Top honour for emerging talent in green building announced

Ottawa, ON (November 6, 2025) – Toronto Metropolitan University graduate Callista Permana, has been awarded the 2025 Andy Kesteloo Memorial Project Award for her Forever Home design, a project that reimagines community infrastructure for Events for Life (EFL), a not-for-profit organization supporting adults with special needs in rural Ontario.

Presented annually by the Canada Green Building Council (CAGBC), the award honours the legacy of Andy Kesteloo – a visionary green building advocate who shared his commitment to sustainability with humour, insight, and passion. It celebrates students who show innovation, leadership, and commitment to sustainable building. For Permana, the recognition affirms her belief that design can simultaneously champion low-carbon solutions and serve as a powerful tool for community well-being.

“By leading the Forever Home project design, Callista has demonstrated exceptional innovative thinking and deep commitment to sustainable design that benefits both community and environment,” says CAGBC President and CEO Thomas Mueller. “Her ambition exemplifies the spirit of the Andy Kesteloo Memorial Project Award.”

Driven by accessibility and shaped by carbon reduction, Callista Permana’s Forever Home project—developed during a Building Science Detail Design course—balances environmental performance with social equity. By combining lifecycle assessment, energy strategy, and low-carbon design, she created a community facility that demonstrates how sustainability can align with affordability. Now a sustainability analyst at EQ Building Performance, Permana sees this recognition as a launchpad for a career focused on low-embodied carbon materials and rethinking how value is measured in construction. Read full breakdown on the project here.

“Winning the Andy Kesteloo Award gives me the momentum to deepen my impact,” says Callista Permana, winner of Andy Kesteloo Award. “I want to help redefine how we measure value in construction—tying fiscal decisions directly to sustainability outcomes.”

About the Canada Green Building Council (CAGBC)

The Canada Green Building Council (CAGBC) is the national voice for Canada’s green building sector. Through certification, advocacy, and education, CAGBC advances low-carbon, high-performance buildings that support climate resilience, affordability, and economic growth.

For media requests—including images, interviews, or story angles on the next generation driving sustainable design forward—please contact media@cagbc.org.

Explore past winners of the Andy Kesteloo Memorial Project Award.