THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2008

National Sustainability Forum appoints Tod Elkins VP

by Jim Brubaker
Minneapolis-St. Paul

The National Sustainability Forum has appointed Tod Elkins, a principal and co-founder of Minneapolis-based Urbanworks Architecture, as vice chairman. The recently establish National Sustainability Forum is a green development study group that is part of the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties.

Mr. Elkins, one of 18 charter members of the forums, joins other development industry leaders from across the country representing most disciplines involved in sustainable design, construction and development.

Described as a virtual national think tank focused on the fast-moving world of sustainable development, the forum was organized late last year. With representatives from every sector of the real estate industry, the forum is charged with defining state of the art sustainability through the exchange of current information on innovations and best practices.

The forum also hopes to address related financial and legal aspects, including how to factor sustainable design and construction into building appraisals.

Mr. Elkins, a member of the Minnesota Chapter of NAIOP, currently serves on the chapter's program committee. He is also an active member in the Urban Land Institute and American Institute of Architects.

He led Urbanworks' design work on the award-winning 730 Lofts condominium project in Minneapolis and Longfellow Station, a mixed-used development planned for the Hiawatha Avenue light rail corridor, also in Minneapolis.

Mr. Elkins is a resident of Minneapolis, where he and his wife, Persis, have two daughters.

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