HOK Tops Engineering News-Record’s First ‘Top 100 Green Design Firms’

HOK, an early adherent to sustainable design, is the greenest design firm on the planet, according to a survey published in the June 23 issue of Engineering News-Record (ENR).

The rankings — the first  time  such a listing has been published in ENR — are based on revenue for design services generated in 2007 from projects actively seeking certification from major third-party environmental standards or ratings organizations, such as the U.S. Green Building council’s LEED certification system.

HOK generated $151.45 million, or 23 percent of total revenue, from sustainable projects in 2007. In the magazine’s individual rankings by sector, HOK ranked first in the “Healthcare” sector; first in the “Government Offices” sector; second in “Commercial Offices;” and third in “Education.”
 
“The market for sustainable design has passed the tipping point and is rapidly becoming mainstream,” according to the magazine. “ENR's first ‘Top Green Design Firms’ is an attempt to bypass the marketing and hype and measure the market by ranking designers based on their 2007 revenue from projects that were registered and actively seeking certification from major third-party environmental standards or ratings organizations.”
 
The ENR Top 100 Green Designers generated $1.74 billion in revenue from sustainable projects in 2007, with $1.62 billion domestically and $121.2 million abroad. Green design accounted for 7.4 percent of the Top 100’s total design revenue.
 
“We’re delighted that the ENR ranking reinforces HOK’s green design leadership role and impact,” said HOK Sustainable Design Director Mary Ann Lazarus. “This kind of recognition doesn’t come easily – it’s the result of many HOK people over many years working hard to make a positive impact and raise the bar for our clients, partners and profession.”
 
A pioneer in the green building movement since the early 1990s, HOK’s sustainable design expertise has led to more than 30 LEED-certified projects, six BREEAM-rated projects and more than 100 others actively pursuing certification. The firm also has placed a significant role in applying sustainable design strategies to emerging geographic regions, building types and sectors. In addition, HOK principals authored a pioneering text on sustainability, “The HOK Guidebook to Sustainable Design,” published by John Wiley  Sons.
 

 

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