Engineering News-Record Presents Award of Excellence to Ultra-Green Building Visionary Jeffrey M. Baker

NEW YORK, April 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Engineering News-Record (ENR), McGraw-Hill Construction's industry-leading publication and website and part of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP), today announced that Jeffrey M. Baker, environmental engineer and director of laboratory operations for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy in Golden, Colo., has received the 46th annual Award of Excellence, its highest honor. Mr. Baker received the award in front of 1,000 peers today at a black-tie awards gala in New York City. He was among ENR's Top 25 Newsmakers of 2011, who were also honored for industry-impacting achievements last year.

The editors of ENR selected Mr. Baker as this year's Award of Excellence winner for creating a model for affordable, ultra-green buildings that can be replicated anywhere and for triggering a transformation in how the nation can maximize energy performance through sustainable design.

"Mr. Baker's tenacity and drive for energy efficiency led him on a crusade to build a living laboratory for research into sustainable commercial buildings. It took 12 years of swimming upstream, but his dream was fully realized last June, when the Department of Energy's Research Support Facility in Golden, Colo. opened," said Janice L. Tuchman, editor-in-chief of ENR. "ENR is thrilled to honor his work through the Award of Excellence. Our future is brighter thanks to his contributions."

This innovative DOE facility is on course to become the nation's largest net-zero energy-use building. Using proven systems and standard materials, the structure slashed energy use by half compared to new code-complying buildings without adding cost. DOE is replicating its design and construction on three other agency building projects, and it is spreading elsewhere in the federal government.  

Jeffrey M. Baker's story will be featured in the April 11 issue of ENR. For more details on the Top 25 Newsmakers, visit http://enr.construction.com/people/awards/2011/0112-Top25Newsmakers.asp

Sponsors of the 46th Annual Award of Excellence include AECOM, The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), CMAA, CMiC, EarthCam, FIGG, HDR Inc., Hill International, Houlihan Lokey, MBP (McDonough, Bolyard, Peck), Parsons, Shaw Group, Inc., and United Rentals, Inc.

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SOURCE McGraw-Hill Construction