May 30, 2014 | Uncategorized
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.
May 28, 2014 | Uncategorized
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.
May 26, 2014 | Uncategorized
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!
May 23, 2014 | Uncategorized
By Grey Lee
May 22, 2014 | Uncategorized
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!
May 19, 2014 | Uncategorized
By Blake Jackson, Tsoi/Kobus & Associates
By Blake Jackson, Tsoi/Kobus & Associates
It has taken the green building movement almost twenty years to begin investigating the human health impacts of the chemical ingredients that make up building products. Alas, the latest version of the US Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEEDv4) rating system is beginning to drive the market towards broadening how we define ‘green’ materials in relation to their human health impacts. LEED is the most internationally recognizable metric for measuring holistic sustainability measures in new and existing buildings in the world today. Far in its history, LEED has defined ‘green’ building materials simply through the material’s attributes; including salvaged materials, recycled content, those that are classified as ‘rapidly renewable,’ contain FSC-certified wood, are highly reflective (exterior materials), and/or contain no or trace amounts of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) (interior finishes, furniture, and furnishings).
The new LEEDv4 rating system continues asking projects to aspire to these criteria in conjunction with several new concepts, the most controversial of which are codified within three new credits under ‘Building Product Disclosure & Optimization.’ Regarding human health impacts, MR credit 4: ‘Materials Ingredients’ encourages projects by awarding points for selecting products for which the ingredients are inventoried using a combination of accepted methodologies to verify minimal harmful substances. This all sounds simple; however, this concept has created a large backlash from both proponents and opponents of LEED. It represents a learning curve for designers, owners, and manufacturers who all must upgrade their practices to meet the more stringent standards of LEEDv4.
Anticipating the need for a large-scale shift within the building industry, several local sustainability leaders are planning an event to target New England design, business, and institutional communities to spread awareness of these trends. The other reasons for planning an event include initiating tools and resources and to promote these new concepts within our regional built environment. Other cities, including Chicago, San Francisco, DC, and Dallas, have held similar summits that spearheaded through local USGBC chapters. For example, the Northern California Chapter initiated a 2-year challenge amongst USGBC membership that targeted client and product representative education on Health Product Declarations (HPD’s), promoted worker job-site safety strategies, etc. The DC Chapter held a series of ‘open-house’ events at different member’s headquarters, allowing local experts to present their knowledge.
The Boston summit seeks to utilize the synergy codified by ABC’s Challenge for Sustainability scorecard by adding criteria for healthy materials into the system, making the summit relevant for stakeholders. It will feature a half-day ‘un-conference’ event, which invites leaders from the business, design, and institutional communities to get together. These leaders will work together to learn concepts, brainstorm strategies, and set a regional agenda for healthy materials. This ‘un-conference’ will begin with a panel of interdisciplinary healthy materials experts and will break out into group sessions with focused 30-minute talks with local leaders and panelists. Discussions from these conversations will be captured in real-time and posted at the end of the event to quantify key takeaways, areas of focus, and synergies amongst peers. Our hope is this event will equip these diverse communities with the tools they need to move forward in a way which promotes healthy buildings and generates a demand for healthy materials regionally. Boston and New England are uniquely configured to lead the promotion of healthy buildings, as we are one of the largest cities in the US; we have the highest per capita percentage of designers in the US and our economy hinges on stakeholders who value and promote human health (hospitals, universities, corporations). In short, we are one of the greenest cities in the world.
Our thanks to ABC, Bergmeyer Associates, BuildingGreen, DBA-W Architects, Gensler, Goody Clancy, MA USGBC, Payette, PDT Architects, Symmes, Maini & McKee Associates, Tsoi/Kobus & Associates, TRO Jung Brannen, and Wilson Architects, for their help in initiating this exciting event. For details on sponsorship, serving as a panelist, attendance, etc., please reach out to the author via the ‘New England ‘Healthy Buildings Summit’’ Group on Linked-In.
May 16, 2014 | Uncategorized
By Grey Lee
What's up?
Of course USGBC MA supports this ordinance. You can also support it at a hearing this Monday 5/19/14 at 5/30pm at Cambridge City Hall Sullivan Chamber. Let me know if you'd like to attend.
