Sustainability Awards

San Mateo Deputy Mayor Rick Bonilla has been committed to sustainability since volunteering with the first Sierra Club High School Chapter in the nation at Crestmoor High in San Bruno. Rick has devoted much of his professional life to being a union organizer, helping carpenters earn a living wage. He joined the San Mateo City Council in 2015 after serving on city commissions since 2001, and he served as Mayor in 2018. He was instrumental in forming Peninsula Clean Energy so San Mateo County could offer clean, renewable energy. Rick is focused on creating good jobs, energy-efficient housing, and clean and coordinated transportation in an inclusive economic environment. His collaborative spirit and dedication to social justice are evident in his service as a leader with the Association of Bay Area Governments, the League of California Cities, the Housing Endowment and Regional Trust, the Peninsula Traffic Congestion Relief Alliance and the South Bayside Waste Management Authority. See video.

The HEAL Project provides young people from across San Mateo County with hands-on lessons that help them understand the connection between our food, our health and our environment. Formed in 2001 and based in Half Moon Bay, the organization invites schools to visit two living classrooms at the San Mateo County School Farm to learn about regenerative agricultural practices, composting, rainwater, waste reduction, pollinators and healthy eating. Field trips offer lessons in food harvesting, tasting and healthy snack preparation. The Heal Project offers a tiered fee schedule and provides free and reduced cost field trips to high-need schools. It has created an Equity and Justice Work Group to help develop deeper relationships with stakeholders and ensure diversity in recruitment of staff and board members. In response to the pandemic, The Heal Project offers video lessons, LiveStreamed lessons and classroom visit opportunities free to public schools in the county. Support materials are being developed in Spanish for these new programs. See video.

Service by Medallion is committed to delivering “best in class” programs in the facilities maintenance industry through real-time response, innovation, performance analytics, technology and expertise. Its mission is to provide clients and employees with a clean, safe and healthy environment with sustainable maintenance services and pollution prevention. Headquartered in the Greater Bay Area, the company has more than 40 years of experience. Its high-performance green cleaning program exceeds LEED and WELL standards. To address the COVID-19 pandemic, all Service by Medallion employees are certified through the Building Service Contractors Association International’s (BSCAI’s) COVID-19 Disinfection and Safety Certificate, which follows strict government guidelines for disinfection. Service by Medallion embraces diversity, employs adults with developmental disabilities and has LEEP-AP and TRUE Network Advisors on its executive team who offer extensive sustainability consultation and project management to corporate clients. The company gives back to local communities by sponsoring middle and high school team sports and education scholarships. See video.

Ruth Peterson Award

The Ruth Peterson Award, established in memory of a longtime SSMC leader, will be presented to SSMC volunteer Bryan Chen. A 17-year resident of San Mateo County, Bryan has been involved with SSMC since 2010. He began his work at SSMC as a volunteer writer/analyst of air quality issues for the Indicators Report. He eventually joined the Indicators Report Committee and served as the City Coordinator for the Report. Bryan joined the Board of Directors in 2012, served as Vice Chair from 2015 to 2017 and as Chair from 2017 to 2019. He has worked professionally for more than 20 years on soil contamination, air quality and climate change issues at environmental consulting and planning firms.

Green Building Award

The 2020 Green Building Award, cosponsored by Sustainable San Mateo County and the American Institute of Architects, San Mateo County Chapter, will be presented to the William V. Campbell Academic and Arts Center on the Sacred Heart Schools campus in Atherton, which reflects wellness and inclusivity, community and ecology. This 79,000-square-foot building, which is expected to obtain Zero Net Energy (ZNE) rating in 2022, conveys the school’s deep commitment to environmental stewardship. The Center’s design intermingles teaching and social areas, creating opportunities for impromptu collaborations and casual encounters. Systems are right-sized and optimized for flexibility, designed to engage users while reducing energy and water consumption. Operable windows, a radiant heating and cooling system with integrated heat recovery, ceiling fans, “light skewers” that provide daylight to the three stories, and natural materials, speak to the importance of biophilic design and a healthy indoor environment. The stormwater and landscape manages site water and reduces impact to the neighborhood in an evident and educational way. Architect: WRNS Studio, San Francisco. Builder: XL Construction, Milpitas. Engineer (MEP): Interface Engineering, San Francisco. See video.