We are pleased to announce that our friends at National Grid are committing to support our 2015 Green Apple Day of Service. National Grid has a longstanding relationship with communities in the Commonwealth and we are proud to be partnering with them again this year after their strong support in 2014.
Green Apple Day of Service 2015
One quarter of Americans pass through a school on a given school day. Here at the the USGBC MA we are committed to green buildings and the savings, health and financial benefits which come with green design. The Green Apple Day of Service, Sept. 26, 2015, will bring together thousands of students, teachers, parents and community leaders from around the globe to improve our school environments through service projects, education, community events and more. Our vast network of champions will demonstrate the strength and breadth of our movement, leaving a meaningful and lasting local impact on our world’s schools.
Past Projects Sponsored by National Grid (2014)
Last year the Chapter coordinated with 38 schools for the Day of Service. Of these schools, National Grid sponsored the following four schools allowing them to be most effective with their projects. Read below to see the impact!
The Green Communities Act, Senate Bill 2768: An Act relative to green communities, was signed by Governor Deval Patrick in 2008 as an aggressive step towards energy efficiency and renewable energy in Massachusetts. This Act requires utilities to increase investment in energy efficiency measures, mandates the design and implementation of three-year state-wide energy efficiency plans by utility companies, and encourages greener buildings through updated codes, education, training and financial assistance.
This Act has enhanced Massachusetts’s efforts in energy efficiency by helping to get over many of the hurdles in the way of green progress. Some of these benefits include expanding investment by utilities; allowing municipalities, businesses and individuals to take advantage of net metering programs and net generation credits; requiring utilities to connect and contract with renewable resource customers to the grid; increasing the percentage of renewable resource generated power by the grid; and allowing for smart meter pilot programs to look into more innovative structures for the current rate system.
In addition to the abundant progress since 2008, the Green Communities program also encourages and supports towns looking into energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy projects. Creating a long-term structure for the green movement, the Act plays a significant role in statewide and national efforts not only for transforming our physical building structures into sustainable communities, but more importantly, our perceptual outlook of turning these policies into concrete action.
The Green Communities Act has resulted in calculable and incalculable benefits for Massachusetts and for the global community as a whole: job creation in the thousands; energy efficiency return on investment in the millions, a cleaner environment, a healthier society, and a clearer conscience which go beyond any calculable satisfaction.
As elaborated in the Boston Globe and the Analysis Group, the Act is projected to consistently increase the level of a greener community, but alongside other fruitful legislation such as the Green Jobs Act (Massachusetts Clean Energy Center) and the Global Warming Solutions Act, passed under the Patrick Administration. However, this positive momentum does not come without cost and complications. The net metering cap has been a hot topic in the recent months, addressing yet another barrier for greening energy resources through particularly solar alternatives and community solar. Our Chapter’s Advocacy Committee is dedicated to seeing Bill S.1770 pass through legislation to satisfy one of the many goals of the Green Communities Act.
This entry prepared by our advocacy partners at the Environmental League of Massachusetts (ELM)
It seems that the recent winter extravaganza in Boston was not enough proof for legislators to refocus state funding towards climate change and other efforts to alter our impact on the environment. The recent designation of a meager 0.6% ($221M) for environmental agencies was passed in the Legislature this week and is up for Governor Baker’s approval. This update is not encouraging for the members and advocates of our green communities, as this amount does not even reach 1% of the total approved $38.1B budget (H 3650) for the 2016 Fiscal year. In fact, this should be a concern for all, considering the fact that less improvement in protecting the environment will prove grave consequences for all.
The USGBC MA Chapter, along with more than 65 organizations throughout Massachusetts, joined forces with Environmental League of Massachusetts (ELM) which has led the call for a return to “1% for the Environment,” a level of investment the state has not made in several years, but one to which Governor Baker has committed for his first term. This “Green Budget” calls for funding restorations to programs that have been disproportionately cut over the years and have yet to return to their pre-recession levels.
ELM Legislative Director, Erica Mattison goes on to explain the importance of maintaining a higher standard for the Green Budget to ensure the sustainability of our communities and the environment in which we live in. She highlights the right we have to a clean environment, guaranteed to us in the Massachusetts Constitution, and the ability to achieve that through a supporting state budget. Mattison continues:
“Restoring funding to these agencies will help ensure that our water bodies are healthy, fishable, and swimmable; our state parks and beaches are open, staffed, and well-maintained; and we’re resilient to a changing climate. What’s at stake here is safeguarding public health and protecting the interests of future generations, as well as maintaining our quality of life and strengthening our economy.”
