Triple Green Building Group

Triple Green is a full-service green building consulting firm who’s experienced, passionate, and dedicated team members strive to inspire sustainable development as a means of adding property value and increasing environmental awareness, while also fostering healthy, livable indoor conditions for building occupants. Our project managers bring subject matter experts with diverse backgrounds and skills in sustainability to project teams and make reaching green building goals as easy and efficient as possible. Collectively our team has successfully certified over 100 green building projects in most major rating tools.

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Triple bottom line approach

The founding partners of Triple Green hold decades of experience in the fields of architecture, construction, and business management and hold the highest green building credentials . At Triple Green we use the triple bottom line approach to balance the natural and built environments with economic success. We are constantly increasing our service scope to provide cutting edge advisory and strategic consultancy to our clients in order to create impactful sustainable development. This includes carbon neutrality studies, certification feasibility assessments, ESG analysis, strategy and reporting for real estate and green development strategies with concrete goals and metrics.

Our qualified team includes LEED Fellows and Accredited Professionals, BREEAM accredited Assessor and Professionals, EDGE Experts and Auditors, DGNB Auditors, Professional Engineers, Commissioning Authorities, Energy Modelling experts, BIM specialists, Carbon Footprint and LCA experts, and Registered Architects.

Our projects

Our team

Konstantina Altimirska, M.Eng.

CEO

Interior Designer

Expertise and Responsibilities:

Konstantina has a strong background in management and supervision of big design projects including office buildings interiors, hotels and retail. Her leadership role includes Strategic Planning, Project Management and Marketing Management. Konstantina also has a profound knowledge in the whole furniture production process- from the creative, through construction, to the production and sales. For the last ten years she has been developing a Sustainable design business with natural materials and products for interior projects.

At Triple Green Konstantina manages strategic development and key clients, and is also involved in the green building certification process and green interior design.

Education:

Master of Engineering in Interior Design from University of Forestry in Sofia, Bulgaria.
First English Language School Sofia

Volunteering and Social Activity:

Board Member at Club UNESCO “Leonardo da Vinci” Sofia
Instructor at Eco Academy “Future Now”
Coordinator at TedxYouth@Sofia

Interests:

Konstantina is a recognized sportsman with national and international fencing awards. She enjoys skiing, yachting, surfing, golf and hiking. She has a passion for travel, design and sustainable lifestyle.

Simona Kabadova, M. Arch

Director Certification

LEED AP BD+C, EDGE Expert

Expertise and Responsibilities:

Simona joined Triple Green Building Group in 2014.
Proficient in both architectural and graphic design software, in addition to her knowledge of building and construction, Simona has brought invaluable expertise to the company.

Simona has become an expert in LEED certification, receiving her LEED AP credential in Building Design and Construction rating systems. Simona has managed a number of LEED projects which have received successful LEED certification, including the Raiffeisen Property development of Expo 2000 Office Park where Simona was personally responsible for managing the certification process for Phase III which received LEED Gold, and for Phase IV which is the first and only building in Bulgaria with LEED Platinum certification. Simona is also an expert BREEAM consultant with experience in documenting the BREEAM certification for the highest building in Bulgaria – Capital Fort, and currently one of the two new construction projects in Sofia Tech Park seeking BREEAM Excellent certification.

Education:

Master in Architecture at the University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy (UACEG)- Sofia, Bulgaria
Architectural Technologies and Construction Management at Erasmus program in VIA University Horsens, Denmark
Sustainable Architecture, Cradle to Cradle concept and Innovative Green Technologies.
LEED AP

Interests:

Besides her work as an expert project manager in green building certification projects, Simona has done extensive work with layout and presentation materials for Triple Green, as well as serving as Professional Education developer for all Triple Green course listed on USGBC Education portal. Simona has worked closely with the subject matter experts to design the online course work in a variety of software, and has worked with the Education Department at USGBC to meet the rigorous technical requirements for approved USGBC courses.

Hristiyan Draganov, M.Eng.

Site Sustainability Manager

BIM Specialist, LCA Expert

Expertise and Responsibilities:

Currently he is a Green Building Associate and a Project manager for Triple Green Building Group. As such he is responsible for following BREEAM and LEED projects from start to delivery. On a daily basis he does different analyses and studies needed for reaching desired goals.

He is an expert in Building Information Modelling (BIM)

Experience:

Hristiyan graduated and during that time every summer or spare time was spent on construction sites as a site manager. This interest for construction of buildings was developed in his childhood by seeing his father being involved in the field. A natural continuation was a collage for construction, where he took professional diploma for a site manager, prior his university studies.

Seeing the lack of communication between construction sites and design process, he felt the need to be involved in the growing Building Information Modelling (BIM). This is a digital transformation solution for creating and managing data during the whole process – from the idea to the realization of a project, and even further with maintenance and demolishment.

His career focus shifted in this direction and with that he found an opportunity to use his skills and participate in designing houses, office and apartment buildings in Flanders Region, Belgium.

