The Sustainability Superstition

By Shawn Hesse, emersionDESIGN

by Shawn Hesse, emersionDESIGN


There’s a superstition within the sustainability movement that codes, budgets, schedules, clients, consultants, or some other unseen thing controls the outcome of our work.  That is the reason we aren’t achieving the ambitious sustainability goals we all have for our projects. Whether it is net zero energy, LEED Platinum, Living Building Challenge, or something less flashy but just as important like lighting upgrades and system-wide change.

Boston was named the most energy-efficient city in the US by ACEE last year; yet each day, I ride the T to Central square and look up to see the platform lined with 8’ long, 2 lamp T-12 fluorescent fixtures.  Looking down the tunnel, I can see the same fixtures lining the tunnels that are all on 24/7. Lighting upgrades are the lowest hanging fruit.  How can we be in the most energy-efficient community with a major piece of infrastructure using such outdated technology? It’s like we are trying to run a marathon but have a hard time tying our shoes. 

In response, I’ve begun work on a volunteer project called “LED the T”. With a system-wide swap (approximately 70,000 fixtures) to LED’s, the MBTA could save thousands of dollars a month in energy costs and hundreds of thousands of tons of carbon. So why hasn’t anyone done this yet? They’ve already swapped signal lights to LED fixtures, with a payback of less than 4 months. 

I’ve spoken with several representatives at MBTA and it occurs to me that they’ve fallen victim to the Sustainability Superstition, that there are things outside of their control that are stopping them. A full-system swap of lighting fixtures throughout the MBTA system is achievable. It is fiscally responsible and it will reduce carbon emissions. The success of the “LED the T” project will demonstrate that we are a community that is ready to tackle the serious challenges of sustainability and resilient infrastructure, that we’ve moved beyond low-hanging fruit of lighting upgrades and are ready to work towards a sustainable and regenerative community. Most importantly, the success of “LED the T” will disprove the Sustainability Superstition and show that there is no such thing as “outside our control”.

Ready to give up your superstitions?

Shawn Hesse RA, LEED AP BD+C, O+M, USGBC Faculty

emersion DESIGN LLC | ARCHITECTURE INTERIORS SUSTAINABILITY PLANNING ENGINEERING

45 Prospect Street | Cambridge, MA 02139 | P 617 682 0262 | emersiondesign.com

Shawn is an architect and sustainability consultant and leads the Cambridge office of emersion DESIGN, a multidisciplinary firm driven by advancing clients that advance society. If you would like to get involved with “LED the T” email him at: shawn.hesse@emersiondesign.com

Weekly Bulletin to 6/6/14

By Grey Lee

Next week is a triple-header for us – a lot of great opportunities to connect as a community of green building practitioners.

One of the great things about the USGBC is that we are on a mission.  Many professional societies and trade associations are committed to excellence in achievement as well as the growth of their industries and so are we. However, we take it to the next level with our commitment to our mission. We want green buildings for all within a generation. This is what brings us together: working together across the spectrum of real estate-related professions where we can help change the market, change the built environment, improve our communities & society and maybe we'll even “save the world!”

Thanks for being a part of our work.

Come on out next Monday, 6/9/13 to hear about how LEED for Homes will change as LEEDv4 comes into play. The Residential Green Building Committee will meet from 5:45-8pm at 281 Summer St. Will D'Arrigo of Conservation Services Group will present.

Tuesday 6/10/14 we'll have our Networking Night in Boston. This will be a special presentation from Juliette Bowker of Perkins+Will to hear about their Transparency Tool.

And if you still haven't had enough of the green building mojo, come on out with EPMA to attend our green building tour of the East Boston Branch Library on Thursday evening 6/12/14. This will be a great chance to meet members of the project team and go behind the scenes in a great new public facility. And when was the last time you made it to East Boston?

See you soon!

And because pictures are great to add to a blog entry:
 

 
How many green buildings can you see in this picture?

 

 
Erik Ruoff of the Green Engineer showing his true colors….

 

 
How many green buildings here now?

 

 
Here we have some folks at the Quarterly Combined Committees Gathering on Tuesday brainstorming about membership and how to grow our organization – thanks to all who came out to work together on improving our Chapter! Did I mention we moved up the membership rankings from #40 to #17 out of the 75 USGBC Chapters from 2012 to 2013? Let's see where we go this year!

 

Cape Cod LEED Learning & Networking

By Andrea Baerenwald, Cape Associates Inc.



By Andrea Baerenwald, Cape Associates, Inc.

The USGBC Cape & Islands Interest Group recently hosted an evening of LEED-learning and networking, focusing on both residential and commercial buildings. First 25+ attendees toured the new Cape Associates offices at 325 Massasoit Road in Eastham. The recently completed mixed-use office building includes two apartments on the second level and is targeting LEED-NC certification. Information was provided by Cape Associates (the builder), Brown Lindquist Fenuccio & Raber Architects, Inc. (the architect) and ZeroEnergy Design (the mechanical designer, energy & LEED consultant). 

