The current Board of Directors consists of 13 members drawn from a wide range of industries and geographic regions.
Thomas Mueller – President and CEO (Ex-officio)
Stephen Smith (Chair) Manulife Real Estate Seat: Real Estate Owners and Developers
Jenny McMinn (Vice Chair) Urban Equation Seat: At Large
Martin Nielsen (Vice Chair) DIALOG Seat: Professional Firms
Michele Walkau (Secretary) First Capital Realty Seat: Real Estate Managers & Tenants
John Pontarollo (Treasurer) CRH Canada Group Inc. Seat: Product Manufacturers, Suppliers and Retail
Morgan McDonald (Chair, Chapter Advisory Committee) Ledcor Group Seat: Chapter Network
Clare Ashbee EllisDon Seat: Constructors, Builders, Home Builders, Trade
Caroline Bordeaux Canderel Seat: Real Estate Owners and Developers
Michael Brennan Royal Architectural Institute of Canada Seat: Not-for-Profit and Industry Associations
Anthony Cupido Mohawk College Seat: Academia and Research
Stéphan Déry Real Property Services Seat: Government & Policy
Chris Piché Integral Group Seat: Professional Firms
Canada Green Building Council Suite 550, 1021 Hastings Street West Vancouver, BC V6E 0C3, Canada https://ca.linkedin.com @CAGBCCEO
Thomas Mueller is a Founding Director of the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) and became President & CEO of the Council in 2005. As Chief Executive, he leads the Council’s national green building strategy, programs and standards along with advocacy and policy initiatives. In 2018, he was appointed as CEO of Green Business Certification Inc. Canada. As a past Board member of the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI), the World Green Building Council (WGBC), and as a Board member of the Cornerstone Standards Council (CSC) and Building Energy Innovators Council (BEIC), he supports the transition toward green building, neighbourhoods and cities at home and globally. Thomas is a well-known advocate for green buildings and sustainable community development. He participates frequently in government and industry consultations on green development and is a nationally and internationally recognized authority and speaker on green buildings. He is currently participating in a number of initiatives and groups including the WorldGBC Global CEO Network, and the Advisory Committee of Energy Efficiency in BC’s Built Environment Research Project at UBC. Thomas has an Undergraduate Degree in Geography, Planning and Applied Ecology from the Ludwig-Maximilian University in Munich, Germany; and holds a Master’s Degree in Regional Planning & Resource Development from the University of Waterloo, Ontario. For his green building work, Thomas has received numerous awards. Most recently, he became a recipient of Canada’s 2015 Clean50 Award and an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) in 2016.
Manulife Real Estate Seat: Real Estate Owners and Developers
Steve has more than 25 years' experience in the commercial real estate industry. He's held a diverse set of roles including; leasing, marketing and asset management. Currently, Steve is responsible for oversight of all activities within Manulife Real Estate's western portfolio. Prior to that, Steve held a progression of senior roles within Oxford Properties. Among his more unique endeavours, Steve has developed an industry leading national call centre and a world class sustainability initiative. Steve is a graduate of the University of Toronto and a happy transplant to beautiful British Columbia.
Urban Equation Seat: At Large
Jenny works with developers across North America to create business cases for their sustainable development goals, including carbon neutrality, community energy, and the One Planet Living designation. Her most recent clients include Sidewalk Labs, Oxford Properties, and all levels of Canadian government.
Before joining Urban Equation, Jenny spent 10 years at Halsall Associates (now WSP) helping developers, municipalities and building owners create award- winning, high performance green building and community design projects.
“I’m motivated by clients who are constantly striving to improve their environmental, social and financial impact,” she says.
A LEED accredited professional, Jenny holds degrees in architecture and environmental studies. She is a former member of the City of Toronto’s Design Review Panel.
DIALOG Seat: Professional Firms
Architect AIBC, MRAIC, OAA, P.Eng., LEED® AP Principal
Martin Nielsen is a Principal with DIALOG, a multi-disciplinary design firm with 650 staff across Canada. A registered architect and mechanical engineer, Martin brings over twenty-five years of experience and leadership to the firm’s urban design, mixed-use development, higher education, and transportation projects. He is passionate about developing sustainable design solutions that are socially, economically, and environmentally responsible, with a portfolio of work that has been recognized with awards for planning, architecture and innovation.
