Creating a
healthier world

We believe that reconnecting people with the environment will lead to a healthy, prosperous, and regenerative future for all. We leverage high-performance design, whole systems thinking, and research in biophilic design, bioinspired innovation, and ecological design to make this goal a reality. This breadth of work and experience enables us to develop creative, impactful solutions for our clients.

"Good design means better performance in terms of both human and natural environments. Good design also means that we must make our buildings beautiful." - BILL BROWNING, Founder

We lead...

Building upon our deep experience in all aspects of the built environment, we are developing new approaches to address the critical needs for a sustainable future.

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Founding

Terrapin Bright Green was founded in 2006 by distinguished environmental strategist Bill Browning and architects Rick Cook and Bob Fox of the prestigious firm COOKFOX Architects. Chris Garvin, an accomplished green architect, soon joined the firm. Together, this alliance of expertise established Terrapin as a trusted consultant to major corporations and developers, governments and other organizations seeking to answer the challenges of high-performance design in the 21st century. To reaffirm our environmental and social values, Terrapin became a Certified B Corporation® in 2016.

The origins of the name “Terrapin”

Terrapin’s Certified B Corporation story

Bill Browning

Hon. AIA, LEED AP

Bill Browning is one of the green building and real estate industry’s foremost thinkers and strategists, and an advocate for sustainable design solutions at all levels of business, government, and civil society. His expertise has been sought out by organizations as diverse as Fortune 500 companies, leading universities, non-profit organizations, the U.S. military, and foreign governments.

Bob Fox

AIA, LEED AP

Bob Fox is a highly respected leader in the green building movement, whose work has advanced ideas of urban sustainability and design excellence. His projects have set new precedents in scale and strategic impact, establishing him as an influential voice in the architectural profession, the business community, and in service to the public sector.

We improve...

Our strategies have multiple environmental, economic, and social benefits for our clients and larger communities, including:

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Biodiversity

We improve biodiversity through a deep analysis of place at the outset of each engagement and integrate ecological restoration when appropriate.

Climate Resiliency

We improve climate resiliency through holistic strategies that address environmental and social vulnerabilities, such as poorly functioning ecosystems and fragile communities.

Health & Wellbeing

We improve access to research in psychology, physiology, and neuroscience for designers, owners, and investors to create a new paradigm for a built environment that is healthy, productive, and profitable.

Energy Utilization

We improve energy efficiency and system resiliency for energy-independent, net-producer buildings that represent a new model for carbon-neutral, energy-secure towns and cities.

Profitability

We improve financial returns by looking beyond incremental opportunities, developing projects that radically improve efficiency and productivity while maintaining a realistic ROI.

IEQ

We improve indoor environmental quality by applying the latest research into human health, materials, and systems design to support the development of healthy homes and workplaces.

Systems Integration

We improve systems integration through a holistic design process and a deep understanding of current technologies, yielding unique solutions with state-of-the-shelf equipment.

Water Management

We improve water utilization by identifying the appropriate quality and efficiency to meet our clients’ needs, minimizing environmental impacts and addressing changing patterns of water accessibility.

We work...

Colleagues and clients from around the world seek out our experience and advice to develop innovative solutions to meet the challenges of building a sustainable future. Our work is grounded in the unique opportunities of place: reflecting both the culture of the community and the environmental features of a given ecosystem.

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We engage...

Terrapin is a trusted environmental consultant to developers, government agencies, Fortune 50 companies, design firms, and nonprofit organizations. We collaborate with an extensive network of ecologists, engineers, energy experts, neuroscientists, financiers, and other experts to resolve resource constraints, improve financial returns, reduce risks, establish resiliency, and address climate adaptation needs. We are eager to engage with organizations who have ambitious goals or stubborn challenges to create a regenerative world.

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Building Owners & Developers

We help identify a project’s long-term potential and the environmental, social, and financial considerations that owners and developers need to make strategic decisions.

Experience

Architects & Designers

We support architects and other design professionals in viewing high-performance, green design as a springboard to greater creativity. With an integrative approach, we help create fundamentally healthier and more sustainable environments.

Experience

Master Planners

We map out the foundations for healthy communities by collaborating with master planners to identify green strategies that optimize long-term energy use, promote thriving ecosystems, create resiliency, and elevate residents’ quality of life.

Experience

Corporations & Institutions

We advise sustainability champions to channel their resources to best serve their companies’ mission. We help leaders focus their vision and position their building portfolios or products to maximize environmental values and minimize external risks.

Experience

Resorts & Hospitality

We help hospitality professionals solve environmental challenges and leverage local ecosystems to develop unique projects, while always enhancing the guest experience.

Experience

Governments & NGOs

We work with forward-thinking organizations and government entities to develop innovative solutions and to inspire change through the wise stewardship of our shared environmental resources.