Phil Kaplan Receives NESEA Distinguished Service Award
Congratulations to AIA Maine Board Member Phil Kaplan, AIA Principal of Kaplan Thompson Architects and BrightBuilt Home, for being named as the 2023 recipient of the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA) Distinguished Service Award. Since 1993, this award has annually recognized a NESEA Member who has made a significant contribution of time and service to the organization.
Phil joined NESEA in 2006 and has served as an ambassador, fundraiser, and recruiter for the organization. He attended NESEA's BuildingEnergy Boston conference in his first year of membership and has not missed a subsequent conference, participating as both an earnest learner and knowledgeable presenter. He also served on the BuildingEnergy Bottom Lines Steering Committee and was a member of the NESEA Board of Directors for nine years, including stints as Board Chair and Development Chair, with a focus on expanding the organization’s programs to engage new demographics in high-performance building. His greatest legacy within NESEA is the creation of the BE the Future scholarship, a program that invites students and emerging professionals to join a rich community and become the next generation of forward thinkers.
NESEA Executive Director Florence MacGregor commented, “Phil Kaplan is a force: I've known Phil as a devoted Board Chair, a gregarious ambassador of NESEA's vision and work, and a thoughtful and enthusiastic presence within our programs and events. Perhaps most significantly, Phil was the catalyst for starting our scholarship program, which has connected over 200 students and emerging professionals to our community. I'm thrilled to see his service and dedication to our community recognized with this award, and grateful to have worked with him and learned from him. He is incredibly deserving of the honor.”
Kaplan said, “I’m thrilled and humbled by the honor. NESEA is an organization that has been such a big part of my life for almost two decades, and it has been instrumental in the direction and success of my businesses.”
Kaplan will accept the award at a ceremony held during the BuildingEnergy NYC conference on October 12, 2023 in New York City.
About Kaplan Thompson Architects
Kaplan Thompson Architects has been committed to designing beautiful, sustainable, attainable buildings since 2006. With a focus in residential new construction and renovations, multifamily homes, community spaces, and educational facilities, the firm operates throughout New England, primarily in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Vermont.
About the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association
NESEA helps high-performance building and renewable energy professionals improve their practices by learning from and networking with each other. Founded in 1975, it is a member-driven 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the adoption of sustainable energy practices in the built environment.