Sustainable Landscape Networking Night on Cape Cod

By Adam Prince, ZeroEnergy Design

by Adam Prince, ZeroEnergy Design

 

USGBC MA Cape & Islands Interest Group just enjoyed an evening with two sustainable landscape design presentations and a quick tour of a newly renovated commercial building.
 
Michael Talbot, co-owner of Talbot Ecological Land Care and principal at Environmental Landscape Consultants, LLC, and Seth Wilkinson, President of Wilkinson Ecological Design, each presented a program on ecological and sustainable land development.  Michael provided an overview of sustainable landscape design and management principles, and Seth followed by reviewing case studies of how to incorporate sustainable design by including these principles in the planning and permitting phase of the building process.  Each took questions afterward, as the 20-ish attendees enjoyed a fabulous food spread with refreshments sponored by Cape Associates.
 
The evening ended with a quick tour led by Adam Prince of ZeroEnergy Design together with Seth Wilkinson, as the group investigated the well insulated office building for Wilkinson Ecological Design which recently underwent a full gut renovation. With green architecture and mechanical design by ZeroEnergy Design, and construction by CapeWide Enterprises, the tour highlighted the many green features of the building.
 
PRESENTERS:
Michael Talbot, co-owner of Talbot Ecological Land Care
 
Seth Wilkinson, President of Wilkinson Ecological Design
 
SPONSOR
Cape Associates

AHA Consulting Engineers Spotlight

By Grey Lee

815 Albany Street, Graduate Student Housing

This year AHA Consulting Engineers completed a number of LEED certified projects, including the LEED Gold Certified Graduate Student Housing Project for Boston University. Developed by the Fallon Company, and designed by Beacon Architectural Associates, the 84,000 sf, 9-story project houses over 200 graduate students in 104 2-bedroom suites. Construction was finished in 2012 with a budget of $33 million, or around $390 per sf. This is the first phase in a larger development project on 1.7-acres adjacent to the Boston University Medical Center. The project includes a 12,000 sf park, and over 400,000 sf of development comprised of three buildings and parking facilities.

AHA's role on the project as Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing engineers significantly enhanced innovation in energy efficiency, and helped the project achieve LEED Gold Certification. The project reduced potential water consumption by 40% through the installation of low-flow fixtures, and by harvesting rainwater for use in a high-efficiency irrigation system for native plantings, which in conjunction with permeable surfaces, helps reduce storm water runoff.
 

 

The building is 18% more energy efficient than required by code, thanks to high-efficiency building envelope, efficient heating and lighting, energy recovery, and regenerative-drive elevators. There are individual thermal controls in every space, including offices and commons space to help save energy when spaces are not in use. The building employs both natural and mechanical ventilation to meet ASHRAE requirements, which improves the indoor air quality while saving energy.

Other programs in the building include a gym, extensive bicycle storage in the basement, laundry, and the Little Sprouts child care and early childhood education center on the ground floor. All of these features combined make a great place for graduate students to live well while saving energy. The project earned a total of 60 points, you can see more details by checking out the LEED scorecard here.

The Delight of the Living Building Challenge

By Grey Lee

This past Saturday, the USGBC MA Chapter convened a tour of the Bechtel Environmental Center at the Smith College Field Station in Whatley, MA.

Student volunteers from Smith hosted us, first greeting us at the end of a long and winding country road, and then to describe how the College uses the facility for a variety of purposes. It was funded by the S.D Bechtel Jr. Foundation, in case you were wondering.

Shawn Hesse, of emersionDESIGN, a new member of our Board of Directors and long-time Chapter volunteer, is also an Ambassador for the International Living Future Institute. He regularly provides trainings and outreach programs for the Living Building Challenge. The BEC (as it is known) is the fifth Living Building ever certified. We are proud that we can visit, right here in Massachusetts, the result of a lot of hard work under the auspices of the Living Building Challenge!

Below is a map of the area.

 
 It was quite picturesque.
 

 

Attending the tour were over 30 people, including Chapter Programs Manager, Steve Muzzy. The place is set up so you have to take a five-minute stroll (longer in the snow) from the parking area to get to the building. Nice gaiters, Steve!

