A few months ago, I wrote about how LEED projects all over the world are soaring to new heights, profiling five iconic LEED certified global skyscrapers that are industry leaders in green building. This is not a phenomenon unique to these buildings—some of the world's tallest and most historic buildings are continuing to raise the bar by creating better, high-performing buildings that are safe, healthy, inclusive, smart, productive, efficient, resilient, responsive and, above all, sustainable.
Check out some additional unique projects around the world below!
The Aon Center was awarded LEED Silver certification in 2014 for LEED Operations and Maintenance: Existing Buildings. Built in 1974, the historic Aon Center was once the tallest marble building in the world. Currently the third tallest building in Chicago and the fifth tallest in the U.S., the Aon Center is a 3.2 million square feet tower owned and managed by Jones Lang LaSalle. Green building practices include the Tenants Go Green partnership that JLL established, where building owners, management staff and tenants work together to incorporate best practices, promote sustainability and incorporate energy efficiency initiatives. The partnership helped Aon Center win an ENERGY STAR score of 81, ranking it in the top 20% of similar buildings for energy efficiency nationwide.
The tallest building in Texas, the JP Morgan Chase Tower is a 1.6 million square foot office building owned and managed by Hines. The tower received LEED Gold certification for LEED for Existing Buildings: Operation and Maintenance in 2010. An industry leader in energy efficiency, the JP Morgan Chase Tower has achieved an ENERGY STAR rating of 91, making it 46% more efficient than the average office building in the U.S. The building also saves $1.48 per square foot in energy costs compared to similar buildings nationwide. The tower has also implemented impressive water efficiency measures, using harvested rainwater to meet 100% of landscape irrigation needs, and saving 3 million gallons of water annually.
To promote energy efficiency, save on water costs, conserve natural resources and amplify human health and wellbeing, the owners of Scotia Towers decided to pursue LEED certification—and were awarded LEED Gold certification for LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance in 2011. Once the 6th largest building in North America and the 8th largest commercial building in the world to achieve LEED certification, Scotia Plaza is a model of greening a building's operations and maintenance. Sustainability features in place at the tower include a commitment to conserving resources through producing consumer-grade compost from organics and watering plants with rainwater collected from rooftop containers.
Built in 1991, MesseTurm (and it's iconic three-story pyramid) was the tallest building in Europe until it was surpassed in 1997 but it's neighbor, CommerzBank Tower. A post modern interpretation of art deco skyscrapers, MesseTurm became one of the first LEED certified skyscrapers in Europe when it received LEED Silver certification for LEED for Existing Buildings: Operation and Maintenance in 2012. A landmark building that is praised for it's 'timeless elegance,' MesseTurm incorporated several sustainable features to achieve LEED certification, including a free bike program for workers, among other alternative transportation initiatives.
The tallest building in Mexico and the second tallest in Latin America, Torre Mayor achieved LEED Gold certification for LEED for Operations and Maintenance: Existing Buildings in 2013. At 225 meters high with 77,000 million square feet of construction space, the tower is one of the most recognizable buildings in Latin America. The building has a typical occupancy of approximately 8,000 people and an average of more than 1,000 visitors per day. A model for resiliency, the building was designed to withstand an 8.5-magnitude earthquake. Sustainable features also include a storm water collection system that harvests and recovers rainwater for use. Water efficiency measures in place at Torre Mayor have reduced potable water use by 30 percent.
Project details: 377 feet solar chimney, 21 stories
Manitoba Hydro Place is considered one of the most energy efficient office towers in North America. A key feature of the office and mixed-use project includes a 377 foot-high solar chimney that rises above the top of the building. From the beginning of the project, Manitoba Hydro—an energy corporation—set a very high goal of achieving 65% energy savings in a 688,890 square foot building while also considering the comfort and well-being of its employees. The project initially sought LEED Gold certification but the operation of the building proved more efficient, resulting in LEED Platinum certification instead. (Read about this building in our recent LEED in Motion: Canada report.)
At the Chapter, we are always looking for the latest cutting edge tools and information to support our community of green building practitioners. The latest curriculum from Urban Green (USGBC New York), the GPRO series, is the best resource on the market for educating building operators and facility managers on the operation of high performance buildings.
About GPRO
GPRO: Green Professional Building Skills Training, is a series of courses and certificate exams that teach the people who build, renovate, and maintain buildings the principles of sustainability combined with trade-specific green construction knowledge. GPRO Certificate Holders will be poised to work in accordance with new regulations and to meet the expectations of owners and tenants who want healthier, environmentally sustainable, and energy-efficient homes and offices.
The principal assumption is that participants already know their trade, whether they are plumbers, electricians, or building operators, and this course will give them the additional knowledge they may not have experienced on conventionally-built projects.
Each candidate will take a 4-hour course in Fundamentals of Building Green, which presents the basic issues applicable to citizens and most trades. They will then take a course of 6 – 8 class hours in their field. This is followed shortly by an exam, and if they pass, they become a GPRO Certificate Holder. This certificate will demonstrate that an individual understands green building as it applies to his or her trade and will enhance that person’s ability to compete for and participate in green jobs. One goal is to make the GPRO credential a common requirement on LEED and sustainable jobs throughout the country.
THE GPRO BENEFIT
An Unparalleled Curriculum. Over two years in the making at a cost of over $500,000, GPRO provides engaging, comprehensive instruction on the core issues of sustainable construction, including user-friendly manuals, teaching aids, and a certificate exam specifically designed for the adult learner. Rigorous instructor training and evaluation will ensure high-quality course delivery.
An Inclusive Process. GPRO was developed in partnership with leading umbrella organizations representing trades and contractors to ensure that industry needs were being met. The curriculum committees included highly experienced construction managers, building trades, building operators, architects, and engineers, with assistance from theNatural Resources Defense Council.
A National Certificate Program. Built for a national audience to address a national need, GPRO provides one multi-state, third party certificate program for the full range of construction professionals. Starting with the core collection of trade-specific courses, GPRO will be distributed and supported through a consortium of U.S. Green Building Council Chapters across the country.
Industry Buy-in. In addition to national contractors already participating in the program,Urban Green Council will leverage relationships with major developers to promote demand for workers with GPRO certificates.
The Massachusetts Chapter recently partnered with Boston Properties to offer the GPRO Operations and Maintenance Essentials course. Here is what they had to say:
“We recently introduced more than 20 of our building engineers in the Boston region to the GPRO Operations and Maintenance Essentials course. While I was initially apprehensive about the time commitment required of our operating team to complete the coursework, the feedback we’ve received has been fantastic. The instruction and course material exceeded our expectations. Operations and Maintenance Essentials elevated our awareness of asset-level sustainability performance improvement measures and provided actionable knowledge that will strengthen our sustainability efforts at the ground level. We plan on continuing the GPRO certification process with additional courses this fall and integrating the courses into our ongoing training program.”