The USGBC Chapters Annual Report, detailing the situation for the 76 chapters throughout North America, is a great read if you're interested in our strategic goals as a movement and how USGBC is evolving. Special note: USGBC MA has gone up in the rankings, in terms of numbers of members, from #40 to #17. Thank you all!
We have re-invigorated the Networking Nights with upcoming sessions on 6/10 and 7/17 in Boston.
Upcoming Chapter Events:
Next week:
Credential Maintenance Webinars:
May 15, 2014 | Uncategorized
By Jeff Dalzell, UMass Amherst
By Jeff Dalzell, UMass Amherst
On Wednesday, May 14th 2014, the US Fish & Wildlife Regional Headquarters in Hadley, MA unveiled a LEED Gold Plaque for earning certification after a renovation project on their 20-yr old building.
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Mark Dunn provided congratulatory remarks on behalf of the USGBC |
USGBC MA Chapter West Branch Chair Mark Dunn joined with representatives of the building’s Owner/Developer, Pearson Companies, Inc., the tenant Green Team, and the Director of US Fish & Wildlife to celebrate this certification achievement.
The Service took active measures to upgrade many aspects of building operations to achieve this accomplishment including:
• Replacing HVAC units with more energy efficient models
• Replacing all light fixtures inside the building as well as outdoor lighting
• Replacing old plumbing with more efficient water saving fixtures
• Adding Energy Recovery Ventilation units on the roof
• Installing a roof-mounted 108 kW solar PV system
• Redesigned walkways and landscaping for more environmentally friendly upkeep.
Since the start of the project, the amount of energy savings is more than 375,000 KWh, which is a reduction of nearly 575,000 pounds of carbon dioxide per year. This amount of energy savings is the equivalent of taking 56 cars off the road. The amount of water use was reduced by nearly 60,000 gallons per year and the amount a gas use had been reduced nearly 3,500 CCF per year, the equivalent of eliminating 44,000 miles driven per year.
Congratulations to the project team and especially the leadership at GSA and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Northeast Regional Office.
US Fish & Wildlife Northeast Headquarters will be Hadley’s first LEED building. Exceptional future energy savings for the building will be driven an extensive new solar PV array on the building’s roof and the use of LED lighting throughout. For a long time, families with children have been coming to this building’s pond to learn how to fish. Now the site has even more to teach a rising generation.
Photo (below) at the plaque ceremony (left to right, Building Owner’s representative Bill Keavany of Pearson, Service Northeast Regional Director Wendi Weber, U.S. Green Building Council representative Mark Dunn, Service Architect and Green Team Leader Liz Dawson, Chair of the Hadley Selectboard Guilford B. Mooring).
The interior courtyard and pollinator garden:
The entrance to the facility:
May 14, 2014 | Uncategorized
By Grey Lee
On Tuesday May 13th, the USGBC MA hosted two passive design specialists to present a case study on the zero net energy Weygand Hall at Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts.
Yanel de Angel and Jordan Zimmerman of Perkins+Will described the intricacies of a 500-bed dormitory being designed to achieve net zero energy requirements. You can read more about the project at Perkins+Will's research journal.
“Residence Halls provide a unique educational opportunity for students, since they can learn about and experience a lifestyle that embodies sustainable practices and engages them as active participants in reducing energy use for the building. The Massachusetts State College Building Authority (MSCBA) and Bridgewater State University (BSU) took advantage of a Zero Net Energy Building (ZNEB) pilot study to research design strategies and building systems that will advance the planning and design of future residence halls. Perkins+Will led a collaborative design and construction team, which included Rist Frost Shumway Engineering and Bond Brothers Construction. Working closely with MSCBA and BSU, the team developed a detailed case study that ultimately led to successful identification and implementation of low energy strategies for the Weygand Residence Hall at BSU.”
Thank you to Cyrus Dahmubed for organizing this month's Green Breakfast Club! We had a great turnout with many familar faces and some great new attendees, esp. notable was Catherine & Brian from Stone Source – who invited us to present at their showroom nearby sometime. Thanks!
Topics of discussion and hearty back-n-forth included:
- How seasonal use patterns affect zero net modeling and potential.
