Who We AreDavid Butterfield

David ButterfieldIn 1989, with the assistance of several environmental activists, David formed the Trust for Sustainable Development, a not for profit corporation devoted to the principals of economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable development. The Trust is a unique organization which legally controls the developments in which David participates, and produces profits which are distributed to charitable organizations in the areas where the developments take place.

In the same year, also with the help of several environmental activists and an engaged group of community participants, Mr. Butterfield began to research and design Bamberton, North America's most advanced sustainable community, located on Vancouver Island. Over the following seven years, Mr. Butterfield and his team emerged as world experts in "sustainable community" technology.

During the Bamberton years Mr. Butterfield founded the socially responsible South Island Development Cooperative and served as Chairman of the Corporate Advisory Board for Earth Day International.

In 1995–1996, as co-Town Founder, David directed the planning and creation of Civano, a sustainable "new town" of 2,400 homes in Tucson, Arizona; a community The New York Times named one of the three most sustainable developments in North America. Civano is the only sustainable development which receives annual energy and water consumption audits proving the efficacy of its planning and development.

In 1997, David began work on the Victoria, B.C. brownfield re-development of Shoal Point at Fisherman's Wharf, where he currently resides. Shoal Point, an environmentally advanced mixed-use development, has received several local and national design awards, and was voted the "best building" in Canada in 2002 by the National Canadian Home Builders Association. The project transformed the largely derelict and contaminated local neighbourhood into one of the most sought after in North America.

In 2002, he was recognized by the BC government and received the "Building Better Futures Community Award" for his Commitment to Community.

In 2003, at the invitation of the Federal Government of Mexico, David began work on North America's largest sustainable development, the new town of Loreto Bay in Baja California Sur (6000 homes, 3200 acres). The project's unique commitments were to create more potable water than it used, produce more renewable energy than it consumed, and improve the ecosystem of which it is part. It was also successful in the Government's goal of alleviating poverty in the central Baja. When David left in August 2007, before the recession's impact, the project was the best selling development in Mexico and the most sustainable development in North America. David was a co-recipient of the 2004 US-Mexico Chamber of Commerce Good Neighbour award with Colin Powell; David for his work at Loreto Bay and for his support for Mexico.

Another project of Mr. Butterfield's won planning awards from Prince Charles' Society of Social Innovations, The Body Shop, Globe '92 and the American Institute for Architects.

In 2007, Wal-Mart Chair Rob Walton, philanthropist Julie Wrigley, and Arizona State University (ASU) President Michael Crow, asked David to join the board of the Global Institute of Sustainability (GIOS), headquartered at ASU, the largest university in the US and the country's leader in sustainability. David continues to work with Global Institute of Sustainability to have ASU be the exemplar of sustainability through deeds and actions on its campuses, as well as through its academics. Hummingbird has signed a letter of Intent with Arizona State University to build its first U.S. facility on the Tempe Campus.

David co-founded the Trust for Sustainable Forestry with Ann Mortifee to preserve North American forest land through ecosystem based forestry. He remains an active board member.

David Butterfield currently is Chairman of Hummingbird Energy, whose business is the development, sale and management of turn-key facilities that convert source separated organic waste ("SSO") into renewable energy. Hummingbird builds on ten years of experience in the composting business at ICC Group, where David was co-founder and Chairman. Hummingbird is a sponsor of EndofWaste.org and a leader in "zero waste" energy technology.

Mr. Butterfield is a dual citizen of the United States and Canada and resides in Victoria, British Columbia, Scottsdale, Arizona and Loreto Bay, Baja California Sur, Mexico.