Course Author Spotlight: Elaine Aye

As President of Green Building Services, Inc. (GBS), Elaine Aye (IIDA, LEED Fellow) heads one of the country’s leading sustainability firms. Elaine has spearheaded national green building milestones over the past decade, with an emphasis on efficient design through operations of existing buildings. Her extensive background in interior design and architectural discipline gives her a unique perspective on occupant behavior and building operations. She combines this insight with a deep understanding of organizational culture to effect widespread change, enhancing both corporate and building sustainability. Since 2000, Elaine has served as an ambassador for the USGBC and GBCI, and was awarded the prestigious designation of LEED Fellow in 2012. She has made more than 25 major conference presentations over the last decade, and has contributed articles to industry publications. As a consultant, she has been involved with more than 100 buildings and project teams worldwide. She served as a member of the LEED-CI (Commercial Interiors) Core Committee, and has taught industry professionals and students about green building. Her efforts assisting the “greening” of the Rose Garden Arena (Moda Center) in Portland led her to help create The Green Sports Alliance, a national non-profit that promotes sustainability in the sports and entertainment industries.

Elaine's influence on diverse precedent-setting projects – ranging from operations and maintenance of existing buildings, commercial interiors, and state-of-the-art assembly spaces to corporate campuses and LEED volume certifications – distinguishes her in the green building industry. In 2014 GBS reached the milestone of helping certify over 500 LEED projects worldwide, an achievement acknowledged by the USGBC as representing 2% of the green buildings on the planet. She was named Woman Executive of the Year for Small/Medium size Companies by the Portland Business Journal as part of their 2015 Women of Influence Orchid Awards. In 2014 she was honored by the Portland DJC with a Women of Vision Award, and in 2012 received an Orchid Award, the Portland Business Journal’s highest honor of achievement for women of influence.

A dedicated and engaging educator, she effectively communicates about sustainability, and fosters an understanding of its local and global importance to broad audiences. She embraces lifelong learning, and extends herself through speaking, and publishing to keep others apprised of best practices.