Rick Van Diepen, LEED AP

Executive Director, Green Chips

Originally from Northern California, Rick has made Las Vegas his home for 19 years after receiving his degree in Architecture from UC Berkeley.  Rick left a successful 19-year career in architecture to pursue his passion for sustainability and community development as executive director at Green Chips, a regional non-profit organization dedicated to building community and promoting sustainability through broad based collaboration and public private partnerships.

A LEED 2.0 Accredited Professional since 2004, Rick's primary emphasis in architecture has always been on collaboration and sustainability and most recently held the position of Associate Principal and firm-wide Sustainability Manager for PGAL Architects’ nine offices in the US and Mexico.  

Rick also has had experience leading and helping to develop community-based nonprofit organizations having served as board member and two terms as President with the US Green Building Council Nevada Chapter. Rick was a board member for Green Chips prior to joining their staff and has also served on boards for the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Las Vegas Chapter and Nevadans For Clean And Reliable Energy (NCARE). A Leadership LV graduate (2008), Rick has been an active member of the community performing volunteer work and pro-bono design services to several local charitable organizations including Habitat for Humanity and the historic Harrison House.

 Rick has been a featured guest speaker and panelist for numerous local professional groups, and local TV and public radio programs on the subject of sustainable design.  He and his wife Kathryn have two daughters and live in a (raucous) 1964 house in central Las Vegas which they are renovating to be net-zero energy.