In time for Earth Day this Saturday, the AIA and the Committee on the Environment (COTE) announced the Top Ten Green Projects for 2017. Established 21 years ago, the rigorous awards competition recognizes projects that best demonstrate sustainable design excellence.

The jury selected projects by firms like Sasaki, ZGF Architects, Payette, Mithun, and HOK, while SmithGroupJJR won the COTE Top Ten Plus honor. In light of the AIA's recently published climate-change principles, the winning projects conveyed a thoroughly integrated approach to architecture, natural systems and technology, as well as positive community impact, improving comfort for building occupants, and design strategies used to reduce environmental impact. Here are the 2017 winners:

Chatham University Eden Hall Campus; Richland Township, Pennsylvania
Architect: Mithun

Photo: Bruce Damonte.

​Milken Institute School of Public Health, George Washington University; Washington, D.C.
Architects: Payette and Ayers Saint Gross​.

Photo: Payette.

Manhattan Districts 1/2/5 Garage & Spring Street Salt Shed; New York City.
Architect: Dattner Architects and WXY architecture + urban design

Photo: Albert Vecerka/Esto.

Ng Teng Fong General Hospital & Jurong Community Hospital; Singapore
Architects: HOK, USA; CPG, Singapore; Studio 505, Australia

Photo: HOK.

NOAA Daniel K. Inouye Regional Center; Honolulu
Architects: HOK with Ferraro Choi & WSP

Photo: Alan Karchmer Photography.

R.W. Kern Center; Amherst, Massachusetts
Architect: Bruner/Cott & Associates

Photo: Robert Benson Photography.

Stanford University Central Energy Facility; Stanford, California
Architect: ZGF Architects LLP

Photo: Tim Griffith.​

Bristol Community College John J. Sbrega Health and Science Building; Fall River, Massachusetts
Architect: Sasaki

Photo: Edward Caruso Photography.

Discovery Elementary School, Arlington Public Schools; Arlington, Virginia
Architect: VMDO Architects

Photo: Alan Karchmer & VMDO Architects.

2017 COTE Top Ten Plus honoree: Brock Environmental Center; Virginia Beach, Virginia
Architect: SmithGroupJJR

Photo: Prakash Patel Photography.