Syracuse, NY, November 2, 2006--Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO and Founding Chair of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has been chosen as the third recipient of the Willis H. Carrier Achievement Award from the Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems (CoE). Fedrizzi was selected for the award by the CoE's corporate and academic partners.
"This award recognizes Rick for his vision and foresight in establishing and leading the international green building movement, which is successfully transforming the marketplace for building design and construction in the U.S. and around the world," says Edward Bogucz, executive director of the Syracuse CoE.
Fedrizzi, of Westvale, was appointed president and CEO of the USGBC in April 2004. Under his leadership USGBC has embarked on a number of critical initiatives, such as beginning development of Standard 189 and the sustainable reconstruction of the U.S.'s Gulf Coast region.
"As a Syracuse native I am deeply honored," noted Fedrizzi, "It is humbling to serve a unique and awesome collection of USGBC volunteers who are making an immediate and measurable difference in our communities - it is this group on whose behalf I accept this award with the promise and commitment that we will transform the buildings that make our cities."
He is also driving the USGBC's comprehensive agenda on global climate change, which includes a major partnership with the Clinton Climate Initiative to implement green building programs in the world's 40 largest cities; commitments via the Clinton Global Initiative to green school and residential construction; and internal imperatives to reduce carbon emissions.
Fedrizzi also spearheaded a major refinement of the LEED rating system in 2005; integration and capacity building for the council's more than 60 chapters; and an internal reorganization to align the council's resources with its strategic goals. Since Fedrizzi joined the council, the USGBC has launched three new rating systems; upgraded and increased its educational offerings; nearly tripled in staff size; and welcomed more than 3,000 new members, including a new category for professional and trade associations to the USGBC community.
Prior to his appointment with the council, Fedrizzi was the founder and president of Green-Think, an environmentally focused marketing and communications consulting firm. Prior to founding Green-Think, Fedrizzi had a distinguished 25-year career at United Technologies Corporation (UTC), where he served as an in-house environmental marketing consultant.
Fedrizzi is the past president of the World Green Building Council (1999-2004) and has worked closely with the Chinese government to develop a framework for the creation of a Green Building Council in China.
The Willis H. Carrier Achievement Award is given to an individual who has made significant and sustaining contributions to the enhancement of the human environment. The first Carrier Achievement Award was presented to Gov. George E. Pataki in 2002, during the ceremony establishing the CoE, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Willis Carrier's invention of modern air conditioning. The second award was presented to U.S. Rep. James Walsh in 2003.
Syracuse CoE is a federation of more than 70 firms and institutions that collaborate to create innovations to improve built and urban environments. Partners in the Syracuse CoE collaborate in research, development and education projects relating to clean and renewable energy, indoor environmental quality, human health and performance, healthy buildings, and water resources.
