Higher-education institutions across the U.S. are some of the biggest drivers of sustainable building practices. Among the leaders forging ahead with plans and ideas aimed at reducing the built environment's carbon footprint is the Georgia Institute of Technology. Steven G. Swant, Georgia Tech executive vice president, preaches from atop his sustainability soapbox with a fervor that might win over even the worst skeptics.
"Sustainability isn't smoke and mirrors—it's real," he says. "It's real commitment and passion."