Awards and Recognition
Organization
UC San Diego, Ranked #5 Globally for Sustainability – Overall Top Performer (Doctoral and Research Institutions), AASHE
UC San Diego, Ranked #1 for Sustainability – Curriculum, AASHE
UC San Diego, Ranked #6 (tie) for Sustainability - Research, AASHE
Pepper Canyon West Living and Learning Neighborhood – Association of General Contractors (AGC)
Best Public Building Award 2025
Merit Award 2025 for Best Public Owner
Theatre District Living and Learning Neighborhood – Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA)
Best in Design – Architecture 2025, Educational Facilities
Best in Leadership Teaming National Award of Merit 2025
American Association of Environmental Professionals Outstanding CEQA Streamlining: UC San Diego’s Update to the La Jolla Campus 2018 Long Range Development Plan SEIR
Viterbi Family Vision Research Center
Liberty Mutual Insurance Silver Safety Award, Alliant Insurance and UC Regents
Gold Certification, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
Humanities & Social Sciences Building Preservation Award, California Preservation Foundation
York Hall
Preservation Design Award, American Institute of Architects San Diego
International Excellence in Concrete – 2nd Place, American Concrete Institute Repair and Restoration Award, American Concrete Institute San Diego Chapter
Torrey Pines Fire Station 52
Outstanding Architectural Engineering Project, American Society of Civil Engineers San Diego
Honor Award, American Public Works Association SD Imperial Chapter
Fire Station Design Award, Fire Industry Education Resource Organization
UC San Diego Scholar’s Parking Structure Parksmart Gold Certification
Circulate San Diego Momentum Awards | Innovation AwardWinner: UC San Diego Transportation Services and Hayden AI – Automated Bike Lane, Bus Stop and Bus Lane Enforcement Pilot
Staff Members and Teams
Facilities Management
Hector Ricario, Employee of the Quarter, January–March
Landscape Services East, Team of the Quarter, January–March
Julio Iniguez, Employee of the Quarter, April–June
Warren North Custodial Team, Team of the Quarter, April–June
Thomas Johnston, Employee of the Quarter, July–September
Project Quality Management, Team of the Quarter, July–September
Police Department
Officer of the Year – Moises Mercado
Employee of the Year – Jason Harington
Team of the Year – University Safety Officials)
Student of the Year – Luigi Bartulo
Life Saving Awards
Cpl. Jake Welch
Officer Jocelyn Bastida
Officer Justin duBois
Sgt. John Martin
Cpl. Richard Roman
Chief's Commendation Award
Sgt. Lucas Liu
Officer David Deriquitio
Officer Nancy Ortiz-Vega
Cpl. Richard Roman
Officer Alejandro Contreras
Officer Hayden Hayes
Organization
UC San Diego, STARS Platinum Rating for Sustainability, AASHE<
UC San Diego, Ranked #7 (tie) for Sustainability - Research, AASHE
Franklin Antonio Hall
Project of the Year, American Public Works Association
Orchid Award Public Architecture, San Diego Architectural Foundation
Merit Award for Building Design, Seattle American Institute of Architects
International Design Award, Swiss BLT Build Awards
Merit Award for Structural Engineering, Engineering Association of San Diego
People’s Choice Award, Structural Engineering Association of SD
Merit Award for Building Design, San Diego American Institute of Architects
Divine Detail, San Diego American Institute of Architects
Platinum Certification, US Green Building Council
Public Building Project of the Year, American Concrete Institute
Civic Building Project of the Year, US Green Building Council California
Project of the Year for Structures, SD County Public Works Association, American Public Works Association
Gold Safety, Liberty Mutual Insurance Safety
Grand Winner - Project of the Year, American Public Works Association
Build Deign Award – Education Project, Swiss Build Design
Higher Education, INawards, International Interior Design Association
