News and Stories

CINCINNATI (June 18, 2021) – The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden is known as The Greenest Zoo in America® and Mark Fisher, the Zoo’s vice president of facilities and sustainability, is leading the way! Since Fisher started at the Zoo in 2006, it has saved 1.6 billion gallons of water, installed solar arrays in parking lots and on buildings, and saved enough money on utilities to make other organizations green with envy.

The U.S. Green Building Council has noticed his efforts and is recognizing him with the 2021 USGBC Leadership Award for the East North Central Region! Fisher joins an impressive slate of awardees that include organizations, projects and individuals around the world who are using green building and sustainable practices to improve the quality of life for those around them.

This award recognizes outstanding individuals and organization at the forefront of the green building community. Leadership Award recipients are raising the bar when it comes to creating healthier, more sustainable, and more resilient buildings and communities. Fisher is being recognized for his influence and contributions to advancing sustainability through LEED.

“As the driving force behind innovative sustainable building solutions at the Cincinnati Zoo, his aggressive targets coupled with his empathic community outreach and stakeholder engagement are pushing the envelope for sustainability leadership,” said President & CEO of USGBC, GBCI and Arc, Mahesh Ramanujam.

Most recently, the Cincinnati Zoo achieved Platinum LEED certification for its new Roo Valley habitat thanks in part to his team’s work! “It is so humbling to receive this Leadership Award, which is a big award in the green building community,” says Fisher.

The Zoo plans to take its sustainability efforts to the next level, with help from its official water sustainability partner, Roto-Rooter.  One-million-gallon stormwater retention tanks will be installed under its future Elephant Trek habitat and will move the Zoo closer to its goal to be Net Zero by 2025.

For more information, and to visit The Greenest Zoo in America®, please visit www.cincinnatizoo.org.