How grassroots engagement, bold ideas, and a shared vision are transforming the materials industry.
From volunteering in Uganda to spearheading mindful MATERIALS’ early engagement campaigns, Rebecca Best has been a trailblazer in the sustainable materials movement. Her journey is fueled by a passion for collaboration and a relentless drive to make sustainability a cornerstone of the design and building industry.
Honored at mindful MATERIALS’ 10th-anniversary happy hour for her invaluable contributions, Rebecca reflects in this Q&A on the milestones that defined her path, her game-changing role in mindful MATERIALS’ grassroots beginnings, and her vision for a future where sustainability isn’t optional—it’s the norm. Rebecca’s story is proof that one person’s passion can ignite industry-wide transformation.
Q: Please share a little about your journey and how you became involved with mindful MATERIALS.
Rebecca: I became involved with mindful MATERIALS in 2014 while working with GIGA, the technology partner behind the original mM digital library. After our initial presentation to the AIA DC chapter, which officially launched the digital library, I took on a lead role in an engagement campaign that involved hosting mM community events at four to five major industry tradeshows each year.
One memorable moment was sitting with Jeff Frost, Jennifer Atlee, and other colleagues as we prepared for an evening event in DC. We discussed how impactful it would be to take the mM awareness campaign on the road, bringing it to various tradeshows to connect directly with the design community. These events quickly became staple “off-conference” gatherings, with incredible brand partners sponsoring the annual series. The events featured inspiring speakers, compelling stories, and engaging dialogues that fostered a sense of community and collaboration across the country.
Q: What first sparked your interest in sustainability within the building materials industry?
Rebecca: After returning from a year of volunteering in Uganda, I was deeply moved by the natural beauty and minimalist lifestyle I experienced there, which ignited an interest in something outside the corporate retail world I had known. With a family background in architecture and a close childhood friend who wanted to transform a traditional cabinet-making business into a "green" and non-toxic manufacturing facility, I seized the chance to partner in this venture.
This partnership eventually led us to take over Canada’s first green building store, which we transformed into a design-build company. We worked on residential and commercial projects across Canada, focusing on sustainable practices and materials. This experience became the foundation of my passion for sustainability in the building materials industry.
Q: What motivated you to contribute to mindful MATERIALS, and what do you see as the most significant impact of your work so far? Can you describe a project or achievement with mindful MATERIALS you’re particularly proud of?
Rebecca: Mindful MATERIALS engagement & outreach became synonymous with my role at GIGA. No motivation was needed as this became a critical component of my role. Still, I'm particularly proud of being a catalyst for mindful MATERIALS' community engagement during its early days, helping the initiative gain traction. Standing on the shoulders of giants like Jeff Frost and Nancy Hulsey, I was privileged to drive awareness and build a network under a volunteer-led structure. This grassroots effort laid a small but meaningful part of the foundation that has helped mM grow into the influential force it is in the market today.
Q: How do you see the materials industry evolving in the next few years, and what role would you like mindful MATERIALS to play in that evolution?
Rebecca: I envision easier, more universal access to consistent product data driving the specification of materials that align with project sustainability goals. As these products become more commonly specified, manufacturers producing healthy and sustainable products will shift from being the exception to the norm. I also think that with more consistent data, clients/property owners can start to unify around the creation of consistently good, better, best material standards for all buildings, helping streamline direction to manufacturers and making it much easier to build the best building possible.
This evolution will help standardize cost parity and high-performance qualities across all material categories. I am eager to see mindful MATERIALS continue to grow its role as a convener and catalyst by continuing to foster collaboration amongst all stakeholder groups.
Q: What are some changes you hope to see in sustainable materials practices, either within your organization or across the industry as a whole?
Rebecca: I hope to see a top-down commitment where firm design leadership and clients make the use of sustainable and healthy materials non-negotiable. This would empower designers to create incredible spaces without needing to choose which sustainability priorities to focus on — they would simply be a given. Making sustainability a standard rather than an option would streamline decision-making with the goal of saving design teams time to focus on innovative, impactful design solutions.
Q: What advice would you give to someone starting in the sustainable materials space?
Rebecca: Start with small, achievable steps, and celebrate every win along the way! Tailor your approach to meet clients where they are in their sustainability journey, focusing on delivering a strategy that aligns with their unique business goals. This way, you can build trust and make sustainability feel both accessible and impactful.
Connect with Rebecca Best > https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccaeliebest/
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