April 16, 2026 – Viridiant, a nonprofit advancing sustainable and affordable housing through technical expertise, policy leadership, and community partnership, today announced the completion of a major strategic repositioning around four high-impact areas — and named Stuart Nuckols as its new Executive Director, effective spring 2026. The announcement comes as Viridiant marks its 20th anniversary year.
The transition follows a deliberate succession process that began at the close of 2025, with outgoing Executive Director Andrew Green moving to a Senior Advisor role through the spring before his planned departure.
The leadership change arrives at a defining moment for the organization. Under Andrew Green’s direction, Viridiant made the decision to return administration of the EarthCraft green building certification program to Southface Institute, a bold, mission-first move that repositions Viridiant to focus on the areas where nonprofit leadership delivers unique value. As the market matured and private providers scaled their capacity to deliver green building certification, Viridiant also made the deliberate decision to strategically scale back its own multifamily certification portfolio, asking honestly where a mission-driven nonprofit adds value that the market won’t provide on its own. The answer to that question shaped everything that follows.
“This is a moment of real clarity for Viridiant,” said Andrew Green. “The market has evolved, and we evolved with it, by honestly assessing where we belong. Returning EarthCraft to Southface was the right call for the field and for this organization. We’re now focused on the work that only a trusted, independent nonprofit can do. Stuart is exactly the right leader to take it forward.”
A Sharpened Strategic Focus
Viridiant’s repositioned mission centers on four high-impact areas where the organization’s technical depth, community trust, and nonprofit independence create outcomes the market cannot replicate on its own:
Post-Occupancy Building Performance: Viridiant is developing a scalable, ongoing building science commissioning model for affordable housing — addressing a critical gap in a system where buildings are certified but rarely supported with building science expertise after residents move in. Viridiant aims to pilot a program that will catch performance drift early, reduce energy costs, improve resident comfort, and protect long-term asset value – ultimately helping to better preserve Virginia’s stock of affordable housing.
Strategic Membership: Viridiant is formalizing a long-term partnership model for the architects, developers, asset owners, and contractors it serves, providing embedded expertise and technical support, proactive strategic engagement, and compounding capacity, replacing reactive, one-off services with a trusted, ongoing relationship.
Technical Services: Viridiant continues to deliver pre-review analysis services and utility allowance studies, available as standalone services or wrapped into a Strategic Membership for a more seamless, proactive relationship. Multifamily green building certification support is also available for select projects and partners, with design engagement scoped and contracted first and certification services following when the project is ready to break ground. This model reflects Viridiant’s commitment to meaningful early design engagement over transactional compliance. Our Community Energy Services division, launched in 2020, will continue to offer energy audits and consulting to homeowners and commercial properties – on the open market and in coordination with government, utility, and NGO partners.
Policy & Market Transformation and Workforce Development: Continued investment in shaping the codes, incentives, and talent pipelines that determine what Virginia builds and how well it performs. Viridiant’s unique expertise, combining the lessons of energy modeling, field work, and market engagement, is needed for Virginia to optimize results in housing, energy, and workforce.
Stuart Nuckols: A Full-Circle Leadership Moment
Nuckols’ appointment marks a resonant moment for the organization. She was among Viridiant’s early employees, serving as Director of External Affairs during its formative years before building an independent consulting career. She returned as Deputy Director and Chief of Staff, where she has worked alongside Green through the entire strategic transition.
“I’ve been part of Viridiant at nearly every stage of its story,” said Nuckols. “Andrew and the board have given us an incredible foundation to build on. What I want to do with it is simple: be the partner our clients need — present early and often, invested in their outcomes, and focused on the long game rather than the next transaction.”
Andrew Green’s Legacy
Green has led Viridiant through a period of significant growth and, ultimately, a principled strategic contraction, choosing depth of impact over breadth of activity. His Senior Advisor role through this spring will support continuity and relationship handoffs.
A New Home: “The Buggy Factory” in Shockoe Bottom
In April, Viridiant relocated to the Buggy Factory in Richmond’s Shockoe Slip, a revitalized downtown building owned by Sandra Leibowitz, a former, founding Viridiant Board member and longtime sustainable construction leader. Sandra’s firm, Sustainable Design Consulting, and Viridiant look forward to collaborating and championing the green building principles both organizations are known for.
About Viridiant
Viridiant is a Virginia nonprofit advancing sustainable, affordable, energy-efficient construction through building science consulting, technical services, training, and policy leadership. Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2026, Viridiant has supported nearly 50,000 homes and helps builders, developers, and homeowners across Virginia build better. viridiant.org