Lopez Community Land Trust “Common Ground” received the 2010 Annual Golden Nuggets Grand Award for “Green Sustainable Community of the Year” at the “Pacific Coast Builders Conference (PCBC) on June 10. Lopez Community Land Trust’s (LCLT) fourth affordable housing neighborhood and net-zero community was one of two to receive the Grand Award in this category. PCBC represents the 14 Western States and the Pacific Rim. This award recognizes those who improve our communities through exceptional concepts in design, planning and development. Grand award winners were announced at a luncheon in San Francisco and receive a trophy that looks like a one inch gold nugget in acrylic. This is the fourth award granted to the Lopez Common Ground Project.

On June 7 at the annual American Institute of Architects Seattle “What Makes It Green?” Awards program, the Lopez Community Land Trust Common Ground neighborhood was awarded one of only five awards out of 11 finalists and dozens of entrants. The Honorable Mention Award was one of two, the other going to Miller Hull for the Port Townsend Boat Center. Two Silver Awards included the restoration of King Street Station by Zimmer Gunsul Frasca Architects (ZGF), and a Portland high-rise with wind turbines also by ZGF. The single Gold award went to LMN Architects for their Vancouver Canada Convention Center. Among heavy competition by very large projects, LCLT’s Fourth Housing Neighborhood on Lopez Island, targeted at Zero Net Energy, was recognized and lauded by the jury!