Biography
As President of Green Building Services, Inc. (GBS), Elaine Aye leads one of the country’s premier sustainability consulting firms. 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. 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 served as LEED Faculty from 2003-09, and maintains LEED O&M and ID&C credentials. 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. 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 – distinguish her in the green building industry.
A dedicated and engaging educator, she effectively communicates about sustainability, and fosters an understanding of its local and global importance to broad audiences. From high school presentations to national stages such as NeoCon, IFMA and Greenbuild, Elaine has taught diverse people across many disciplines — from seasoned industry professionals to neophytes — about LEED, sustainability, and the integrative process. She embraces lifelong learning, and extends herself through speaking, and publishing to keep others apprised of best practices. Over the past six years, she has traveled across the U.S. and to South Africa teaching how to implement sustainable practices for Commercial Interiors and Existing Buildings. Awards from her peers and community attest to her advocacy and support of sustainability.
