In 2018, the World Green Building Council reported that buildings designed for occupant wellness reported healthier, happier, and more productive employees. One Harvard University study even found that better air quality in office environments was linked with higher cognitive function in occupants.

The data shows that healthy buildings are not a frivolous expense. In fact, they can directly improve the bottom line of many organizations. Yet from Health Product Declarations (HPD) to Red Lists, WELL to FitWell, and LEED to the Living Building Challenge, the avenues for pursuing healthy buildings for your occupants can be overwhelming.

We want to empower you with healthy building strategies so that the people who occupy your buildings, as your employees, your tenants, or your clients can be productive and feel great in an optimal working environment.

For our Healthy Building Summit, we gathered an expert panel from top corporations and institutions. Our panel spearheaded a discussion, and engaged the audience with provocative questions and information on the science and engineering of healthy buildings.

We had an amazing time at GBS ’18. From Jim Stanislaski’s and Aminah Mcnulty’s breakout performances in the opening “Mother Earth” performance to EMD Serono winning Green Building of the Year, there were some memorable moments.

The USGBC MA community works hard to advance sustainable and regenerative design, construction, and operation of the built environment. Once a year, we gather to celebrate industry success and innovation at USGBC MA’s Green Building Showcase (GBS ‘18).

At GBS ‘18, community members celebrate the best efforts, designs, and products in the Commonwealth. It is a night of project boards, short presentations, discussions, and awards. 

The award winners were selected by our regional judges:

Steven Baumgartner
Principal and Urban Systems/Infrastructure Strategist at SmithGroup

Gunnar Hubbard, FAIA
Principal at Thornton Tomasetti, LEED Fellow

Kenneth J. Filarski FAIA, AICP, LEED AP BDC, SITES AP, CFM
FILARSKI Architecture.Planning.Research.

James Albis
Executive Director, CT Green Building Council; State Representative

Bentley’s New Arena, the first In US to get certified LEED Platinum, was recognized by Eversource and Mass Save receiving the Eversource Energy Optimization Award.

Attendees at the event included architects, engineers, contractors, developers, owners, facility managers, building users, lenders, suppliers…everyone who plays a role in designing, operating and constructing the built environment.

Our inaugural Women in Green event brought together women in all levels of our local industry, from emerging professionals to established leaders. 

Following national empowerment movements, our event brought together professionals to network and connect with leaders in the field, promote women’s leadership across the environmental and built environment industry, and to channel our efforts to build a better world where both genders have equal access to and are involved in leadership and decision-making.

At Women in Green we heard from Deb Kiernan, Senior Director of Real Estate at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, about their sustainability journey and why they believe healthcare has a role to play modeling responses and behaviors. We followed with guided table discussions led by local sustainability leaders that examined ourselves, our communities, and our global connections.

Happenstance brought our newly elected Senator Diana DiZoglio in the room. Having heard about the event next-door, she stopped in to introduce herself, show support for the event, and talk about how the work being done by those in the room is important.

We also had a moment to center ourselves with a mindfulness exercise and together envision how together we can heal the planet. The event concluded with an Office Talk & Tour by Carolyn Manoukian, the Design & Construction Manger at BCBSMA.