TOP Women in Real Estate by LORI SOKOL

A Special Edition from Sokol Media

WINTER 2016

2016

TOP WOMEN

TO WATCH

RACHEL ATAMAN JACQUELINE BARR AUDREY BENDER FIONA COUSINS KIM ERLE GERA FEIGON CAROL JINKS CHARLOTTE KIM CONNIE KLUBE LISA KNEE JEAN KRISTENSEN SAMANTHA RUDIN STELLA MARRIS SCHIRRIPA ESTHER SPERBER MELISSA STEEVES NANCY UNGARINO

DANIELLE CHAYOT Lockton Companies Howard Wechsler Photography

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Contents 2

PUBLISHER’S PAGE Just The Beginning

Cover Story TOP Woman to Watch in Real Estate DANIELLE CHAYOT

As Vice-President of Lockton’s Real Estate Practice, Danielle Chayot is “passionate about bringing women into the real estate industry.”

TOP Women to Watch in Real Estate Jacqueline Barr Audrey Bender Carolyn Jinks Connie Klube Lisa Knee

Jean Kristensen Samantha Rudin Stella Schirripa Melissa Steeves Nancy Ungarino

FIONA COUSINS Since she was 25, she has been the oldest woman in the room.

12A

Cover Stories TOP Woman to Watch in Sustainability KIM ERLE When her home was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy, she knew that she had to do something about climate change

12A

TOP Women to Watch in Sustainability Rachel Ataman Charlotte Kim Gera Feigon Esther Sperber

Your Partner In Construction

Congratulations and the best wishes to our honored Director of Estimating,

CONNIE KLUBE.

Thank you for your hard work and dedication. You are fundamental to our company’s success.

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Publisher’s Page

Sokol Media

FOUNDER & PUBLISHER Lori M. Sokol

Just The Beginning

We are pleased to embark on our 14th year of honoring women in the New York real estate industry. Since our launch in 2002, close to 200 women have been honored for their outstanding achievements in the marketplace, during strong real estate markets, as well as those that were less than stellar. Still, our honorees have emerged as leaders in every aspect of the field from architecture to engineering, from development to construction, from finance to technology, and from brokerage to the law. But, this is just the beginning. Women in our industry still need to be provided with opportunities to rise to higher positions, to be increasingly present as speakers at industry events (and not just when those events are targeted to women), and to serve as mentors to other women entering the field so they can witness what they, too, are capable of achieving. We are also taking this mission to other regional markets, including Washington, D.C. in March, where we will host our first ‘TOP Women to Watch in DC Real Estate’ on March 21st at the National Press Club. Through these and other endeavors, we hope to increase the degree of networking, community and support that professional women in the industry are already demonstrating, while knowing so much more can still be done. We also want to send a special ‘shout out’ to all of the male leaders in our field that continue to open doors for women, understanding that when it comes to building a successful business and industry, the only way to do so is by being ‘gender-blind’. We therefore welcome all of your support and nominations as we continue to honor women leaders who are making inroads into areas that will make it easier for women, men and business to achieve at even higher levels than ever before. We hope you enjoy the issue! Lori Sokol, Ph.D. Founder & Publisher

ART DIRECTOR Kerstin Vogdes Diehn PUBLISHING CONSULTANT James Janson CONTRIBUTING WRITER Faith Hope Consolo COPYWRITER/ RESEARCH ASSISTANT Jason H. Greenberg WEB DESIGN Design Disegno ACCOUNTING Citrin Cooperman PRINTING AmericasPrinter Sokol Media, Inc. 75 West End Avenue, #P15F New York, NY 10023 Ph: 973-769-7012 www.sokolmediaonline.com

FIDELITY NATIONAL TITLE CONGRATULATES DANIELLE CHAYOT as one of the Top Women to Watch in Real Estate in 2016! Kelly Yunker Fidelity National Title Insurance Company 485 Lexington Ave New York, NY 10017 (212) 845-3132 kelly.yunker@fnf.com

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Danielle, on behalf of your friends at AmWINS Brokerage of the MidAtlantic, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to congratulate you on your 2016 nomination! We look forward to watching you have an even bigger and better 2016!

A m WI N S B ro kerag e o f the M id - A tlantic, LLC

1 0 5 F ield cres t Aven u e | Suite 602 | Edison, NJ 08837 T 73 2 .346.0101 | F 732.346.0131

a mw i n s .co m

Danielle Chayot Lockton

As Vice President in Lockton’s Real Estate Practice based in New York City,

Danielle Chayot develops and services clients who specialize in real estate development, acquisition, management and ownership. Responsible for coordinating the delivery of all Lockton’s resources to her clients, developing marketplace strategies, and utilizing analytics to help companies make informed decisions on how to best structure risk management programs, Chayot has been able to dramatically improve coverage and reduce pricing on all of her clients’ insurance programs. 4 • www.sokolmediaonline.com

“I am passionate about bringing women into the insurance industry.” – Danielle Chayot “But, beyond this, the value I bring is understanding the dynamics of real estate from the capital structure and location dynamics of a deal, and the personalities of the various players at real estate firms,” Chayot says. “This knowledge base helps me drive the best result for my clients with the ability to understand the dynamics between insurance premiums, net operating income and how all parties involved have an impact on insurance costs, the owner, property manager, and the general contactor.” And her peers couldn’t agree more. “Danielle is such an amazing relationship builder and person. We are lucky to know her,” says Simon Ziff, President of Ackman Ziff. “She will continue to be wildly successful!” Chayot’s networking partnership with Ackman Ziff, a world-leading institutional capital advisor, has, in fact proven key to her development relations in NYC. “Coming from LA, I had to start from scratch and network in a highly competitive market. Ackman Ziff has always been willing to make introductions, endorse me and invite me to their networking events to meet their clients. This support has made a world of difference in my marketing efforts,” Chayot continues, “and our philanthropic efforts are in alignment through our mutual involvement with UJA and

