Congratulations, Winners!

LOS ANGELES, March 29, 2023—The Los Angeles Better Buildings Challenge (LABBC) on Wednesday afternoon presented the city’s most prestigious sustainability awards to the “Best Buildings” in Los Angeles at its 9th Annual Innovation Awards. The intimate invite-only ceremony was held in Downtown Los Angeles at the L.A. Cleantech Incubator (LACI) in the Arts District. Read more here.

Speaker Highlights

“Buildings are really about the people who occupy them. We know that the effects of climate change and our persistent environmental harms and toxic pollution fall disproportionately on communities of color and the poor. So it’s really up to all of us to deliver on ambitious decarbonization and sustainability goals, and to meaningfully confront the climate crisis and the environmental injustices in our city.”

— Nancy Sutley, L.A. Deputy Mayor for Energy and Sustainability

“Together, we’re creating healthier environments, healthier buildings, healthier homes. It’s the kind of future that we all wish we had grown up in, and the one that we foresee for our children. It more than takes a village. It takes a village of visionaries, a village of doers, a village of people who want to see a healthy, thriving Los Angeles and can see that that is our ultimate goal.”

— Marta Segura, Chief Heat Officer and Director, L.A. Climate Emergency Mobilization Office (CEMO)

“The work being recognized today is critical. What the LA Better Buildings Challenge is doing to bring people together, accelerate progress and learn from each other, that’s what innovation is all about. We can go further and faster together.”

— Matt Petersen, President and Chief Executive Officer,
LA Cleantech Incubator (LACI)

“These winners are truly inspiring. They’re showing it’s possible to make a real impact today, using today’s technology to overcome today’s biggest challenges. They’re laying the foundation for the clean energy transition.”

— David Hodgins, Executive Director,
LA Better Buildings Challenge (LABBC)

Award Categories & Criteria

INDUSTRY VISIONARY

It takes strong leaders in both public and private sectors to inspire action at the scale needed to make a meaningful difference in ongoing efforts to decarbonize the built environment. New this year, the award for “Industry Visionary” is reserved to honor an individual whose ongoing commitment to addressing the climate crisis has been instrumental in moving the industry forward by advancing energy and water efficiency.

INDUSTRY LEADER, OFFICE

True resilience offers owners a distinct competitive advantage in one of the most competitive sectors of the industry. The award for “Leadership in Office” is given to our Partner who most effectively pushes the boundaries of what’s possible today to improve and strengthen operational efficiencies and resilience tomorrow.

Criteria:

Portfolio-wide reduction of energy and water use intensity
Measures to manage energy and water use over the prior year (operational measures and/or capital projects)
Measures to enhance health and safety over the prior year (operational measures and/or capital projects)
ESG initiatives and impact over the prior year, including diversity, equity and inclusion
Published CR/ESG reports for the two most recent consecutive years
Stakeholder engagement, communications and social impact

INDUSTRY LEADER, ENTERTAINMENT

“With great power comes great responsibility.” Representing LA’s most iconic industry, the award for “Leadership in Entertainment” is given to our Partner who best demonstrates—and advocates for—industry-wide efficiency and change.

Criteria:

Portfolio-wide reduction of energy and water use intensity
Measures to manage energy and water use over the prior year (operational measures and/or capital projects)
Measures to enhance health and safety over the prior year (operational measures and/or capital projects)
ESG initiatives and impact over the prior year, including diversity, equity and inclusion
Published CR/ESG reports for the two most recent consecutive years
Stakeholder engagement, communications and social impact

INDUSTRY LEADER, WATER

Though water is the essence of life, its efficiency in building systems is often overlooked. The award for “Leadership in Water Performance” is given to our Partner who most effectively optimizes water use through innovative projects and strategies.

Criteria:

Water performance over the prior year
Long-term reduction of water use intensity
Measures to manage water use (operational measures and/or capital projects)
Measures to maintain water quality and enhance health and safety (operational measures and/or capital projects)
Alignment with organization-wide ESG commitments
Stakeholder engagement, communications and social impact
Innovation in technology and execution

INDUSTRY LEADER, AFFORDABLE MULTIFAMILY

Safe, affordable housing is a human right. The award for “Leadership in Affordable Multifamily” is given to our Partner who demonstrates exceptional initiative to protect the health, safety and well-being of low-income Angelenos through impact-driven programs, including measures to optimize energy and water use.

Criteria:

Social and community impact
Stakeholder engagement and communications
Alignment with organization-wide ESG commitments
Short- and long-term energy and water performance
Measures to manage energy and water use (operational measures and/or capital projects)
Measures to enhance resident health and safety (operational measures and/or capital projects)

INDUSTRY LEADER, COMMUNITY IMPACT

Taking a 360-degree view of what it means to have a resilient community, the award for “Leadership in Community Impact” is given to our Partner who has made an extraordinary contribution to the fabric of the Los Angeles community through a commitment to addressing our city’s most pressing social and environmental challenges.

Criteria:

Initiatives to address critical social, economic, health or environmental needs in Los Angeles
Stakeholder engagement, communications and social impact
Clear commitment to energy and water efficiency

VIEW PAST WINNER CASE STUDIES