2025 Building Excellence Awards Judges

Christopher J. Fennell
Chief Business Development Officer

Fennell has more than 35 years of domestic and international management consulting, market research, engineering, and high-performance construction experience. He has created and led offsite construction research and demonstration programs in the built environment including open-wall panels, modular, manufactured housing and SIPs for public-and private-sector clients focused on clean energy, sustainability, and resilience. He has worked extensively with building products and building systems manufacturers on the diffusion of innovation. He has owned and operated a residential design-build firm building high-performance, custom homes. 

Fennell received an International MBA from Georgetown University and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Union College. He is an ICC Certified Building Official and has been credentialed as a RESNET Home Energy Rater, LEED Accredited Professional, RIVA Focus Group Moderator, Certified Quality Auditor, and ISO 9001 Lead Auditor.

John W. Meyer
Founder & Chief Operations Officer at Innova

John is founder and COO of Innova, an innovative ESG company specializing in design, deployment and measurement of low carbon, sustainable solutions. John brings 27 years of success in Engineering, Project & Operations Management and Business Development & Contracts experience. 

John's experience with innovative solutions started in the oil and gas sector with API facility siting consulting, design/build blast resistant industrial buildings and critical temperature mechanical and piping systems. Innova solutions include concrete free foundations, sustainable concrete, zero energy builds, rammed earth structures and renewable micro-grids. For these solutions and more, Innova provides stakeholders predictive outcomes with ongoing assessment and validation of proven-sustainable-best-practice designs and technologies.

Sam Rashkin
Architect and Author of Housing 2.0: A Disruption Survival Guide

Sam Rashkin had a two-decade career as a licensed architect before starting the EPA’s Energy Star for Homes and later the DOE’s Zero Energy Ready programs. He served on national steering committees for the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)’s LEED for Homes, Green Builder Media’s Green Builder Guidelines, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s WaterSense label, and EPA’s Indoor airPLUS label. Sam partnered with SIPA to develop the SIP True Cost Bid Tool which helps evaluate the cost savings in a SIP-built structure compared to stick-frame construction.

SIPA'S Building Excellence Award Winners:

2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010