AIPAC. There is nothing better than giving back to causes you’re passionate about while networking in the business community,” Chayot adds. Chayot was named a Power Broker by Risk & Insurance magazine, and has been a speaker at numerous real estate conferences and prominent law firms across the country providing Minimum Continuing Legal Education presentations on insurance and risk management issues facing the real estate community. She also speaks frequently to banking, finance, and legal groups on topics ranging from insurance solutions for distressed real estate to environmental insurance solutions. Since 2008, specifically, Danielle has been focused on the unique needs of the multifamily real estate sector, building master insurance programs that streamline coverage to produce significant savings for organizations. “Furthermore, because I have relationships with institutional equity and family offices across the nation, one of the most rewarding aspects of my work is providing introductions between my clients and money partners, property management firms, attorneys, and anyone who can help solve a business problem.” Chayot adds, “I genuinely love bringing people together!” But it doesn’t stop there. “I am passionate about bringing

“Our job is very simple – to make our clients’ business better.” We don’t believe in the status quo. Our Associates strive to determine what’s best for our clients’ next set of objectives, with a thoughtful eye toward measurable results. From there, we deliver a proactive plan for success. Our proprietary Lockton Advantage approach creates strong alignment between a client’s business strategy and its risk management and employee benefits strategies. The result is a multiyear strategic plan, focused on delivering results with key metrics that drive our client’s business. We develop the plan using a robust set of business intelligence tools and analytics.

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“Several clients later and an equity introduction that lead to a $100 million multifamily acquisition, CFLane has become a loyal client.” -Danielle Chayot

women into the insurance industry,” Chayot says. “The insurance and risk management world is never dull. There are always new solutions for emerging risks (cyber liability for example), and the ability to partner with entrepreneurial clients to significantly help their business. Furthermore, the Lockton model attracts only the best talent in the industry and allows us the freedom to bring our best resources and expertise to every client we partner with. There is unlimited growth potential and the people are like family!” A real estate firm’s ability to be competitive on new deals, increase loan proceeds when refinancing, and have the coverage needed to meet lender/equity requirements is crucial in establishing a master insurance program. The firm’s support has enabled Chayot to build a specialty out of creating master insurance programs. “There are a lot of real estate firms with fragmented insurance programs placed with various carriers, but Lockton provides the opportunity for significant pricing reductions by leveraging an entire portfolio under one policy,” Chayot says. “In the past year, I’ve seen anywhere between 15%-35% pricing reductions by employing this approach. Furthermore, the coverage terms and limits are a lot broader, and the administrative ease of having one program, and one renewal date where new acquisitions are easily added makes for a much more streamlined process.” Avesta Communities provides an excellent example of how Chayot approaches partnering with her clients. Rob Reynolds of Avesta Communities says, “This honor doesn’t surprise me at all, honestly. Danielle is enthusiastic, positive, savvy, Lockton NYC Real Estate Practice teammates Elle Feldman and Jessica Dimitrakis-Iosue

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 

Avesta Shore Club is 360 of over 6,000 units in Avesta Communities’ portfolio.



CFLane’s acquisition via Danielle’s equity introduction, Ramblewood Apartments in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

and industrious. She is successful in sales because she combines persistence with a genuine interest in the other human being. She builds a trusted relationship, gets to know the people and what they represent, figures out what it is they really want and how they want it, then makes sure it is delivered that way and follows up well beyond the “sale” is closed. Upon reflection, I’ve come to realize that the reason this is so effective is because it dignifies the buyer as a person, not just a utility in a transaction that benefits her when the deal is sealed. She takes a genuine interest in others; doing so “costs” a lot of extra time, yet it builds trust and loyalty. Loyalty should be the goal of any company that is built to last and desires to maximize long term shareholder value. The honor is well deserved and I hope the attention it draws will inspire other businessmen and women to connect with her to seek some insight and advice on her wise approach and what makes her successful. I/We love working with Danielle.” “Avesta’s resident-focused culture permeates everything they do, including insurance and risk management decisions,” Chayot says. “It’s important to understand a client’s culture and business goals to be able to provide the most value in our partnership.” For CFLane, one of the largest owners and managers of Multifamily real estate in the country, Chayot says that she will never forget meeting the CEO, Byron Cocke. “He challenged me to earn his business not just through my understanding of insurance but my ability to help his business grow and solve problems,” Chayot recalls. “Several clients later and an equity introduction that lead to a $100 million multifamily acquisition, CFLane has become a loyal client.” Additionally, thanks to Stella Debibi and Lauren Cohen of Koss Resource, a website that provides networking tools, a

Danielle Chayot and the Director of People Operations, Denise Morales at a health insurance open enrollment meeting at one of their communities in Palm Beach.

commercial real estate financing search engine, a free CRE property listing service, and a comprehensive CRE events calendar, Chayot has been able to further leverage her contacts in NYC’s real estate market. “Still,” Chayot adds, “All of my networking and marketing efforts mean nothing without having a team that can execute. Our real estate team is filled with associates who are committed to servicing one of the most fast paced, high touch industries out there.”

“Avesta Communities is a multifamily owner and operator that is growing quickly, but doing so with an intense focus on serving its residents and creating truly long term value for its investors. In addition to solving Avesta’s problems from an insurance perspective, Danielle invested the time to develop a deeper understanding of her client’s underlying strategy and culture. This knowledge not only enhanced her own relationship with Avesta Communities, but allowed her the opportunity to provide meaningful introductions to other entities within her network, such as investors, brokers, international Lockton offices, and asset management software vendors like Pereview Software.” —Ben Moe of Avesta Communities

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“

Where there’s a WIL, there’s a way.

C O N G R AT U LAT I O N S

D A N I E L L E C H AYOT Lockton Companies is proud to honor Danielle Chayot for her recognition as one of the TOP Women to Watch in Real Estate for 2016.

RISK MANA GEMENT | EMP LOY E E B E N E F I TS | RE T I RE ME N T S E R V ICE S www.lockton.com

Lockton Ad - Top Women in RE 2016_Fullpage-v1.indd 1

1/18/2016 10:35:21 AM

Congratulations to

SAMANTHA RUDIN on this well-deserved honor today, recognizing your dedication and accomplishments in real estate.

