On December 2nd, the United States Green Building Council California named The Village SF Wellness Center a recipient of an Environmental Justice Merit Award, as part of the organization’s 14th Annual California Green Building Awards (FKA the Sustainable Innovation Awards).

The awards, according to USGBC-CA’s press release, “affirm a project team’s commitment and leadership in creating a sustainable built environment for all,” recognizing built and unbuilt projects that go “above and beyond in demonstrating innovation, sustainable strategies, and exemplary performance in the fields of sustainability, occupant health, and community engagement.”

“Our California Green Building Awards now represent the leading buildings across this beautiful and diverse state, raising the bar for what is possible for our built environment to better support the communities they serve, not just here, but everywhere,” noted USGBC-CA Executive Director Ben Stapleton.

The Village SF Wellness Center design, a 43,500-square-foot community services center set for a 0.15-acre site in San Francisco’s Mission District (and American Indian Cultural District) integrates impactful strategies to achieve parallel sustainable and environmental justice goals. Through the celebration of Indigenous values, the Center incorporates features such as a native-sourced mass timber structure, a “breathing skin” of operable windows and vertical terracotta lattice, efficient building systems and all electric appliances, and an extensive productive rooftop farm, together estimated to offset carbon emissions equivalent to an amount sequestered by 328 acres of forest per year.

The Wellness Center won a Merit Award in the Environmental Justice category, joining two Honor Award winners, The Environmental Justice Center at Puente Hills Landfill Park and the Westlands Solar Park in San Joaquin Valley. Other Green Building Award categories include Energy/Operational Carbon, Health & Wellbeing, Water, Zero Waste & Circular Solutions, and Project of the Year, which went to the Orange County Sanitation District Headquarters in Fountain Valley. The 21 award winning projects, project images, and details are featured on USGBC-CA’s EcoMap.