John Nichols

John Nichols serves as Director of Sustainability for RTI International. His work focuses on reducing the environmental impact of RTI’s real estate portfolio and global operations through novel sustainability initiatives that save energy, conserve water, reduce waste, and limit greenhouse gas emissions.

Mr. Nichols leads RTI’s corporate sustainability program, which is built upon RTI’s long-standing commitment to responsible global citizenship. In this role, he leads project teams on designing and executing new sustainability initiatives from concept to execution, including budgeting, planning, implementation, and monitoring. He enjoys collaborating with a wide variety of stakeholders to ensure that RTI’s sustainability goals are met on-time and on-budget – including RTI’s first-ever solar energy system, a 265-kilowatt solar photovoltaic (PV) canopy on top of RTI’s main parking deck.

Prior to joining RTI, Mr. Nichols worked for 15 years in the architecture & engineering industry on sustainable building design & construction, where his efforts led to 20 LEED certifications, 35 ENERGY STAR design ratings, and multiple awards from the US EPA, US Green Building Council, and other regional organizations.

Mr. Nichols is a Professional Energy Manager (PEM), LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP), Returned Peace Corps Volunteer (RPCV), and a recipient of the Gail Lindsey Award for Sustainability from the American Institute of Architects. Originally from North Carolina, he loves contributing to the culture of sustainability at RTI and seeing the ripple effect this has on projects and communities across the globe.