Director of Engineering , Boston Properties –Boston Region
At the Chapter, we are looking forward to offering these GPRO courses to the professional community of building operators and facility managers. If you and your team are intersted in learning more about GPRO, please email Celis Brisbin at celis@usgbcma.org.
The Seven Secrets of How Nature Designs: how to apply the lessons of biomimicry to your business
Eric Corey Freed joined us from Portland Oregon on Thursday morning to talk about how nature can inform and improve our efforts to design the buildings of our communities.
He described how twenty years ago no one would have believed that any company without a website would not be in business in the future. Not everyone recognized how communications patterns were changing, rapidly. You soon realized you had to have a website. Today, you may not believe that a company not taking charge of their environmental footprint or their approach to sustainability will also not be in business.
In the talk we discovered how the threat of climate change is already affecting business. We uncovered how to take a leadership position in one's industry by leveraging the challenges of environmental responsibility. We are motivated to uncover new opportunities, inspire the upsell of new services, and tap into our lifecycle to uncover new product lines. Instead of being a depressing talk on the environment, it was a hilarious talk that inspired and transformed how we look at business.
Key Takeaways
how to reduce the future liability and risks of climate change to lower operational costs and increase product profitability
examine the lifecycle of your products to uncover ways to increase profit margins and lower costs
learn how to explain your environmental mission statement to your customers to engage them and attract new ones
how to set a “Mission Zero” for your company and use it to transform how you do business
Living Building Challenge 3.0
Eric explained the The Living Building Challenge™ as a building certification program, advocacy tool and philosophy that defines the most advanced measure of sustainability in the built environment possible today and acts to rapidly diminish the gap between current limits and the end-game positive solutions we seek.
The creators sought to structure a system to spur fundamental transformation in the building sector. Rather than evaluate the features of a building that make it “less bad,” the Living Building Challenge starts from what sustainability advocates want in the first place – building that make the world better. It is rigorous and no shortcuts are allowed.
The Challenge is comprised of seven performance categories called Petals: Place, Water, Energy, Health & Happiness, Materials, Equity and Beauty. Petals are subdivided into a total of twenty Imperatives, each of which focuses on a specific sphere of influence. This compilation
of Imperatives can be applied to almost every conceivable building project, of any scale and any location—be it a new building or an existing structure. Download the Living Building Challenge 3.0 Standard document below.
As AHA Consulting Engineers grows regionally, nationally, and in specialty markets, they have structured their team to continue to provide quality services for their clients now and into the future. AHA is excited to see the development of their Cambridge office under the leadership of Robert Andrews (Managing Director) and Thomas Joyner (Director of Operations). We are proud to announce the following
AHA has been very active with green buildings, with their latest contributions being:
Blackfan Research Lab / Center for Life Sciences
Boston, Massachusetts
Final Rating: Gold (LEED NC)
This 750,000 SF, 18 Story laboratory and research facility is located in the heart of Boston's Longwood Medical Area, the Center for Life Science Boston [CLSB] is surrounded by world class research institutions, including Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital, Children's Hospital's Karp Family Research Laboratories, The New Research Building at Harvard Medical School and Merck Research Laboratories Boston.
Some of the building’s features are as follows: Floor plates engineered to accommodate an efficient 11‐foot lab module with floor‐to‐floor heights of up to 16‐feet (4.9m). Floor loads of 100 psf, dedicated vertical shafts from the ground floor to the roof, an enclosed mechanical penthouse configured for typical tenant requirements, supply air at 2 cfm/SF, screened rooftop dunnage for tenant equipment, dedicated acid neutralization areas, enhanced electrical capacity and stand‐by emergency power.
The building is designed to accommodate the rigorous demands of the life science industry with the highest quality and capacity mechanical, electrical & structural systems. With numerous energy efficient features the building will earn a LEED environmental rating for sustainable buildings.
New England BioLabs
Ipswich, Massachusetts
Final Rating: Certified (LEED NC)
MEP Design and LEED Administration for this 160,000 SF, three-story New Laboratory Office Building, which included wet labs, R&D, fermentation and fume hoods. Special design considerations included heat recovery in lab exhaust, pure water filtration reject water is reused to flush toilet fixtures, high efficiency central boiler and chiller plant, and innovative condenser water treatment system. The building achieved a final rating of LEED Certified under LEED NC 2.1.
Millenium Pharmaceuticals
Cambridge, Massachusetts
AHA provided mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire protection design for these two five-story buildings. Amongst the 270,000 square feet, the Corporate Headquarters included large amounts of research and development laboratory space and tissue culture suites.
“ARCHITECTURE + HUMAN SUBCONSCIOUS RESPONSES TO THE BUILT-ENVIRONMENT”
Ann Sussman, AIA, is co-author with Justin B. Hollander, Tufts urban planning professor, of Cognitive Architecture, Designing for How We Respond to the Built Environment (Routledge). Her studio is at ArtScape in the Bradford Mill, an art and business center in Concord, MA. She is a presenter at SNEAPA (Regional Planning Conference), ABX conference, Wilson Architects, Harvard GSD, Fitchburg State University, DCAMM, Boston Society of Architects, and many other locations. The Massachusetts Chapter is honored to host Sussman for her latest tour stop. We hope that you will join us as well.
The Green Breakfast will be ~60% presentation and ~40% group discussion. We look forward to hearing your questions and input if you so desire.
A light breakfast will be provided. We hope that you will join us. Click here to reserve your seat.
When
August 20th, 2015
8:30 AM – 9:30 AM
Location
50 Milk St, 17th Floor
Hercules Conference Room
Boston, MA 02109-Boston
United States
This event is worth 1hr of CE credit; GBCI: 0920004769 and 1 AIA LU.
For decades, concerned citizens and organizations have been demanding cleaner and healthier environments through more rigorous chemical laws and industry accountability. In the past few years, a multi-pronged approach has organically emerged through advocacy, activism, and the free market to tackle toxins in our lives.
The push for better legislation of toxins is happening at both the state and national levels. This year alone, federal reform of the anemic 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) has been moving at a fast pace. The Senate and the House have each put forward their own versions of TSCA reform bills. Unfortunately, organizations and people who have been invested in toxic chemical reform view both bills to be nearly as ineffective as the original and are scrambling to get amendments in the final draft. The Senate reform bill, titled The Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century, is of particular concern. The worrisome bill contains provisions that would preempt state regulation of chemicals concurrently being reviewed by the EPA. This federal overreach would set Massachusetts back from the progress it has made to protect its citizens from toxic chemicals.
While the federal government wrestles with TSCA reform, Massachusetts has been targeting toxic chemicals that are part of our daily lives. In July, hearings were held for Senate Bill S.1132 and House Bill 2119, both of which seek to remove flame-retardant chemicals in children’s products, furniture, and other household items. The Safe Cleaning Products Bill (H.2067) would require environmentally safe cleaning alternatives to be used in public buildings, hospitals, health care facilities, & day-care centers. Other Massachusetts bills are more comprehensive. The Act for Healthy Family and Businesses (H.3997) requires safer alternatives to toxic chemicals wherever feasible, and supports businesses to make the transition.
