Kathleen O'Brien
Principal
Certifications
Certified Sustainable Building Advisor
LEED Accredited Professional
Concentrations & Specialties
Program and policy development, training and education
Teaches
Dark Green Performance with Integrative Design
Sustainable Building Advisor course
Bio
Kathleen is a nationally recognized leader in the field of sustainability, having been in the field as a writer, educator, strategic planner, and project consultant for nearly 25 years. Kathleen is a LEED Accredited Professional, a Certified Sustainable Building Advisor, and earned her Masters at Antioch University in Environment and Community. Her book, The Northwest Green Home Primer (Timberpress) is her first full-length publication aimed at the layperson. Kathleen’s forte is to distill abstract concepts into meaningful ideas you can put into practice.
Awards
- Kitsap County YWCA Woman of Achievement (2001)
- Sustainable Seattle’s Outstanding Leadership Award (2006)
- Kitsap County Earth Day Award for Environmental Leadership (2007)
- Cascadia Region Green Building Council "Cascadia Fellow" a lifetime achievement award (2008)
- Antioch University Distinguished Alumna (2009)
Books on my desk
Sustainable Building Advisor Course instructor manual
Favorite personal sustainability strategy
Walking to work from my Built Green home on Bainbridge Island to our downtown Seattle office
Best green advice
Less is more, free is better, know what you're getting, and have fun!

My Service Areas:
My Projects:
- Bainbridge Island City Hall
- Built Green Program Development
- Economic Sustainability Strategy for the City of Kirkland
- GreenTools Program Support
- Hawai'i Preparatory Academy
- LEED Benefits for Hawaiian Schools
- Our Office TI
- Sustainability Strategy for the City of Shoreline
- Sustainable Building Advisor Course
- Sustainable Cities Roundtables and Trainings
- Washington Green Schools Program
- Washington Sustainable Schools Protocol



