March 24, 2016

CHP President and CEO Janaka Casper was honored March 22 by Viridiant (formerly EarthCraft Virginia) with a Visionary Award at its annual Sustainable Leadership Awards dinner. Each year, the top honor Visionary Award is presented to an organization or individual recognizing outstanding leadership in sustainable housing.

According to Viridiant Executive Director K.C. Bleile, her organization’s staff and board, “recognize [Casper’s] leadership in promoting building science and sustainability throughout [his] organization including design, construction, property management and training. Community Housing Partners participated in the EarthCraft Multifamily pilot program in 2006 and had previously incorporated sustainability features into its projects. We applaud [Casper] and Community Housing Partners for their early adoption of and continued commitment to green building.”

As president and CEO of CHP since 1982, Casper expanded the organization’s programs and activities over the past three decades to include real estate development, architecture, construction, energy services, homeownership opportunities, housing management, and resident services.  Casper was also instrumental in guiding the evolution of CHP’s mission to include a focus on green, sustainable development, establishing the organization as an industry leader in the sustainability field.

Viridiant’s March 22 awards event honored Virginia leaders for the adoption of green, sustainable housing and brought together over 100 individuals representing home builders, nonprofit and for-profit housing providers and developers, affordable housing advocates, and those interested in creating green housing opportunities in Virginia. Awards were presented in a variety of categories to cover new construction, renovation, single family homes, multifamily housing and more.

“It’s a true honor to be recognized by Viridiant for the work we have done at CHP to not only practice sustainable housing, but to educate others about its benefits,” commented Casper. “The key to long-term sustainability lies in understanding how it impacts everyone on an environmental, economic, and social level.”

About Viridiant
Viridiant is a non-profit organization committed to supporting sustainable building processes through education, consultation and certification. Through these efforts, Viridiant helps to set a path for businesses and homeowners to create structures that are more affordable, more livable and more durable.

Following ten years of advocating for sustainable homes and buildings across the Commonwealth, EarthCraft Virginia took on the new name Viridiant, in order to serve an even broader range of goals. The mission of Viridiant is expressed through a focus on the “Three Pillars of Sustainability”: environmental sustainability, economic sustainability and structural sustainability. Learn more at www.viridiant.org.