Erik Ring joins the U.S. Green Building Council’s 2013 LEED Fellow Class
(IRVINE, Calif.) December 31, 2013 — LPA Inc. is proud to announce Associate Erik Ring has been named a LEED Fellow by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The LEED Fellow program is the green building industry's most prestigious professional designation, recognizing exceptional contributions to green building and significant professional achievement within the rapidly growing community of LEED professionals.
Ring, Associate, PE, and LEED AP at LPA Inc., was one of just 51 individuals chosen to join the 2013 LEED Fellow class. A nationally recognized expert in green buildings, Ring has trained more than 2,500 building professionals and teaches the LEED rating system on behalf of the USGBC. At LPA, he is the design director for the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing engineering group. His focus is achieving cost-effective, energy efficient and healthy buildings through the application of appropriate technologies and innovative solutions.
Ring’s passion for sustainable design began in college while he studied engineering and considered his options for the future. “I was interested in the environment and interested in buildings, and this industry was really the right fit for me. I wanted to work on things that could have an immediate, positive impact on people,” says Ring.
Now as a LEED Fellow with over 12 years of experience in the green building industry, Ring likes to focus his expertise on the concept and emerging trend of healthy buildings. He has presented his work at the National Conference on Building Commissioning, Greenbuild and the West Coast Energy Management Conference, among others.
“I’m increasingly interested in and have a lot of passion for the ‘health’ of buildings,” he says, noting that a building’s MEP systems have a direct impact on indoor air quality and occupant comfort.
“In our designs, we try to find the synergies between buildings that are really energy efficient and that are also optimal for peoples’ comfort, well-being, and health,” explains Ring. His designs help ensure all LPA projects exceed California’s Title 24 requirements by at least 15 percent, and he is interested in learning about and choosing green building materials that won’t negatively impact occupant or environmental health. His engineering expertise includes energy efficient HVAC systems and integrating user controls and operable windows into “mixed-mode” buildings.
A LEED AP since 2001 and a LEED faculty member since 2006, Ring invests time and energy in staying on top of trends and technologies by reading, attending webinars, and participating in training.
“The world is constantly evolving,” says Ring. “It’s really important to stay relevant in your profession by understanding changes and developments. There are always new products, new ideas that we can be exposed to.” Ring sees his LEED Fellow designation as an outstanding award, but adds, “It’s also a responsibility.” He says his designation helps inspire him to continue to be involved as an advocate and ambassador for the green building movement and the LEED program.
Ring was recognized with the rest of the 2013 LEED Fellow class at the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in Philadelphia last month. “We are thrilled to present these highly accomplished individuals with the LEED Fellow designation,” says Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO, and Founding Chair at the USGBC. “The Fellows are some of the leading innovators and vanguards of the green building movement, and their bodies of work strongly underscore their commitment to LEED and a sustainable built environment.”
More information on the LEED Fellow program can be found Here.
About LPA Inc.
Founded in 1965, LPA has nearly 200 employees with offices in Irvine, Roseville, and San Diego, Calif. The firm provides services in architecture, sustainability, planning, interior design, landscape architecture, engineering, and graphics. There is no “Sustainability Director,” at LPA. Instead, more than 80% of the professionals are LEED accredited, including the Human Resources Director, CFO, and several other support staff. With extensive experience in public and private architecture, LPA designs a diversity of facilities that span from K-12 schools, colleges and universities, to corporate and civic establishments. More than 500 major design awards attest to LPA’s commitment to design excellence. For more information, visit http://www.lpadesignstudios.com