 

Additionally, a virtual tour of a Brewster residential project targeting LEED for Homes certification was also available. The new home had been the subject of a previous USGBC MA Cape & Islands tour while under construction, which was now complete and finalizing certification. Chris Harris from Jill Neubauer Architects presented photos on a large screen, shared material samples, and reviewed a LEED checklist to describe the measures implemented. 

 

Outside the office building, attendees noted the preferred parking for carpooling and low emitting vehicles, as well as the air source heat pumps and large solar electric system. A crowd gathered in the basement as ZeroEnergy Design’s Adam Prince explained the building’s heating, cooling, ventilation, and domestic hot water systems. Infographics were on display around the building describing the LEED credit process as well as many of the design and material specifics that went into the construction of the new office building. 

A variety of people attended the free event such as realtors, architects, engineers, and green professionals. Thank you to Jill Neubauer Associates and Cape Associates for sponsoring this event.
 

Quinn Middle School – Green Building Tour

By Grey Lee

In the evening of May 29th at Hudson, Massachusetts, the USGBC MA Central Mass Committee convened an amazing tour of a recently finished super-green school. Quinn Middle School demonstrates the kind of care and concern for the “crystalized pedagogy” that all schools can be. At any given moment, students and others in the school are exposed to great lessons on how they relate to the greater world. The building went for the LEED innovation credit to provide educational signage throughout and the teachers and staff are committed to using the school's green features as an educational tool.

Over 40 people, many of them students, showed up for the evening tour. We went through two different parts of the building to explore features representing the different LEED credit categories.  One of the students was taking notes in order to write up an article for their school newspaper – we'll try to get that connected to this blog in the future.

It was a great to see the Central Mass Committee working together on this tour – I think we're all looking forward to the LEED Plaque ceremony sometime this fall for a mini-reunion.
 

 

 

Thank you to the project-related sponsors who put together and facilitated the tour; special thanks to David Harris from OMR Architects for leading the event!

The sponsors were:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Thank you to the sponsors:
 
 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 

Member Spotlight: Adam Kreitman

By Grey Lee

Our First EPMA Member Spotlight

It's been a short while since we had a member spotlight and we are very pleased to speak with Adam! As usual we ask a few questions to get acquainted with him.
 

USGBC MA: What is your current job and how does it differ from past jobs in Sustainability?

ADAM: I am currently working on a new construction project in the heart of Boston as an Assistant Project Manager for Lee Kennedy Co. Inc. The project is projected to be LEED Silver. My role hasn't changed much in regards to sustainability, but I am impressed with Lee Kennedy's focus on making sure that we surpass any LEED credit requirements given to us. It takes a good team from start to finish to manage this process on a large scale and we have a good team.

USGBC MA: When did you first become interested in Sustainability?

ADAM: Honestly it clicked in my senior year of college. There was a contractor at WPI that was teaching a class on Sustainability and I decided to give it a shot. The class opened my eyes from just the standard brick and mortar of a building. It really taught me how these mega structures live and breath and their impacts on all the environment around us. Something as simple as wood flooring can really devastate a habitat thousands of miles away.

USGBC MA: Why are a you a member of the MA chapter and how did you get there?

ADAM: My first experience with the MA Chapter of the USGBC was at a networking night where NEREJ sponsored a “Twitter” instructional.  I wasn't sure what to expect; but within 5 minutes of being there, I knew that this was a great organization to be a part of. Thanks to the candid discussions on sustainability and after the general positive nature of everyone I talked to and hearing about the great lobbying efforts of this chapter, I decided to try out EPMA. 

USGBC MA: How are you an environmental steward?

ADAM: If you ever had the chance to meet me, you will know that I am not the most earthy-crunchy guy. I don't buy hemp clothes and I don't own a garden, but I do make sure we are doing the right things daily. I try to make a conscious effort to not only inspect materials we bring in, but educate those around me why it is important to do so. If there is one person I can teach on-site why it's important to buy recycled materials or restore habitats, then that's one person more that can help teach someone else. That's how we get “more green buildings”. [editor's note: YEAH!]

USGBC MA: How do you help raise environmental awareness?

ADAM: One person at a time; usually I do this through casual conversation. I don't like slamming people with my agenda and telling people that they should only ride bikes or fuel-efficient vehicles. When I see that people are open to the idea of getting more involved or want to know more, then that's when I open up and discuss what can be done as well as the cool events that the USGBC MA has going on.

USGBC MA: If I needed to find you on a Saturday afternoon, where would it be?
ADAM: Either throwing the ball with my over-active dog or supporting a local establishment somewhere in the city of Boston.

