May 14, 2018 | Blog
This Earth Day the EPMA Committee organized an event with the Waltham Land Trust to help with the Charles River Cleanup between Moody and Prospect Streets in Waltham. The event was part of the comprehensive annual cleanup of the Charles River that extends into The Esplanade, with the help of other organizations and groups in the various regions touched by the river bank.
The cleanup began at 9am with the meetup location at the Carter St. train station in Waltham, as our energetic volunteers showed up ready to go bright and early! It was a wonderful day, with nice sunshine and cool weather. We handed out the supplies; gloves, t-shirts, trash bags and started our route at Moody Street along the path up to Prospect Street. We encountered a couple other groups on our journey, as we picked up plastic bottles, aluminum cans, foam plates, and other debris left along the way. The level pathway was easy to walk around and allowed for easy pickup of trash, plenty of benches allowed for key points to leave our trash bags once full for the Waltham DCR truck to pick them up. It was all a good collaboration between everyone involved, and the further up the path we walked we came across less debris to pick up, so once we hit Prospect Street we doubled back to make sure we didn’t miss anything we could get rid of.
After our work was done we met up with the event coordinators at the nearby Shaw’s parking lot, here we returned the supplies we didn’t use and then headed towards the picnic area to enjoy some great pizza and snacks, well deserved after a nice day’s work! Here we met up with volunteers from other groups and enjoyed the nice gathering for a good cause. Thanks to everyone who took the time on such a nice day and thanks to the Waltham Land Trust for locating our group within their region and for all their support / organizing the event!
Apr 24, 2018 | Uncategorized
Our Building Tech Forum is coming soon! In order to gear up, we will be publishing sneak peeks for presentations from our amazing group of sponsoring companies. Stay tuned for more, this week enjoy a peek from The Green Engineer, Zehnder America, and Auburndale Builders. To register for our Building Tech Forum, visit usgbcma.org/btf18. We hope to see you on May 24th!
In our current political climate, businesses struggle to address sustainability. Some advocate for government regulation, while others believe the free market can be counted on to devise solutions. But there is a third way that has the possibility of advancing real change while growing the economy – the Benefit Corporation. A Benefit Corporation is a for-profit company that also has a mission and responsibility to the community beyond profit. In Massachusetts, the Benefit Corporation is a legal structure (like Inc or LLC). These businesses typically also certify as B Corps, a certification that is administered by B Lab, a global nonprofit organization. In this presentation, Chris Schaffner of The Green Engineer, Inc., a certified B Corp and Massachusetts Benefit Corporation, will present how B Corps might be one answer to sustainability goals in Massachusetts. He’ll highlight the B Corps community’s ongoing Inclusive Economy Challenge, which includes a specific response to climate change and its threat to underserved populations.
Net positive energy buildings often feature air tightness and advanced insulation. Because of this, these buildings may need advanced heat recovery and mechanical ventilation systems. The ventilation system within a net positive energy building may be one of the few points of air and heat exchange, making a system efficient enough to capture 80-90% of the heat recovery essential for cooling and heating. During this presentation, John Rockwell of Zehnder America will focus on the concepts and engineering of ultra-efficient mechanical ventilation systems and how they are a necessary part of any net positive energy building project.
In 2017, Auburndale Builders introduced an innovative education space, the Studio for High-Performance Design and Construction. As the green building industry continues to gain market share, there is a significant need for workforce training on the latest and greatest in building technology. To help serve this need, the Studio for High-Performance Design and Construction will be an open community learning space for green companies to host trainings. The space is retrofitted for Passive House, and also hosts an array of solar panels, making it an ideal space for teaching the standards and practices of green building technology. For more information, please visit www.studiohpdc.com.
More presenters are joining every day – become a sponsor
Apr 18, 2018 | Blog
Written by Julie Salvatoriello
After having to reschedule several times due to inclement weather, USGBC finally got its tour of the amazing new workspace of Jacobs’ Boston Office. Thank you to LAM Partners as well for sponsoring the event.
After being gathered in Jacob’s break space that had an amazing view of Copley Plaza (the window viewing a section of the Hancock Tower), we got a break down of the efforts Jacobs has put into renovating the space to suit not only LEED, WELL & FitWell building standards, but also the merging of their multiple office environments and locations. Thank you to Jacob’s Paul Tsang (Director of Engineering), Andrea Alaownis (Interior Designer), and Carolyn Auclair (Design Architect) for your presentations, as well as Glenn Heinmiller from LAM.
