Former student to head city of
Austin's sustainability office

Lucia Athens, a former student from Texas A&M's College of Architecture, has been named to head sustainability and conservation efforts for the city of Austin as its first chief sustainability officer.

"This position will play a crucial role in our continued stewardship of environmental resources," said Mark Ott, Austin's city manager. "Lucia brings experience in both the public and private sectors that will serve the city well in understanding community desires and economic realities."

Athens, who earned a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree in 1985, is coming to Texas' capital city from her position as a senior sustainable futures strategist for CollinsWoerman, a Seattle-based sustainable architecture, design and planning firm.

Her 2009 book, “Building an Emerald City: A Guide to Creating Green Building Policies and Programs,” has brought her speaking engagements throughout the country. Athens has given plenary, keynote or other presentations at conferences in Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Canada and throughout the United States.

Athens, who spent ten years providing leadership in program and policy development for the city of Seattle’s sustainability programs, also served in key sustainability leadership positions with the board of directors for the U.S. Green Building Council and the International Green Building Certification Institute.

"Having worked in Austin, she understands that this is a special place," Ott said. "We welcome her back home."

Athens spent much of her early career in Austin, working in the city’s Green Builder Program, was a water efficiency program manager with the Lower Colorado River Authority, and operated a residential landscape design practice specializing in green design, native landscapes, rainwater collection systems and edible gardens.

She was co-founder and former chairwoman of the Sustainable Building Coalition of Austin, now operating under the name Design~Build~Live, and was one of the co-authors of the first edition of the Austin Green Builder Guide.

Athens will develop, coordinate and administer various sustainability and conservation programs within the city of Austin organization and the Austin community.

She will coordinate interdepartmental efforts surrounding green purchasing, energy, water and resource conservation, solid waste recycling, green building, greenhouse gas reduction, renewable resources, government funding and environmental reporting metrics.

- Posted: June 24, 2010 -

Contact:   Phillip Rollfing, prollfing@archone.tamu.edu or 979.458.0442.