 

 
 
Once inside, you can enjoy the cozy comfort and real beauty of the design – created by Coldham & Hartman Architects. Nice clerestory!
 

Shawn Hesse led the discussion – outlining the basic features of the Living Building Challenge and then going into detail on each of the petals.
 

Here we have the Smith College tour guides explaining how it came to be and how they use the place…including for ski weekend adventures and summer study sessions…
 

 

Here we have the speaking crew: Grey Lee, Emmett Wald, Brice Hereford, Julie Graham, & Shawn Hesse.
 

 I got a chance to plug the Chapter and Brice gave the pitch for the visitors to become part of the West Branch. It was actually interesting how many people – perhaps a dozen – actually came out from the Boston area to see the place. Living Buildings have some real star power!

 

 
So cute!
 

Part of the Living Building Challenge is its petals and one of them is Equity – quite an advanced subject actually, and unfortunate that we have to enshrine it in a reward system like LBC rather than it being a spontaneous manifestation of the built environment. 
 

And here are the requisite solar panels which enable the facility to achieve net zero energy. Now here are things that manifest rather regularly in the built environment. More every day!
 

 
Another petal is Health:

 

We anticipate returning to the BEC for a summer gathering – perhaps a solar-powered sustainable BBQ of some kind? I have a SolSource parabolic concentrator we could use for a giant pot of vegan chili! 

At any rate, thank you to all the presenters, all the parties involved in the creation of this beautiful Living Building, and to all the attendees who made it through the rough roads and deep snow to visit and learn with us. We look forward to promoting the Living Building Challenge throughout Massachusetts and beyond.

See you next time!

Thank you for additional photos from Shawn Hesse, David Bliss and Chris Farley

Reducing Power Plant Emissions

By Grey Lee

EPA Rule 111: Clean Power Plan

In 2013, the EPA proposed a new carbon pollution standards for power plants under section 111 of the Clean Air Act.  The program is designed to regulate and reduce greenhouse gas emissions for new power plants under federal guidance and to address the emissions of existing power plants through a state-based program.  These proposals are designed to cut emissions from the power sector by as much as 30% by 2030, which will help to protect our health and the health of the environment for future generations.  For a comprehensive list of benefits, see the EPA's fact sheet on the Clean Power Plan. This diagram helps to explain the different kinds of greenhouse gas pollution and which sectors are major contributors.
 
 
This map shows the location of the 54 fossil fuel fired power plants in Massachusetts. The data points and background map come from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA); their online mapping system allows users to explore the various sources of energy production and distribution across the United States.
 

In December of 2014, the USGBC submitted recommendations to the EPA supporting their Clean Power Plan, proposing that States be given flexibility in developing their individual compliance strategies.  The USGBC also suggested that existing knowledge around evaluation, measurement and verification used in the LEED system be applied to tracking the reduction in emissions of power plants.

The EPA Clean Power Plan proposes 4 building blocks for states to achieve reduced power plant emissions, 1) power plant efficiency improvements 2) dispatching to cleaner natural gas combined cycle plants 3) renewable energy and 4) energy efficiency.  The fourth building block presents an opportunity for Massachusetts professionals to leverage their leadership and expertise in green building practices to help the Commonwealth achieve these important goals.

 

2014 LEED Certification in Review

By Grey Lee

2014 was a great year for green building and LEED Certification in Massachusetts!  Of the 130 total projects certified in 2014, 19 earned LEED Certified status, 29 earned LEED Silver, 61 earned LEED Gold, and 21 earned LEED Platinum.
 
