Washington, D.C.— (July 14, 2020) — Today, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced the recipients of the annual LEED Homes Awards. The awards recognize LEED-certified residential projects that are positively impacting communities through sustainable, healthy and resilient design, as well as builders and developers who are helping to advance green home building. Recipients represent multifamily, single family and affordable housing projects from around the world, including the U.S., Mexico and Turkey. This year’s Project of the Year is Park Mozaik A Block in Ankara, Turkey.

“As communities around the world are grappling with how to address the economic and health challenges we’re facing, it’s never been more important to commit to the development of green homes that help families lower their utility payments and enhance their health and well-being,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO, USGBC. “The LEED Homes Awards recognizes the residential builders and developers committed to LEED who are leading the industry to a sustainable, resilient and healthy future. This year’s recipients are examples of what we can achieve when we prioritize decisions that support both people and the planet, especially for our most vulnerable communities, and they remind us that each certified green home is an opportunity to improve someone’s quality of life.”

The full list of this year’s LEED Homes Awards recipients include:

Outstanding Multifamily Project:

Iconia Cubos Luxury Living, Guadalajara, Mexico: The LEED Gold complex consists of two towers of 100 units each and is part of a hotel and connecting mall. The high-density project provides access to mass transit and diverse services within walking distance to reduce the need for a car. During construction, a Health for Construction Workers program was piloted to provide additional safety measures and promote construction worker dignity. Terraces, as well as panoramic and operable windows, provide views to the city from most of its regularly occupied areas while keeping thermal comfort a priority. All rainwater is reused onsite and greywater from the hotel is also treated onsite and reused in restrooms. Additionally, the owner adopted and restored public green areas around the site providing residents, as well as the city, with access to additional outdoor space.

Park Mozaik A Block, Ankara, Turkey (Project of the Year): The 40-unit LEED Gold building was designed to support middle-income families and focused on decisions that promote sustainability, health and affordability. The energy-efficient building has a high-performing building envelope, energy-efficient mechanical and lighting systems. It uses water efficient fixtures to reduce water use by over 40%. The human-centric design prioritizes health through enhanced ventilation, filtration, source separation and non-emitting materials. It also provides daylighting, access to quality views and improved thermal and acoustic comfort. During construction, the project was able to achieve an outstanding waste recycling rate of over 96% and money earned from the sale of recyclable waste was distributed to construction workers. Integrating sustainability goals from the beginning and using an integrative design approach contributed to ensuring this was an affordable, green residential building.

Sitka Apartments, Seattle, Wash.: The LEED Platinum apartments provide a refuge to the urban dweller, bringing the beauty of the natural environment into a fast-paced setting. The seven-story, 384-unit mixed-use project has entrances that represent an environmental characteristic of the Northwest – mountains, meadows, forests and waterways. It includes a rooftop community garden, vegetated roof areas and indoor/outdoor entertainment zones designed to connect residents to the outdoors. Its interior courtyard features a running stream, tree-covered hilltops and an imaginative take on a treehouse. The project uses a wastewater heat recovery system, low-flow fixtures and a greywater harvesting system that diverts water from showers and laundry for on-site irrigation. Energy performance was also a priority and the team focused on reducing consumption, increasing access to natural light and utilizing exterior elevators and walkways. In one year, the project is expected to deliver $100,000 in savings divided between owner and tenants and eliminate nearly 80 tons of carbon.

Achieving LEED certification is an indication that a home meets the highest sustainability standards. A LEED-certified home helps lower utility bills by reducing energy and water consumption and provides a healthier indoor environment by improving air quality and using materials that lower people’s exposure to toxins and pollutants. LEED also serves a roadmap for creating high-quality, affordable housing that improves quality of life. The number of LEED-certified green homes continues to grow globally with certifications increasing 19% from 2017 to 2019. Currently, there are more than 555,000 LEED-certified residential units around the world.