SOM received two recognitions in the 2026 METROPOLIS Planet Positive Awards. Principal and Sustainability Director Luke Leung was named a Sustainability Leader and WeBank Headquarters in Shenzhen, China, was selected as a finalist in the Workplace category. 

As a leader in SOM’s Sustainable Engineering Studio, Leung has spent his career applying building science to architectural practice, advancing environmental modeling and high-performance mechanical systems to broader industry work on decarbonization. His recent projects and initiatives include building decarbonization and advancing strategies that move projects toward all-electric and net-positive operations.

That approach is evident at WeBank Headquarters, a 30-story workplace designed around Shenzhen’s subtropical climate. Operable facades, stack-effect atria, environmental sensors, and planted terraces work in tandem to maximize natural ventilation when conditions allow. Solar-responsive overhangs and recessed balconies on the building reduce solar heat gain. The LEED Platinum–building brings these strategies together with flexible workplaces and direct access to light, air, and landscape.

The Planet Positive Awards were presented on September 30 at the Center for Architecture + Design in San Francisco, recognizing people, projects, products, and ideas advancing sustainability, health, and equity across the built environment. METROPOLIS editor in chief Avinash Rajagopal hosted the ceremony and presented Leung with the Sustainability Leader award.