While political battles wage on over chemical regulation, market-driven forces are reinforcing the message that the public wants accountability and safer alternatives. A plethora of initiatives have sprung to provide tools to help consumers make more informed choices. Examples of these tools include EWG’s suite of product rating systems from sunscreens to cosmetics to personal care products, or Cradle-to-Cradle Product Institute, which certifies products in several business sectors.
The design and construction industry has developed its share of rating systems and disclosure tools. LEED, a long-time proponent of smart and efficient material use, has developed a much more rigorous stance on materials health. The program’s latest iteration (LEED 4.0) for Materials & Resources credit demands disclosure and optimization of products used in the building. Documentation for this credit may include a number of other material health programs that exist in the marketplace, such as Cradle-to-Cradle, Health Product Declaration, or ILFI’s Declare.
When designers and builders are empowered to choose safer alternatives, clients are empowered to vote with their money. Harmful toxins are still ubiquitous in our environment, but the call for safer chemicals is loud and clear. We need the combined efforts of advocacy, activism, and market forces and continue to push for chemical regulation and safer products.
For more information on Healthy Materials and Toxics, visit our Advocacy Page!
October 1, 2015, in Cambridge at the Harvard Art Museums on Quincy St.
The fabulous Calderwood Courtyard: our 2015 Green Buidling Showcase venue.
Get ready to show off your recent green building project – we are soliciting boards for any building completed between Oct 2013 and this October (2015). In the past, projects were required to be LEED certified, but this year, you can submit LEED, Living Buildings Certified (whole and petal), Passive House Certified and Net Zero Certified buildings.
Sponsors are sought – there are speaking roles, a bar sponsorship, and other packages!
Last year's awards were very well received:
And the 2014 Showcase had a lot of happy people attending:
We look forward to seeing you at the 2015 Showcase. Thanks go to the organizing group – our Events Committee: Alana Spencer, Tiffany King, Carrie Havey, Chris Meier, and John Picard. Celis Brisbin, our Programs Manager, is providing staff support.
An Act Relative to a Long-Term, Sustainable Solar Industry (Docket number HD4090)
Governor Charlie Baker is making heat waves in the solar fight to allow the expansion of net metering in Massachusetts. On August 7, 2015, Governor Baker filed legislation, An Act relative to a long-term, sustainable solar industry to encourage the increasing solar development recently halted due to the net metering caps. This is a significant time for Massachusetts because solar is booming and net metering allows homeowners, business, and local governments to sell their excess generation of power to the grid in exchange for credit on their bill. The Net Metering and Solar Task Force emphasized that the Baker-Polito Administration does not support raising the net metering caps in the short-term absent a long-term sustainable solution to effectively balance promoting clean energy and lowering costs to ratepayers. Therefore, Governor Baker’s recent legislation attempts at addressing net metering beyond short-term solutions.
The legislation will raise the net metering caps, currently at 4% for private and 5% for public, to 6% for the private cap and 7% for the public cap. In addition, it will also provide authority for the Department of Public Utilities to raise the caps above that, which is probably necessary for such demanding territories. The net metering program will continue with its current structure until 1,600 MW is reached, then will continue with full retail rate net metering for small projects and creates a new incentive program.
This legislation comes at a significant time, right after Senator Downing proposed an amendment to S.1973 and the Senate voted to lift the net metering cap in order to meet the state’s goal of developing 1,600 MW of solar power by 2018. As a signatory to the Next Generation Solar Policy Framework for Massachusetts, we are continually supporting the advancement of net metering improvements alongside the Acadia Center and other allied organizations.
Please find more information on Net Metering on our Advocacy Page!
Renan (far right) diligently taking notes during Zapotec's presentation on net metering, one of the Chapter's priorities
August 8, 2015
Our Chapter is constantly creating opportunities for our members to stay up-to-date on their green education and informed about the news affecting the green community and our state. From Webinars to Green Breakfast Forums and BBQs, there are always exciting events available for our members of all professions to enjoy! Through our website, we also offer educational resources for all to know about our Chapter's priorities and engagements. From professionals to emerging professionals and university students, our website is a useful resource for all to browse and indulge in. A fifth year civil engineering student at the Federal Technological University of Paraná, Brazil, Renan Mingrone contacted our Chapter searching for information on Sustainable Development and its Certifications and Technologies, the topic of his final thesis. We were able to arrange his participation in our Summer BBQ Picnic and Webinar session in July! Below is his reflection of his experience with USGBC MA:
Regarding my visit to Boston and the USGBC MA Chapter events I've attended, I can say they made my long trip from São Paulo more than worthwhile and rewarding. The first was on July 22nd, Fun in the Sun, a picnic at the North Point Park with some members of the green community of Boston. In this reunion, I learned a lot about the Chapter activities in progress and some of their accomplishments. This helped me situate myself in the subject as a future civil engineer on Green Buildings. It was very enriching to talk with professionals of the community and make valuable connections with Chapter members such as with David Bliss, Matthew Smith, James Jones and Paul Lyons. The event was very casual and pleasant and we had delicious drinks and food. The weather was very nice, even with a refreshing light rain. Some members made important announcements about issues like the Net Metering by Zapotec, issues I was able to be aware of and bring back to Brazil with other general acquired knowledges.
The second event was the Webinar about The Critical Juncture Where Sustainability Meets Building Structure & Commissioning and Integrative Design hosted by the SMMA Sustainability Coordinator, Steven Burke who was very kind and attentive to me. At this event I was able to better understand and learn some specific concepts of green buildings and sustainability like the relation between embodied carbon and structural materials, commissioning in the civil construction and its importance, and the hole of a commissioning agent.
Summarizing my experience, everything was extremely positive and I'm very grateful to all the USGBC MA Chapter crew, specially to Cherie with whom I had the first contact and who made possible my participation in those events. Also, Celis who helped me situate myself and was very kind to me by making my time in Boston more pleasant. I'm definitely going back to Brazil with valuable knowledge and connections and a huge amount of information and references for my thesis. This experience has been priceless.
We hope to welcome Renan back to Boston in the near future, as well as more students interested in taking advantage of our Chapter's exciting and educational events and resources!
Annie is widely regarded within the marketplace as an expert in third-party verification and sustainable program development. She previously held positions like Vice President of Certification Services at GreenCircle Certified, LLC until starting her own independent organization in 2017. She sits as a technical advisor to: the US Green Building Council’s Materials and Resources TAG, the International Living Future Institute (ILFI), Clean Production Action and the GreenScreen Program, the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council, the ASTM E 60 Committee, and the Collaborative for High Performing Schools National Technical Committee.
