Green Building Initiative

GBI Launches 2024 Impact Report During Earth Week; Honors Colorado Mesa University’s Asteria Theatre as Green Globes Project of the Year

PORTLAND, Ore., April 24, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Green Building Initiative (GBI) is pleased to share its third annual Impact Report and recognize the Green Globes^® Project of the Year award winners during the fifty-fifth anniversary of Earth Week. The 2024 Impact Report highlights organizational and community achievements in 2024 - GBI’s twentieth and most transformative year. GBI announced the 2024 Green Globes Project of the Year winners in a virtual awards ceremony to recognize excellence in sustainable, healthy, and resilient building.

“We are proud to share our growth and contribution to the built environment through the release of GBI’s 2024 Impact Report and Green Globes Project of the Year Awards,” said Vicki Worden, CEO of GBI. “We are committed to transparency with our stakeholders, whom we work alongside to advance GBI’s mission as we approach one billion square feet of certified real estate.”

GBI celebrated a myriad of accomplishments in 2024, including:

• Surpassing 750 million square feet of certified commercial and multifamily space
• Introducing the Green Globes Journey to Net Zero™ assessment and certification program with nearly 100 million square feet of real estate in the pilot program and awarding “Certified” status to Harka Architecture Headquarters and The Millenium Building (Tower Companies)
• Releasing updated Green Globes for Sustainable Interiors and Green Globes for Core & Shell programs, both informed by GBI’s ANSI standard (ANSI/GBI 01-2024: Green Globes Assessment Protocol for Design, New Construction, and Major Renovations)
• Electing Alison Hoagland as Board Chair
• Announcing outstanding projects for 2023 Project of the Year Awards during Earth Week
• Designating ten new Green Globes and Guiding Principles Compliance Fellows
• Recognizing Karen Petersburg (PowerHouse) and Leviton as GBI Individual and Organizational Members of the Year, respectively
• Continuing to open new markets and forge strategic partnerships with industry leaders

GBI continued to expand its impact in 2024, improving the sustainability, health, and resilience of buildings and communities worldwide and decarbonizing the built environment through education and transparent assessment. GBI leverages its extensive global community of subject matter experts and commercial real estate professionals to develop rigorous yet accessible tools and resources while sharing replicable strategies from industry leaders.

Colorado Mesa University’s (CMU) Asteria Theatre was named the 2024 Green Globes Project of the Year. The state-of-the-art theater is the first performance venue to use geothermal energy, which is sourced from a campus-wide loop harnessing the earth’s energy for heating and cooling. The project earned a Three Green Globes rating for New Construction in December 2024.

From the start, the team of Semple Brown (architect), Shaw Construction (contractor), Group14 Engineering (sustainability consultants), and CMU stakeholders set out to create a new standard for sustainable, healthy, and resilient performance venues. The team implemented early goals for energy efficiency, water conservation, and indoor environmental quality measures into a facility with unique acoustic, lighting, and climate control demands. The geothermal system reduces traditional HVAC needs, dramatically lowering carbon emissions and operational costs. WaterSense labeled fixtures and ENERGY STAR compliant equipment reduce indoor water use by 36%. Reclaimed irrigation water managed through an EPA WaterSense-labeled irrigation controller improves outdoor water consumption.

“At Colorado Mesa University, we believe that spaces designed for learning and the arts should reflect our values for future generations—sustainability, wellness, and innovation. The Asteria Theatre is a testament to that vision,” said Jaime Cox, Capital Project Manager at Colorado Mesa University. “Through a powerful collaboration with Group14 Engineering, SempleBrown, and Shaw Construction, we created a space that not only elevates the cultural life of our campus but also demonstrates true leadership in environmental stewardship. Earning the Green Globes Project of the Year award affirms our commitment to creating resilient, high-performing buildings that serve our students, community, and the planet.”

The April 24 virtual awards ceremony also recognized a Runner-Up, Honorable Mention, and winners of GBI’s three specialty awards, including:

• Runner-Up: Wake Technical Community College Education & Innovation Center (Raleigh, NC)
• Honorable Mention: Dunedin City Hall (Dunedin, FL)
• Leadership in Core & Shell Award: 200 Clayton St. (Denver, CO)
• Carbon Reduction Award: Aligned ORD02 (Northlake, IL)
• Adaptive Reuse and Revitalization Award: Telco 5G Lab Project (Confidential)
  

GBI congratulates these recognized projects on their sustainability achievements and applauds all Green Globes-certified buildings for their contributions to improving the built environment and reducing climate impacts. Learn more about GBI’s Annual Green Globes Project of the Year awards.

About GBI

GBI is an international nonprofit organization and American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Accredited Standards Developer dedicated to improving the built environment’s impact on climate and society. Founded in 2004, the organization is the global provider of the Green Globes^®, Green Globes Journey to Net Zero^™ and federal Guiding Principles Compliance building assessment and certification programs. GBI also issues professional credentials, including Green Globes Emerging Professional (GGEP), Green Globes Professional (GGP) and Guiding Principles Compliance Professional (GPCP). Discover opportunities to get involved with GBI by contacting info@thegbi.org or visiting www.thegbi.org.

MEDIA CONTACT
Megan Baker, GBI Vice President of Engagement, (971) 256-7174, megan@thegbi.org

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f4d6b727-880f-4b96-a217-0d86846221a3