third-party certification. They found the finalists to have not only commendable attitudes toward the green movement, but also worthy initiatives, often at the corporate level. Many companies were noted to have impressive reclamation and/or recycling programs, and they all were said to have set the standard for other products, services and corporations to partake in similar practices.Winners will be announced in the November issue of MHN and recognized at the second annual Green + Design conference in Atlanta on October 2-3. The following is the list of finalists for this year’s Green Initiative Awards:AIMCO (AIMCO Energy Conservation)Alno (Cabinets)Arbor Contract Carpet Inc. (Arbor Carpet)Bentley Prince Street (Cool Carpet)Clark Realty (Public-Private Partnership Sustainability)Evolution Series Food Waste Disposers (Insinkerator)Fisher & Paykel (Appliances)Forest City Enterprises Inc. (Roadmap to Intrinsic Sustainability)Gables Residential Inc. (“Taking Care of Our Environment”)HydoPoint Data Systems Inc. (WeatherTRAK)Laramar Group (Green Team)On-Site.com (Rental express e-form and e-signatures)Post Properties Inc. (Post EcoActive)Sherwin-Williams (Harmony Interior Latex)The Tower Companies (Beyond Green)