 
We want to thank all of the project teams for their hard work and commitment to innovation in efficient design, construction and operation. We are looking forward to another impressive year in 2015 and we already have three certifications completed this year, including a LEED Platinum project by our sponsor The Green Engineer.  The following top ten list ranks firms and owners whose project administrators helped certify over 50 LEED projects together in 2014.
  1. The Green Engineer (Sponsor)
  2. Harvard University
  3. AHA Consulting Engineers (Sponsor)
  4. Entegra
  5. Bergmeyer
  6. New Ecology
  7. Urbanica
  8. ADD; CBRE; Chapman Construction; TND; VHB; Wright Builders
  9. Boston Properties (Sponsor); Boston Global; Corgan; GSA; Perkins + Will; TT Arch
  10. AECOM; Architerra; Callison; Goody Clancy; Mount Vernon

 

Look for upcoming blog posts highlighting our sponsors and some of their recent achievements in Green Building.

 

 

Super Bowl XLIX, Green Building & Energy Efficiency

By Grey Lee

Congratulations to the New England Patriots on their victory over the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl on Sunday!
 
 
(Image Credit: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

 

With all the excitement around Super Bowl XLIX, we thought it would be fun to see how the home states of each team stack up in terms of Green Buildings and Energy Consumption (Yes we know that it’s the New England Patriots, but for the purposes of this study we are only including data from states that actually house the stadiums!).  For good measures, we are also including the sunny state of Arizona where the big game was played.  The following bar graphs compare data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) on average monthly electricity consumption from 2012.

 

 
 
 
 
 
Arizona, Massachusetts and Washington are all very different places with a range of climatic, transmission and generation factors that influence how and when electricity is used.  In the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) 2014 rankings, Arizona placed 15th, Washington placed 8th, and Massachusetts placed 1st overall.  One component of the ACEEE ranking system is on Building Energy Codes, in which any state can earn up to 7 points.  Arizona earned 3 points in this category, with the majority of its municipalities using the 2009 IECC for residential construction.  Washington earned 6 points for building energy code stringency and adopting the 2012 IECC for both residential and commercial construction.  Massachusetts earned 5.5 points after adopting the 2012 IECC in 2014 with state-specific amendments.  Also, Massachusetts completed a baseline compliance study, which involves utilities in code compliance support efforts (ACEEE, 2014).
 
In addition to energy efficiency, these three states are also pursuing renewable energy solutions.  The Arizona Office of Energy Policy provides statistics on the state’s current renewable portfolio (8% total energy) and also a 10 year outlook on solar, wind, biomass, geothermal and hydroelectric for the state.  Massachusetts office of Energy and Environmental Affairs provides information on different types of renewable energy, funding programs and incentives, as well as installation assistance.  Also, Massachusetts obtained 9.3% of its total energy from renewable sources in 2013.  The Washington State Energy Office provides energy policy support as well as analysis for the legislature and commerce and manages the State Energy Program.  Washington is the nation’s leader in hydroelectric generation, accounting for 29% of total hydro capacity in the United States.
 
How are these states doing when it comes to Green Building? Looking at data from the USGBC from 2013, we can see Washington State has an edge over both Massachusetts and Arizona with an impressive 1,474 registered LEED projects!
 
 
 
 
A lot of energy goes into putting on a Super Bowl.  What are stadium operators and teams doing to address this?  The University of Phoenix Stadium is a member of the USGBC and as part of their Green Mission, prioritizes recycling and Green Products, water-efficiency and high efficiency LED lighting.  Find out more about their Green Mission here: University of Phoenix Stadium
 

 

(Image Credit: Arizona Cardinals)

 

 
 
 

Welcome to Eversource

By Grey Lee

 

As of January, our favorite utility company, formerly known as NSTAR, has changed its name to Eversource Energy.

NSTAR provided natural gas and electricity to 1.4 million customers in eastern and central Massachusetts.  NSTAR's parent company, Northeast Utilities also owns the Public Service Co. of New Hampshire, Yankee Gas Services Co., Western Mass. Electric, as well as Connecticut Light and Power Co.

Under the new of Eversource, these companies will serve over 3.6 million customers in New England and the name change will help save money in the long run. The only difference customers will see is the name on the bill, so all automated payments will continue to process automatically. If you had stock in Northeast Utilities, you'll see it and a different stock ticker has changed from NU to ES.  Eversource Energy offers helpful tips on how to save energy year-round on their website and they also have a special section for fall and winter that can help you cut your heating bills by 10%!

