Feature image: The LEED Platinum Creamery in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Photo courtesy of The Creamery.

On behalf of USGBC's East North Central region’s communities in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio, we are pleased to announce the recipients of this year’s Leadership Awards, which celebrate exemplary LEED projects from our region. We are thrilled to recognize nine stellar projects with awards and six noteworthy projects with honorable mentions.

Watch a video of the awards ceremony.

The judging process

Nominated projects were judged on the categories within the LEED rating system: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, location and linkages, awareness and education, and innovation in design.

LEED is the most widely used and trusted green building rating system in the world. LEED-certified buildings save money, consume less energy, use less water, use fewer resources and provide better indoor environmental quality than traditional buildings. In addition, LEED and the strategies the rating system employs facilitate better product and material choices in a building and help to drive innovation. The green buildings recognized in this year's awards help people to live safe, healthy and sustainable lives, and they create a foundation for sustainability within the communities and cities where they are located.

Nominations were judged by a panel of LEED professionals, and we would like to take this opportunity to thank the following volunteers for their service: Cheryl Buening, Eric Dalesandry, Todd Hager, Laura Long, Hardik Miyani, Max Puchtelv, Christopher Schaffner and Harold Wilcox.

Award recipients

These exceptional LEED projects were celebrated during a virtual awards celebration held on June 22.

The event included an engaging keynote address by USGBC board chair Anyeley Hallová, awards presentations and recipient remarks.

Illinois

Green Building of the Year: LEED for Building Design + Construction

800 Fulton Market

This 499,150-square-foot LEED Platinum mixed-use complex features optimized mechanicals and systems monitoring that advance the project’s goals for sustainability and prioritize occupant wellness through nature, technology and design.

A historic brick building with a pedestrian area and restaurants

The LEED Platinum Fulton Market. Photo courtesy of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill.

Green Building of the Year: LEED for Operations + Maintenance

Adlai E. Stevenson High School East Building Addition

This 57,000-square-foot LEED Platinum high school addition achieved net zero energy through system efficiencies and a 485 kW photovoltaic array. The design included daylighting and views, living walls, and a roof garden with a greenhouse that puts education on full display.

Solar panels on a large quadrangle of buildings

The LEED Platinum Adlai E. Stevenson High School East Building Addition. Photo courtesy of Adlai E. Stevenson High School.

Indiana

Green Building of the Year: LEED for Building Design + Construction

Indianapolis Public Library West Perry Branch

This 24,000-square-foot LEED Gold library fills a service gap with sustainable design, smart tech and a calming, nature-inspired atmosphere that benefits all of its diverse patrons.

The children's section of a large, airy library, with two small children.

The LEED Gold Indianapolis Public Library West Perry Branch. Photo courtesy of the Indianapolis Public Library.

Michigan

Green Building of the Year: LEED for Building Design + Construction

WSU STEM Innovation Learning Center

This 123,867-square-foot LEED Gold higher education building features flexible classrooms and labs with low-emitting-material furniture, water-efficient fixtures, compost bins and gorgeous views.

White-coated lab techs work in a classroom

The LEED Gold WSU STEM Innovation Learning Center. Photo courtesy of Wayne State University.

Green Building of the Year: LEED for Homes

The Creamery

This 59,420-square-foot LEED for Homes Platinum mixed-use, affordable multifamily housing project focused on providing healthy and sustainable housing with accessible childcare.

A three-story apartment building in contrasting colors

Feature image: The LEED Platinum Creamery in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Photo courtesy of The Creamery.

LEED Green Building Legacy Award

Van Andel Institute Phase II

This 241,782-square-foot LEED Platinum research facility cemented its legacy as an iconic pillar of design and sustainability through phase II development of its biomedical life science research center.

Graphic: A cutaway of a futuristic building shows all its inner rooms.

The LEED Platinum Van Andel Institute Phase II. Graphic courtesy of Van Andel Institute.

Ohio

Green Building of the Year: LEED for Building Design + Construction

INTRO Cleveland

This 352,777-square-foot LEED Gold mixed-use development used mass timber construction to reduce its carbon footprint, while efficient systems and product selection reduced water and energy use. As of its time of completion, INTRO was Cleveland's first and America's tallest mass timber project.

A vast building, mostly glass windows, in the twilight

The LEED Gold INTRO Cleveland development. Photo courtesy of Harbor Bay Ventures.

Green Building of the Year: LEED for Homes

Moothart Residence

This 2,383-square-foot LEED Platinum residence, which was originally built in 1895, achieved net zero energy through deep energy retrofits.

A modern home with gray siding.

The LEED Platinum Moothart Residence. Photo courtesy of Sol Design + Consulting.

LEED Green Building Legacy Award

Grandview Yard

This 73-acre LEED Certified neighborhood, which includes offices, restaurants, grocery stores, hotels and residences, is a nationwide model for developers and communities striving to build green, connected and sustainable environments.

A large multifamily development lit by the setting sun.

The LEED Certified Grandview Yard. Photo courtesy of Nationwide Realty Investors.

Honorable mentions

These six noteworthy projects received honorable mentions in our awards program.

LEED for Building Design + Construction

Butler University Sciences Complex (Indiana)

This project involved the rehabilitation of two existing structures. It spared immense embodied carbon, and the project included biophilic design throughout and innovative solutions that dramatically reduced bird strikes.

Siebel Center for Design (Illinois)

This center provides an inclusive, high-performance hub for all students and faculty to practice, model and teach design thinking through experimentation, prototyping and making.

The Clarke Flourishing Garden (Illinois)

This project aspires to help businesses prosper, coworkers thrive and nature flourish. Smart planning and renewable energy also help the wider community by returning 75,000+ kW hours to the local grid.

LEED for Operations + Maintenance

Tanger Outlets Grand Rapids (Michigan) and Tanger Outlets Columbus (Ohio)

The outlet owners believe LEED certification for their outlets is important to the market because it demonstrates implementing sustainability measures at existing retail facilities can be both good for the environment and good for business.

LEED for Homes

Warner Junction (Ohio)

This project provides sustainable energy solutions and cost savings to residents while also providing affordability in a rapidly gentrifying urban neighborhood.

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USGBC East North Central region announces Leadership Award recipients