At the next EPMA event, don't be shy and say HI to Adam!

Weekly Bulletin to 5/30/14

By Grey Lee

For a full listing of upcoming events, take a look at our May 2014 Digest.

Coming up next week:

LEED Learning & Networking in Eastham, MA (Cape Cod) – Tuesday June 3

Combined Quarterly Committees Gathering in Boston – Tuesday June 3
 

Any ideas where this might be?
 

Anyone recognize these guys?
 

 
You may have seen information about sea level rise and Boston here and there. The Nature Conservancy is hosting a program on June 9th: “Weathering the Storm: Boston's Future Climate” from 5:30-8pm at the Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts at 527 Tremont Street. Speakers include the Boston Harbor Association President Vivian Lee and Brian Swett, Chief of Energy, Environment and Open Space for the City of Boston.

LEED ND: Beyond Buildings Attracts Neighborhood Professionals

By Bob Weiss, Sustainable Neighborhood Development Working Group

By Bob Weiss, Sustainable Neighborhood Development Working Group, USGBC MA

Before a spirited crowd filled the seats in the Atlantic Wharf’s Fort Point Room, the USGBC MA Chapter, in conjunction with the Boston Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) and the American Planning Association Massachusetts Chapter (APA-MA), presented a half-day program on LEED ND in Massachusetts communities. Billed as not-a-LEED-101-course, experienced professionals in neighborhood development provided insights and true accounts of their applications of USGBC’s platform to fellow professionals.

 
 
 
After opening comments from the USGBC MA Chapter Chair Jim Newman, LISC’s Bob Van Meter, and the APA MA’s Bob Mitchell, the day began with an overall retrospective of LEED ND from the USGBC MA Chapter Vice Chair Neil Angus. Attendees were brought up to date with LEED ND’s evolution including the changes in V4.
 
 
Neil then moderated a panel presentation on two LEED ND pilot projects from 2008. The 11-acre Jackson Square project in Roxbury and Jamaica Plain was presented by Carolyn Edwards, Real Estate Project Manager with Urban Edge.  Carolyn discussed how the project is bringing healthy sustainable living to a mixed-income inner city area with new commercial spaces, community facilities and transportation alternatives to an area that was going to be surrendered to the interstate system. Greg Sampson, a Land Use Attorney with Robinson & Cole, presented The Village at Taylor Pond in Bedford, a great example of how LEED ND can be a tool for sustainable development in suburban areas.
 
 
 
Mike Davis, Program Officer with LISC Boston, moderated a panel discussion introducing three new projects illustrating how LEED ND will help build sustainable neighborhoods for the future. Darcy Jameson with Beacon Communities and Lauren Baumann of New Ecology, Inc. noted how Old Colony housing, a traditional public housing project in South Boston, used LEED ND to create a holistic approach in transforming it into a neighborhood integrated into a larger urban community. The Neighborhood Developers’ Emily Loomis described how Chelsea’s Box District is turning an older industrial area into a pedestrian-oriented community with enhanced transportation that will connect it with the metropolitan area. Paul Malkemes, a local resident and community advocate, gave a great resident perspective of how LEED ND was used to drive quality-of-life improvements to Codman Square NDC’s Talbot Norfolk Triangle.  Paul said LEED ND was used as a “framing mechanism” and helped residents embrace sustainable development.
 
 
 
 


Neil, along with Tad Read of the Boston Redevelopment Authority, brought the program together in their presentations on using the LEED ND rating system as a tool to enhance the sustainability of local projects, regulations and development codes.
 

 

The audience initiated discussions on several LEED ND subjects such as quantifiable requirements, how to use the system’s formulas to facilitate a project and the importance of public education and outreach. There were detailed questions on using program credits to compliment other credits. Though the event ran to its noon finish, many attendees remained for an informal improvised networking. Chapter organizers have more LEED ND events planned and will be announcing them shortly.  

Strategic Priorities of the USGBC

By Grey Lee

While at the Mid-Year Meeting of the big USGBC Family – the National Staff, the Board, the various technical committees and LEED Steering Committee and the various designees from the Chapters – chapter leaders, staff, emerging professionals, green schools folks and through others gathered together to discuss about the USGBC's Strategic Priorities and the health of the Chapter network.

Elizabeth Heider, SVP at Skanska and a former USGBC Board Chair, spoke to the crowd and brought out the old 2013-2015 Strategic Plan. Much of it is still relevant – so please feel free to take a look to learn more.
 

 
How do you see yourself supporting and engaging on these priorities? Are these important to your firm and your practice?
 
What are we doing at USGBC MA Chapter in regards to these priorities? How are we supporting the network and growing the movement for green buildings?
 