Environmental highlights of the budget include:
· Funding for a State Climatologist ($200k)
· A doubling of funding for Department of Conservation and Recreation Stormwater Management (to bring it to over $800k)
· A $2M increase for DCR State Parks & Recreation
· A $2M increase for DCR Retained Revenue to enable the agency to retain up to $16M of the funds it generates
· $10M from the state’s surplus will be transferred to the Massachusetts Community Preservation Trust Fund.
Lowlights include substantial reductions for:
· Climate adaptation planning (Executive Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs)
· Office of Dam Safety (Department of Conservation and Recreation)
I am a member of the Outreach Committee of the USGBC MA Chapter and we strive to highlight great people who are doing great work in the green building community and beyond. A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of chatting with Marie Mercurio, Senior Planner with the Boston Redevelopment Authority. Marie is a co-author of Article 89, the progressive and game changing zoning article that helped to create urban agriculture opportunities in Boston. To this day, Marie continues to facilitate urban agriculture activities around the city since the Article's adoption in 2013.
At the heart of Article 89, the regulation intends to “breakdown the barriers and the obstacles to grow food locally.” Before its inception, urban farming was challenging and “everything had to go to the zoning board of appeal.” A combination of foodie entrepreneurs, individuals, and other groups worked with the BRA and city organizations to help redefine citywide zoning and after three years of testing pilot farms, planning, and negotiating Article 89 came into existence. What does this mean for you and me? Thanks to Marie and her team’s work, “all ground level farming up to one acre is allowed as a by-right”, meaning that we can now grow food on up to one acre of ground level land in Boston without any required negotiations with the zoning board of appeal.
Marie has been at the forefront of helping cities, individuals, and organizations navigate and understand Article 89, both in its current state and its ability to be leveraged to help expand urban agriculture in new directions. When we sat down, she jumped in and told me about her day spent with Cambridge city planners and how she guided them through the ins and outs of Article 89’s development and implementation: “People know what we have done [in Boston] and so they are looking to do a similar type of regulation for urban agriculture and farming.”
Marie also takes Article 89 one step further by helping people use it as a foundation to pursue other agricultural interests, such as animals in the urban setting: “the nice thing now is they have the backing of Article 89.” She smiles as she talks about her hands on approach with Boston citizens to help them understand the potential of urban agriculture in Boston. She continues to stay involved with practitioners and farmers to develop and manage Article 89’s implementation in Boston.
Where does Marie see urban agriculture heading? Since January 2015, there have been several farms designated under Article 89 and two so far have been stamped for approval by the BRA for Comprehensive Farm Review, a design review process they created through Article 89 ensuring farms would make a good neighbor. She acknowledges there are more growth opportunities for Article 89, particularly with freight farming. She is keeping an eye on how rooftops evolve to support urban agriculture as well as interesting technological advancements in the urban agriculture field, specifically hydroponics in rooftop greenhouses, such as described in this Ted Talk by Mohamed Hage.
On the other hand, Marie works to ensure continued public involvement for the backbone of Article 89, ground level farming. The regulation was influenced by a groundswell of public support and Marie recognizes that varied interests and programming, such as youth involvement and other similar initiatives, are key to Article 89’s success.
While Marie does not have a green thumb herself, she is at the forefront of helping Article 89 evolve in Boston and beyond. She purposefully “inserted [herself] into this project” because she knew this was her calling. City planning has been Marie’s expertise for a number of years. Her first job out of planning school being in rural Alaska where she was the Village Planner for 20 Eskimo villages, traveling to community meetings by bush planes. Marie glows when she talks about how she knows that she is “amongst kindred spirits” when she helps other cities plan for their own Article 89s and as they “head in our direction.”
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If you know of someone who should be featured like Marie, please email outreach@usgbcma.org
Even as we focus our attention on more LEED-certified buildings and more LEED-accredited professionals in Massachusetts, LEED is making its way around the globe. USGBC (National) reaffirms that “LEED isn’t simply a stamp of approval but a resource for communities, a roadmap to sustainability. LEED is adaptable and can be region-specific, enabling professionals to connect and focus on issues relative to their country.” Although energy efficiency and long-term energy savings are incentives for many to consider the LEED certification in any country, the positive effects on the humans in buildings and environment surrounding buildings are equally substantial.
During a trip to the United States, a delegation from the Sichuan Province of China visited the USGBC Headquarters in Washington, D.C. to discuss sustainable development and how to promote awareness of green building benefits in their region. Instead of asserting green building education onto the people, the Chief Planner of Housing and Urban-Rural Development in Sichuan decided to take a more effective approach to promote green buildings by LEED-ing by example. He wanted to learn more from USGBC in order to showcase his own LEED-certified project with the intention to spark interest in energy efficiency education and make a more powerful impact on the rest of the building community in Sichuan.
