Recognition and Awards

2011 Chairman’s Award in Sustainability from the Port of San Diego

2011 Chairman’s Award in Sustainability

United States Senate Certificate of Commendation

In honor and recognition of being named a Sandee Award Recipient. Your work and Commitment to energy efficiency, energy conservation and renewable energy make you truly deserving of this honor. You are a shining example of how one person can make a profound difference in the lives of many. As a United States Senator from the state of California, you deserve this special honor. Diane Feinstein.

Sun Harbor Receives Award For Special Achievement
Sandee Award (San Diego Excellence in Energy), 22 February 2007

The 3rd Annual SANDEE Award (San Diego Excellence in Energy) was presented to Sun Harbor Marina for Special Achievement in Energy by a small business. Sun Harbor Marina has been recognized as an outstanding project that achieved significant energy savings through the implementation of energy efficiency, energy conservation and renewable energy in San Diego County. Sun Harbor’s three buildings exceed California’s Energy Efficiency Standards, some by more than 41 percent. ... Continue reading.

Articles and Recognition

Press and Media Coverage

LEED-Certified Sun Harbor Marina Gets Greener
Port of San Diego, Green Business Network, 31 August 2011

In 2006, the Sun Harbor Marina became the first LEED-certified marina in the world recognized by the U.S. Green Building Council. The U.S. Green Building Council recognizes sustainable practices in green buildings. Sun Harbor has continued their commitment to the environment by increasing their energy efficiency and participating in the Green Business Challenge.

Becoming LEED-certified marina has attracted boaters looking to dock at marinas that are environmentally conscious. Sun Harbor Marina has kept boaters educated on their sustainable practices and new projects through their newsletter. ... Continue reading.

Mary Lou LoPreste — Profile
The Daily Transcript, San Diego's Business Daily, 30 March 2005

Mary Lou LoPreste's identity as a business woman is intimately connected to her responsibility and vision as an environmentalist. This rare combination has manifested in the precedent-setting Sun Harbor Marina, a $5 million development on the San Diego Bayfront, slated to open in May, 2005. When the ribbon is cut, Sun Harbor will be the first marina in the US that is LEED certified ... Continue reading.

Project Narrative for Sun Harbor Marina
January 2006

Sun Harbor Marina is located in San Diego California and is owned and managed by Mary Lou LoPreste, Managing Partner on the San Diego Unified Port Tidelands. The lot’s size is 64,800 square feet and sits on the San Diego Bay. The project consists of 19,722 square feet of buildings divided into three two- story buildings. ... Continue reading.

Sun Harbor Marina: A Green Marina under a Blue San Diego Sky
Marina Dock Age
By Robert Wilkes

The marina industry tends to be populated by men, especially men who are good at fixing things. They tend to see a marina as a set of engineered systems. Is this your perspective? Here s a test. Look out your office window at your marina. Do you see a muscular structure of concrete floats, each finger attached to a sturdy skeleton of pilings? ... Continue reading.

Sustainable Communities Program — Sun Harbor Marina, Mixed Use
San Diego Gas & Electric Case Study

In June of 2006, Sun Harbor Marina became the first LEED^® Certified marina in the world. Concern about the environment compelled Mary Lou LoPreste, then Partner/Manager of Sun Harbor Marina, to rebuild the old marina using sustainable environmental practices. According to Ms. LoPreste, designing for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a team experience requiring cooperation and “out-of-the-box” thinking for all team members. The design was inspired by a European village, demonstrating that a high performance building can also be beautiful. ... Continue reading.

Sun Harbor Marina The World’s first LEED-Certified Building
Indoor Comfort — The Voice of the Industry News, August 2007

Seeing Sun Harbor Marina on San Diego Bay for the very first time, one notices the beautiful Mediterranean architecture and rich colors of the buildings. Take a closer look, and you immediately see the care and thought put into its sustainable features. Whether it’s the recycling bins or recycled paving, these features add up to a shining example of San Diego architecture ... Continue reading.