With love from your fan club, The Rudin and Earls families and Rudin Management Company

EisnerAmper LLP salutes the

Top Women to Watch in Real Estate 2016 and we congratulate our own honoree

Lisa Knee

www.eisneramper.com/RECONNECT

Honoring Jacqueline Barr

Ted Moudis Associates

Audrey Bender Proskauer

Danielle Chayot Lockton (cover story)

Carolyn Jinks Faithful+Gould

Lisa Knee

EisnerAmper LLP

Connie Klube

Cross Management Corporation

Jean Kristensen Jean Kristensen Associates, LLC

Samantha Rudin Rudin Management Company

Stella Schirripa US Trust

Melissa Steeves

Gilbane Building Company

Nancy Ungarino ApWest Mechanical

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Jacqueline Barr

Ted Moudis Associates Our team here is incredibly talented and creative. We have a vision for each client and work together to bring the design to life.

WITH OVER 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE IN INTERIOR DESIGN, JACQUELINE BARR HAS ESTABLISHED A REPUTATION FOR CREATING DYNAMIC ENVIRONMENTS FOR A WIDE SELECTION OF CORPORATE, FINANCIAL, LEGAL, AND RETAIL CLIENTS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES, EUROPE AND ASIA. As Design Principal, Jacqueline is responsible for the design direction of all of Ted Moudis Associates’ projects and provides overall creative direction for the design team. Her experience in workplace design, combined with a strong background in planning and trend awareness, assures that Ted Moudis Associates develops the most innovative and practical results for clients and creates spaces that surpass their expectations. Her passion for the world of design is instantly evident by walking through the three-dimensional solutions she enables. This passion is a big part of the reason why she is able to build such strong bonds with not only her clients, but her design team as well. Her natural ability to mentor, train & mold others’ passions, has led to an incredibly strong creative team. Jacqueline also works closely with the firm’s Strategy Team to apply strategic and creative workplace solutions that proactively challenge the status quo and provide clients with greater choice in where and how to work.

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Audrey Bender Proskauer

Sometimes it looks like you’re never going to find a mutual meeting ground, so when I come up with an idea to help everyone move forward with the deal, it is the most gratifying.

AUDREY BENDER IS SPECIAL REAL ESTATE COUNSEL IN THE REAL ESTATE DEPARTMENT. With over 30 years of experience, Audrey advises clients on a broad range of real estate matters including office and retail leasing from both the landlord and tenant perspective and the acquisition and sale of office buildings and hotels. She also assists debtors in bankruptcy liquidation with the disposition of owned and leased properties. Her clients include landlords, tenants, retailers and investors. Previously, Audrey was General Counsel at a major national real estate and development company, where she focused on hotel management affairs, acquisition and sale of properties, commercial office and retail leasing, mortgage financings, construction loan financings, and the development and construction of new condominium townhouse properties. Audrey has been recognized by the New York State Bar Association as Empire State Counsel and by the firm with its Golden Gavel Award for providing pro bono real estate assistance to the William J. Clinton Foundation and My Sister’s Place, an organization that serves victims of domestic violence. Recent office and retail leasing transactions include the representation of Vornado Realty Trust, Hines Interests Limited Partnership, SJP Properties, CityMD and Saks Fifth Avenue, Inc.

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Carolyn Jinks Faithful+Gould

It is very exciting to be able to utilize my background in residential and commercial real estate and bring that expertise into the hospitality industry.

CAROLYN IS A SENIOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT PROFESSIONAL WITH SIGNIFICANT EXPERIENCE IN THE STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT, MANAGEMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMS. Her well rounded experience in the commercial interiors sector includes her industry start as a commercial interior designer and her subsequent roles as both owner and tenant representative for Fortune 500 companies where she led teams of both internal, cross-departmental project professionals and external professional consulting and construction resources through the project development and implementation process. Carolyn has proven strengths in real estate feasibility and forecasting; program, project and process management; team building and leadership, project administration and client service.

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Connie Klube

Cross Management Corporation I started out as an iron worker, which gives me a unique understanding of what needs to go into each job. My estimates are very accurate! CONNIE KLUBE WAS BORN AND RAISED IN ERFURT, GERMANY, AND RECEIVED HER MASTER’S DEGREE IN CIVIL ENGINEERING FROM THE CLOSEBY BAUHAUS UNIVERSITY IN WEIMAR, GERMANY. Connie’s real-estate career started at an architectural office near Frankfurt as a plan room clerk. From there and throughout the following decade, she took on increasing responsibilities in the German real-estate industry as a designer, project superintendent, assistant project manager, and finally project manager. After her first ten years in business, Connie decided to switch tracks and joined a mid-sized, nationally operating construction management firm in Frankfurt, Germany. For the next six years, she managed operations at the local branch of the firm and was in charge of a team of 15 project managers and 20 million Euro in annual revenue. After relocating to the United States, Connie pursued her career-interests as a senior estimator for a large construction management company in New York City. At the company, she managed an international project that received funding from

its German parent company. The project was cancelled during the financial downturn of 2008. Shortly thereafter, Connie joined Cross Management Corporation as Director of Estimating. Cross Management is a mid-size construction company with yearly revenue of $100 million that specializes in commercial interior fit-outs. Her comprehensive international construction experience drives the thorough estimates and detailed construction documentation that add value to her clients and her construction team every day. Connie loves photography, architecture and travel. She is an enthusiastic blogger, passionate photographer and holds a certification as spinning instructor. She also completed an education as professional photographer. Connie is a member of Corenet, Crew, the German American Chamber of Commerce and the Organization of Professional Photographers of America. She is a registered professional engineer in Germany. Connie is married and has two adult children, Josefine (29) and Maximilian (25).

