GREEN GIANTS AWARDS
From 2013 to 2023 the Green Giants Award Program honored the work of the trades people, educators, and owners/program directors who help build, teach about, envision and fund the green buildings in Hampshire, Hampden, Franklin, and Berkshire counties.
The program was held every two years in odd-numbered years. It alternated with the WMAIA Design Awards Program, which is held every two years in even-numbered years.
The program was sunsetted in 2023, since sustainable design has become an integral requirement for all awards programs. The final Green Giants Award was given in memoriam to Laura Fitch AIA, who spearheaded the initial Green Giant Awards program.
2023
Laura Fitch AIA, who spearheaded the initial Green Giants Award Program, passed away quite unexpectedly in January 2023.
In 2023 the COTE and WMAIA made the decision to discontinue the Green Giants Award Program, since a focus on sustainable design has become a much more integral part of architecture practice and architectural/design awards programs.
The WMAIA and COTE gave the final Green Giants Award to Laura Fitch posthumously, during the WMAIA Annual Meeting in December 2023. A film was created by a small committee, colleagues and family and friends, and filmmaker Balazs Busznyak to honor Laura Fitch and her work over the years.
2021
TRADES
Energia, LLC, Worker-Owned Cooperative, Holyoke, MA
EDUCATOR
Ben Weil, Extension Assistant Professor, Building & Construction Technology, University of Massachusetts Amherst
LIFETIME HONOR AWARD
Mark Ledwell (1953-2021), Wright Builders, Northampton, MA
2019
TRADES PERSON
Gary Hartwell, Project Manager, Smith College Facilities Management
EDUCATOR
Kate Cholakis, Conway School of Landscape Design, Northampton, MA
OWNER
Rochelle Prunty, General Manager, River Valley Cooperative
2017
TRADES PERSON
Wright Builders
EDUCATOR
Ajla Aksamija, UMass, Graduate design studio focusing on net-zero energy design
OWNER
Julie Johnson, Hitchcock Center for the Environment Amherst, MA
2015
TRADES PERSON
Mark Newey for his work at the Center for Eco Technology
EDUCATOR
The UMass Building Construction and Technology Department
OWNER
Amy Johns, Director, Zilkha Center for Environmental Initiatives, Class of 1966 Environmental Center, Williams College
2013
TRADES PERSON
Sean Jeffords, Beyond Green Construction
EDUCATOR
Teresa Jones, Sustainable Practices in Construction curriculum at Greenfield Community College
OWNER
Bement School (Non-Profit)
Riverstone Development, Two Pond Farm Land Co-op and Sustainable Neighborhood (Private)