He has years of experience in using BIM for structural design, architectural design and also MEP. Collaboration with different specialties was his daily routine, as well as being involved in procurement, price offerings and quantity extracting directly in the 3D information model. Software skills are crucial and his are excellent.

Education:

M.Eng. in Construction of buildings and Structures with specialty Management and Technology - University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Site manager diploma from College of Construction in Veliko Turnovo, Bulgaria.

Interests:

Hristiyan participates in a BIM Organization, with main goal of gathering and sharing best practices and helping digitalize the industry. He is certified drone pilot and finds drones not as toys but being useful in many ways.

Teodora Gavrilova

Green Building Associate

Qualified Ecologist LEED Green Associate

Expertise and Responsibilities:

Developing action reports, policies and preparation of plans for monitoring of environmental components (air, water, soil, waste and noise). Current on environmental laws and regulations and safety policies. Product quality assurance and assessment. Capturing and processing complex data and compiling research findings in technical and non-technical reports. Identifying habitats, endangered species, wetlands, and other at-risk environments. Monitoring urban habitats and landscape changes of the environment.

Experience:

Teodora has a background in Biodiversity Conservation and Protected territories and solving complex ecological problems. She was a part of the Vision for Sofia - a long-term strategy for the development of the capital and suburban areas until 2050 as an environmentalist, where she had to analyze the current state of the city's environmental components.
Her skills also include developing projects and plans for Informal Educational initiatives.
She joined Triple Green Building Group with the ambition to expand her knowledge in Green Building Certifications and Urban development.

Education:

Bachelor in Environmental Studies at University of Forestry - Sofia, Bulgaria
1 year Erasmus in University of Life Sciences - Prague, Czech Republic
Master of Engineering in Metrology, Accreditation and Certification at UCTM- Sofia,Bulgaria.
She received extended education in Natural Resource Management, GIS & Ecological Data Processing, Environmental Impact Assessment & Strategic Environmental Assessment, Waste Handling etc.

Interests:

Teodora is a certified ecologist. Since she was a child, she feels as if nature is her second home. Soon, this passion became a profession for her. Ever since, she has been expanding her knowledge about natural ecosystems. Her interests include practicing yoga, sustainable building & interior materials, biophilic design and analog photography. In her free time she loves hiking and foraging.

Boyka Ognyanova, M.Arch.

Project Manager

LEED AP BD+C, LEED AP ID+C, WELL AP, GPR NH Rater

Expertise and Responsibilities:

Boyka Ognyanova, M.Arch, LEED AP BD+C, LEED AP ID+C, WELL AP, joined Triple Green Building Group in 2014 following a long collaboration in education and event management. She brings to the sustainability agenda her experience in architectural design, programming and education, and her passion for human-centered sustainable urban development.
Boyka is a dedicated sustainability professional with now more than 30 LEED, BREEAM and GreenPoint Rated green building certification projects. She is contributing to further develop the company’s portfolio of services in both certification and education while facilitating its projects in the United States, Europe and Asia.
A Guest-lecturer at UC Berkeley, CA, USA at ARCH X411.6 Principles of Sustainability and CIV ENG X495 Introduction to LEED v4: Concepts of Green Building and Design, Boyka has been also a GBCI LEED AP BD+C Subject Matter Expert since 2021.

Experience:

Architect at Fordewind Architecture (2009)
Managing Editor of the Bulgarian monthly magazine for facility management “Facilities”
Organizer of the annual Bulgarian FM Conference in collaboration with IFMA and WGBC (2010-2011)
Program Director of One Architecture Week (2012, 2013)
Project Manager for Kapana Creative District (2014), part of Plovdiv – European Capital of Culture 2019

Education:

Laureate of the Urban Studies PhD Scholarship Program at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski (2012)
Master of Architecture from UACEG Sofia, Bulgaria (2009)
Special prize of the Taliesin Fellows, Frank Lloyd Wright School (2009)

Interests:

Boyka shares a passion for contemporary architecture and art, and has been contributing to different causes in culture, democracy and civil rights. In her spare time, you can find her in the nearby museum or gallery. Fearless mother of two boys.

Kelly Gearhart

Partner, Director USA Projects

LEED Fellow, LEED AP BD+C, LEED AP O+M, LEED H Green Rater, USGBC LEED® Faculty™, U.S. Green Building Council, CGBP, GPR New Homes, GPR Existing Multifamily Homes, BPI Multifamily Building Analyst, ICC Certified CALGreen Inspector/Plans Examiner, University of California Berkeley Extension Instructor

EXPERTISE and RESPONSIBLITIES:
Kelly is a founder and Principal with the international green building consulting firm Triple Green Building Group. With locations in the San Francisco Bay Area, CA, Atlanta, GA, Savannah, GA and Sophia, Bulgaria, Triple Green provides expertise to design, construction and building operations professionals, governments, corporate entities and non-profit organizations seeking responsible approaches to building and development through sustainable project planning and design, LEED consulting and administration, education and training. Triple Green is a national member of the U.S. Green Building Council, a sustainability education developer and USGBC Education Delivery Partner. Kelly is a LEED Fellow, USGBC LEED Faculty member and an Instructor for the University of California Berkeley Extension.