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Lisa Knee

EisnerAmper LLP Many times, I would be the only woman in the room. There are still not enough women in this field but hopefully, one day, the industry will be ‘genderless’! REAL ESTATE CLIENTS HAVE TRUSTED TAX PARTNER LISA ing tax issues and providing expert litigation services involving KNEE TO HELP THEM WITH THEIR ACCOUNTING AND TAXA- partnership disputes. A recognized expert, Lisa has been frequently featured and TION SERVICES THROUGHOUT HER CAREER. Among her work, she has consulted with large boutique hotel groups on their acquisitions, dispositions, partner buy-outs, property renovations and rebuilds, as well as working on the development and leasing arrangements for the country’s first civilian unmanned airport. Her expertise covers a range of real estate transactions and situations, including acquisitions, refinancing, like-kind exchanges, joint venture agreements, and structuring tax rehabilitation credits for a variety of clients, including leading real estate owners, operators, investors, family offices, and developers, as well as hospitality companies, world-renowned restaurant groups, and financial service firms. A trusted advisor, Lisa assists high-net worth individuals and family/owner-managed business clients on preserving and enhancing business and family net worth. She also provides business succession planning services for multigenerational families, including analyzing and updating estate plans, reviewing wills and trusts, and developing liquidity strategies. She has worked on a variety of highly complex transactions for clients, including domestic and international tax structuring for portfolio companies, management companies, and individual owners. Her legal background has also made her adept in mitigat18 • www.sokolmediaonline.com

quoted in various business publications for her insight on real estate and tax-planning topics, and she has co-authored various articles for Nassau Lawyer. She also frequently develops and moderates Q&A and panel presentations with some of the biggest names in commercial real estate for events like the EisnerAmper Private Equity Summit, EisnerAmper and Real Estate Weekly’s Real Estate Dealmakers Forum, IMN US Real Estate Opportunity & Private Funds Investing Forum, Real Estate Weekly Women’s Forum, The NYC Real Estate Expo, and the EisnerAmper Long Island Closely Held Business Summit Lisa graduated from Boston University with a B.S. degree, concentrating in Accounting. She received a J.D. cum laude from Brooklyn Law School, where she was a research editor for the International Journal of Law; and a Master of Law degree (in Taxation) from New York University Law School. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants (NYSSCPA), as well as the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA), Nassau County Bar Association (NCBA), Commercial Real Estate Women New York (CREW New York), and Long Island Real Estate Group (LIREG). www.sokolmediaonline.com • 18

Jean Kristensen Jean Kristensen Associates, LLC

I wanted to assist people in understanding how a minority and/or women business certification can provide economic empowerment. It provides a lot of opportunity, but there is also a lot of mystery to it. JEAN KRISTENSEN IS A WOMAN ON A MISSION TO minority and women owned firms develop, grow and HELP OTHERS ACHIEVE THEIR MISSION. With over form strategic alliances. Her work in this area has been three decades of professional security experience in firms ranging from small start-ups to multi-million dollar corporations, she has worked her way through the ranks in a male-dominated industry, wearing almost every hat from security officer to President & CEO. An entrepreneur, holistic health practitioner, public speaker and author, Ms. Kristensen has become uniquely positioned to advise and support businesses in various industries with the development of a specialized skill set focusing on government contracting, business development, workplace wellness, project management and compliance. A passionate and driven professional, she parlayed her skills and experience into a successful entrepreneurial venture, Jean Kristensen Associates, LLC in 2007. She is a tenacious and results-oriented leader with an exceptional knack for sourcing opportunities, resources and high quality human capital. Ms. Kristensen is best known for her expertise in M/W/DBE certification consulting where she is breaking barriers for herself and others by assisting small,

recognized by the Empire State Development Corporation and the Dormitory Authority. Ms. Kristensen makes giving back a priority, regularly sharing her knowledge and lessons learned with aspiring entrepreneurs through free community workshops and staff development and wellness initiatives. Her firm, Jean Kristensen Associates, is a certified minority and woman-owned business with the City of New York, the Port Authority of NY/NJ and the National Supplier Development Council. Among her many accomplishments, she has earned certification sanctioned by the NYS Education Department as a Health Coach from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and Board Certification as a Holistic Health Practitioner by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners. Ms. Kristensen also attended Fordham University and is licensed by the NYS’ Criminal Justice Services Security Guard Training School. She also serves as the Secretary of the American Society of Industrial Security’s Women in Security.

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Samantha Rudin Rudin Management Company

Working on the Greenwich lane has been an incredible experience. To have the opportunity to create a product so unique and special in Greenwich village is a once in a lifetime opportunity. My family along with our company, our partners, the architects, the design and marketing teams all worked very hard to create a project that is both timeless and modern which also weaves into the historic fabric of our great city. The Greenwich lane is everything I could have dreamed of and more. SAMANTHA RUDIN STARTED HER WORK AT RUDIN MANAGEMENT COMPANY IN JULY OF 2007. She was involved in the development of 130 West 12th, a

43-unit luxury condominium. Samantha is also actively engaged in the Saint Vincent Hospital’s redevelopment project, The Greenwich Lane in the West Village. She also sits on the executive committee of Rudin Management and helps with design upgrades of the Rudin residential portfolio. In the spring of 2008 Samantha joined the board of the Big Apple Circus. In March of 2011 she joined the board of the Incarnation Children’s Center—the only skilled nursing facility serving children living with HIV/AIDS in New York City. She is also currently on the board of the May & Samuel Rudin Family Foundation. She is a proud New Yorker and a graduate of New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Samantha is married to David Earls. They had their first child, Elle Rudin Earls, in July of 2012.” 20 • www.sokolmediaonline.com

Stella Schirripa US Trust

I feel what has made me successful is having the right mentors and great colleagues to work and learn. I still feel like I’m continuously learning. My experiences have made me successful and confident.

STELLA SCHIRRIPA IS A SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND SPECIALTY ASSET MANAGER AT US TRUST, BANK OF AMERICA PRIVATE WEALTH MANAGEMENT. Stella’s roles includes managing of client’s real estate

investments and management of client engagements focused on real estate investment acquisitions and dispositions throughout the Northeast. She provides asset management for commercial real estate investment properties within a fiduciary capacity for her clients. Stella has extensive experience in a variety of fast-paced environments, including residential and commercial real estate and property management. Stella enjoys volunteering and assisting non-profit organizations, including the Food Bank for NYC. Prior to moving to New York, Stella was a volunteer and board member with Suited to Succeed in Maryland. Stella holds a BS in Public Administration from Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania.