LAUREN HILDEBRAND
Sustainability Director, Steven Winter Associates
Lauren Hildebrand is a Sustainability Director at SWA. Her work focuses on sustainable and high performance residential and commercial building design, construction, renovation, and operation. Ms. Hildebrand’s expertise includes: sustainable design integration; indoor air quality and energy performance testing; and implementing project certification for both commercial and residential programs, such as LEED®, ENERGY STAR®, NYSERDA, NJ Clean Energy, and Enterprise Green Communities. Awards presented to her clients include the 2013 USGBC NJ Urban Green Project Award. Ms. Hildebrand works as a LEED® for Homes Green Rater and verifies implementation of the LEED® for Homes criteria. She is an integral part of the initial strategic planning sessions and workshops with builders, architects, and homeowners based on the LEED for Homes program. She also partners with and implements criteria for Enterprise Green Communities (EGCC), NYSERDA’s Multi-Family Performance Program, and the ENERGY STAR® Multi-Family High-Rise Program Certification. Ms. Hildebrand also has experience with a variety of commercial and mixed use projects, including LEED® for New Construction, Commercial Interior, Core and Shell, and Schools. In addition to her project experience and program guidance, Ms. Hildebrand manages classroom training and curriculum development for architects, owners, developers and building management staff on green and high performance building design strategies, cost effective building system operation, and energy-saving maintenance practices.
MICHAEL GRYNIUK
PE | Associate, LeMessurier
Michael Gryniuk, PE is a Structural Engineer at LeMessurier in Boston. As the leader of LeMessurier’s Sustainability practice, he is responsible for strategy, project consulting, and education for LeMessurier. He is currently on the Steering Committee of Structural Engineering Institute (SEI) Sustainability Committee of ASCE and currently serves as Chair of the Structural Engineers (SE 2050) Commitment Program Working Group whose aim to establish a national commitment program for structural engineers for the purpose of achieving net zero embodied carbon in structural systems by 2050. Mike taught for many years at the Boston Architectural College. His current projects include the 2 million square foot Hub on Causeway development as well as upcoming developments of Kenmore Square. Mike has also led several other projects for institutions including Boston College, Holy Cross, RISD and UNH. Mike attended Syracuse University and Tufts University.
ANNE PECK
Vice President, AEW’s Architecture & Engineering group
As Vice President in AEW’s Architecture & Engineering group, Ms. Peck is responsible for physical property inspections, engineering and mechanical system evaluations and environmental audits on potential investments for all commercial property types. She is also responsible for the review and analysis of energy audits and LEED gap analysis with respect to acquisitions, and oversees the scope and results of third-party due diligence reports on property acquisitions. For development projects, Ms. Peck is responsible for the evaluation of construction documents to assess the constructability and recommend sustainable products and practices. She is responsible for overseeing the construction of new development projects from AEW’s initial involvement through closeout and warranty completions. Ms. Peck assists asset managers with large capital improvement projects or physical problems at various properties. In addition, Ms. Peck Co-Chairs AEW’s Sustainability Committee and provides guidance and assistance with most sustainability initiatives with the objective of reducing operating costs, improving indoor air quality and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions. She sits on the GRESB Real Estate Benchmark Committee in North America and assists with all sustainability reporting for AEW. Ms. Peck is a licensed Massachusetts Construction Supervisor with LEED AP Certification, and passed her FE exam towards a mechanical engineer/registered professional engineering license.
ANDREA ALAOWNIS
Interior Designer, Jacobs, Boston
Andrea Alaownis is an Interior Designer with the Jacobs, Boston, MA office. After graduating from Radford University, she has concentrated on commercial projects through all phases of design and construction. As a WELL Accredited Professional, she participated in assisting the Jacobs Boston office to achieve WELL V1 Gold, Fitwel 3 Stars, and LEED V4 Gold certifications and continues to educate the design community and clients on wellness through design.
KIMBERLY LEWIS
Senior Vice President, Market Transformation and Development U.S. Green Building Council
As Senior Vice President for Market Transformation and Development in North America, Kimberly Lewis knows better than anyone that market transformation begins with community. Kimberly is laser focused on diversity, inclusion, equity and advancing transparency and excellence. By honing our community’s focus on collaborative impact, Kimberly incorporates people‐centric strategies to provide the organization and movement with a strong foundation of stakeholder based support.
Kimberly’s efforts encourage innovation in the market and challenge all of our community members to go above and beyond what was possible yesterday, to define the built environment of tomorrow. Kimberly knows that when we celebrate our leaders and advocate for growth across sectors, regions, and programs, taking care to bring our best to underserved populations and communities, we achieve real and lasting market transformation of the highest order.
To this end, Kimberly directs all of USGBC’s local communities, volunteers, and emerging professionals around the world, delivering on the USGBC mission to improve the quality of life for all through more sustainable cities and communities worldwide.
Kimberly was the founder of the Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, which is now globally represented in five international markets. She has served on the advisory boards of Starwood Hotels, Marriott International Hotels and the convention and visitors bureaus in New Orleans, Atlanta, and Denver. She is a member of the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE), the Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC) and the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), where she has served on the CSR task force.
Kimberly serves on the board of directors for Groundswell and is the former chair of the board of trustees of the Green Building Foundation. Committed to healthy communities and equitable access to green buildings regardless of income level, Kimberly has been recognized with numerous awards. In April 2011, Kimberly received prestigious recognition as the White House Champion of Change for Clean Energy. She was also named Glamour Magazine 70th Anniversary 70 Women Leaders to Know in Sustainability. Most recently Kimberly was recognized with GB&D Magazine’s 2018 Women in Sustainability Leadership Award.
JIM STANISLASKI
AIA LEED AP BD+C | Senior Associate, Gensler Boston
Jim Stanislaski, AIA LEED AP BD+C is an Architect at Gensler in Boston. As co-leader of Gensler’s northeast region Design Resilience practice, he is responsible for strategy, project consulting, and education for over 1,000 staff in four offices. He is currently a Director on the Board of USGBC MA and a member of the Architecture Boston Magazine Editorial Board. Jim is a former President of AIA MA and has served on two National Academies research panels for renewable energy and energy efficiency at airports. As a past co-chair of the Boston Society of Architects Committee on the Environment (BSA/COTE), Jim led the AIA 2030 Professional Series at the BSA, serving to educate local designers on strategies to achieve net positive energy goals for buildings. Jim has also testified before state and city government committees to advocate for environmental legislation and regulation. Jim started his career as a US Air Force officer and attended Syracuse University.
CARLIE BULLOCK-JONES
LEED Fellow, WELL AP | Founder and Principal, Ecoworks Studio
Carlie Bullock-Jones, LEED Fellow, WELL AP, is the founder and managing Principal of Ecoworks Studio and has dedicated her entire career to bringing about a greener, healthier built environment. As a nationally known expert in sustainability, Carlie has facilitated on numerous award-winning projects. With a passion for green sports, Carlie has spearheaded LEED certification efforts for several stadiums, arenas, and training facilities for the NFL, NHL, NBA, MLS and higher education projects. Most notably, Carlie was the LEED consultant for the new home of the Atlanta Falcons, Mercedes-Benz stadium, which achieved the highest LEED Platinum score of any sports facility in the world.
