Environmental Superhero: Snohomish County Employee "Spreads Green Know-How"

April 12, 2008 Article by Jeff Switzer a Herald Writer

After years of tackling pesticides and paints elsewhere, she's been helping Snohomish County's environmental effort.

Her work earned her a big award. She was recently anointed a "Built Green Pioneer" by the Master Builders of King and Snohomish Counties, which represents the region's home building industry.

She helped beef up the building industry's Built Green program, which sets the standards builders use when they want to use environmentally friendly building practices and earn some green street credibility. She also helped create the county's sustainable development task force.

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Carveth received the Built Green Pioneer Award, designed to recognize people who have played an integral role in developing and maintaining the Built Green program. Carveth is a senior planner in the county’s public works department.   (March 14, 2008)

“The Pioneer award is the most prestigious award offered by Built Green,” wrote Built Green Director Aaron Adelstein to Carveth. “Without your time, energy and support, the program would not be the success that it is today.” 

Carveth helped create the county’s Sustainable Development Task Force at Snohomish County. Now a nonprofit organization, the task force teaches builders, developers and real-estate agents in Snohomish County the benefits of environmentally friendly, or “green,” building.  

The task force has about 45 members including realtors, developers, participating cities, engineering firms, architects and the Snohomish County Public Utility District.  

Her work with the task force and the county has caused local developers to “think outside the box,” and embrace new green-building techniques. The result has been a number of green projects including Snoqualmie Gourmet Ice Cream’s environment-friendly construction of their new headquarters in Maltby.  

“Deanna’s work is exemplary of the kind of bright and innovative people that work at Snohomish County,” said Public Works Director Steve Thomsen. “It’s nice to have her on staff to guide us in our efforts to become a sustainable county.” 

Carveth also helped bring 2007’s Built Green conference to Everett, with the highest attendance ever recorded at the annual event.