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Melissa Steeves Gilbane Building Company

As a woman in the construction industry, it was refreshing to find a company that really stands behind its goals of career advancement for women. The fact that the culture and company’s core values are also aligned with mine made my decision to come work here an easy one. WITH MORE THAN EIGHTEEN YEARS OF BUILDING INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE, MELISSA STEEVES HAS HELD KEY LEADERSHIP ROLES ON A DIVERSE RANGE OF PROJECTS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. Melissa

joined Gilbane as a Project Executive and is currently working on a new 16-story, luxury residential high-rise building at 1010 Park Avenue for Extell Development Company, one of Gilbane’s most high profile and complex projects. Melissa’s past projects include the New York City College of Technology (CUNY) New Academic Building, Metro North Railroad Employee Facility in Grand Central Terminal and the D’Angelo Center at St. John’s University. Melissa has also worked on several award-winning projects, including 51 Astor Place and the San Francisco GSA Federal Building. With a broad range of project experience, Melissa has developed a resonant ability to lead efforts across both the public and private sector while adapting to the uniqueness of each individual project.

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With a passion for mentoring and inspiring the next generation of leaders, Melissa has chaired and led several professional committees, including groups focused on empowering young men and women in the construction industry. Melissa is widely recognized for her commitment to these advancements, which has led her to speaking and lecturing engagements such as ENR’s Groundbreaking Women in Construction Conference, New York State Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprise Forums and New York University’s Project Management Capstone Project. Melissa is an adjunct professor at the New York City College of Technology, where she teaches Construction Management. Melissa also serves as volunteer for several charitable organizations, including the Chipakata Children’s Academy in Africa, a project of 14+ Foundation. Melissa obtained her Civil Engineering degree from the University of New Brunswick, Canada.

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Nancy Ungarino ApWest Mechanical

I would encourage women to go into construction. The WBE designation gives me a great edge and places me in fabulous industry circles with women and men.

NANCY UNGARINO IS THE CEO OF APWEST MECHANICAL, AN as part of ApWest’s team and looks forward to adding labor from HVAC COMPANY THAT SERVES THE NEW YORK-METRO AREA. the VetsBuild program as well. Though ApWest is a smaller company, Nancy knows that the same philosophies apply to a successful organization of any size ~ build a positive and nurturing environment for your employees and exceed client expectations every time. Nancy took over the helm of ApWest in 2014 and quickly increased revenue by 300% in one year. WSP USA, the largest engineering firm in the world and Nancy’s first client, awarded ApWest the task of commissioning testing of 11 NYC buildings in 2014 and has since grown to over 260 buildings and counting. ApWest is a proud WBE-Certified firm and has been successful in helping General Contractors, Engineering firms, and companies fulfill their WBE goals while having an extremely qualified HVAC member as part of their team. Clients know that partnering with ApWest means total dedication, excellent communication, and superior performance. Nancy is proud to work with United Way’s YouthBuild program

Always looking for a partnership rather than a transaction, Nancy is always forging and nurturing relationships with her colleagues in the construction and real estate industries. Known for her energy and intensity, Nancy is an active member of CREW NY (Commercial Real Estate Women of New York) and WBC (Womens Builder’s Council). Nancy feels a great kinship with the other women in the construction industry and believes that there is limitless potential for ApWest. While the HVAC industry doesn’t have many women running companies, Nancy welcomes the chance to put on her pink steel toe boots and pink hard hat and get in the middle of all projects. 2016 is looking like a break-out year for ApWest with awarded projects starting in January with Battery Park City Authority, Pier Head Construction, and Railroad Construction Company to name a few. Nancy is a proud volunteer for CREW’s Charitable Fund and Girls Inc. and spends her downtime with her three children.

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Honoring Rachel Ataman

HydroTech Environmental, Corp.

Fiona Cousins

Gera Feigon KPF

Charlotte Kim

Arup (cover story)

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

Kim Erle

Esther Sperber

Sunset Green Home (cover story)

Studio ST Architects

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Kim Erle Sunset Green Home If I don’t do something about climate change, then who else will? says Kim Erle, whose house was destroyed by Superstorm Sandy in October 2012. This experience provided Erle with the motivation to launch Sunset Green Home LLC, which, she says, ”gave me a new sense of purpose.” 2A • www.sokolmediaonline.com

Born out of the havoc wrought by Sandy, the company’s first project was the replacement for the home Erle lost in the storm, a LEED-registered project that is seeking LEED Platinum certification upon completion. Erle says that “I took the skillset I honed as a Wall Street executive and former partner in a strategy consulting firm, obtained my own LEED accreditation, and have since turned my focus to working with property owners to help them improve the energy efficiency and sustainability of their buildings.” The new house achieved a HERS (Home Energy Rating System) Index of 24, which translates into a home that is 76% more energy efficient than a comparable codecompliant home. The home’s additional sustainable features include:

(Top) The home aglow with the light of energy efficient LED fixtures (Bottom) Impact resistant hurricane glass used throughout the home

Whole home ventilation designed to continuously deliver fresh air to the living area and bedrooms and vent an equivalent volume of stale air from bathrooms, laundry and kitchen. “This is one of the most important features of a very tightly constructed home because without balanced mechanical ventilation, any toxins that are present in the home can build up in the air that the occupants breathe,” Erle says. The home’s building envelope is so tight, in fact, that it has a very low infiltration rate – only two air changes per hour (ACH). By contrast, a standard code-compliant home needs to meet a standard of seven ACH, and an ENERGY STAR home needs to meet a standard of five ACH. Since air does not leak in through cracks in the building envelope, the home uses balanced mechanical ventilation to meet its fresh air needs. Energy efficient appliances, including the most energy efficient ENERGY STAR qualified ceiling fans made, are installed in every bedroom and in the living areas. “Because occupants perceive moving air as cooler than still air, having energy efficient ceiling fans permits HVAC set points at higher temperatures in the summer. Higher temperature set points translate to reduced energy usage, and lower environmental impact,” Erle says.

