James Scott Brew, FCSI, AIA, LEED AP is a Principal Architect working in the Built Environment core practice area at RMI. He has over 28 years of sustainable design experience in historic, commercial, institutional, and residential architecture. James is a mentor and frequent speaker at regional, national and international conferences on high-performance buildings and emerging trends and solutions in sustainable community design.
RMI Projects
- Urban Re:Vision – Sustainable City Block Framework and Charrette
- Cambridge Energy Workshop
- APi Headquarters, Minneapolis, MN – Sustainable Design / LEED® Consulting
- Sustainable MegaCity: Jakarta, Indonesia – Panelist, Consultant
- Montage Resorts – LEED® Consulting
- Bureau of Land Management – New Field Headquarters, Farmington, NM, LEED® Consulting
- UW-Madison Union South, Workshop Architects—Sustainable Design / LEED® Consulting
- Deutsche Bank – Project Blue, Frankfurt, Germany
- Penn State – Millennium Science Center – Sustainable Design / LEED® Consulting
Background
James has been a speaker at the USGBC Greenbuild conference, the Healthcare Summit on Sustainability, and the World Conference on Sustainability in Canada, Norway, and Japan. He recently spoke at the First International Conference on Building Energy & the Environment in Dalian, China. As a regular contributor for broadcast and print media, James provides insight on topics of energy, healthy building design, and sustainable communities.
As a LEED® Accredited Professional, James has led the LEED® certification process and served as a facilitator and advisor on many projects and building types. He is a professional trainer on the LEED® Certification and Accreditation process and has trained over 1,000 people around the USA.
Before joining Rocky Mountain Institute, James was a principal owner and leader of sustainable design practice at his own 165-person Minnesota based architecture and engineering firm. With many regional and national awards for his work, James has consistently been a champion and leader for the advancement of high-performance design—moving toward sustainable and regenerative buildings and communities.
Past Projects
- Architect of Record – McLean Environmental Living & Learning Center, Northland College, AIA, Committee on the Environment, Top Ten project for Earth Day 2000
- International Technology Transfer – Spent six years on research, design, code approvals, energy adaptations and business planning to transfer a resource-efficient wood framing technology to the USA from Japan
- Sustainable Design Consultant / LEED® Administrator – University of Minnesota-Duluth: Life Sciences Building, Duluth, MN – LEED-NC Silver Certification
- Sustainable Design Consultant / LEED® Administrator – Saint Mary’s Duluth Clinic, First St. Building, Duluth, MN – LEED-NC Certified Gold
- Architect of Record – Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, High-Performance Field Headquarters, Tower, MN
- Sustainable Design Consultant / LEED® Administrator – Whole Foods Coop, Duluth, MN LEED Certified;
- Architect of Record – Fairlawn Mansion & Museum Restoration
- Architect of Record – Wheeler Hall Restoration, Northland College
Education
- Lake Superior College, Duluth, Minnesota, Architecture, 1981
- University of Wisconsin – Superior, Extended Degree Program, 1989-91
- University of Minnesota – Duluth, Marketing Certificate, 1994
Qualifications
- Registered Architect – Arizona, Colorado, Hawaii, Minnesota, Wisconsin
- U.S. Green Building Council, LEED® Accredited Professional
- Certified Construction Specifier (CCS)
- Certified Construction Contract Administrator (CCCA)
Professional Affiliations/Recognition
- Fellow, Construction Specifications Institute (FCSI)
- American Institute of Architects (AIA)
- American Solar Energy Society
- CSI GreenFormat™ Task Team
- Alliance for Sustainability
- Past President, founding member, Twin Ports Chapter CSI
- Past President, AIA-Northern Minnesota
- Past Chair, Douglas County Historical Society
- Past President, Douglas County Development Association
- Past Chair, Founding Member, Superior Sister Cities Commission
Publications
An Environmental Living & Learning Center, Environmental Design & Construction