▁has ▁also ▁been ▁the ▁Executive ▁Editor ▁of ▁Gre ener Build ings . com ▁where ▁he ▁blog s ▁about ▁the ▁state ▁of ▁green ▁building . ▁ ▁His ▁work ▁on ▁green ▁buildings ▁in ▁China ▁and ▁green ▁technology ▁in ▁general ▁has ▁been ▁featured ▁in ▁numerous ▁publications , ▁including ▁Fort une ▁Magazine ▁and ▁The ▁Econom ist ▁ ▁and ▁has ▁been ▁referenced ▁on ▁multiple ▁occasions ▁by ▁New ▁York ▁Times ▁column ist , ▁Thomas ▁Fried man . ▁ ▁In ▁Thomas ▁Fried man ' s ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁book , ▁Hot , ▁Fl at , ▁and ▁Crow ded , ▁Watson ▁is ▁described ▁as ▁" one ▁of ▁the ▁best ▁environmental ▁minds ▁in ▁America ." ▁ ▁Watson ▁was ▁the ▁only ▁foreign er ▁to ▁have ▁been ▁hon ored ▁by ▁Ministry ▁of ▁H ous ing ▁and ▁Urban - R ural ▁Development ▁of ▁the ▁People ' s ▁Republic ▁of ▁China ▁with ▁its ▁first ▁Green ▁In nov ation ▁Award ▁in ▁Be ij ing ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁he ▁was ▁named ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁recip ient ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Green ▁Building ▁Council ' s ▁Le ad ership ▁Award ▁For ▁L if etime ▁Ach iev ement ▁for ▁his ▁work ▁with ▁the ▁organization . ▁ ▁Life ▁and ▁work ▁As ▁a ▁Senior ▁Scient ist ▁and ▁Director ▁of ▁the ▁International ▁Energy ▁and ▁Green ▁Building ▁programs ▁at ▁the ▁Natural ▁Resources ▁Def ense ▁Council ▁( NR DC ) ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁Watson ▁was ▁active ▁in ▁international ▁sust ain