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Pool sanitized by chemical-free UV Ozone and kept warm using an automatic cover

Energy efficient LED lighting – achieved through a combination of native LED fixtures and LED lamping. Strategies designed to minimize the home’s impact on the surrounding environment. Erle’s is a coastal home, adjacent to wetlands and a body of water that acts as a habitat for oysters, eel grass and many other marine species. The property incorporates a naturally vegetated buffer between the home and the bayfront wetlands that will reduce the effects of storm water runoff from the landscaped areas of the site. Strategies designed to enable the house to remain codecompliant even when building codes are revised. The International Residential Code (IRC) is a comprehensive building code that governs one- and two-family dwellings, and the version of the IRC that was adopted in 2009 calls for homes to include fire sprinkler systems. The IRC provides building code guidelines and state municipal authorities have the option of adopting the code in whole or in part. New York State adopted the fire sprinkler recommendations for homes with three or more stories. However, Erle, whose home is only two stories, elected to install a fire sprinkler system for several reasons: »»

To provide extra time for occupants to exit the building in the event of a house fire and protect

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first responders who may have to enter a burning building. »»

To reduce the amount of damage to the home in the event of a house fire.

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To protect the environment. The home is adjacent to a delicate marine habitat. The volume of wastewater generated fighting a sprinklered fire may be half of the wastewater resulting from fighting a non-sprinklered fire.

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To reduce the home’s operating costs by earning insurance premium credits, which may be as high as 13% for sprinklered homes.

The home was built two feet above the code-specified flood elevation with the intention that, even if flood elevations are increased as a result of rising sea level, Erle’s home will remain compliant. Erle incorporated mildew-resistant coatings, insulation with smart vapor retarders, and mold-resistant gypsum into the home’s high performance framed wall assembly, which was designed to combat the moisture issues that tend to impact coastal homes. Water-efficient toilets, shower fixtures and faucets designed to reduce the use of treated municipal water.

Bedroom with sustainable interior furnishings

Sustainable local wide-plank oak floors throughout

Outdoor fabric on sofa for increased durability

Sustainable cabinets and ENERGY STAR appliances in the kitchen

Water-efficient bath fixtures

Natural fibers featured throughout the bedrooms

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(Left) FSC-certified cumaru decking (Right) Energy efficient exterior LED lighting

“As a LEED accredited professional (LEED AP Homes), I am working with a family that is rebuilding following a fire. They are seeking LEED Gold certification for their new home, and I am helping them make sustainable choices while advising their builder on how to ensure that the LEED-compliant design strategies his company implements are documented to capture the LEED credits. I have recently advised an architect who will seek LEED Gold certification for a home he is designing for his family.” But Erle’s work extends beyond advising homeowners on their sustainable residential new construction projects. She recently joined Deutsche Bank’s Retrofit Partners platform and is now working with owners of existing commercial, institutional and residential buildings to structure energy efficient retrofit projects designed to decrease their properties’ energy usage. “With sevenfigure annual utility costs, these clients stand to benefit significantly if we can materially reduce their energy consumption,” Erle says. “And the CO2 reduction from a large commercial project can be significantly greater than that of a single energy efficient home.” Erle’s commercial energy efficiency retrofit projects include: Properties with end-of-life equipment issues whose owners have asked how they can not only solve current needs, but also ensure that their buildings are positioned for future changes in consumption patterns. 5A • www.sokolmediaonline.com

Properties that want to implement energy-saving capital upgrades that are funded through the savings generated. Helping several buildings investigate the potential for oil-to-gas and steam-to-gas fuel conversions. Erle is evaluating combined heat and power (CHP) at one of these sites to provide resiliency during power outages. “When I work with luxury custom home builders, I emphasize that luxury includes performance. I work with property owners to specify sustainable features in their homes in terms of energy efficiency, water efficiency and indoor air quality. With my commercial clients, I prioritize performance that can be benchmarked, quantified and monitored,” Erle adds. “Being a rational economic actor and a steward of the environment are not mutually exclusive. Property owners don’t have to sacrifice economic performance to do the right thing from an environmental perspective. In fact, I’m working on several large projects right now that are exploring how to mine utility expenses to pay for energy efficient capital upgrades that will make these properties perform better and reduce their carbon footprint.” “My life is now about sustainability,” Erle says in summation. “I live it and I believe it, and feel great about my ability to make a measurable impact.”

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Rachel Ataman

HydroTech Environmental, Corp. The best part of my job is working with an array interesting clients with different challenging needs and assisting them to finding a solution to their environmental issues. This industry is always growing and changing and no two environmental projects are exactly the same. Rachel Ataman has managed a large vari- ronmental Assessment Statements (EAS) RACHEL ATAMAN HAS BEEN WORKING AT HYDRO TECH SINCE 2003. During ety of New York City Brownfield Cleanup for both state and city environmental this time, she has gained a vast understanding of the Environmental world in New York State. She has worked on multiple projects ranging from Phase I ESAs, Phase II ESAs, Mold Investigations to New York State Brownfield Cleanup Projects. At Hydro Tech she currently works closely with clients to meet their specific project needs such as deadlines, project grants and program requirements. Using her vast experience, Ms. Ataman also assists clients with cost estimates for future investigations or remediations. Ms. Ataman was instrumental in entering the first site into New York City Brownfield Cleanup program (BCP) and bringing former Mayor Bloomberg to Hydro Tech’s Pelham Parkway Site to announce the start of the City’s BCP. 8A • www.sokolmediaonline.com

Projects including the preparation of the Site Investigation Work Plans, implementation of the fieldwork, the preparation of Site Investigation Report and Remediation Action Plans. She has also successfully managed the implementation of Remedial Action Plans during fieldwork. For example, at a site located on North 8th Street in Brooklyn, New York, Ataman supervised the removal of 10,000 tons of contaminated soil and the installation of a vapor barrier and sub-slab depressurization system. She is also highly knowledgeable in the characterization of soil for disposal. On a NYC BCP site located on Third Avenue in the Bronx, she successfully investigated and managed the disposal of over 2,000 tons of hazardous soil. Ataman has performed multiple Envi-

quality review ranging from simple EAS. This includes city variances to more complicated EAS which include traffic and noise studies for the development of a property with a school or livery business. She has also successfully managed the closure of multiple NYSDEC Spill Sites. For example, at a property located on Burnside Avenue in Inwood she supervised the removal of three underground storage tanks (USTs), over 100 tons of petroleum contaminated soil, the injection of Oxygen Releasing Compounds (ORC) and the performance of monthly monitoring and quarterly sampling of groundwater over a 2 year period. The remediation was successful in reducing the levels of contamination in groundwater and the NYSDEC Spill number was closed.