As a LEED Faculty mentor for the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and the first external WELL Faculty for the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), Carlie is a highly sought-after speaker and writer for national events and publications. She has been extensively involved in the development of LEED standards over the years, serving as a Subject Matter Expert for USGBC and GBCI, assisting in course curriculum, exam development and reference guide creation. In 2012, Carlie was inducted by USGBC as a LEED Fellow, one of 77 in the world at that time. Carlie is also one of the first WELL Accredited Professionals on the planet, demonstrating expertise and extensive knowledge of human health and wellness in the built environment. As an early adopter of the WELL Building Standard, Carlie facilitated WELL certification efforts for the 27th, 37th and 100th WELL certified projects in the world (Silver, Gold and Platinum respectively). Most recently, Carlie was the recipient of the 2018 Inaugural IWBI WELL Leadership Recognition Award.
KOMAL KOTWAL
AIA, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP
Komal Kotwal is a Sustainable Design Leader and Project Manager at HOK with over 13 years of experience. Komal has led sustainable design and LEED Certification efforts for over 2M square feet including 1+M sf. of LEED Platinum projects and two Net-Zero projects. With the intent of bringing the human connection to sustainability, Komal currently focuses on intentional design to address human behavior and foster physical, mental, and emotional health. As a WELL AP, Komal is one of HOK’s leads in promoting and practicing health and wellness in architecture. Komal has served on the AIA Houston Chapter’s Board of Directors, Texas USGBC Regional Council and on USGBC’s Greenbuild Program Committee among others. A strong advocate for equity and inclusivity, Komal serves on HOK’s firm-wide Diversity Advisory Council and is a recent addition to HOK’s Management Board.
Speaking Engagements
TSA Convention 2016: Design for Healthy & Livable Communities
Gulf Coast Green Conference 2015: Integrating LEED ND Communities
CSI Chapter Annual Meeting 2014 : 2030 Commitment and how to get there
American Society of Indian Engineers ( ASIE) 2016: Getting to LEED Platinum
University of Houston, 2018: Staying Ahead of the Commercial Energy Code
Texas A&M University, 2016: Integrating Sustainability: A path to Net-zero
ANITA SNADER
LEED AP BD+C | Environmental Sustainability Manager, Armstrong World Industries
Anita Snader is the Environmental Sustainability Manager of Armstrong World Industries in Lancaster, PA. She manages the sustainability strategy for Armstrong Ceiling and Wall Solutions, and serves as an internal environmental advocate, and environmental spokesperson. She is a LEED accredited professional, and well versed in the LEED rating systems and USGBC initiatives. As co-chair of Armstrong’s LEED EB team, she led the corporation to a LEED EB Platinum for their Headquarters building in Lancaster, PA in June 2007, and served on the team obtaining LEED EB recertification in 2014.
Recently, Anita has led Armstrong in a new initiative focusing on the Health and Wellbeing of occupants called Better Spaces. She drives the material health and transparency efforts, and created and manages Armstrong’s commitment through our SUSTAIN™ portfolio of high performance ceiling systems.
Anita joined Armstrong in 1997. Her experience is in Marketing, Research, Product Development and Customer Satisfaction both in the consumer goods, hospitality, building products and advertising industries. Her passion centers in developing strategies for reducing our impact on the environment through product and process innovation, and is always looking at opportunities to share knowledge and innovation with others.
Speaking Engagements: • Mindful Materials Series (2018 – NYC, Chicago)
• USGBC Central PA – 2017 – Green Con – Healthier Buildings
• USGBC GreenBuild – 2016 – Los Angeles, CA – LEEDv4 and Material transparency
• Living Future – Seattle 2016 – Declare and Living Building Challenge
• Costa Rica Green Building Congress – May 2015 – Materials and LEEDv4
• Canada Green Building Conference – June 2015 – Panel on Material Transparency
• USGBC GreenBuild – 2014 New Orleans, PA – two sessions
• State of Green Business – 2011
• PA Green Growth Partnerships, Pittsburgh, PA 2009
• PennTap, Green Workshop, Harrisburg, PA 2008
• Central PA USGBC Chapter Construction Waste Workshop, 2008
• LEED for Existing Building Workshop, Lancaster, PA, November 2007
• NeoCon East, Green Building Workshop, Baltimore, MD, October 2007
• ICA International Conference – Madrid- Acoustics and Green Building, September 2007
• ASHRAE ‘007 Conference – Long Beach, CA – Acoustics and Green Building, May 2007
• GreenBuild 2006 – Got LCA?, November 2006
• Local Green Building Council of PA –LEED for Schools Workshop, October 2006
• Various Recycling Summits throughout the nation
• Customer and sales presentations each month
Tune in:
Listen to a podcast interview with Anita Snader here.
DR. JOSEPH ALLEN
Assistant Professor of Exposure Science | Director of the Healthy Buildings program
Dr. Allen researches community and occupational exposures and health risks related to a broad range of chemical, biological, physical and radiological stressors. In particular, he focuses on the built environment, emissions from building materials and consumer products, and building system performance, each of which has the potential for both positive and negative impacts on human health, well-being and productivity. He is the Director of the Healthy Buildings program at the Harvard Chan School of Public Health and faculty director of the Harvard Sensors for Health research group. Dr. Allen teaches a class on the Impact of Buildings on Human Health, and is the faculty advisor for a new initiative out of Harvard’s Office for Sustainability – the Harvard Healthier Building Materials Academy.
HEATHER HENRIKSEN
Managing Director, Harvard University Office for Sustainability
Heather Henriksen has served as Harvard University’s chief sustainability officer since 2008, advising the President and senior leadership on strategy and building an organizational change enterprise. Heather leads the Office for Sustainability which oversees the implementation of the Harvard’s comprehensive Sustainability Plan (co-created with faculty and students in 2014) and the University’s ambitious new Climate Action Plan (to be fossil fuel-free by 2050 and fossil fuel-neutral by 2026) which builds upon the 2016 achievement of Harvard’s initial science-based climate goal.
The Office for Sustainability has expanded a multi-disciplinary living laboratory research program that partners with faculty and students to use the campus as a test bed for piloting and sharing innovative solutions to real-world sustainability challenges. A nationally recognized leader in healthier building materials, Heather is leading an effort with faculty within Harvard to translate research into practice related to heath in the built environment including a focus on addressing the use of chemicals of concern in common building products. Through this work, Harvard is partnering with business and non-profit leaders as they strive to transform the marketplace for a healthier built environment. Heather also advises courses throughout Harvard College and the professional graduate schools and speaks nationally and internationally on sustainability.