 

USGBC MA Welcomes Two New Members to the Team!

By Grey Lee

Sharon Bort, Communications Associate
Sharon Bort is thrilled to be joining the USGBC MA Chapter this spring as the Communications Associate.  In May of 2014, she graduated from Clark University with a degree in Global Environmental Studies as well as Innovation and Entrepreneurship.  Other than her work with USGBC MA, Sharon works as the Sustainability Coordinator at Wellesley College.  At Wellesley, she tackles all things sustainability, including Wellesley's own bike share, food and water, compost and recycling, energy reduction, behavior change, student advising, and much, much more!  She is excited to be learning more about LEED with USGBC as a recent LEED Green Associate and share the many great events the Chapter offers as the Communications Associate.  During her spare time, Sharon loves to experiment in the kitchen, ride her bike around Boston, travel the world, and tackle DIY projects. 

 

Ethan Lay-Sleeper, Advocacy Fellow
Ethan Lay-Sleeper is joining the USGBC MA Chapter as our inaugural Advocacy Fellow – in an internship funded by the MassCEC.  He is finishing his final semester of graduate school in the Master of City Planning Program at MIT.  At MIT, Ethan has studied green supply chain management, carbon foot printing, and the economics of electricity & the environment.  Last summer he traveled to Taiyuan, China and worked with students from Tsinghua University to design for increased energy-efficiency and density in an existing neighborhood, while improving the community’s public amenities.  Ethan comes from an architectural background and has experience working on a number of LEED certified projects; he is excited to participate in the Chapter’s mission of promoting a network of Green Buildings as well as the legislation that supports them.
 

Welcome to the Board!

By Grey Lee

Congratulations to the six new board members for the USGBC Massachusetts Chapter!  We look forward to working together as a community to improve our built environment and meet our mission. 
Thank you to all the candidates that ran for our board!  The diversity and experience of our candidate pool is a testament to the strength of our community. 
 

Barbra Batshalom, Sustainable Performance Institute

Barbra is the founder and president of the Sustainable Performance Institute, a national organization that assists the building industry in institutionalizing sustainability.  Additionally, she has founded The Green Roundtable as well as leading the way in forming our own USGBC Massachusetts chapter!  Barbra is a trailblazer is transforming businesses and the building industry into a more sustainable field.

John DalzellBoston Redevelopment Authority
John has been deeply involved with USGBC and LEED for many years now as illustrated by his awarded position as LEED Fellow, Accredited Professional in BD+C and Neighborhood Development, and as a founding member of the USGBC Massachusetts chapter.  John is also a senior architect for sustainable development at the Boston Redevelopment Authority and a champion for Green Building and Community Programs.
 

Mike DavisLocal Initiative Support Corporation (LISC)

Mike has a rich and varied past working in housing and urban planning, including the NYC Department of Housing Preservation and Development, the Bronx Planning Unit, and the HUD Multifamily Unit.  Currently, Mike is a Program Officer with the Local Initiatives Support Corporation in which he manages the MA Green Retrofit Initiative, works with energy auditors, and analyzes funding opportunities.
 

Carrie HaveyThe Green Engineer

Carries joined the USGBC MA chapter within her first few months in Boston and has brought sustainability into all aspects of her work.  She currently works as a Project Manager at The Green Engineer.  Carrie has over twelve years of experience in planning and landscape architecture from Concord Square Planning & Development, Stantec, Tompkins County Planning Department, and others.
 

Shawn HesseemersionDESIGN

Shawn leads the Cambridge office of emersionDESIGN and focuses on integrating sustainability into all of his design, planning, and policy work for clients.  He has proudly designed and consulted Net Zero energy projects and LEED Platinum Certified buildings.  Furthermore, Shawn has educated and trained hundreds in LEED with support from USGBC.  He also serves on the national board of Architects/Designers/Planners for Social Responsibility. 

Tiffany KingCommodore Construction

Now a Project Manager at Commodore Builders, Tiffany was previously at E.M Harris Construction Company and Paric Corporation. Through her experience in commercial and residential construction management, she has demonstrated superb collaboration skills and a passion for sustainable and high-efficiency design.