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Gera Feigon KPF

I grew up in a solar-heated house in Maine that my parents helped build and design in the 80s. Even from an early age, it felt natural for me to pursue a career in sustainability.

HAVING JOINED KPF AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL that maximize occupant comfort while lowering SPECIALIST IN 2010, Gera Feigon has helped long-term operating and maintenance costs, reto apply the firm’s extensive global experience to a local scale for every project, integrating a climate-based sustainable design approach throughout every phase of the design process. Ms. Feigon’s work combines detailed analysis with sustainable strategies that are specific to the site and program conditions of a project. These holistic solutions are unique to place, climate, and program and are evaluated through different regional environmental performance standards. Working closely with KPF design teams, Ms. Feigon helps each team to set, understand, and achieve sustainable benchmarking targets, allowing KPF to produce a body of work that not only succeeds in the near term, but also builds value over time. Her goal is to create projects

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duce consumption of non-renewable resources, and minimize waste and negative environmental impacts during the construction process. Her diverse experience ranges from corporate offices, academic facilities, and supertall buildings to master plans. Her recent work includes the Prudential Tower in New Jersey, China Resources Headquarters in Beijing and the Ross School of Business Phase II Development at the University of Michigan. On a larger scale, she works with KPF architects and planners to develop and implement sustainable design guidelines for projects like the Lang Fang Master Plan in China and The New York City Housing Authority Sandy Resiliency + Renewal Program at Red Hook in Brooklyn.

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Charlotte Kim Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati

I couldn’t have come the distance I have without having a lot of different mentors. I am now thrilled to be serving as a mentor for other women in our field, but we need more mentors.

CHARLOTTE KIM IS A PARTNER IN THE NEW YORK OFFICE OF WILSON SONSINI GOODRICH & ROSATI, where

her practice focuses on global corporate finance with particular expertise in the energy, healthcare, medical device, life science, retail, manufacturing, agtech and technology sectors. Charlotte has structured, negotiated, and closed more than 180 transactions with a total value exceeding $20 billion. Charlotte is a widely recognized thought leader in energy efficiency transactions, where with her extensive knowledge and contacts in both the technology sector and financial sector, she has been able to bring parties together to help solve problems to their mutual benefit. Prior to joining WSGR, Charlotte was a partner at Choate Hall & Stewart in Boston. Earlier in her career, she practiced at both Chadbourne & Parke and Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy in New York. Before attending law school, Charlotte was a Fulbright Scholar at the Centre for European Policy Studies in Brussels, Belgium. Charlotte’s commitment to helping mitigate the effects of global warming by focusing on one of its leading contributing factors -- the production, storage, distribution and use of energy -- predates her career in law and goes back more 10A• www.sokolmediaonline.com 31 • www.sokolmediaonline.com

than two decades when as a post graduate student, her professor and mentor, Professor Abram Chayes at Harvard Law School, asked her to take a look at China’s role in climate change and come up with some ideas. Their collaboration led to Charlotte doing research in China and resulted in a joint publication distributed by Harvard University Press: “China and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change,” in Energizing China. Subsequently, Charlotte’s deep understanding of the issues and insightful approach to solutions led to her participation in various United Nations climate change negotiations and culminated, almost two decades later, in her leading three annual editions of a white paper published under the auspices of her law firm entitled: Innovations and Opportunities in Energy Efficiency Finance. Today, Charlotte advises clients interested in improving resource efficiency, promoting sustainability and making a real impact with their investments in innovative and financially sound ways. Charlotte also regularly makes time to support entrepreneurs and women interested in green building, impact investing and sustainability. Charlotte’s thoughtful problem-solving skills and dedication to her clients enable her to help her clients succeed and grow.

Esther Sperber Studio ST Architects

Sustainability is the result of a network of interrelated and interdependent associations among a lot of people. No building is an island unto itself.

ESTHER SPERBER FOUNDED STUDIO ST ARCHITECTS IN 2003 after working at Pei Partnership Architects for five years, during which time she had the privilege of working closely with Mr. I M Pei. Studio ST Architects is a full-service, woman-owned, architectural firm located in Manhattan that is dedicated to exploring the embedded logic of materials and structures to generate new spatial experiences. The firm believes in innovative and responsible design and is committed to sustainable buildings. Studio ST Architects completed a large renovation of the 14th Street Y, a community center in the East Village. They are working with a number of synagogues, schools and JCCs. The firm has also completed many residential projects, ranging from high-end apartment renovations to lower-budget real estate developments. Among these are apartment buildings, duplex combinations in Manhattan and single-family homes. They also explore innovative Low-budget, sustainable designs such as their Off the Wall exhibi-

tion for the Jewish Museum, the Slice House and the Swell House. Studio ST’s work has been published in architectural magazines and monographs in North America, Europe and Asia. In 2008, Studio ST was selected by Wallpaper magazine as one of the “World’s 50 Hottest Young Architectural Firms” and the Swell House was selected by Architectural Record as “Best Unbuilt House.” Esther Sperber also writes and lectures on architecture and psychoanalysis, two fields in which theory and practice collaborate to reduce human distress and widen the range of individual and social experiences. She has lectured at psychology conferences, architecture schools, synagogues, and AIA chapters. Her essays and papers have been published in the New York Times, Lilith Magazine, The Jewish Week, and academic psychology journals. Ms. Sperber was born and raised in Jerusalem, Israel. Her undergraduate work was at the Technion and she came to New York in 1997 to complete a master’s degree in architecture at Columbia University.