- How a new building's “cool factor” can lead to increased use (over modeled) and overwhelm the zero net intention, but that this actually offsets less efficient use elsewhere on a campus.
- Will students really tolerate a lack of micro-fridges?? So far, yes and living at Weygand is viewed as a privilege.
- How to engage occupants through outreach & education. During the freshman orientation, one of the students asked “well, isn't this how it's supposed to be done everywhere?”
It was amazing to hear that for a $1M premium on a $50M project, you could achieve net zero potential and that was at an 8-year payback. In the mid 2020's, the school will be essentially saving more than $100k per year in energy costs, ceteris paribus. Clearly a design intention to propagate throughout Massachusetts' institutional owners.
It was great networking following the presentation! These morning events help people connect and spend time delving into a topic: it's a chance for green building enthusiasts to really geek out. Thank you to all who came, and we'll see you at the next Green Breakfast Club!
Thank you especially to Jordan Zimmerman and Yanel de Angel, and to Cyrus Dahmubed for presenting and organizing the program.
May 12, 2014 | Uncategorized
By Grey Lee
[UPDATE: 5/15/14 – the BERDO 120-day extension amendment has passed. We received the following note from Chief Swett:
I just wanted to quickly thank you all for your efforts on this. City Council unanimously approved Mayor Walsh's amendment to BERDO, and we are now back to work on implementation. This unanimous vote would not have been possible without your outreach and support.
Thanks,
Brian
…thank you to our volunteers and peer organization partners for supporting building energy reporting.]
Boston City Council held a hearing to continue to tweak the Building Energy Reporting & Disclosure Ordinance today [5/12/14]. You can read a number of pieces regarding the background of the ordinance at our Advocacy Resources page.
On April 30th, the Council voted to delay implementation of the ordinance, which was enacted in May 2013, for one year. A few entities were concerned that the reporting deadline, of 5/15/14, was coming up quickly and their constituents wouldn't be prepared. Greater Boston Real Estate Board suggested the delay and the council felt that it was prudent.
However, doing so would dramatically change the information gathering process for building energy use, and the major utilities had recently come on board with being able to provide building-by-building data for ordinance compliance. With a one-year delay, the City would lose out on information trendlines regarding greenhouse gas emissions that are needed for the triennial Climate Action Plan Update due later this year.
The City's Office of Environment & Energy worked with the Mayor to create a compromise to meet more stakeholders' needs. They introduced a 120-day delay amendment. USGBC MA is proud to support this amendment.
Today, the City Council held a hearing for testimony in support of the new amendment. I represented the Chapter along with Board Member David Straus, who was there on behalf of his constituents at A Better City. The Chapter's testimony can be read here. Tedd Saunders of the Saunders Hotel Group also testified very eloquently on the benefits of BERDO.
Councillor-at-Large Michael Flaherty chaired the meeting. Brian Swett and Carl Spector introduced the amendment and described how over 120 buildings have already reported as of this morning. Many are smaller owners and institutions like a catholic high school and a convent that have reported – not the ones you'd expect to have an elaborate energy reporting capacity. Swett described how the amendment includes a provision exempting owners from the original sanctions during their first year of reporting – so if for some reason the reporting is not achievable for a particular building, they will get a pass in the first year on any fines or energy audit requirements.
Chairman Flaherty noted that at the council meeting on 4/30 they were faced with an option of the impending deadline or a 1-year delay. He felt that at the time they had to vote for the delay, but was glad that they now have this 4-month compromise, which will make everyone happy. Councillor Tim McCarthy was also present. Both thanked the supporters of the amendment, the only side to testify, although GBREB was in attendance. I hope that means that their constituents can live with the change. As I testified, BERDO means energy reporting and the EPA has found that will lead to energy savings; who can't be happy with spending less on energy?
The USGBC MA will continue to follow the issue and work, as Darien Crimmin of Winn Development noted, to bring all parties together. Energy efficiency in buildings is good for owners, users, the city at large and of course, the environment. I look forward to working with the owners and operators of buildings in Boston (and beyond!) to create high-performance buildings so Boston can stay #1 in energy efficiency and be a leader on climate response & sustainability.
I will keep you posted!