It’s the People Who Make the Place / Emily Mendez

Emily Mendez is the Director of Sustainability for GFF, where she leads our internal committee comprised of sustainability representatives across all market sectors. Emily is a graduate of Texas Tech University, with experience in institutional, faith-based, corporate, and residential design. She is a Registered Interior Designer in the State of Texas, a LEED AP, and a Fitwel Ambassador. She is also an Associate Member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and is the 2022 Chair of the AIA Dallas Committee on the Environment.

Emily’s work on sustainability in the built environment began with a simple desire to better understand the materials she selects for interiors projects. She then dove deeper into how all building design decisions affect people and the planet – particularly decisions that impact carbon emissions. Her current efforts center around education: providing awareness and advocacy on a variety of sustainability-related issues and opportunities both to our staff and our clients.

Emily is the co-author of GFF’s Black & Gold List, which is a GFF initiative to source exterior and interior materials that promote environmental and human health throughout the life of a project – from initial manufacturing to end of life cycle. GFF encourages the selection of materials that are responsibly sourced, low in harmful chemical content, and contribute to reduced carbon emissions.