Biyin (Betty) Liu (Mechanical Engineer), EPMA member extraordinaire, was one of the tour guides for the evening, giving us a first-hand account of the inner workings of Jacobs. The space was designed with A LOT of high tech conference rooms to accommodate those staff that had come from a Jacobs office with a more closed floor plan. The tour included aspects in accordance with LEED, WELL & FitWell, such as standing desks, material and lighting choices, lots of daylighting and views, showers and cubbies for active lifestyles, and beautiful and diverse meeting and break spaces. Even the ingredients of the coffee machine had to be considered.
Jacobs was a generous host. Thank you so much for giving USGBC MA a closer look at the WELL & FitWell program and how it influenced the reality that is your amazing office space!
Apr 9, 2018 | Blog
In the green building world, there aren’t just efficiencies to be found in the design or operation of buildings. There are also opportunities to create greater efficiency in the market, encouraging and allowing more building owners to go green. While many building owners see the value of solar for reducing energy costs and their carbon footprint, they can easily be put off by aggressive sales tactics and the time and effort needed to get multiple quotes from solar installers. NRGTree recognized this challenge and created the Own My Solar platform to create a transparent and streamlined process for finding a solar installer.
Own My Solar is a reverse-auction platform that allows building owners and project managers to compare side-by-side quotes from solar installers in one place. The installers all bid on the same solar design, making direct comparison easier. Not only does Own My Solar save time, but the transparent, competitive bidding process has been shown to lower the cost of solar installations by as much as 30%. Own My Solar is completely free, and it’s an easy way to explore the costs and benefits of adding solar panels. NRGTree staff will even walk you through your projected energy and financial savings, including the government incentives your project is eligible for.
For solar installers, Own My Solar greatly reduces acquisition costs. Instead of spending time and money on marketing and sales, installers can simply log in to review and bid on the available projects. NRGTree creates the solar design, meaning installers don’t have to waste time creating designs for prospects that may not give them business.
Solar is essential for the green building community’s shift from merely reducing impacts to Net-Zero and Net-Positive goals, and Own My Solar is a tool that will help this transition. For many commercial projects, solar is already a good financial investment, with payback periods less than five years in many cases and incentives sometimes being worth more than the cost of the system. Yet, there are still barriers to adoption. By providing a free, easy and transparent way to directly compare solar quotes, Own My Solar reduces inefficiencies in the solar market, helping to increase ROI and making it easier for more building owners to embrace solar.
For more information about Own My Solar or joining our network of solar installers, visit www.nrgtree.com
Apr 4, 2018 | Blog
The Baker-Polito Administration recently filed legislation aimed at ensuring homeowners and prospective homebuyers have access to information about the anticipated energy efficiency characteristics of residences and recommended cost-effective energy efficiency improvements. The legislation, An Act Relative to Consumer Access to Residential Energy Information is an exciting transparency measure for the residential green building industry.
This legislation would require that a home energy scorecard and energy rating be provided to homeowners as part of free residential energy efficiency assessments, and after January 1, 2021, would require that home energy performance ratings be made available to potential homebuyers when one to four unit family homes are publicly listed for sale.This will increase transparency around home energy consumption, which is comparable to using MPG to measure the efficiency of a car. This way, residential consumers can make more informed decisions related to the energy efficiency of their homes, creating additional market pressure for more green buildings.
According to Governor Charlie Baker, “Massachusetts is a national leader in energy efficiency, and this first-of-its-kind legislation would provide energy performance data to homeowners and buyers to improve consumer information and promote home energy efficiency,”
The energy scorecard would be provided to homeowners who receive quality home energy assessments, including no-cost Mass Save in-home assessments and RESNET Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Index evaluations. This scorecard would be an estimate of annual energy consumption, including factors such as the home’s architectural features, most commonly lighting, insulation and heating equipment.
Beyond the scorecard, MA residents will be eligible for financial incentives for efficiency measures, including insulation and energy efficient heating. Furthermore, Mass Save provides zero percent financing for qualifying improvements and equipment, as well as up to 10 K toward energy improvements, and rebates and loan products for renewable energy tech from MassCEC.
