New Buildings Institute (NBI), a nonprofit organization focused on eliminating emissions from the built environment, has appointed three new board members who will help advance the organization's mission of creating equitable climate solutions. The new directors are Patrick Hughes, Rochelle Routman, and Jill Sherman, each bringing decades of experience in sustainability, energy policy, and real estate development.

Routman Brings Pioneering Sustainability Leadership

Rochelle Routman stands out as a trailblazer in corporate sustainability, having spent over three decades driving environmental initiatives across multiple industries. As founder and president of the Women in Sustainability Leadership Awards (WSLA) Alumnae Group—a nonprofit with more than 135 global members—Routman continues to champion the next generation of sustainability professionals.

Her corporate leadership experience includes a nine-year tenure as Chief Sustainability Officer at HMTX Industries, where she spearheaded organization-wide efforts to improve environmental and health disclosures for vinyl flooring products. Under her guidance, HMTX became one of the first companies in its sector to achieve high-profile certifications, including Just and Declare labels from the International Living Future Institute.

Routman's sustainability career spans multiple sectors, from her early work at Lockheed Aeronautics in the 1990s—where she pioneered "beyond compliance" thinking—to developing sustainability programs at Mohawk Industries and preparing some of the first sustainability reports for Southern Company and Georgia Power. She was recognized as part of the inaugural Women in Sustainability Leadership Awards cohort in 2014.

The appointment comes as Routman transitions from her corporate role to focus on board opportunities with both nonprofits and corporations, bringing her passion for ecology, human health, and social justice to organizations driving environmental impact, as first reported by Trellis. 

Complementary Expertise Rounds Out Board Additions

Joining Routman are Patrick Hughes, senior vice president of strategy, technical, and industry affairs at the National Electrical Manufacturers Association, who brings expertise in energy policy and electrical technology adoption; and Jill Sherman, partner at Edlen & Co., who specializes in public-private partnerships and has developed multiple LEED Platinum and Living Building Challenge-certified projects.

Together, the three new board members will help guide NBI's work in building electrification, low-carbon construction, demand flexibility, and community resilience as the organization scales equitable, carbon-neutral solutions across the built environment.