 

 

Annual Meeting: Game Night & Volunteer Appreciation

By Grey Lee

It was a lovely, if windy, evening in the Fenway of Boston on Thursday night.
 

 

Wentworth Institute of Technology hosted us for our 2015 Annual Meeting – it was great to meet many of their students, professors and staff.  Over 100 people came out to join us – we had presentations, awards, election results and GAME NIGHT!

Giant Jenga (not its real name) was a hit during the Game Night portion of the evening – though of course with all the high-achieving creative types in attendance it morphed into a “how tall can you build a tower out of loose blocks” exercise.
 

 
We were very appreciative of Debbie Shepard (below), who serves Wentworth as a sustainability coach, for her presentation giving an overview of the many sustainability projects that have been embraced by the campus, including:
 
  • 75 courses related to sustainability
  • Undergraduate minor in sustainability
  • Masters in Applied Sustainability Mgmt. 
  • Accelerate – Social Innovation Lab
  • 525 Huntington – Student Housing
  • Ira Allen Ctr for Sciences & Biomedical Engineering

Don't forget that Wentworth Co-ops – students – are ready to work for your firm!

 
There was plenty of food and our green building pros know how to hit a buffet line.  They did make a little room for the students to join in. It was great to mix and mingle. 
 
Did you know the Wentworth Creed (from 1904) We seek to use our resources wisely at all times. We accept our obligation to safeguard the earth, its resources, its life, and its energy for the benefit of future generations.” – Sounds like sustainability to us! Love it!

 

A big part of the night was our Volunteer Recognition Ceremony.  Below we have the “Charging Champions of the Chapter” – up-and-coming all-star volunteers Kate Bubriski – co-chair of our Advocacy Committee, Shawn Hesse – new to our Board and a Living Building Ambassador, and Kimberly Le – new chair for our Residential Green Building Committee.

 
Volunteer of the Century, Phoebe Beierle, received yet another awesome plant for her contributions to the Chapter as an all-star volunteer.  Thank you Phoebe for your guidance and ongoing brilliance for the Chapter.  Phoebe actually shared this award with Bill Holland and the technical category was “Long-time Front-line Volunteers of the Half Decade.”
 

Earning our “Continuing Stalwarts of the Chapter” awards were Adrian Charest – chair of our Outreach Team (formerly Membership) and Neil Angus – our Vice Chair, and guiding light of our Education Committee (and “and Sustainable Communities” Ensurer).
 

 
We gave thanks to all of our volunteers, especially our departing Board members: Jennifer Taranto, David Straus, Chris Schaffner, Greg Sampson, Erik Ruoff, and Phoebe Beierle.
 
Other Noteworthy Contributors included: Stephanie MacNeil, Kristin Malyak, Matt Smith, Ryan Montoni, Jenna Dancewicz, Marie Nolan, Alana Spencer, Tiffany King, Adam Prince, Susi Price, Jared Gentilucci, Mark Dunn, Craig Foley, John Dimodica, David Bliss, Rachelle Ain, Patricia Cornelison & Mihir Parikh.
 
Also, Board members Ben Myers and Jim Newman were recognized for their outstanding fundraising work.
 
And then we got back to the games:

 

 A lot of folks enjoyed the paper airplane launching:
 

 

It would appear to have been hard to beat Alec Danaher, US Air Force veteran (also a civil engineer) – of our Advocacy Committee, though I did hear a certain architect claim to have hit the far wall. “Just let it go, don't force it, let the weight do the work” he explained in his southern drawl… 
 
 
 
Below, Phoebe Beierle is wondering how can Steve handle all these new member sign-ups at the event!
 

 

 
Thank you to Wentworth Institute of Technology for hosting us – especially to Abby Charest – Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering and Technology who liaised with the Wentworth staff and student groups to put it all together.  Below is Grey w/ Abby and Adrian Charest – a green building power couple if I ever saw one!  Thank you Team Charest!
 
 
Go Leopards!