Best in Show, INawards, International Interior Design Association
Special Mention, Sustainable Institutional Award, Architizer A+ Awards
Best Public Concrete Project, American Concrete Institute San Diego Chapter
Civic Building Award, USGBC CA Board and the CA Green Building Conference Committee
Epstein Family Amphitheater Honor Award, San Diego American Public Works Association
Mandeville Art Gallery Architecture Category, American Institute of Architects
Café Ventanas Divine Detail Award, American Institute of Architects
Pepper Canyon West Living and Learning Neighborhood Gold Certification, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
UC San Diego, Platinum Level Winner; iCommute Diamond Awards program
Circulate San Diego Momentum Award: Mid-Coast Award: Pepper Canyon West Living and Learning Neighborhood
Staff Members and Teams
Carrie Metzgar, 2024 Inclusive Excellence Award Recipient
Rosa Montoya, Exemplary Staff Employee of the Year, UC San Diego 2023–2024
2024 Officer of the Year – Nancy Ortiz-Vega
Facilities Management
Elizabeth Aguilera, Employee of the Year
Plumbing Shop, Team of the Year
Elizabeth Aguilera, Employee of the Quarter, January–March
Small Projects Team, Team of the Quarter, January–March
Jeffrey Herrera, Employee of the Quarter, April–June
Paint Shop, Team of the Quarter, April–June
Brandon Hirsch, Employee of the Quarter, July–September
Plumbing Shop, Team of the Quarter, July–September
Didi Sheth, Employee of the Quarter, October–December
Lock Shop, Team of the Quarter, Facilities Management, October–December
Organization
UC San Diego, Ranked #53 University, QS World University Sustainable Goal Rankings
Epstein Family Amphitheater Orchid Award, SD Architectural Foundation
Mandeville Art Gallery Orchid Award Public Architecture, SD Architectural Foundation
York Hall Structural Engineering Excellence Award, National Council of Structural Engineers Association
Marine Conservation and Technology Facility
Sustainability Award, Associated General Contractors Build San Diego
Beyond LA Award, Los Angeles Business Council
Theater District Living and Learning Neighborhood Gold Certification, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design
UC San Diego, Platinum Level Winner; iCommute Diamond Awards program
Staff Members and Teams
Teresa Hernandez, Exemplary Staff Employee of the Year, UC San Diego 2022–2023
2023 Officer of the Year – John Lee Alvarez Facilities Management
Leo Navarette, Employee of the Year
Project Management Team, Team of the Year
Peter Zheng, Employee of the Quarter, , January–March
SIO Custodial Services Team, Team of the Quarter, January–March
Melvin Sosa, Employee of the Quarter, April–June
Landscape Services Central Team, Team of the Quarter, April–June
Vicente Cabrera, Employee of the Quarter, July–September
Project Management Team, Team of the Quarter, July–September
Leo Navarette, Employee of the Quarter, Octobery–December
Storehouse Operations Team, Team of the Quarter, Octobery–December
Organization
North Torrey Pines Living and Learning Neighborhood
Merit Award (LEED BD+C), U.S. Green Building Council
Merit Award (Most Efficient EUI), U.S. Green Building Council
AIA California Design Award, Special Commendation: Design for Discovery, American Institute of Architects
Orchid Award, San Diego Architecture Foundation
Teen Orchid Award, San Diego Architecture Foundation
Residential Concrete of the Year Award, American Concrete Institute
Loyal E. Horton NACUFS Award – Gold, National Association of College & University Food Services
Platinum Level Touchstone Award, Center for San Diego Health
ASID Outcome of Design Award Winner and Optimizer, ASID
Honoree for its 2022 Innovation by Design Awards , Fast Company
Facilities Management Landscape Services, Amplify the Urban Forest Grant
UC San Diego, Top Performer in Sustainability Related research, AASHE
UC San Diego, Top Performer in Sustainable Investments, AASHE
