On April 21, the Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia hosted the 6th Annual Excellence in GSI Awards at FringeArts and La Peg – its first in-person awards ceremony in over two years.

The ceremony included close to 100 of the region’s industry leaders and partners, decisionmakers, and stakeholders.

SBN’s Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) Partners honored exemplary projects and the people behind them that bring the environmental, social, and economic benefits of green stormwater infrastructure to life in Philadelphia and the region.

Awards were given to Public Projects and Private Projects categories, and a GSI Champion Award given to an individual or organization that has worked tirelessly to advance our region’s green stormwater infrastructure industry.

Devi Ramkissoon, SBN’s Executive Director, opened the program applauding the region’s partners and leaders and their commitment to advancing GSI in the region despite the challenges of the global pandemic and supply and labor disruptions while recognizing its growth over the last ten years.

“The growth of the GSI industry has been instrumental in Philadelphia surpassing its 10-year pollution reduction goal that has kept nearly three billion gallons of stormwater runoff and sewer overflow out of local waterways,” said Devi Ramkissoon, Executive Director for the Sustainable Business Network (SBN) of Greater Philadelphia.

“People in our region like you all in the room tonight are leading the way, not only in our city and country but also around the world, in affecting real economic and environmental change through the use of GSI.”

Stuart Clarke, Program Director of Watershed Protection with the William Penn Foundation, delivered a passionate keynote address that emphasized the role of green stormwater infrastructure projects in mitigating climate change and the need to invest in them.

GSI Champion Award

Philadelphia Councilmember-At-Large Katherine Gilmore Richardson accepted the GSI Champion Award, an acknowledgment of her work to advance green stormwater solutions to address pollution and promote climate resilience, and the creation of family-sustaining green jobs.

“I’m so honored to be recognized as this year’s GSI Champion! The GSI Awards showcase the innovation, creativity, and collaboration that have led to a thriving local green stormwater industry, supporting local businesses, creating family-supporting and sustaining careers, and improving community resiliency. These are the types of industries we must be investing in as we look to grow our local economy and protect our residents from the impacts of climate change,” said Katherine Gilmore Richardson, Philadelphia City Councilmember-At-Large

GSI Awardees

Awardees were given awards made by local Philadelphia business and SBN member Remark Glass.

The awards were made using recycled and repurposed discarded glass. SBN member and sponsor Pixel Parlor also created the awards’ graphic designs.

The awards exemplify SBN’s values in supporting local businesses and fostering a circular economy that creates partnerships and improves sustainability.

On behalf of the Sustainable Business Network of Greater Philadelphia (SBN), the GSI Partners recognized excellence in GSI in the following categories:

Public Projects

Recognizes built projects located in the Greater Philadelphia region managed in large part by a public agency and/or on public property (municipal, state, federal).

-- Winner: American Street Improvement Project

     -- Client: Philadelphia Water Department and Philadelphia Department of Streets

     -- Planning/Design Team: Gilmore & Associates, Inc., Johnson, Mirmiran, & Thompson (JMT), KMJ Consulting, Inc.

     -- Watershed: Delaware Direct South

     -- Construction/Maintenance: Tony DePaul & Son, Malick & Scherer, P.C.

     -- Location: N. American Street (W. Girard Avenue –West Indiana Avenue), Philadelphia, PA, 19122, 19133

Private Projects

Recognizes built projects located in the Greater Philadelphia region managed in large part by a private entity and/or on private property.

-- Winner: Holmesburg Baptist Church and Christian Academy Green Stormwater Infrastructure Project

     -- Client: Holmesburg Baptist Church and Christian Academy

     -- Planning/Design Team: The Nature Conservancy, AKRF

     -- Watershed: Pennypack Creek

     -- Construction/Maintenance: Brandywine Stormwater, LLC, Holmesburg Baptist Church and Christian Academy

     -- Location: 7927 Frankford Ave, Philadelphia, PA, 19136

For more information on the winners, as well as details of the ceremony, please do not hesitate to reach out to Jared Lowe, SBN’s Communications Manager, at jared@sbnphiladelphia.org .

Resource Link:

-- SBN’s 2022 Excellence In Green Stormwater Infrastructure Finalists

[Posted: April 23, 2022]

4/25/2022