Accredited in the new Building Design + Construction and Existing Buildings: Operations + Maintenance programs, Kelly has taught over 200 full-day and multi-day LEED, green building, Commissioning and Energy Modeling courses, facilitated multiple green building charrettes, presented at 15 conferences, consulted with more than 250 clients on green building strategies and worked on over 75 LEED registered and certified projects across the U.S. and internationally. Gearhart served as an officer on the board of the USGBC Atlanta Chapter for two years as well as serving as a member of USGBC’s Southeast Regional Council and an Advocacy Committee member with the USGBC’s Northern California Chapter.

With a deep technical knowledge of sustainability rating systems and tools, Gearhart implements green building design, construction and operations practices on projects around the world. Currently, Gearhart is managing LEED and GreenPoint Rated projects, serving as the Commissioning Authority and Energy Modeler on LEED projects, consulting with manufacturers on environmental product declarations and life cycle calculations, teaching courses at Berkeley, and developing and delivering LEED and sustainability education globally.

EDUCATION
Bachelor of Arts in Religion with concentration in Mathematics, Wellesley College

INTERESTS AND ACTIVITIES
Kelly has hiked 1,000 miles of the Appalachian Trail, built a wooden row boat from scratch, delivered burritos in Boston, learned to ride a motorcycles and horses, surf, snowboard, and salsa dance, joined the circus, and sold mobile phones. She was a baker, Italian chef, organizational consultant, interior house painter, landscaper, editor, furniture refinisher, and door-to-door encyclopedia sales person. She has harvested mangos on the coast of southern Queensland and blueberries on the coast of Maine, dived on the Great Barrier Reef, hitchhiked up the eastern coast of the United States, and traveled in Britain, France, Italy, Australia, and throughout the United States. Kelly is an avid salsa dancer and has been an active volunteer with Trees Atlanta, the Oakland Cemetery and the U.S. Green Building Council. Currently, Kelly resides in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband, daughter, and menagerie of pets.

Vessela Valtcheva-McGee

Founder, Honorary Advisor

LEED Fellow, BREEAM International Assessor, DGNB Auditor, EDGE Auditor

Expertise and Responsibilities:

Vessela Valtcheva-McGee has extensive experience with green building certification and sustainable development in both practice and education. With over 15 years of experience in green building certification, Vessela has both practical hands-on experience with international certification tools LEED, BREEAM and EDGE, and deep theoretical knowledge of sustainability, professional education and policy development, and sustainability leadership. While working closely with the construction sector as a sustainability consultant, Vessela has also been actively involved in change leadership through the international NGO green building council network.
Serving as a founder and President of a chapter of the US Green Building Council in the United States, Vessela had the opportunity to be involved in the development of some of the most influential certification tools – LEED, BREEAM and the new tool being developed by the European Commission - LEVELs. Vessela was honored as a LEED Fellow in 2015 – the highest level of professional recognition awarded for certification technical expertise, practical experience, education development and advocacy.

Since 2008 Vessela has been a Managing Partner in Triple Green Building Group, LLC - a full service sustainability consulting, certification and education, company. Currently Vessela heads the European branch of Triple Green Group which is based in Sofia, Bulgaria. In her capacity as a green building consultant who has every recognized credential in the branch, Vessela has had the opportunity to work on numerous green building certification projects of national and international significance. She has personally managed the certification of LEED and BREEAM projects in Bulgaria, Russia, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Vietnam, Mexico and the US. She has participated in sustainable master planning concepts for projects in the US, Russia and Bulgaria. Vessela was the key sustainability expert for the municipal Integrated Plan for Urban Renewal and Development for the City of Sofia.
In 2010 Vessela became a founding member on the Board of Directors of the Bulgarian Green Building Council where she is currently President. She works on sustainable policy development, voluntary certification initiatives, and represents the council at the World Green Building Council's Europe Regional Network, a coalition of organizations working together to facilitate industry leadership and drive the transition to a low-carbon, circular economy.

Vessela is part of a recognized group of change leaders of sustainability in the US and Europe working to coordinate a collaborative sustainable development effort with governments and relevant stakeholders across the region.

Education:

Bachelor of Art History from Savannah College of Art and Design
Bachelor of Architecture from Savannah College of Art and Design
Master of Architecture from Savannah College of Art and Design
Post Graduate Certificate in Sustainable Business from University of Cambridge - Institute of Sustainability Leadership

Interests:

Vessela is an artist, architect and historian by education and a global nomad at heart, also a woman of many interests and talents. Vessela was born in Bulgaria, grew up in the middle-east, lived on the east coast United States for 20 years, and currently resides between Sofia, Bulgaria and Savannah, GA, with her husband, а daughter, cat and dog, while frequently traveling the world to enjoy the dolce vita.