UC San Diego, Ranked #66, UI Green Metric Rankin
UC San Diego, Platinum Level Winner; iCommute Diamond Awards program
Circulate San Diego Momentum Awards
Mid-Coast Award: Better Bikeways Initiative
Sustainable Growth Award: Park & Market
Bike Friendly University Award: Silver
Staff Members and Teams
Roy Vicente, Life-Saving Award, 2022 UC Chiefs of Police
Arnold Moss, 2022 Officer of the Year, UC San Diego Police
Naichoy Saechao, 2022 Employee of the Year, UC San Diego Police
Facilities Management
Leverne Cannady, Employee of the Year
Leverne Cannady, Employee of the Quarter, January–March
Customer Relations, Team of the Quarter, January–March
North Torrey Pines Living and Learning Neighborhood Custodial Team, Team of the Quarter, April–June
Audrey Mullen, Employee of the Quarter, April–June
Veronica Frias, Employee of the Quarter, July–September
Warren South Custodial Services Team, Team of the Quarter, July–September
Travis Dionne, Employee of the Quarter, October–December
Building Operations Electric Shop, Team of the Quarter, October–December
Organization
2021 American Planning Association (APA) San Diego Chapter – “Comprehensive Plan/Small Jurisdiction Award: UC San Diego 2019 Hillcrest Campus Long Range Development Plan”
TATA Hall:
LEED Gold Award, U.S. Green Building Council
ASLA 2020 Honor Award, U.S. Green Building Council
Athena Parking Structure, Parksmart Silver, Green Business Certification, Inc.
Ocean View Terrace, LEED CI Silver, U.S. Green Building Council
Torrey Pines Center South Level 3, LEED CI Certified, U.S. Green Building Council
Center for Coastal Studies Renovation, Sustainable Project of the Year, Associated General Contractors of America
IGPP Munk, Preservation Design Award, Category = Preservation or Restoration, California Preservation Foundation (Sam Farmer, Project Manager, Facilities Management)
UC San Diego, Top Performer in Sustainability Related research, AASHE
UC San Diego, Top Performer in Sustainable Investments, AASHE
UC San Diego, Institutional Recognition for EV Affordability and Charging Accessibility Program, AASHE
UC San Diego, STARS Gold, AASHE
UC San Diego Ranked #32 Top Green College, Princeton Review
UC San Diego, Platinum Level Winner; iCommute Diamond Awards program
Circulate San Diego Momentum Award: Mid-Coast Award: UC San Diego Blue Line Extension
Staff Members and Teams
Charles Bryant, Principal Exemplary Staff Employee of the Year, UC San Diego 2020–2021
Jesus Ortiz, Exemplary Staff Employee of the Year, UC San Diego 2020–2021
Earl White, Exemplary Staff Employee of the Year, UC San Diego 2020–2021
Roy Vicente, 2021 Officer of the Year, UC San Diego Police
Facilities Management
Daniel Alvarado, Employee of the Year, Facilities Management
LaJuan Lynch, Employee of the Quarter, January–March
Chris DiMaggio, Employee of the Quarter, April–June
Daniel Alvarado, Employee of the Quarter, July–September
Laura Uribe Dunn, Employee of the Quarter, October–December
Building Operations Watch Team, Team of the Quarter, October–December
Organization
2020 California Association of Environmental Professionals “Outstanding Environmental Analysis Document” for UC San Diego 2018 Long Range Development Plan Environmental Impact Report
UC San Diego, Platinum Level Winner; iCommute Diamond Awards program
Staff Members and Teams
Organization
2019 Preservation Design Award in the Cultural Resource Studies category for the UC San Diego Campus-Wide Historic Context Statement and Historic Resource Survey
City of San Diego Recycler of the Year Award Mesa Nueva Design-Build National Award of Meritueva Graduate and Professional Student Housing
UC San Diego, Platinum Level Winner; iCommute Diamond Awards program
Circulate San Diego Momentum Award: Connectivity Project Award: I-5 Genesee Avenue Interchange Reconstructions Project
Bike Friendly University Award: Bronze
Organization
Staff Members and Teams