Heather is on the Board of Directors of the Health Product Declaration Collaborative. Heather serves as Advisory Committee Co-chair of the International Sustainable Campus Network (ISCN), and she is a member of Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2). Heather holds a Master in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School.
LAUREN M. WALLACE
Principal & Director of Certifications and Consulting, Epsten Group, Inc.
Lauren M. Wallace is a Principal and the Director of Certifications and Consulting at Epsten Group, Inc., where she has helped facilitate sustainability and wellness measures for thousands of projects around the globe. Ms. Wallace is a USGBC and WELL Faculty member, WELL AP, LFA, LEED AP BD+C, LEED Project Reviewer, BREEAM USA In-Use Assessor, Fitwel Ambassador, Parksmart Advisor, and TRUE Advisor. With a background in Architecture, Ms. Wallace has more than ten years of experience in sustainability. She speaks regularly to audiences with varying expertise about implementing change in the building industry, focusing on technical information and application.
BECCA RUSHIN
Vice President of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility, Jamestown
Becca Rushin is the Vice President of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility at Jamestown where she leads ESG initiatives through the Jamestown Green program and the Jamestown Charitable Foundation. Prior to joining Jamestown in 2012, Ms. Rushin worked as a local government consultant for Clark Patterson Lee, where she served as Community Development Coordinator and Sustainability Commission Staff Liaison for the City of Dunwoody. She is a Certified Energy Manager (CEM) and holds a LEED AP O+M credential. Ms. Rushin is an active volunteer with the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and Environmental Policy from Sewanee: the University of the South and a Master of Science in Sustainable Development: Environmental Policy and Management from Utrecht University.
JODI SMITS ANDERSON
Director of Sustainability Programs, DASNY | LEED AP BD+C
Jodi Smits Anderson is the Director of Sustainability Programs for DASNY, an architect, LEED AP BD+C, AIA member, lifetime member of NESEA, past regional and national U.S. Green Building Council committee member, wife, mom, hiker, kayaker, knitter, and storyteller. She has spoken at the ILFI unconference in Seattle, WA, at the NACUBO conference in Austin, TX, at the first Wellness in Design conference in San Diego, CA, and several times each at Greenbuild, NESEA’s Building Energy Boston, and the NYS Green Building Conference, and has been a guest teacher at SUNY ESF, RPI, Ithaca College, NYU, Cornell, and SUNY Albany. She is a NY Energy Code trainer, the 2018 recipient of the Green Building Advocate award, and has assisted in research and writing for Project Drawdown, which cites the 100 market-proven ways we already have in our toolkit to reduce CO2 in our atmosphere. She has a featured article appearing in the Journal of Green Building’s V14 N3 in July of 2019, on Excellence in Building Envelopes, and is currently working on a ZNE renovation to an existing residence hall, a project intended to change how we do renovation projects in New York state. Jodi’s goal is to understand and incorporate informed sustainable practices into design, construction, and living, and to share whatever she has learned and learn still more from whomever will talk with her.
JIM NEWMAN
Founder and Principal, Linnean Solutions | LEED AP, O+M; EcoDistrict AP
Jim is the Founder and Principal at Linnean Solutions, a mission-driven firm that helps local governments, organizations, and communities reach sustainability and resilience goals. Jim’s twenty years of experience includes carbon mitigation planning and life cycle assessment; sustainability and resilience building certification; climate action and adaptation planning for municipalities, agencies, and organizations; resilience analysis, policy, and design standard development; EcoDistrict planning and management; and stakeholder engagement processes to strengthen communities. As a Living Environments in Natural, Social, and Economic Systems (LENSES) Facilitator and Trainer, Jim regularly leads community planning workshops, and trains others in becoming effective facilitators.
Previous to Linnean, Jim worked with BuildingGreen as the Director of Strategy, where he led the development and introduction of most of BuildingGreen’s online products including LEEDuser.com, BuildingGreen Suite, and the High Performance Buildings Database. Jim is a founding board member of the Resilient Design Institute, and a key author of several influential resilience reports and tools—including the Building Resilience in Boston report and
the Enterprise Community Partners’ Ready to Respond: Strategies for Multifamily Building Resilience manual. He is a member of the RELi/USGBC Steering Committee, where he has worked to bring a social equity lens to the development of the new certification standard for resilient buildings.
JULIE JANISKI
Associate Principal, BuroHappold Engineering
Julie Janiski leads integrated teams of engineers, designers, analysts, and subject-matter experts at BuroHappold Engineering for projects with ambitious goals related to design innovation, building performance, and the health, wellbeing and experience of building occupants and community. Julie’s recent work includes: Cornell Tech’s new Verizon Executive Education Center with Snohetta; Glenstone Museum with Thomas Phifer and Partners, St. Ann’s Warehouse theatre in Brookyln with Marvel Architects; a number of U.S. Embassy projects internationally for the U.S. State Department; a new corporate headquarters campus in Baltimore for Under Armour; an integrated “roadmap” plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80% by the year 2050 (80×50) for the City of New York; and The House at Cornell Tech – a residential high-rise in New York City which is certified Passive House. Julie also teaches at Columbia University’s GSAPP in the first-year core studio, and has been a guest critic/lecturer at other universities including MIT, Tulane, and NYU.
SARA NEFF
Senior Vice President, Sustainability at Kilroy Realty Corporation
Sara Neff is Senior Vice President, Sustainability at Kilroy Realty Corporation. Sara took Kilroy from having no sustainability program to being named the #1 publicly traded real estate company on sustainability in North America by GRESB, and under her leadership the company recently committed to becoming the first carbon neutral real estate company in North America by the end of 2020.
At Kilroy, she oversees all sustainability initiatives such as solar and battery deal-making, the implementation of energy and water efficiency initiatives throughout the existing and development portfolios, the integration of sustainability standards into annual financial reports, the launch of the Kilroy Innovation Lab, and the award-winning green leasing program. She holds a BS from Stanford and an MBA from Columbia Business School.
TRISTAN ROBERTS
Co-Founder, Facilitator at The Laurentia Project | LEED AP BD+C, LFA
Tristan Roberts is responsible for leading staff support for HPDC’s Technical Committee, education programs, and the evolution of the HPD Open Standard. Mr. Roberts is a leader in the advancement of green building practices. Prior to joining HPDC in May 2018, he was part of BuildingGreen, Inc. for eleven years, where he most recently served as Chief Strategy Officer, moderating and leading the community development of LEEDuser forum which supports over 10,000 users. He is the author of hundreds of articles and in-depth reports on building industry trends and technologies, and is a frequent speaker and educator in the areas of green building and sustainable design. His objective stance and focus on practical tools has earned him the trust of a wide spectrum of stakeholders in the industry, including architects, sustainability professionals, manufacturers, and nonprofit groups. Mr. Roberts has taught sustainability and building science at the Boston Architectural College.
