Pop Star: Marc and Christine Mondor

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Friendship & Penn Ave Arts District 

Marc and Christine Mondor, two heads talking at once, are the corporate culture at evolve EA. Spouses, co-principals, warriors for cutting-edge Environmental Architecture, in their own quiet way the Mondors are propounding a new-century agenda, a revolution writ small. “We seek the Holy Grail of design,” Christine Mondor says: “affordable, contemporary, green.”

These days, green involves a lot more than a fresh coat of paint. Going for U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification means utilizing environmentally-friendly principles in building materials, energy efficiency, wastewater treatment, and so on. Seeing the growing need for LEED leadership, the Mondors launched evolve EA two years ago – to enviable acclaim and growing success. “The core of sustainable design is space that empowers the senses, facilitates health and happiness, and inspires and enables stewardship of the environment,” California-native Marc says. “Our solutions engage these ideas at multiple levels and acknowledge the evolution of building design and environmental efficiency,” Pittsburgh-born Christine adds.

With that operating philosophy, the Mondors have racked up an impressive client list, including consulting on green projects with Carnegie Mellon and Alcoa. Indeed, evolve EA’s push for green commercial projects led to Giant Eagle’s first LEED-certified supermarket. Then there was Shadyside Academy, where evolve EA designed a courtyard storm water cistern to capture water for secondary uses. Not only did Shadyside net an 80% water savings, it also had a new educational component – the building as teaching tool. In addition, incorporating fresh air into the buildings, and modifying energy use, resulted in 43% energy saving.

Yet evolve EA’s keystone project is Southside Works’ MAYA Design. With MAYA, a Carnegie Mellon spin-off, recruiting heavily from both coasts, the company had to have contemporary space -- and a green environment. To create MAYA’s working laboratory -- 32,000 square feet of offices, conference rooms, and support areas, all using colorful raw materials and no right angles – evolve EA used recycled materials, user-friendly finishes, and LEED-certified interiors. Employing flexible elements and surfaces to foster collaboration, evolve EA used privacy glass, projectors, and sensors to shape a computer-wired environment. “The very shape of the space provokes creativity,” Christine says. “It’s a match to their culture,” Marc nods. “And they’re very pro-active telling people about their space,” Christine adds.

As are the Mondors, who deliberately located evolve EA in the Penn Avenue Arts Corridor – in the same building as the Dance Alloy. As creatives themselves, “it made sense to us to be in an area with artists,” Marc says.

Penn Avenue, MAYA, evolve EA, the Mondors say, are a lot like their home town. “Pittsburgh has all the infrastructure to be a great creative center,” Christine says. “You can do anything you want here. You can make a difference. You can change the face of the city.” “In 1994,” Marc adds, “nobody much was talking about green buildings.” “Now, we’re on the move,” Christine nods. “As is much of this community.” “We’re fresh,” Marc says. “We’re creative. We’re optimistic. And we haven’t looked back.”

Award-winning writer Abby Mendelson is the author of numerous books, including his newest, Ghost Dancer, available at Amazon and bn.