Martin’s recent project work at UBC includes the new LEED® Gold certified Campus Energy Centre, the Transit Exchange, and Gage South Student Residences. He led the sustainable planning approach and LEED® certification process on the University of Calgary’s U-District neighborhood, one of the largest LEED® ND Platinum projects in North America.
Prior to joining DIALOG, Martin led the design and construction of UBC’s Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability (CIRS); a LEED® Platinum certified and Living Building, considered one of the greenest institutional projects in North America. He has taught at the UBC School of Architecture and Faculty of Engineering and has served as chair of the UBC Advisory Urban Design Panel. He is currently serving on the UBC Land Use Committee, Squamish Nation Advisory Design Panel, and has served as chair on the City of Vancouver Urban Design Panel.
BA, M.Sc. First Capital Realty Seat: Real Estate Managers & Tenants
Michele Walkau is Senior Vice President, Brand and Culture at First Capital Realty. Prior to joining First Capital, she was a senior executive at GWL Realty Advisors where she led human resources, branding, sustainability, innovation and communications. Michele has an Honours Bachelor of Arts from the University of Western Ontario and a Masters of Science degree in Education from Niagara University in New York. She sits on the board of directors of the Royal Canadian Military Institute and is the co-founder of the Historic Murray Canal District, a non-profit group working to improve the quality of life in the Murray Canal area in the counties of Northumberland, Quinte West and Prince Edward.
CRH Canada Group Inc. Seat: Product Manufacturers, Suppliers and Retail
John Pontarollo, Senior Vice President at CRH Canada Group Inc., oversees the Ontario & Western Canada regions of one of the country's largest vertically integrated building materials and construction companies, as well as associated assets in the Northwest and Great Lakes regions of the United States. John is a strong advocate of sustainable construction helping to steer the industry to adopt sustainable construction practices. He fosters the principles of the triple bottom line ensuring a balance between stable economic growth, continual social progress and preservation of the environment. John’s support and leadership to sustainable construction practices includes the Cornerstone Standards Council driving sustainable aggregate procurement and operations. John is a passionate advocate of developing young talent, supporting the company’s programs for young Engineers and co-teaching civil engineering at the University of Toronto. He holds a B.A.Sc. and M.A.Sc. in Civil Engineering from the University of Toronto, and an MBA from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto.
Ledcor Group Seat: Chapter Network
Morgan has charted a career trajectory developing triple-bottom-line solutions to multi-stakeholder projects. Since 2011 he has been Director of Operations with Ledcor Renew, helping owners to achieve high performance outcomes on new and existing buildings. His earlier work focused on renewable energy system design, carbon finance, and popular education on sustainability and appropriate technology. He was a founding director of the BC Sustainable Energy Association and he currently volunteers with Living Future Vancouver in addition to being Chair of the CaGBC BC Chapter. Creative and analytical, Morgan has a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Queen’s University and is also a Juno award-winning musician.
EllisDon Seat: Constructors, Builders, Home Builders, Trade Contractors
Clare Ashbee is the Vice President of Sustainable Building Solutions (SBS) at EllisDon, a world-leading construction and building services company. The SBS team is responsible for EllisDon’s work in leading and accelerating the transformation of the construction industry toward high-performance, resilient and green buildings, with a dedication to improving the wellness of their occupants. Clare joined EllisDon in February 2018 as a Director of Business Development focused on strategy and relationship building for the International and Capital Teams and was promoted to her current role in just under a year. With a background in consulting and project financing gained from international firms including Investec Bank in Toronto and PwC in London, England, Clare has a wealth of experience in originating and closing large scale energy, transportation, waste and social infrastructure projects.
Her experience also includes international development having held positions at the Aga Khan Foundation and the African Development Bank. Having lived and worked in 4 continents and traveled to 52 countries, throughout her career Clare has gained a breadth of insight into different ways to approach problems and building cross-cultural relationships.
Clare has a master’s degree in Economics from the University of British Columbia and an undergraduate degree in Applied Economics from Queen’s University. In 2015, Clare was nominated for the Canadian Women in Infrastructure Emerging Leader Award. Clare currently serves as Director and member of the Finance and Audit Committee for the Board of Directors of Canadian Feed the Children.