TIM CONWAY
Vice President of Sustainable Development, Shaw
As a flooring industry expert, Tim Conway is focused on the positive affects that sustainable flooring products have on our buildings, and more importantly, the people that occupy and live in the spaces we design. Tim has worked closely with Bill McDonough and the internal team at Shaw for the past twelve years developing and maintaining Shaw’s Cradle to Cradle certifications, HPDs and EPDs. His unique role at Shaw enables him to drive the communication between clients’ requirements and the product development team at Shaw. He has presented at GreenBuild, Living Future, and Design Future Council and has been an integral part in the development of healthy carpet specifications for clients all over the world. Tim is passionate about collaborating with clients to develop flooring specifications that are safe throughout a product’s entire supply chain, from raw material chemical building blocks to end of life replication. He has a unique ability to translate complex systems like Cradle to Cradle and HPDs into simple stories that empower change and deliver buildings that have positive intent for the future of our people and our planet.
BILL WALSH
Founder and President, Board of the Healthy Building Network
Bill Walsh is the Founder and President of the Board of the Healthy Building Network (HBN). Since 2000 HBN has been defining the leading edge of healthy building practices that increase transparency in the building products industry, reduce human exposures to chemicals in building materials, and create market incentives for healthier innovations in manufacturing. He has been Visiting Professor at Parsons The New School for Design, is a Fellow of the Lowell Center for Sustainable Production at the University of Massachusetts, and a founding board member of the Health Product Declaration (HPD) Collaborative. Bill and HBN have been awarded the Design for Humanity Award by the American Society of Interior Designers (2019); WEACT for Environmental Justice Leadership Award (2018); Healthy Schools Network Hero (2013); US Green Building Council’s Leadership In Advocacy Award (2012). Previously he served as a national campaign director at Greenpeace USA, and held staff attorney positions with the US Public Interest Research Group and the Institute for Public Representation at Georgetown University Law Center. He holds a J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law and LLM in Public Interest Advocacy from Georgetown University.
BRENT TRENGA
Building Technology Director, Kingspan North America
Brent has truly run the construction industry gamut serving in various roles including Architect, Construction Manager, Developer and even project owner, allowing him to fully understand the sustainability ecosystem. As Building Technology Director for Kingspan North America, Brent is committed to reducing the environmental impact of business operations, products and services through continuous improvement and environmental transparency.
JENNIFER TARANTO
LEED® AP ID+C, BD+C, USGBC Faculty, WELL® AP, WELL Faculty and Fitwel Ambassador Structure Tone, Director of Sustainability
Jennifer Taranto ensures the principals of sustainability, wellbeing, and Lean construction are incorporated into client projects and everyday work practices throughout the STO Building Group.
Jenn is a passionate advocate for reducing environmental impact of the built environment and enabling organizations to improve people’s health and wellbeing while reducing the construction and operating costs of facilities. She gets involved in the early stages of client projects to define the needs and the overall sustainability goals in order to create an internal road map to team success.
Jennifer brings more than eighteen years of experience in the commercial real estate and construction industry, and joined Structure Tone in 2001. Her previous roles included superintendent and project manager prior to becoming Structure Tone’s Director of Sustainability in 2008.
As a founder of the USGBC Massachusetts Chapter and the former Chair of the Chapter’s Board of Directors she is recognized as a leader in the sustainable built environment. She has lectured at Wentworth Institute of Technology and Boston University and spoken at Labs21 Conference (I2SL), Delaware Valley Green Building Council’s Sustainability Symposium, Living Futures and Greenbuild. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Engineering from North Carolina State University.
Jennifer has a Bacon number of 2.
LEIGH STRINGER
Workplace Strategy Expert and Researcher, EYP
Leigh Stringer is a workplace strategy expert and researcher whose work has been covered recently by BBC News, The Globe and Mail, Fortune, CNN and Good Morning America. She works for EYP, an architecture and engineering firm. She is the author of two best-selling books, The Green Workplace and The Healthy Workplace. Leigh is currently collaborating with Harvard University’s School of Public Health on a new Health and Human Performance Index and the Center for Active Design in New York on their Fitwel building certification program to create new tools, connect like minds and blur the boundaries across industries in order to advance our improve our well-being at work. Leigh is on the board of directors of a new non-profit, Global Women for Wellbeing, an organization that aims to give women a voice to create better health and wellbeing for themselves, their businesses, and their communities.
CHARLEY STEVENSON
Principal, Integrated Ecostrategy
Charley Stevenson has been delving deeper and deeper into healthier building materials since beginning work on his first Living Building Challenge project in 2011. With the team at IES, he has developed process and software to integrate better materials selections into all project types and to transform the market as quickly and easily as possible. The Red2Green platform has reduced Red List research and documentation effort by a factor of three while building up a library of over 10,000 products screened for compliance.
PETER SMITH
Senior Vice President, International WELL Building Institute
Peter is engaged with leading organizations and institutions seeking to transform their real estate portfolios to enhance health and business metrics. As Senior Vice President at IWBI, he leads a team driving the global growth and adoption of the WELL Building Standard, the first performance-based building standard to exclusively focus on human health. Peter is also an active speaker and educator, promoting health in the built environment through industry events and technical workshops. Previously, Peter served as Vice President of Delos Solutions, a team of consultants and subject matter experts incorporating health and wellness strategies into the pioneering WELL Certification projects. Working closely with Delos Labs, an internal research group, he identified best-in-class design solutions, products and technologies to improve the built environment and optimize for human health, well-being and environmentally sustainability. Peter has an extensive background in building science and energy efficiency. Prior to joining Delos and IWBI, he worked as a Sustainability Consultant at Steven Winter Associates, an industry leading green building consulting firm. Focusing on affordable housing in the greater New York City area, Peter worked with multifamily developers to implement sustainable design principles and energy efficiency measures into new construction projects and validate high-performance building criteria. Peter holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a Bachelor’s degree from Colgate University in Environmental Economics. He also maintains accreditations for WELL AP™ and WELL Faculty™.
JASON JEWHURST
Principal, Bruner/Cott
Jason’s passion for reconnecting with the natural environment informs all of his work as a specialist in sustainable and high-performance building design. With a strong technical background in building systems, technology, and sustainability, Jason is driven by a deep respect for craftsmanship and the art of making and by the possibilities created by merging tested traditions of construction with new fabrication technologies and material production. He leads design teams to explore possibilities inspired by a shared set of values and goals to create high-performance contemporary architecture that is beautiful and inspiring. He is a recipient of a 2017 Living Hero Award.
