Gary J. Lai , PLA, ASLA, LEED AP BD+C, ILFI LBC Ambassador, USGBC-LA Board

Mr. Lai is an accomplished landscape architect and thought leader in sustainability, resiliency, conservation, and Nature-based Solutions. He leverages over three decades of design and planning experience to steer large, complex projects to successful completion. Mr. Lai’s interest in drawing and environmentalism led him to a field that he describes as the ‘architecture of living things’ with an immense potential to impact quality of life for future generations. He has extensive expertise in site sustainability design, green infrastructure and water conservation that enable him to focus and maximize the creative energies of project collaborators toward innovative solutions. Mr. Lai is committed to local environmental advocacy and education. He has spoken at numerous conferences on a variety of sustainable and urbanist issues including the Net Zero Conference, Greenbuild and the California Green Building Conference. Mr. Lai is currently the Past-Chair of the Board of Directors for the United States Green Building Council, California (USGBC-CA), a founder of the International Living Future Institute (ILFI) collaborative, Living Future Los Angeles and a co-founder for the New American Dream Think Tank. Professionally, he is a lecturer at the CalPoly Pomona Landscape Architecture Department and is the Principal and Founder of Quixotic Nature-based Solutions based in Pasadena, CA.