Susan Kaplan

Susan Kaplan is the president of BuildingWrx, an organization she founded to develop collaborative, sustainable solutions to greening buildings, sites, communities and cities; addressing goals ranging from broad sustainability certification to making our projects more equitable and joyous for everyone.

Ms. Kaplan is the founding chair of the USGBC’s Social Equity Working Group and a past Chair of USGBC’s LEED Technical Committee. She has also served as the Chair of the Urban Green Council, USGBC’s local NYC chapter.

Ms. Kaplan was previously the Director of Sustainable Development for Battery Park City Authority. Under her direction, 5 million square feet of early sustainable buildings and open space were created that followed the Authority’s stringent guidelines as well as LEED requirements. The Solaire, the first building to come out of the guidelines, was also the first LEED high-rise residential building in the world.

Ms. Kaplan has presented internationally in Norway, Mexico, Israel and Australia. She has also presented nationally at the US Conference of Mayors, the United Nations, ASHRAE, NYC’s City Council, Columbia University, Cooper Union, the Bond Buyers of NY and the NYS Bar Association. She has presented at a multiple of USGBC’s Greenbuild conferences, most recently moderating a panel on Social Equity and Cities for the International Summit, as well as a session of case studies of projects incorporating social equity in various ways. She will be presenting at Greenbuild 2018 at a session entitled Social Equity, Human Rights and the Changing Nature of Social Responsibility.

In the Spring of 2018, Ms. Kaplan was part of lectures on social equity for the AIANY Council on the Environment (COTE) as well as for the Urban Green Council, the USGBC’s NYC chapter. These lectures were presented with the renowned Majora Carter and Dr. Mindy Fullilove, respectively.

Ms. Kaplan is a LEED Fellow as well as an Accredited Professional (BD+C). She has degrees in Environmental Science and Landscape Architecture from Syracuse University and the NYS School of Environmental Science and Forestry. Ms. Kaplan lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband, daughter, dog and cat.