In China, according to USGBC, there are already 120 million gross square meters of LEED space and more than 2,100 LEED projects. Around this time a year ago, China ranked 2nd in the USGBC's Top 10 Countries For LEED Outside of the U.S. with 96.22 million gross square meters of LEED space and 1,638 total LEED projects, which is approximately a 20% increase! Other LEED-ing countries ranked top 10 in 2014 included India, South Korea, Taiwan, Germany, Brazil, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, Finland and finally, with Canada coming in at first.
LEED project teams are implemented in more than 140 countries and territories, demonstrating LEED’s applicability in global, regional and local structures that result in reducing energy bills and creating a healthier environment indoors and outdoors for all. If countries around the world are seeing the power of LEED, there should be no delay in the rapid expansion and application of LEED in the U.S. for more green buildings!
Last July, the city of Cambridge, Massachusetts enacted a building energy use disclosure ordinance (1360) joining the ranks of cities throughout the United States in benchmarking efforts to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Energy use in buildings accounts for approximately 80% of GHG emissions in Cambridge. The ordinance requires owners of buildings to track and report annual energy use data to the city including: site and source energy use intensity (EUI), greenhouse gas emissions, and ENERGY STAR performance score. This performance data will be made publicly available online.
In addition to promoting transparency, and catalyzing citywide energy efficiency improvements, public disclosure allows potential property buyers, tenants, realtors, energy service providers and others to consider the actual energy and water performance of buildings when making choices. Similar to having access to the nutritional contents of a protein bar, individuals can now use this public data to influence decision-making. A prospective tenant, for example, could use such data to calculate what to expect in terms of utility bills.
Cambridge began its efforts by requiring municipal buildings greater than 10,000 square feet to report annual energy use. This data was reported using U.S. EPA’s ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager tool.
A total of 38 municipal buildings participated in this first round of reporting, including schools, offices, recreational centers, libraries, fitness centers, fire/police stations, and water treatment/distribution centers. School facilities represented the highest percentage of energy usage, followed by water treatment, and recreational facilities. This dataset can be downloaded from the Cambridge Department of Public Works website and viewed on GBIG.
Going forward, Cambridge’s ordinance addresses energy and water use in commercial and institutional buildings that are greater than or equal to 25,000 square feet, including multi-family buildings that have 50 or more units. Following this initial year of reporting, data collected will be disclosed on an annual basis through a public city website.
We are pleased to announce that our friends at Eversource are committing to support our 2015 Green Apple Day of Service. Eversource has a longstanding relationship with communities in the Commonwealth and we are proud to be partnering with them again this year after their strong support in 2014.
Green Apple Day of Service 2015
One quarter of Americans pass through a school on a given school day. Here at the the USGBC MA we are committed to green buildings and the savings, health and financial benefits which come with green design. The Green Apple Day of Service, Sept. 26, 2015, will bring together thousands of students, teachers, parents and community leaders from around the globe to improve our school environments through service projects, education, community events and more. Our vast network of champions will demonstrate the strength and breadth of our movement, leaving a meaningful and lasting local impact on our world’s schools.
Past Projects Sponsored by Eversource (2014)
Last year the Chapter coordinated with 38 schools for the Day of Service. Of these schools, Eversource sponsored the following six schools allowing them to be most effective with their projects. Read below to see the impact!
Alighieri Montessori School- Constructed and planted a new garden to teach students how they can positively impact climate change by demonstrating the connection between farming locally in urban environments and the reduction of CO2 emissions and heat island effect. Boston Green Academy- Insulated, installed water aerators and gardening taught these student how to care for the environment Boston Latin School – Discussed international smog issues and how to implement energy efficiency and environmentally friendly products to help solve the global issue. Manning Elementary School – Conducted a lighting and energy audit to determine places at the Manning school where we could use more efficient lighting (e.g., LEDs) or use daylighting more effectively. McKinley Middle School – Evaluated the school's current lighting usage, determine which areas had the highest impact when converted to more energy efficient lightly methods and implement new more energy efficient bulbs, as well as posted small signs next to light switches to encourage energy conservation.
Dallin School – Created an energy efficiency campaign for the Dallin School.
If your organization would like to join Eversource in supporting the Day of Service, please find more information here and email celis@usgbcma.org.
At the Chapter, we are continuously impressed with the advances of the engineers, architects and construction firms behind the green buildings that are created each year. One firm in particular who is always advancing their standard for quality of life and design is Levi + Wong Design Associates.
Levi + Wong Design is a passionate group of Visionaries, Advisors, Designers, and Managers who believe the power of design can improve the quality of life in the communities where we live and work. Quality Design, Service, Innovation, Teamwork, and Sound Business are the foundation of their success. They are a client-centric firm led by working principals dedicated to design excellence.