Canderel Seat: Real Estate Owners and Developers
Ms. Bordeaux is the Director of Sustainability for Canderel. She joined in June 2016. She acts as the company’s national expert on sustainability, overseeing corporate strategy, undertaking research on industry best practices, technology and legislation, and providing support to property management and development teams to mitigate environmental impacts associated with our activities. Ms. Bordeaux has earned a Master’s degree in Business and Sustainability from Neoma Business School (France), as well as an Advanced Master degree in Environmental Management and Engineering from Mines ParisTech (France). She is also a LEED Accredited Professional (Operations and Maintenance) and a certified Agile Project Manager.
Royal Architectural Institute of Canada Seat: Not-for-Profit and Industry Associations
Mike Brennan brings 26 years of executive leadership and a proven track record of operational success in the not-for-profit sector as well as turnarounds in for-profit companies in North America. He holds a Masters of Business from Carleton University in Ottawa and possesses a strong business acumen encompassing strategic planning, collaborative change management, and business process improvement. Throughout his career, he has focused on reducing operating costs and diversifying revenue streams while increasing performance and productivity. In addition to a solid business foundation, including in banking and manufacturing, Mike has an understanding of and commitment to the not-for-profit sector. His expertise takes in governance, fundraising, volunteers, advocacy, grant writing, stakeholder engagement and program implementation. Most recently, he served as Chief Operating Officer of the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists.
Mohawk College Seat: Academia & Research
Tony is a professional engineer with 38 years of experience in engineering, facilities management and capital development. He has considerable institutional experience, particularly with McMaster University and Mohawk College where he is the inaugural Research Chair, Sustainability. He provides leading-edge research that will contribute to a low-carbon economy, while engaging students to develop a multi-disciplinary focus on finding real world solutions to social, economic and environmental challenges.
In his leadership capacity at Mohawk College, he was responsible for the planning, design, construction and operation of Canada’s largest institutional, zero carbon building – The Joyce Centre for Partnership and Innovation. This award-winning facility became the first to achieve dual certification under the CaGBC’s Zero Carbon Building program..
He has a doctorate degree in Civil Engineering with a focus on green buildings and policy and is a former adjunct faculty member at McMaster University.
Real Property Services Seat: Government & Policy
Stéphan Déry was appointed Assistant Deputy Minister of Real Property Services at PSPC on August 19, 2019.
In this role, Stéphan is responsible for the delivery of the entire suite of real property services to federal departments and agencies, including office accommodation, project management, real estate services and specialty services (geomatics, environmental, architectural and engineering), the management of multiple federal engineering assets (bridges, dams, highways and dry docks), as well as the acquisition and disposal of federal real property.
Prior to this appointment, Stéphan was Chief Executive Officer for the Translation Bureau, where he provided strategic and operational leadership for the Bureau. He oversaw translation and revision services offered by the Bureau in French and English and in over 100 Indigenous and foreign languages to a variety of clients, including the Senate and the House of Commons.
Before his appointment as Chief Executive Officer for the Translation Bureau, Stéphan was the department’s Regional Director General for the Atlantic Region. He previously held a number of executive positions in the areas of real property, acquisitions and corporate services within PSPC and at Library and Archives Canada (LAC). In those various roles, Stéphan had the opportunity to be the Co-Champion for Official Languages and the departmental Champion for the Employees’ Charitable Campaign at PSPC, as well as Champion for Visible Minorities at LAC.
Stéphan is a certified management accountant and holds a master’s degree in public administration.
Integral Group Seat: Professional Firms
Chris brings a broad understanding of high-performance systems to each project. His approach is rooted in the philosophy that environmentally responsible design must constantly evolve to suit the technology available in balance with the client’s goals and objectives.
As the Regional Director for East Coast Operations at Integral, Chris is responsible for directing the development of regional strategic and business plans consistent with the established mission, vision, core values and strategic plan of the firm. He ensures their proper execution in close collaboration with the local leadership within each Design Studio.
Chris thrives in a team environment and implements an integrated team approach with every client. A Professional Engineer with 19 years’ experience, Chris also provides technical oversight and guidance for the Performance Engineering Group – a team with expertise in the delivery of building audits, condition assessments and commissioning services across a multitude of sectors – including healthcare, commercial, institutional and mixed-use residential development.