The Professional Grounds Management Society®(PGMS®) has recognized 16 grounds management programs for excellence in the 2023 Green Star Awards?(R) Competition. PGMS announced the awards during the Annual Awards Celebration held on Oct. 19 in conjunction with the 2023 Annual Conference "Transform" & Equip Exposition in Louisville, Kentucky, during the week of Oct. 17-20.

This awards program brings national recognition to grounds maintained with a high degree of excellence. The Green Star Awards competition complements other national landscape award programs that recognize outstanding landscape design and construction. During the awards celebration, PGMS presented four Grand Awards, its highest honor, as well as 12 Honor Awards.

In the Athletic Complex category, University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona, received an Honor Award.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, received an Honor Award in the Government Building or Complex category.

 

In the School Grounds category, Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas; Nord Anglia Education in Houston, Texas; and Richland School District #400 in Richland, Washington, all received an Honor Award.

An Honor Award in the Small Site category was presented to Pennsylvania College of Technology - Antique Water Feature in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

Three campuses were honored in the University and College Grounds - Small (0 - 200 acres) category. A Grand Award was presented to Aurora University in Aurora, Illinois. Honor Awards were given to Taylor University in Upland Indiana and The University of the Redlands in Redlands, California.

Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas, received a Grand Award and Texas Woman's University System in Denton, Texas, received an Honor Award in the University and College Grounds - Mid-Size (201 - 499 acres) category.

In the University and College Grounds - Large (500+ acres) category, the Grand Award was given to Duke University in Durham, North Carolina; Utah State University in Logan, Utah and West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas were presented Honor Awards.

A Grand Award was given to Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia in the Urban University Grounds category.

PGMS is proud to award its members for sustainable environmental efforts. PGMS members have consistently applied best practices and standards regarding the stewardship of our environment. This year, the Georgia Institute of Technology received the Sustainability Award. Georgia Institute of Technology is a beautiful 426-acre main campus, referred to by many as an "oasis in the middle of a concrete jungle" located in Atlanta, Georgia. Implementing several initiatives to conserve natural resources and protect local ecosystems, the Institute participates in Tree Campus Higher Education and maintains a level II arboretum accreditation with gross carbon sequestering of over 190,000 pounds of carbon. Examples of Georgia Institute of Technology's sustainability include: utilization of cistern water for the landscape, treecycling and reuse of lumber on campus, composting green waste with reuse on campus, storm water mitigation, and a biodiverse planting pallet.

To view a complete list of winners, visit https://pgms.org/page/2023AnnualRecap.

The 2024 Annual Green Star Awards application will be available starting February 15, 2024 and winners will be presented at the 2024 Annual Conference, which will take place in Louisville, Ky., Oct. 15 - 18, 2024 in conjunction with the Equip Expo.