BuildingGreen receives 2004 Lewis Mumford Award for Environment

Architects/Designers/Planners for Social Responsibility (ADPSR) has named BuildingGreen, Inc., publisher of Environmental Building News, the 2004 recipient of the Lewis Mumford Award for Environment. ADPSR instituted the Mumford awards in 1992 "to honor people and organizations that exemplify the ADPSR goals of peace, preservation of the natural and built environment, and socially responsible development." According to ADPSR, "Mumford's writings continue to inspire and remind us that architecture, planning and design must respond to human need, harmonize with its surroundings, and reflect the aspirations and social context of our civilization."

The award is named for Lewis Mumford (1895-1990), an internationally renowned writer, philosopher, architectural critic, artist, and humanist. In 1923, Mumford was a cofounder of the Regional Planning Association of America, which advocated for city planning that was integrated into the region. He went on to serve as the architectural critic for The New Yorker for over thirty years, and he received the National Book Award for his 1961 book, The City in History. While he supported American entry into World War II, he was an early critic of nuclear weapons in 1946 and of the Vietnam War in 1965. Mumford received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1964. He authored 30 books, including his 1982 autobiography.

ADPSR was founded in 1982 as an outgrowth of the New York City march to the United Nations protesting the proliferation of nuclear weapons during the Reagan Administration--a march that attracted over one million. Initially founded as Architects for Social Responsibility, the name was later changed to include designers and planners. During the ensuing years, ADPSR's focus has broadened beyond arms control to embrace environmental issues and social responsibility.

The Mumford Awards fall into three categories: Peace, Development, and Environment. Prior recipients of the Environment Award are activist David Brower; Vice President Al Gore; Susan Maxman, FAIA; Congresswoman Bella Abzug; Wes Jackson/The Land Institute; the Natural Resources Defense Council; Andrew Euston, FAIA; Michael Totten; Julia Butterfly Hill; Ken Dunn/The Resource Center; Margie Ruddick; and The Center for Environmental Health.

In recognizing BuildingGreen with the 2004 award, ADPSR Vice President Greg VanMechelen said, "Gandhi is quoted as saying: 'First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win.' I would add they that also try to steal your message. As the green building movement matures, professionals need unbiased information for making good decisions. BuildingGreen is the most reliable, and my favorite, resource for that information."

BuildingGreen, Inc. is a 13-person company founded in 1985. Since its beginning, the company has been involved in advancing energy-efficient and environmentally responsible design and construction practices. In 1992, BuildingGreen launched Environmental Building News, which is a widely respected source of information on green building. The monthly newsletter does not carry advertising or accept sponsorship, which allows the editorial coverage to be nonbiased. BuildingGreen also publishes the GreenSpec® Directory of green building products, as well as a widely used subscription-based online resource, the BuildingGreen Suite, which includes the entire archives of Environmental Building News and the GreenSpec products database, along with a case study database and other features.

"We are thrilled and deeply honored to receive this recognition from ADPSR," said Alex Wilson, president of BuildingGreen. "I have long admired the organization and the people behind it who have demonstrated that design and planning can and should be about more than putting up buildings."

ADPSR, headquartered in Berkeley, California, can be reached at 510-845-1000 or www.adpsr.org. BuildingGreen can be reached at 802-257-7300 or online at www.BuildingGreen.com.

-30-