Kirk Teske’s interest in the built environment began with a love of drawing and a high school apprenticeship with a local architecture firm in his hometown, Longview, Texas. He began his career with HKS in Dallas in 1984 working with cost-driven developer clients who did not share his passion for passive design strategies. In the late 1990’s he began managing projects for corporate clients. The Sabre Headquarters project in Southlake, Texas, which opened in 2001, was a milestone for Kirk and a catalyst for change in the region. Sabre saw a sustainable, environmentally responsible workplace as an opportunity to differentiate themselves as a company, attract and retain talent as well as reduce operating costs. It was the first time for Kirk and HKS to use energy modeling during design and to use the new LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating system from the U.S. Green Building Council. For Kirk, working with Sabre had brought joy to the job and a realization that successful sustainable projects require an educated multidisciplinary network. In 2002, using his position of Chairman of the Dallas AIA Committee on the Environment (COTE) as a platform, he launched the formation of the North Texas Chapter of the USGBC. His contributions are motivated by a strong religious faith that embraces stewardship of the natural world and values health and wellbeing for people.