April 21st, 2023

Adam McCaughan Recognized With Inaugural Joanne McCallum Sustainable Catalyst Award

New Biennial Award Announced in Time for Earth Day, Celebrating Joanne McCallum’s Dedication to Sustainability

“A catalyst is a substance that speeds up a chemical reaction, or lowers the temperature or pressure needed to start one, without itself being consumed during the reaction. Catalysis is the process of adding a catalyst to facilitate a reaction.”

Announcing the first recipient of the Joanne McCallum Sustainable Catalyst Award – Adam McCaughan.

In celebration of Earth Day, mcCallumSather has established a new biennial award to recognize a team member whose actions serve as a catalyst for sustainable change and carries forward Joanne’s dedication to sustainable leadership in all aspects of her work and life.

The award is named for Joanne McCallum, Executive Director with mcCallumSather the firm she co-founded 27 years ago. From the start, mcCallumSather’s mission has been to advance sustainable design intelligence, born from Joanne’s dedication. This award celebrates team members who ask questions, challenge assumptions, and think innovatively. Like Joanne, it is through these actions that they have helped initiate and facilitate changes to the way we think, act and design, resulting in a more sustainable future.

The 2023 recipient, Adam McCaughan, is a Senior Architect and Associate with mcCallumSather. Adam has been an integral part of our firm’s exciting list of LEED and Net Zero Certified projects, as architect, project manager, providing LEED/Net Zero Facilitation, oversight or acting as an advisor. Equally impactful, on projects not seeking certification, Adam is known for working diligently with clients to consciously make more sustainable choices. Yet, this award recognizes more than these tangible projects and measurable outcomes. Joanne also selected Adam as the inaugural recipient for how he demonstrates sustainable leadership in his day-to-day life. His seemingly small actions, like switching off lights or computer screens at the end of the day, model sustainable behaviours and cultural shifts required to achieve big change.

The print, shown above, is from artist Trevor Ewert. One print will remain in the office with recognition of the award and Adam’s name. One was presented to Adam yesterday in recognition of this achievement.

Join us in congratulating Adam on this achievement.