Integrated Sustainable Design

Since I was five, I knew I wanted to be an architect. So whether I was in middle school or high school, I was always preparing for this career.  As a principal designer for k-12 schools, I work with an amazing group of professionals, who are unbelievably passionate about what they do. We think holistically about everything, from the smallest of details to the larger ones. And when we're done, you can walk into one of our schools and tell that sustainability has affected every aspect, and it's quite a legacy to leave.

As many of you may or may not know, I also have the privilege of leading the U.S. Green Building Council's Green Schools Committee in Orange County. So not only do I get to design green schools, I get to be an advocate on their behalf as well.

Our Green Schools Advocacy Committee is part of a broad-based, national green schools campaign. Our goal is that within a generation, every child in America will attend a green school.

It's no secret that green schools serve as teaching tools - demonstrating to students, faculty, and parents practical ways that we can create healthier, more efficient, less costly learning environments. If anything I've written has struck a chord with you, please join us at one of our next advocacy meetings. We meet at 5:30 p.m. the first Thursday of each month; we're always on the lookout for passionate volunteers.

Another way to help is to take the Green Schools Pledge or follow our OC Schools account on Twitter. Thank you for taking the time to read this post. When we build green, everyone profits - and that's the truth.