2025 Board of Directors Election

To align with our strategic plan, we are seeking the representation of experts from a variety of sectors involved in the design, construction, and operation of our built environment. BE+ currently has 14 Board members. According to our bylaws, we can have no fewer than seven and no more than 19 Directors. In addition, BE+ seeks a diversity of perspective from its Directors across professions, areas of expertise/interest, as well as gender, age, race, and ethnicity.

In order to increase the diversity of the board and potential participation by members, the BE+ board has embarked on a new process to support greater participation by members:

1. The nomination period is from 10/24/2024 to 12/09/2024.
2. There are three methods to get nominated to the board:
               a. Members can nominate themselves
               b. Members can nominate other members
               c. A Board selected Nominating Committee will nominate members to the Board.

Seats are organized based on the following professional sectors: Design Consultants, Construction/Manufacturing, Owners/Operations, Policy/Advocacy, Other Fields not named above (e.g. Education, Utilities, Law, Community Development, Clean Energy, etc.). Seven of those seats are reserved for one representative from various professions outlined in the table below.   

After the nomination period is complete, the Board and the Nominating Committee will vet the candidates and bucket them according to the categories noted in the tables below. The Board has discretion to increase/decrease numbers in each Professional Category by 1 to align with our strategic plan and diversity goals.  The Board will vote on the final Ballot and number of Board members for the year.

Board Composition

In 2025, we are aiming to have fifteen elected and one appointed Board Members. Eleven Board seats are not up for election this year. There are three incumbents seeking reelection.

Design Consultants:
There are three open seats with three incumbent Directors seeking reelection.

• Engineering: incumbent seeking reelection – Jacob Knowles, BR+A
• Open (2): incumbents seeking reelection – Kate Brubiski, Arrowstreet and Sarah Michelman, The Green Engineer

Construction/Manufacturing:
There are no open seats.

Owner/Operations:
There are no open seats.

Policy/Advocacy:
There is one open seat:

• Open

Other + EPMA: Fields could include Education, Community Development, Finance, DEI, Clean Energy, Fundraising/Development, etc.
There is one open seat:

• Open

BE+ has identified these priority professional categories for new board members and encourages people from these fields to be nominated:

• Building Operations & Maintenance (energy)
• Community Development
• Government/Advocacy

In addition to specific sectors in the field of design, construction, and operation of our built environment, the board is looking for expertise in specific areas:

• Development/Fundraising
• Finance
• Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)

A BE+ Board Member…

• Has knowledge of BE+ mission, goals, and objectives and is able to promote them effectively;
• Has the experience and influence needed by BE+ and/or can also represent one or more disciplines that can help balance the Board’s membership;
• Has showcased leadership skills in their community and can use their experience to successfully work with the rest of the Board and its committees;
• Is capable of being an active public representative of the organization and can successfully include others in the work of BE+;
• Is a member in good standing of BE+. Double-check your membership status by visiting the BE+ Join It membership profile.

The Board as a whole cannot have more than two Directors from the same company or organization at a time. A board member should expect to commit an average of 3-6 hours a month. Monthly commitment may vary based on initiatives, committee work, and events.

Board members are expected to… 

• Review financial statements and the budget and to otherwise help the board fulfill its fiduciary responsibilities;
• Familiarize themselves with bylaws and other organizational documents;
• Attend at minimum fifty percent of board meetings per year either in person or virtually;
• Read board materials in advance of monthly board meetings and to come prepared to ask questions and participate in discussions.
• Currently the board meets once per month virtually or in person;
• Serve on one or more committees of the board and actively participate in committee work. Current committees include; Education, Community Building, Governance, and Advocacy;
• Be an active community member of Built Environment Plus
• Secure a minimum of $1500 necessary for BE+ to achieve its mission, whether from the Board member’s own organization, from personal contributions or in using personal relationships and connections to actively recruit sponsorships and memberships. Alternatives to actual monetary contributions include supporting efforts to bring in monetary resources (such as teaching courses, participating in panels, etc.).
• Responsibly represent the organization to their respective communities and advocate for BE+’s mission, programs, and services as appropriate.
• Support initiatives and events, panels, etc. to further the organization’s mission. These may include efforts around DEI, elections, educational programming, advocacy efforts, etc. This is an active and engaged Board.

Each board member is required to vote and have an informed decision after a thorough assessment of an issue. Specific tasks which will need groundwork and a vote by Board members include:

• • Decisions on policies, goals, objectives, and priorities;
  • Collaboration with other Board members and staff in the process, updates, and approval of specific strategies and objectives;
  • Nominate and vote officers for the BE+ Board;
  • Oversee and evaluate the strength and success of the projects and programs and make sure that these projects and programs are reaching the appropriate goals needed by the organization;
  • Approve and oversee operation, property, and equipment budgets;
  • Facilitate selection, employment, and evaluation of the Executive Director;
  • Support the Executive Director in fulfilling their job duties;
  • Review and update the Strategic Plan as required.

BE+ seeks an experienced green industry professional who has connections and the ability to bring new members/sponsors to the organization. We seek a board leader to help cultivate the board’s leadership role in support of staff as part of a broader commitment to increase awareness about the importance of our mission, influence public policy, and expand our reach. Preference for candidates who have prior board member experience.