Scholarship Winners

University of Arizona (UW Solar Decathlon)
Attached Housing

University of Texas at Austin (Longhorn Solar Decathlon)
Multi-Family Housing

OBJECTIVES IN ACTION

US Judges and the IIT Bombay, Multifamily Division Winning team

GBI’s Nilesh Bansal (left) and the US judges

Nilesh Bansal (right) with the Ray Tonjes Scholarship and Leadership Award recipients

GBI’s Nina Armstrong and Friendship House San Francisco’s Atiuh Cervantes at the USGBC California gala in December. The Village SF was the 2024 recipient of the Green Building Award for Merit – Equity & Environmental Justice.

Ray Tonjes Scholarship & Leadership Award

As the founding chair and longest-serving director of GBI, Ray Tonjes has been critical to GBI’s success and in driving our vision to create sustainable, healthy, and resilient buildings for all. Tonjes is a strong advocate for volunteerism and leads by example in this regard, having served as a juror for the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon® on multiple occasions. It is with his long-standing dedication to service and commitment to sustainable housing in mind that we are honored to offer the Ray Tonjes Scholarship and Leadership Award. This award provides $5,000 annually toward scholarship(s), internship(s), or stipend(s) that result in inspiring and supporting future sustainability leaders within our increasingly diverse, equitable, and inclusive building industry.

In 2024, GBI elected to offer the Ray Tonjes Scholarship & Leadership Award to teams participating in and attending the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon® 2024 Competition Event which took place at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado, April 19 — 22, 2024. Award funds were used to reimburse eligible expenses related to in-person attendance at the Competition Event as either a Finalist or Exhibition Team. This award is provided at the sole discretion and selection of GBI and is not in the purview of the U.S. Department of Energy nor the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

GBI’s Nilesh Bansal, Vice President, Sustainable Buildings & Program Innovation, served as a juror of student submissions and live presentations during the 2024 Final Competition of the Design Challenge. Jurors engage with students, sharing perspectives and expertise to support student entrance into the workforce.

Empowering Developing Industry Leaders

Early and future building and sustainability professionals are entering the workforce are faced with significant headwinds. But they are up for the challenge, and GBI is supporting them through accessible education and providing seats at the table.

Trellis Groups’ Emerging Leaders Program connects professionals of color pursuing careers in sustainability and provides opportunities to learn and network with leading professionals in the industry.

For each premier Trellis event, an impressive cohort of emerging BIPOC sustainability professionals are selected from a competitive application process. Selected applicants receive a complimentary all-access scholarship to participate in the event, which comes with special recognition and networking opportunities exclusive to Emerging Leaders.

As a supporter of the Emerging Leaders Program, GBI enabled additional students to participate at Trellis Groups’ VERGE Conference, held in San Jose, California in October.

Championing Industry Inclusion

GBI fosters collaborative approaches to achieve global sustainability, health, and resilience goals. Supporting a diverse workforce allows for varying perspectives and ideas and promotes a more sustainable collective built environment. For the second year, GBI served as an Ambassador for Construction Inclusion Week, celebrated from October 14 — 18, 2024.

Construction Inclusion Week is the first effort to harness the collective power of general contractors, specialty contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers. The initiative aims to build awareness of the need to improve diversity and inclusion in the construction industry by providing education and support. 

GBI’s Green Globes Emerging Professional (GGEP) credential advances inclusion via an affordable and flexible training course, contributing to a more inclusive, skilled, and diverse workforce ready to shape the future of construction.

Championing Industry Inclusion

Lending a Hand

GBI offers a Voluntary Time Off (VTO) policy, allowing staff to contribute their time during work hours. In 2024, GBI staff members donated 457 hours to their local communities.

Learn more about GBI’s Staff.

We believe that investing in our people leads to a more engaged, skilled, and successful team, benefiting both individuals and the organization. As a fully remote operation, GBI benefits from access to a wide candidate pool and breadth of talent. During our highest impact year, we welcomed four new staff:

We believe that investing in our people leads to a more engaged, skilled, and successful team, benefiting both individuals and the organization. As a fully remote operation, GBI benefits from access to a wide candidate pool and breadth of talent. During our highest impact year, we welcomed four new staff:

Scaling to Amplify Impact

GBI volunteering at the Portland Fruit Tree Project during the September Staff Retreat.