This new legislation is a welcome addition to help cement Massachusetts as a leader in green building nation-wide. Massachusetts has been ranked the #1 state for energy efficiency for the past seven years by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), and upon passage of this legislation, would be the first state in the country to require home energy scorecards for residential homes to be made available to potential homebuyers.
Apr 3, 2018 | Uncategorized
The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) has scheduled six listening sessions to provide the public with an opportunity to offer their comments on the design of energy efficiency programs and to provide input for the 2019-2021 Energy Efficiency Plan.
The times and locations for the meetings are listed below. Please mark your calendars!
Boston
– Great Hall at Codman Square Health Center
– 6 Norfolk Street, Boston (Dorchester), MA 02124
– Wednesday, February 28, 6pm-8pm
South Coast
– Bristol Community College
– 777 Elsbree Street, Room C111, Fall River, MA
– Thursday, March 8, 6-8pm
North Shore
– Marsh Hall, Salem State University, Petrowski Room (2nd Floor)
– 71 Loring Avenue, Salem, MA 01970
– Wednesday, March 14, 6-8pm
Cape Cod
– Mashpee Public Library
– 64 Steeple Street, Mashpee, MA 02649
– Monday, March 19, 6 -8pm
Central Mass
– Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
– 8 New Bond Street, Worcester, MA 01606
– Thursday, March 29, 6-8pm
Western Mass
– University of Massachusetts Center
– 1500 Main Street, Suite 260, Springfield, MA 01103
– Thursday, April 5, 6-8pm
A date for an additional session in Lowell is forthcoming and will most likely take place in April. We will update this page as soon as the information is available.
To learn more about DOER, please visit https://www.mass.gov/orgs/massachusetts-department-of-energy-resources.
If you have questions about the listening sessions, please contact Matt Rusteika at matt.rusteika@state.ma.us or by phone at 1-617-626-7340.
Mar 27, 2018 | Uncategorized
Written by Leandro Molina
As we officially roll into Spring, Monday March 19th was yet another collaborative meeting between the Emerging Professionals group of Massachusetts.
Nathan Kingery-Gallagher took the floor and gave us contradicting evidence of the negative impact of health care on the environment; wouldn’t you presume the two industries would somehow be synergistic in achieving human wellbeing? In actual fact, far from it.
Nathan’s background reflects a well rounded professional with ample experience in the life sciences sector and most recently an Environmental Management graduate.
After the presentation, members of the EPMA are aware changes must be made in order for Biomedical research to fit into the sustainability scene. It is now clear the lab culture makes it extremely difficult to shift paradigms with the aim of achieving sustainability within healthcare. It turns out the challenge lies that the industry is highly resource intensive requiring vast amounts of energy and materials paired with a lab culture resistant to changing behaviors needed to contribute to environmental welfare. Cold rooms and freezers are expected to reach
temps below -20Celcius to -240Celcius, and lab equipment has high energy demand. Put this into perspective, office spaces occupy 42% of total square footage in the Boston area, with an approximate 30% of total Greenhouse Gas (GHG) output. Hospitals occupy 11% of total square footage and contribute 25% of total GHG’s.
A shocking statistic revealed that hospitals in MA produce an estimated 82 Million tons of biohazardous waste per year, not including waste from lab, pharma or doctors offices. Research facilities do have environmental protection however rank low on the priority list.
The energy and material waste challenges are further exacerbated due to lab culture with minimal emphasis on sustainable practices. Some specific challenges revolve around the extent of time needed to operate equipment with already high energy intensity, limited space dedicated to recycling & hazardous waste stations and the researchers habit to always leave the equipment on for a more efficient workplace.
It’s quite clear changes must be made in the three pillars of energy, material waste diversion and culture shifts, the question is if these challenges are too much of a ‘challenge’. Since the Building Energy Recording and Disclosure Ordinance started collecting data, lab space in Boston has been able to reduce its GHG contribution by 10% on average; hospitals only 5%. The challenge of materials and energy consumption can be solved through structural and behavioral change.
Nathan has recently launched Wicked Green Research, a sustainability in life sciences group with a mission to empower biomedical research and healthcare communities of Massachusetts to define and achieve their sustainability goals. The consulting service will seek to remove barriers to sustainable improvement with primary focus on energy efficiency, waste management and culture shifting.
