Chairman's message: Annual awards event to be on Nov. 18

On November 18th ABC Massachusetts celebrates its annual "Excellence in Construction Awards" at the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston. This event recognizes merit shop companies whose projects have earned the respect and admiration of an independent panel of judges made up of architects, engineers, and construction industry veterans. This year's awards ceremony will be part of "Build Boston" and the Excellence in Construction Awards is among the premier events during this three-day exhibition and workshop. In an effort to recognize emerging talent in the area of sustainable construction, ABC will also be presenting three "ABC Green Awards" to project teams who delivered expert craftsmanship that was also environmentally friendly and energy efficient. While the green construction market is still growing and is not without its critics, there should be little doubt amongst the industry as a whole that companies both small and large are capable of finding opportunities to recycle waste or unused materials, cut down on overall energy usage, and train their employees in the latest technologies and innovations. With our involvement in green construction, our mission is to sustain the environment through awareness of available green construction practices and to work toward improving these practices through active collaboration. Green Building requires an integrated approach and informed buy-in from the entire project team including owners, architects, engineers, builders and end users. We recognize that as key members of the project team, construction professionals have a unique opportunity to contribute their expertise to the Green Building approach. The ABC contractors and project owners whose successful efforts are recognized with Excellence in Construction Awards are at the forefront of our industry. They are demonstrating that the construction industry not only provides our built environment, it can enhance our overall environment. Changing old habits is never easy. Sometimes, change is inevitable. As we draw closer to celebrating those ABC companies whose work stands apart from their peers, the emergence of the Green Awards serves as a reminder that even the construction industry can play an important role in our ever-changing society. Gerald Simmer is chairman of the Mass. chapter of ABC and is president of Shawnlee Const., Plainville.