NGBS Green Advisory Group

Troy Johns, Chairman, NGBS Green Advisory Group

As Founder of Urban Northwest Homes, the largest home builder in the Pacific Northwest, Troy Johns has been actively involved in the development, construction, and renovation of sustainable, healthy, highly energy-efficient homes in Clark County, Wash. for the last 20 years. Troy's company has established significant efficiencies among subcontractors in the region, allowing him to implement highly sustainable features for his homebuyers, while maintaining affordability. Believing that “green building” is just another way of saying smart and responsible building, Troy’s mission is to cut energy consumption in the homes he builds by 50% above Energy Star standards. He holds leadership positions with the BIA of Clark County, the BIA’s Green Building Council, and the BIA of Washington State. Troy also serves on Home Innovation’s Board of Directors.

Kyle Abney, NGBS Green Advisory Group

Kyle Abney, Principal of Abney + Abney Green Solutions, is an accredited NGBS Green Verifier, LEED® Accredited Professional (AP), and state-licensed General Contractor. Kyle has first-hand experience with all green building certifications for both commercial and residential construction in Florida. Prior to founding his own firm, Kyle worked for a large commercial contractor and later for his family’s construction business. He is a recognized speaker on the topic of sustainable development and has been cited in various publications, including the Palm Beach Post, Miami Herald, Orlando Sentinel and was featured on National Public Radio (NPR). Kyle is active in the Florida Green Building Coalition and US Green Building Council South Florida Chapter where he served as the organization’s president from 2008 to 2010.

Sandra Adomatis, NGBS Green Advisory Group

Sandra Adomatis, Principal at Adomatis Appraisal Service, is a real estate appraiser, instructor, author, and appraisal course developer. She authored “Residential Green Valuation Tools,” which was published by the Appraisal Institute in April 2014. Sandra spearheaded the development of the Appraisal Institute Residential and Commercial Green and Energy Efficient Addendums. Her valuation and green building knowledge is prized by many for consulting in the area of valuing energy efficiency and green building technology. Her consulting clients include builders, governmental agencies, utility companies, and energy organizations, and members of the national media often quote Sandra on high performance topics of valuation. She is a national speaker at events such as GreenBuild, IBS, EEBA, ACI, The White House Conference Center, and Appraisal Institute Conferences.

Jodi Bakst, NGBS Green Advisory Group

Jodi Bakst is a Realtor and Broker Owner of Real Estate Experts ( REE), a residential real estate and property management company that has been serving Chapel Hill, Durham, and the greater Triangle area for over 25 years. In addition to providing seamless customer service to her buyer and seller clients, Jodi has expertise in listing and positioning green, high-performance homes for sale. Jodi is currently developing North Carolina’s first 100% net zero energy neighborhood in Orange County. Before moving into Real Estate, Jodi worked in the environmental management field in both Washington, D.C., and Raleigh, N.C.

Janet Bates, NGBS Green Advisory Group

A construction industry veteran, Janet Bates is the client solutions manager at JE Dunn Construction, responsible for business development in Charleston and the surrounding low country. Bates heads JE Dunn’s efforts to build long-term strategic relationships with clients in the commercial office, education, hospitality, and healthcare markets. In addition to serving on the NAWIC Palmetto Chapter Board of Directors, Janet is a member of Commercial Real Estate Women Charleston, the Urban Land Institute, and the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce Developers Council. She holds her MBA in General Management and Sustainable Enterprise from the University of North Carolina Kenan Flagler Business School and her BA in Theatre and Dramatic Literature from The George Washington University.

Laurie Colwander, NGBS Green Advisory Group

As a HERS Rater, NGBS Green Verifier, LEED Green Rater, Green Globes Professional and EarthCraft Technical Advisor, Laurie Colwander has 16+ years in the sustainability and green building certification industry. She is currently Director of Multifamily Services for Southern Energy Management, a Certified BCorp, where the multifamily team provides experience with both commercial and residential projects of all construction types in multiple regions and climate zones throughout the United States and internationally. With a focus on engaging builders and developers through strong partnerships, the SEM team seeks solutions to identify cost saving, healthy, market focused strategies to improve the durability and energy performance of their homes and communities.

Matthew Cooper, NGBS Green Advisory Group

Matthew Cooper is the Senior Vice President of PEG, LLC. His 25 years of expertise in the evaluation, design, and control of the built environment has helped to establish PEG as an industry leader and innovator; providing utility and municipal demand side control programs as well as code compliance inspections and new construction third-party program implementation. PEG currently operates in 28 states as licensed mechanical engineers, and is a RESNET Provider, BPI Accredited Contractor, USGBC LEED for Homes Provider, and has NGBS Green Verifiers on staff. PEG is a 2015, 2016, and 2017 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year, and a 2015 and 2016 NGBS Green Partner of Excellence..

Bill Greene, NGBS Green Advisory Group

Bill Greene is a licensed Architect in the State of Texas and LEED-accredited professional with 20 years of multifamily design and construction experience. He is currently Vice President of Design Management for JPI’s Central Region. Experienced with the development of over 30,000 multifamily market rate/class A rental and high-end/for-sale units in low-rise, mid-rise, and high-rise product types throughout his career, Bill oversees the design process from site selection through the permitting design phases , as well as quality control during construction for all of JPI-developed, -built, and -managed projects in their Central Region. Bill holds a Bachelor of Architecture Degree from LSU in Baton Rouge, LA, and has an Associate’s Degree in Applied Construction Science. Bill is a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA).

Tony Marnella, NGBS Green Advisory Group

Tony Marnella, Owner, Marnella Homes, has a background in real estate that spans over 30 years and includes sales, restoration of historic homes, construction, and development. He has always tried to bring the same sense of pride and excitement to his customers that he felt as a first-time homebuyer himself. As a single-family home builder, he is passionate about creating high-performing, healthy homes with great style, energy efficiency, and unparalleled value; and creating a home buying experience that is fun and easy.

Lisa M. Stephens, NGBS Green Advisory Group

Lisa Stephens is President of Saigebrook Development, LLC, a certified WBE and Texas HUB real estate development firm. Lisa is a LEED Green Associate, a founding member and President of the Texas Coalition of Affordable Developers, and a current member of the NGBS Green Advisory Group.

During her tenure in the real estate industry, Ms. Stephens has worked throughout the southeast developing new communities, conducting extensive rehabilitations and replacing functionally obsolete housing. As an affordable housing developer, the job requirement is to transform funding applications, complicated program requirements and governmental red tape efficiently and effectively into the “sticks and bricks” that become someone’s home. Most recently Ms. Stephens was recognized as a 2016 Home Innovation NGBS Green Partner of Excellence for her work in NGBS certified apartment communities.