Mar 20, 2018 | Blog
Robust Program Planned for 2018
The early months of 2018 have seen a surge of initiatives at USGBC MA’s Residential Green Building Committee (RGBC). After a handoff of in December from Kimberly Le, new co-chairs Molly Cox of Civic Solar and Bill Womeldorf of ICF have stepped up with energy and creativity to launch new programs for the coming year. Projects include educational presentations to the public and consumers on advances in the residential sector, a special event on building materials with embedded carbon (Dana Anderson), and educational outreach to Boston trade schools.
Carbon Emissions in MA
On display at the February 12th RGBC meeting was Bill Womeldorf’s vision on the reduction of carbon emissions in the state. In his presentation “Net Zero Residential Sector in Massachusetts,” Womeldorf emphasized the emerging third strategy for mitigating greenhouse gases (GHG) through electrification of space thermal regulation and domestic hot water (DWH). This analysis echoes the concern of a growing cohort of experts that the two established schemes, energy efficiency and renewable energy, will fall short of achieving the 80 x 50 reduction goals mandated by the northeastern states.
Drawing on his experience as Energy Efficiency Policy Consultant with ICF, Womeldorf outlined the challenge of large quantities of energy consumed and GHG emitted by buildings through combustion processes in Massachusetts. Historically, single-family and multifamily space heating and cooling have trended from central fossil fuel furnaces generating steam to water radiators and recently to electric heat pumps. The obstacles DHW presents for heat pumps applications was also addressed. According to Womeldorf and a consensus of experts, air source heat pumps (ASHP) are the technology of choice for electrification of space thermal conditioning.
Womeldorf offered two case studies of ASHP system installations in Western Massachusetts. The 55 unit Northampton Lumber Mill Apartments was fitted with gas-fired, central plant domestic hot water system and variable refrigerant flow (VRF) with heat recovery space conditioning system in the residential units and common areas. An energy recovery ventilation with fresh air supply into the dwelling 135 units in Amherst included gas central plant domestic hot water system along with ducted and ductless air source heat pumps for space conditioning.
Electrification: Promise and Challenges
Womeldorf’s discussion of advances in renewable energy included new applications such as community solar and storage, both on-site and grid level. He concluded his talk with the provocative question: “how to mandate or make attractive electric heating systems when gas is king”?
Womeldorf’s assertion of concern about the dominance of gas is significant for several reasons. The imperative of GHG reduction for the well-being of the planet may be self-evident. Facts about the overall efficiency of air source heat pumps (ASHP) compared with conventional systems may be established. Nonetheless, arguments for electrification of space conditioning continue to face reservations about cost competitiveness. Verification is hampered by a deficit of data on outlays for ASHP installation and operation against expenditures for conventional gas systems. High rates in the northeast for electricity required for heat pumps are yet another factor.
Although ASHP technology in the last decade has made advances, qualified designers and installers are apparently in short supply. Furthermore, the paradigm shift of using more electricity and not less may be problematic to process for engineers and architects with traditional training.
Thus “gas is king” is due to a range of challenges, including those of information, training, economics, and policy. Wolemdorf acknowledged the programs by Massachusetts agencies and utilities which, in part, are addressing the gaps. If the 80×50 goals of the northeastern states are to be achieved, electrification will need to take effect on a larger scale by strategically targeting emissions from transportation and industry along with those from buildings.
Mar 12, 2018 | Blog
WinnCompanies and the District of Columbia today announced the completion of the District’s largest community solar project aimed at reducing energy bills for low-income residents throughout the nation’s capital.
Solar for All, a program of the Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE), seeks to provide the benefits of solar electricity to 100,000 low-income households and reduce their energy bills by 50 percent by 2032.
After being awarded a $1.3 million grant from DOEE’s Solar for All program, WinnCompanies installed the 651 KW (DC) community renewable energy facility on the roofs of Atlantic Terrace Apartments, making it the largest community solar project in the District. The company is working to bring additional community solar projects online throughout the District in the near future.