BLAKE JACKSON
Architect, Associate, and Sustainability Design Leader, Stantec Architecture and Engineering
Blake Jackson is an architect, Associate, and Sustainability Design Leader with Stantec Architecture and Engineering in Boston, Massachusetts. His work focuses on the nexus between sustainability, wellness, and resiliency, and he has over fifteen years’ experience in planning, retail, hospitality, labs, healthcare, commercial, higher-education, and multifamily projects. Blake is a prolific author and speaker on his three main areas of focus, is an adjunct faculty at the Boston Architectural College and at Mount Ida College, and he currently serves as the Vice President for Advocacy for the Boston Society of Architects. He was named a national top “40 Under 40” built environment professional by Building Design and Construction Magazine in 2015.
ANNE HARNEY
FAIA, LEED Fellow, Long Green Specs
Anne Hicks Harney has over 30 years of experience, focusing on high quality design imbued with a solid technical and sustainable foundation. Formed in 2016, Long Green Specs provides sustainability focused construction specifications and building science material expertise to Architectural firms across the country. She is a member of the AIA COTE Advisory Group. She was a founding co-chair of the Baltimore – Building Enclosure Council, chair of the AIA Materials Knowledge Working Group, and a member of the USGBC Materials & Resources Technical Advisory Group. In 2016, Ms. Harney was awarded fellowship by the AIA and became a LEED Fellow.
Speaking Engagements
Living Future unconference 2019 – Using the AIA COTE Toolkit to Elevate Every Project –
Living Future unconference 2019 – Entering the material pool – deep end jump or shallow slide?
2019 AIA Women’s Leadership Summit – Go Forth and Prosper, While Changing the World
Greenbuild 2018: Chicago IL, November 2018 – Closing the Transparency Loop: Collaboration in Action
AIA Conference on Architecture 2018, New York NY: Holding Ourselves to Higher Standards – Healthy Materials Every Time
BRENT EHRLICH
Products & Materials Specialist, BuildingGreen
Brent is the products & materials specialist at BuildingGreen, where he has been researching and writing about green building products, materials, and their health and environmental impacts for more than a decade. He brings a nuanced understanding of materials, their constituents, and lifecycles to his work as a consultant and speaker and leads a team of editors that selects products for the company’s BuildingGreen Approved database and annual Top 10 Products Award.
Speaking Engagements
• Annual BuildingGreen’s Top 10 Products award at Greenbuild (8 years as presenter)
• Northeast Sustainable Energy Association: NESEA 2014: The Forest and the Trees
• NESEA 2011: Materials Track Chair + Cool New Products presentation
MATT EDLEN
Director of Acquisitions and Development
Matt Edlen oversees acquisitions and development in the Midwest and East Coast for Gerding Edlen’s various investment funds. Matt is responsible for sourcing, negotiating and executing on investment opportunities across key urban markets within those regions.
Prior to his role in acquisitions, Matt was focused on the development and management of the firms internal multifamily marketing and sales platform. His efforts have helped the firm invest over $1 billion worth of real estate across the country in cities such as Seattle, Los Angeles, Portland, San Francisco, Boston, and Chicago.
Matt currently serves as national chair of the board for Design Museum Foundation and as a board member for Boston’s NOAH (Neighborhood of Affordable Housing), and The Oregon Sports Authority. He has also served as board member and chair of the site selection committee for PHAME Academy, board member and co-chair of the Arts Connector Program of Business for Culture and the Arts, and alumni board member of Young People’s Theater Project. Matt earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Loyola University of Chicago.
MIKHAIL DAVIS
Director of Restorative Enterprise, Interface
Mikhail Davis is Director of Restorative Enterprise at Interface, a world-leading modular flooring company with a fully integrated collection of hard and soft flooring. Interface’s mission, Climate Take Back™, invites industry to commit to making a profit in a way that is restorative to the planet and creates a climate fit for life. Mikhail is responsible for advancing Interface’s mission in the Americas by building internal leadership capacity, facilitating strategic alignment of efforts, and creating external partnerships that shift the marketplace toward sustainability. He leads Interface’s product transparency efforts in the Americas and was lead author and editor of Interface’s Radical Industrialists column at GreenBiz.com for two years.
An expert in sustainable materials and NGO collaborations, he represents Interface in many organizations focused on sustainability innovation, closed-loop systems, recycling, and chemicals of concern, including serving as 2016-18 Chair of the US Green Building Council’s Technical Advisory Group on Materials and Resources (MR TAG), Co-Chair of the Materials Working Group of BizNGO and Program Advisor to the Next Generation Bio-based and Sustainable Chemicals Summit.
STEVEN BURKE
Sustainability Manager, Consigli Construction Company
Steven is a Sustainability Manager at Consigli Construction Co., Inc., an 800+ person construction firm based in Massachusetts. His position involves management of company sustainability processes and sustainable construction projects at Consigli. He has a Master of Science in Sustainability Management from Columbia University, and has delivered many presentations on how to integrate health and wellness into the design and construction of the built environment.
Join us for Ann Sussman's, 
Ann Sussman, AIA, is co-author with Justin B. Hollander, Tufts urban planning professor, of Cognitive Architecture, Designing for How We Respond to the Built Environment (Routledge). Her studio is at ArtScape in the Bradford Mill, an art and business center in Concord, MA. She is a presenter at 
The fabulous Calderwood Courtyard: our 2015 Green Buidling Showcase venue.
Global Head of Sustainability, Superior Essex
Sustainability Director, Steven Winter Associates
PE | Associate, LeMessurier
Vice President, AEW’s Architecture & Engineering group
Interior Designer, Jacobs, Boston
Senior Vice President, Market Transformation and Development U.S. Green Building Council
AIA LEED AP BD+C | Senior Associate, Gensler Boston 
LEED Fellow, WELL AP | Founder and Principal, Ecoworks Studio
AIA, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP
LEED AP BD+C | Environmental Sustainability Manager, Armstrong World Industries
Assistant Professor of Exposure Science | Director of the Healthy Buildings program
Managing Director, Harvard University Office for Sustainability
Principal & Director of Certifications and Consulting, Epsten Group, Inc.
Vice President of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility, Jamestown
Director of Sustainability Programs, DASNY | LEED AP BD+C
Associate Principal, BuroHappold Engineering
Senior Vice President, Sustainability at Kilroy Realty Corporation
Co-Founder, Facilitator at The Laurentia Project | LEED AP BD+C, LFA
Vice President of Sustainable Development, Shaw
Founder and President, Board of the Healthy Building Network
Building Technology Director, Kingspan North America
LEED® AP ID+C, BD+C, USGBC Faculty, WELL® AP, WELL Faculty and Fitwel Ambassador
Workplace Strategy Expert and Researcher, EYP
Principal, Integrated Ecostrategy
Senior Vice President, International WELL Building Institute
Principal, Bruner/Cott
Architect, Associate, and Sustainability Design Leader, Stantec Architecture and Engineering
FAIA, LEED Fellow, Long Green Specs
Products & Materials Specialist, BuildingGreen
Director of Acquisitions and Development
Director of Restorative Enterprise, Interface
Sustainability Manager, Consigli Construction Company