Enter the Mass. USGBS's 2012 Innovation in Green Design Awards - Deadline for submission is 5 p.m. on March 30th

Green innovations that move Mass. forward are the focus of the 5th annual Innovation in Green Design Award (IGDA), given each year by the Mass. chapter of the US Green Building Council (USGBC). The two categories of awards given each year - one for buildings and building related innovations, and one for products and technologies - demonstrate the best forward-looking ideas in replicable and cost effective settings in the state. The award is now open for submissions. The deadline is 5:00 p.m. on March 30th. A jury of Massachusetts practitioners and thinkers will pick the winners for 2012, with the awards presented at the 2012 USGBC MA Earth Day Party on April 12th. The IGDA continues to grow in breadth and importance as a showcase for the state. The 17 submissions from last year ranged from a student run project to create furniture from plastic bags, submitted by Artists for Humanity, to a two-building LEED Gold commercial development in Waltham, submitted by Margulies Peruzzi Architects. Last year's submissions also included a number of policy projects, as well, from the Green Building Guidelines for the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, to a green roof study for the city of Boston - one of last year's winners. Hosted by the Mass. chapter of the USGBC since 2008, the annual event connects the green building community and recognizes innovation in the green building field throughout the state. The Innovation in Green Design Award recognizes Massachusetts based projects, products, and technologies that are innovative, replicable, and have the potential for significant impact. Last Year's Award Winning Entries - Building Project Related: * Winner - Harvard Yard Childcare Center - Submitted by Triumph Modular, Inc. * Honorable Mention - Weston Corporate Center - Submitted by Boston Properties. Award Winning Entry - Product or Technology Related: * Co-Winner - FreeStyle Flooring - Submitted by SelecTech, Inc. * Co-Winner - City of Boston Green Roofs Study - Submitted by Arrowstreet. The Mass. chapter of the USGBS's mission is to promote the design, construction, and operation of sustainable buildings and communities in the state through education, mutual support, and advocacy, enabling an environmentally and socially responsible, healthy and prosperous environment that improves the quality of life.