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Fiona Cousins Arup

I have been the oldest woman in the room since I was 25... Fiona Cousins says, “But I am no longer the only one!” Not only is she not the only one, she has become a pioneering leader in international sustainable design, as well as the current Chair for the United States Building Council (USGBC). “We have a lot of challenges ahead of us, including creating international standards at the USGBC, making the health and wellness of people living and working in buildings a priority, and getting carbon footprint to as low as it can be,” Cousins continues, “and we’re doing it, both at the national and international level.” 12A • www.sokolmediaonline.com

As a Principal at Arup, Cousins’ most recent and notable projects reflect her success in doing just that. For The Bloomberg Center on Cornell Tech’s campus on Roosevelt Island in New York, for example, the goal was to push the boundaries toward achieving net zero energy. Developed from a $100 million gift from Bloomberg Philanthropies, this first academic building on the campus will offer students, faculty, administrators, and visitors an inspiring facility for research and learning. Named The Bloomberg Center, in honor of Emma and Georgina Bloomberg, Arup’s integrated design approach aimed to create an exemplary green building. Specifically, its sustainability goals included meeting the functional requirements of an advanced academic facility, while creating a building that is low carbon, energy-efficient, healthy and pleasant

to be in, and designed in accordance with the LEED NC 2009 rating system. Design elements therefore include roof-mounted photovoltaic systems that are part of a campus-wide array of solar panels dedicated to the Bloomberg Center, and ground source heat pumps that harness the constant temperature of the earth to both warm and cool the building. The building is also designed to be resilient to potential flood conditions. “The building is a true departure from traditional academic facilities with an open plan and extensive collaborative as well as private work spaces, adapting open plan offices from the tech world to the academic arena,” Cousins says. “When it is completed in the summer 2017, it will serve as a revolutionary model for graduate tech education, developing pioneering leaders and technologies for the digital age.”

THE BLOOMBERG CENTER AT CORNELL TECH’S CAMPUS Client: Morphosis Project owner: Cornell University Key collaborators: Skidmore Owings and Merrill

Key facts: • 150,000ft, five-story building Netzero energy aspirations targeting LEED Platinum

Key services Arup provided: • Structural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering • Acoustic consulting, Audiovisual consulting, • Energy analysis, • IT and communications consulting, Façade engineering • Lighting design, • Security consulting, • Smart building consulting, Sustainability consulting

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FULTON CENTER Client: MTA New York City Transit Key collaborators: • Page Ayres Cowley Architects • Grimshaw Architects • HDR/Daniel Frankfurt

Key facts: $1.4bn transit center Key services provided: • Project management • Structural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering • Civil engineering • Acoustic consulting/public address • Blast engineering • Code and fire/life safety consulting • Façade engineering • Geotechnical engineering • IT and communications consulting • Lighting design • Transport and pedestrian planning • Tunnel design • Security consulting • Wayfinding • Sustainability consulting • Vertical transportation design

FULTON CENTER One of New York City Transit’s most important projects, Fulton Center represents a revitalization of Lower Manhattan, post 9/11. As one of the busiest transfer points in Lower Manhattan, where 11 different lines converge and more than 300,000 passengers pass through the station on weekdays, this new transit hub was designed to improve passenger and train flow, while also boosting the economic vitality of Lower Manhattan. As lead consultant for the project, Arup provided overall planning, design team leadership, and project management, as well as engineering and risk advice for the MTA New York City Transit.

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PRINCETON UNIVERSITY FRICK LABORATORY As the first Arup laboratory project to have its structural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems modeled entirely in 3D, resulting in cost and time savings, this new chemistry laboratory is part of the university’s ongoing effort to build a consolidated natural sciences neighborhood, featuring a flexible and easy-tonavigate modular layout. Approximately half of the building is dedicated to stateof-the-art laboratory space, and one third of the building accommodates office space. Remaining areas will be used for teaching facilities, including auditoriums and classrooms, and an underground connection links the facility to the existing adjacent physics building. “This building gets very intensively used so the lab rooms have to be installed very carefully, while keeping in line with its energy targets,” Cousins says. Arup’s sustainability assessments successfully addressed the feasibility of utilizing photovoltaics, solar hot water, natural ventilation, chilled beams and rainwater harvesting, and other salient features include flexible design, low vibration requirements and low energy and safe operations.

PRINCETON UNIVERSITY FRICK LABORATORY Client: Princeton University Key collaborators: Hopkins Architects, Payette Associates

Key facts: • 268,000ft2 facility • $280m construction cost. • Completed 2010

Key services provided: • Structural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering • Acoustic consulting, • Façade engineering, • IT and communications consulting, Lighting design, • Sustainability consulting

Selected Awards: • SCUP/AIA-CAE Excellence in Architecture for a New Building, Merit Award, 2012 • R&D Magazine, Lab of the Year High Honors, 2012

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US EMBASSY, LONDON Client: Kieran Timberlake Project owners: US Department of State’s Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations

Key facts: • $1bn project • Seeking LEED Platinum and BREEAM Outstanding certification

Key services provided: • Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering • Civil engineering • Façade engineering • Daylighting design Caption • Fire Protection Engineering • Geotechnical engineering • Geothermal/Ground Source engineering • LEED consulting • Sustainability consulting

Caption

NEW US EMBASSY, LONDON, UK Located within an emerging commercial and residential area in the London Borough of Wandsworth, the design of the U.S. Embassy demonstrates exceptional environmental leadership that is beyond the leading edge of practice. Designed as a modern, welcoming, timeless, safe and energy efficient embassy for the 21st century, Arup’s design includes a reclaimed water system, carbon tally, and the optimization of daylighting and occupant control of systems, habitat and public amenity creation. The building is seeking LEED Platinum (above the required Gold) and BREEAM Outstanding (above the required Excellent) certification. “These employed strategies not only benefit the environment but aid security by making the embassy

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capable of operating “off grid” for an extended period,” Cousins says. *** “These projects show that designing LEED certified buildings does not have to cost any more,” Cousins says. “Our next challenge is how quickly we can ratchet up the performance in LEED so that the aspirational level of building performance keeps increasing so that our industry has something new to aim for,” Cousins continues, “Expanding the rating system is crucial to ensure our carbon footprint continues to decrease, not only for the operation of the buildings, but also for the health and wellness of the people within them.”

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A Special Edition from Sokol Media

WINTER 2016

TOP WOMEN TO WATCH –SUSTAINABILITY

KIM ERLE

SUNSET GREEN HOME

FIONA COUSINS ARUP

Howard Wechsler Photography