In the words of Board Chair George Bandy, we need to look at how the Chapter network is functioning as a whole and what we can do to improve it. Some big chapters are doing great, but many of the smaller chapters are struggling. Facilitated by Jason Dunlop, Chair of the Chapters Steering Committee, we participated in a series of working sessions and came out with the framework of a plan.
 
“Starting in early June and working through July, attendees that signed up in Detroit to take part in groups focused on one of the three topics (structure, mission + engagement, business + operations) will collaborate to identify elements of the chapters that are working well, and those that must evolve.” 
 
 
Thank you to all the Chapters facilitators and supporters as we work to build a stronger network. In the words of Chair Bandy, let's get uncomfortable so we can get better!

Weekly Bulletin to 5/23/14

By Grey Lee

I hope you enjoyed the recent post about the USGBC Mid-Year Meeting!

What's coming up for USGBC MA?

Tuesday 5/27, 5:30-6:30 – Green Schools Committee Conference Call

Thursday 5/29, 5:30-7:30 in Hudson, MA – Green Schools Tour of Quinn Middle School

Tuesday 6/3, 5-7pm in Easton, MA on Cape Cod – LEED Learning & Networking with the Cape & Islands Interest Group

Tuesday 6/3 6:30-8pm in Boston – the Quarterly Combined Committees Gathering – calling all volunteers to meetup and plan the next few months of activities and priorities.

Friday, 6/6 3-5pm in Boston – the Regenesis Group's “Regenerative Practitioner” Intro Session with Bill Reed. Come and check it out!
 

Don't forget to keep the upcoming all-colleague gatherings on your calendar: Networking Nights with upcoming sessions on 6/10 and 7/17 in Boston. 
 
See you soon!

USGBC Mid-Year Meeting

By Grey Lee

What's up?

A contingent of USGBC MA Staff & Volunteers attended the USGBC Mid-Year Meeting in downtown Detroit this week. Every year the many committees, boards, technical advisory groups, and chapter staff & volunteers from around the country gather for this “Revival.” 

I was there with Green Schools Program Manager Steve Muzzy to meet with our colleagues in chapter administration and on green schools. It was a great forum to trade best practices, to hear about innovations in management and program execution, and to deliberate on the best path(s) forward for our collective work to transform our communities for the better.

Also present were Chris Schaffner (LEED Committee), Andrea Love (Chapters Steering Committee), Brad Jones (LEED as well), John Dalzell (National USGBC Board), Nathan Gauthier (LEED again), Jessica Miller (EPMA), and probably some other “low-profile” folks. Let me know if you were there!

I have to admit, it really is great to consider and anticipate the positive difference we are making for our world. Thank you to the USGBC for convening this super gathering!
 

Downtown Detroit has a lot of old buildings that need new ideas to be re-invigorated. There is a surging start-up and artistic culture in Detroit, featuring a real buzz and excitement within the majesty of a hundred years of great old building stock. The Emerging Professionals of Detroit Regional Chapter hosted a meeting at local start-up incubator on the 18th floor of the building below. Great to hear how a new generation is returning to this big old city's heart!

 

 
 

However, it was mostly long hours in the convention center, meeting after meeting – work session, strategy session, presentation, you name it – we worked at it.

 

One focus was on the improvement of Chapter operations and reducing redundant activities. How can the national entity, the regional councils, and chapters share the load in a better way? Many great ideas. I'm now on the “Business & Operations Review Committee,” tasked with drafting a plan to reveal at Greenbuild in October.

 

 
I also presented on Building Energy Benchmarking (like our BERDO and BEUDO) with my colleague Brian Imus, Executive Director of the Illinois Chapter, where Chicago also just passed a benchmarking ordinance. Now he and I will work to share a model of how to campaign for this across the country. It really is in line with our mission and since we've had a handful of successes, we can really roll out with momentum to get every market to have transparency in building energy use in order to drive ever greater energy efficiency in the building stock.
 
 
There were breaks to eat and hear major presentations – 
 
 
 
On the main stage on the second night, we heard a great “pep talk” from Founding Chairman and CEO Rick Fedrizzi who spoke about how our movement is growing and how the opposition is growing as well. “We have to be reckoned with” and that is creating a new level of attention from our detractors in the unsustainable timber and toxic plastics industries. So for now, we're going to have to fight harder. States & markets where our green market transformation momentum is strong, like Massachusetts, will have to “raise the flag higher” and keep our detractors on the defense. It's been a long 20 years of growth for the USGBC, so let's stay strong together to move on our mission for the next 20 years. I agree, Rick!
 
 
We did have a few meetings in some of the great old spaces, like the Guardian Building here.
 
 
Here we can see part of the transformation in Downtown Detroit – an old lot turned into a thriving urban garden space with a meditation and yoga area. I was surprised to see my car parked nearby; but then again, sometimes it has a mind of its own.
 
Thank you again USGBC for hosting and facilitating this great gathering of our hard-core devotees and experts. LEED ON!