Clean Air Success Stories
Principal at Energy and Environmental Solutions’ St. Louis office helps clients enjoy benefits of green building
Article courtesy of the St. Louis Regional Clean Air Partnership
As a former oceanic engineer, Marc Lopata developed a passion for ecology that led him to a career in sustainable design and construction. Today, few in St. Louis are more well-versed on the topic of green building than Lopata, whose firm helps clients in St. Louis and across the globe reap the benefits of green construction.
Lopata became involved in green building in 1998 while directing design and construction for telecommunications providers, MCI and Verizon. While there, he developed a strong interest in energy performance, leading him to start Sage Commercial in 2006, a sister company to existing green residential construction company, Sage Homebuilders. The next year, Sage Commercial entered into a partnership with national sustainable consulting firm Energy and Environmental Solutions (e2 Solutions) to form the company’s St. Louis regional office.
In his current role as Managing Principal with e2 Solutions, Lopata’s work is focused on sustainable consulting and renewable energy services. Working with a variety of clients, he consults on new construction projects and helps developers make existing buildings green.
“Our goal is to inspire developers to change how they build and operate facilities and use energy and also demonstrate how doing so can be financially beneficial,” said Lopata. “Greener buildings reduce energy consumption and the amount of coal burned by power plants to create electricity, which benefits our air and the environment. Because they require less electricity, green buildings are also more cost-efficient to operate.”
In the St. Louis area, Lopata and his firm have consulted on a number of notable green projects including the Municipal Courts Building and the BJC Progress West Data Center. With three other offices in Pittsburgh, Las Vegas and San Diego, e2 Solutions has consulted on over 35 LEED-certified projects across the U.S. and internationally in Asia and Turkey, with more underway.
“It’s really meaningful to have a job that gives me the chance to make a positive impact on the environment,” said Lopata.
Lopata also furthers his commitment to the environment outside of work. For the past several years, he’s served on the City of Clayton’s Ecology and Environmental Awareness committee. As chair, Lopata helped develop a residential recycling program in the city, worked for the institution of bike lanes and helped create city-wide LEED building ordinances. He was also appointed to the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission, where he helps the City to develop policies that promote sustainable development, better storm water management and preservation of tree canopy.
On a personal level, Lopata bikes to work or drives his hybrid Prius, uses fluorescent lamps, composts food waste and has worked to make his home energy-efficient.
To learn more about going green and helping improve the region’s air quality, visit www.cleanair-stlouis.com, or call the American Lung Association at (314) 645-5505, ext. 1007. For more information on e2 Solutions, visit www.e2solutions.com.
