As a practicing architect for over 23 years, Lois’ career goes well beyond the domain of project design. She has been a national leader in the application of private and commercial green technologies and sustainable planning to the public and private sectors. She is a public policy advisor to elected officials and has participated in the development of policies to lessen the negative impacts of the built environment on the health of people and on our natural resources. Her specialty is found in the intersection between applied technology and the development of policy provisions for City, State, and Federal entities. In addition, Lois applies these technologies and practices to leading edge sustainable designs and consulting to design teams and clients to maximize the environmental potential for projects.
Besides her work as a practicing architect, Lois is adjunct faculty at Northwestern University where she teaches sustainable construction and USGBC Faculty. She is currently teaching a course on LEED for Existing Buildings at Sauk Valley Community College in Dixon, Illinois while she assists the college in obtaining LEED-EB certification. USGBC Faculty are the official instructors of USGBC's instructor-led workshops working with USGBC's education delivery partners. As USGBC Faculty, Lois is authorized to teach the following instructor-led workshops:
- LEED 101: Green Building Basics and LEED
- LEED 201: Core Concepts and Strategies
- BDC 251: Understanding the Building Design and Construction LEED Rating Systems
- BDC 301: Implementing the Building Design and Construction LEED Rating Systems
Lois’ career has been both driven and distinguished by environmentally sound building practices. Her portfolio consists of 70 LEED projects including the LEED Platinum Hidden Oaks Nature Center and the Bachelor Enlisted Quarters at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center – one of the first LEED certified buildings in the country.
Lois was Co-Chair of the Host Committee for Greenbuild 2010 in Chicago, the US Green Building Council’s annual international conference. She currently serves as a member of the Program Working Group for Greenbuild 2011, which will be held in Toronto.
Examples of her work on policy include:
- Development of a sustainable guideline (Version 1 of the Sustainable Airport Manual) for the 10-year expansion of O’Hare Intl. Airport
- Review of Mayor Richard Daley’s 2003 Water Agenda
- Consulting to the City of Chicago to facilitate and accelerate the acceptance of green roofs by the private sector
A sampling of Lois’ speaking engagements include:
- 2011 NeoCon Bootcamp for LEED 2009 (a recurring engagement since 2007)
- 2011 Baking Tech, Chicago, IL, A Recipe for Sustainability
- 2010 AIA Illinois, Champaign, IL
- 2010 Greenbuild, Chicago, IL: Mudpies and tadpoles, A Recipe for Connecting Children with Nature
- 2009 National Crew Convention, Boston, MA
- 2008 India Green Building Congress, Mumbai, India
- 2008 MELA Conference Keynote Speaker, Chicago, IL
- 2007 Greenbuild, Green Home Design and LEED Platinum Showcase (for the Evelyn Pease Tyner Interpretive Center), Chicago, IL
- 2006 Invited Guest Speaker by American Embassy in Berlin for aspeaking tour in Germany
- 2006 ILDCEO Green Building Trade Mission, China
- 2003 Green Roof Seminar, Malmo, Sweden
Recent articles:
- Interview with Lois Vitt Sale, Wight & Company, Sustainability The Journal of Record, December 2010
- The Navy’s Gold Gem, Environmental Design & Construction, November 2010
- Elevating Nature in Chicago, Buildotech, February 2009
- Greening the Office - The Inside Scoop, Buildotech, March 2009
- A Building in Nature, Buildotech, August 2009
- Blog: www.proudgreenhome.com, August 2010 and beyond