Thank you to Evan Halstead and Inga Leonova, Chapter Members and regular participants in our activities. We look forward to following your progress as LWDA continues to innovate and excel!
Their markets are are centric to well-being and include Healthcare, Rehabilitation, Senior Care, Senior Living, and Landscape Architecture focused. Here are just a few of their projects that they have been working on:
Technology plays a key role in the creation of new, sustainable, and higher energy-efficient structures for future generations. Existing buildings can also be transformed to become greener and more energy efficient because of technological changes in monitoring how a building consumes energy, which affects how much energy is ultimately consumed.
Technology is ever-changing and so are the available options for choosing smarter alternatives for a greener future. We are proud to highlight some of our Chapter Sponsors and their efforts in promoting more green buildings through technology!
Excel Dryer– Aside from the important task of saving the trees, hand dryers also reduce the amount of energy and cost associated with drying your hands with paper towels. Paper towels cost about 1 cent per paper towel sheet compared to the .02 cents to .18 cents cost in electricity to run a hand dryer. Not only do you have to consider the energy used to produce the paper towels, but you must also factor in the energy consumption required to pack, ship, stock and dispose of the paper towels.
The Excel Dryer, XLERATOR uses 80% less energy than conventional hand dryers and saves 90-95% of cost from paper towel usage. XLERATOR has earned users qualification for LEED credits in Energy & Atmosphere (EA) Minimum Energy Performance and EA Optimize Energy Performance, a mandatory credit for all LEED certified facilities.
Excel was a proud sponsor last year for our annual Green Apple Day of Service (GADOS) event held on September 27, 2014. By teaming up with Boston Public Schools, Excel was able to install energy-efficient XLERATOR hand-dryers to reduce waste produced from paper towels and to promote education and awareness of the schools' carbon-footprint on the environment. Please read more on our upcoming GADOS held this year on September 26, 2015!
Nitsch Engineering– Green infrastructure and design highlight the importance of a “balanced holistic site design approach.” The location of a building and how it impacts the environment also define how green a building can be. Nitsch Engineering’s use of technology through laser scanning surveys allows them to safely survey building exteriors and interiors, roadways, bridges, power plants, and land to create a green building design.
Nitsch particularly specializes in managing storm water by integrating storm water with building and landscape systems “to promote the filtration, retention, evaporation, infiltration, and reuse of rainwater, instead of allowing it to run off into our harbors and streams.” Efforts for water conservation and management in buildings contribute to decreasing energy consumption for water use and higher efficiency for the total energy consumption of the building.
RDK Engineers– New projects should also incorporate energy efficiency plans and solutions to provide for more sustainable designs. RDK Engineers are dedicated to delivering services for higher energy-efficiency and greener (in the environment and their pocketbooks) results for their clients.
These advanced services include: Energy Modeling, Energy Audits, Green Building Support, LEED, Utility Bill Analysis, Energy Star Certification, BOMA 360, Measurement and Verification, Utility Program Support, Energy Code Consulting, Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA), PUE Benchmarking and Thermal Imaging Audits.
As USGBC MA forges ahead with one of our Chapter Advocacy Priorities, Net Zero Energy Building (NZEB), we are excited to see NZEB elements at more conferences. The “Net Zero Zone” is an exhibition space where booths are fully powered by a live on-site microgrid, a hybrid use of alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) power for generation, storage and distribution. It is a first of its kind in a major trade show and will return to the 2015 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo on November 18-19, 2015 at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. The Net Zero Zone will highlight the efficiency, reliability and resiliency of hybrid microgrids, bringing alternative power generation to life and its ability to function with or without connecting to the local utility grid.
Successful NZEB efforts have also been taking place within Massachusetts: The Pathways to Zero Grant Program, an initiative by Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER). “These projects represent a range of locations, strategies, and building types: from science labs in Fall River to new homes in Lenox. Projects are utilizing energy best practices such as proper building orientations, well-insulated and air-tight building envelopes, solar PV, and heat pumps.” The Hitchcock Center for the Environment in Amherst, which is categorized as a commercial and institutional project was granted $330,000. The building will conform to net zero energy building standards that use renewable resources to produce the amount of energy they consume on-site over a year. The projected completion date is summer of 2016, complete with natural ventilation, roof-mounted solar panels, rainwater collection barrels, and composting toilets to achieve net zero energy and net zero water status, in addition to achieving the conditions of the Living Building Challenge.
Other projects include Northampton EcoVillage Duplex Homes and Laurel Street both by Transformations Inc. and are categorized as Residential Buildings. These project grants total to $156,000.
Greenbuild, owned and operated by Informa Exhibitions U.S., Construction & Real Estate and presented by USGBC, is the nation’s largest conference and expo dedicated to green building design and construction. See article
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.
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