“Community solar projects prove that solar is not just a luxury for those that can afford their own panels, but that solar can also work for renters living in multifamily housing,” said Darien Crimmin, Vice President of Energy and Sustainability, WinnCompanies. “This project will benefit nearly 200 income eligible households over the next 15 years, helping to create jobs, improve local air quality and showcase the success of the Solar for All Program for District residents. WinnCompanies will continue working with DOEE and Solar for All to expand the District’s solar capacity and provide the benefits of solar energy to local communities, helping residents save up to $500 a year.”
The clean energy from rooftop solar panels installed at Atlantic Terrace will be fed into the District’s utility grid through an arrangement known as net metering. The savings will then be passed back to qualified low-income residents through credits reflected on their utility bills.
“Solar for All provides a tremendous opportunity for our residents to take advantage of renewable energy savings, and we’re excited to continue our work with WinnCompanies to expand the availability of solar energy for low- and moderate-income households,” said Tommy Wells, Director, Department of Energy and Environment. “This project brings jobs, clean energy and energy independence to the District of Columbia, and we hope our work serves as a model for success to communities across the country.”
WinnCompanies embraces environmentally responsible decisions, and is recognized in the multifamily industry as a leader in green development and the utilization of renewable energy. In the past decade, the company has invested more than $50 million in energy efficiency and renewable energy projects across its affordable housing portfolio, combatting climate change while saving money for residents and property owners.
The solar installation at Atlantic Terrace occurred as the company was completing a $69-million rehabilitation project at the community and its sister property, Atlantic Gardens. The two-year effort not only completed modernized 303 apartments but also preserved both communities as critically needed Project-Based Section 8 housing for 750 residents.
WinnCompanies acquired Atlantic Terrace in 1982 and has managed the property since. Built in 1964, it is comprised of 195 units in six three- to four-story garden-style buildings
For more information, visit SolarSavingsDC.com.
About WinnCompanies
WinnCompanies is an award-winning national developer and manager of high-impact affordable, middle income and market rate housing communities. Supported by 3,000 team members, the company acquires, develops and manages affordable, senior, mixed-income, market rate, military and mixed-use properties. Founded in 1971, WinnCompanies is one of the nation’s most trusted multi-family housing managers with a portfolio of 100,000 units in 22 states and the District of Columbia. It is the largest manager of affordable housing and the second largest manager of privatized military housing in the U.S.
About DOEE’s Solar for All Program
Solar for All, a program of the District of Columbia’s Department of Energy and Environment (DOEE), was established by the Renewable Portfolio Standard Expansion Amendment Act of 2016 (The Act). The Act intends to expand DC’s solar capacity, to increase the amount of solar-generated within the District, and to provide the benefits of locally-generated solar energy to low-income households, small businesses, nonprofits, and seniors. Funded by the Renewable Energy Development Fund (REDF) and administered by DOEE, Solar for All’s specific targets are to provide the benefits of solar electricity to 100,000 low income households (at or below 80% Area Median Income), and to reduce their energy bills by 50% (based on the 2016 residential rate class average) by 2032. For more information about Solar for All, visit: http://doee.dc.gov/solarforall
Mar 7, 2018 | Uncategorized
EPMA Member Haley gave us an inside look at how implementing LEED looks from the construction management side with her work on Boston College’s new stadium.
The facility is being built above a high-pressure water main which supplies water to Boston. The construction includes 212 pressure injected footings for the foundation, a storm trap system under the turf and 16 steel trusses roughly 200 feet tall. The steel erection lasted about 6 months and had a steep learning curve, the first truss erection taking significantly more time than the final erection. Water control is one of the most important factors because it is in a watershed area and the water main provides water to the city of Boston. There cannot be any heavy equipment running over the main and vibrations of construction must be monitored.
Embodied energy is a concern to Haley. The steel coming from Wisconsin and the precast panels coming from Toronto, the question of “how much energy and gas did we burn getting this stuff here?” is a legitimate one. A building’s embodied energy is typically very high.
A large part of ensuring that LEED standards are met on the construction site include making sure waste and recycling are properly managed and disposed of. This requires the CM to make sure the subs are doing things properly.
QAQC is important to ensure the building is airtight and the mechanical systems are able to create a comfortable environment for the end users. Passive house emphasizes the importance of a tight envelope. It is also important to supervise the construction to make sure the right materials are being installed correctly. EPD memos (that prove that a manufacturer’s goods are coming where they are said to) are a difficult document to obtain.