Mass Timber at the Wellesley College Science Center

Nov 30, 2022 | Blog, Green Building Showcase

The following post was provided by Turner Construction.

Turner Construction Company recently partnered with Simpson Gumpertz and Heger to educate staff on Mass Timber design and construction. Hosted at Simpson, Gumpertz, and Heger’s office in Waltham, MA, the first session included a technical presentation on Mass Timber structures. During the second session, attendees had the opportunity to tour the recently completed Mass Timber project at Wellesley College. The emphasis on Mass Timber at the Wellesley College Science Center is most notable in the building’s ‘Hub,’ a 15,000 sq. ft. area that serves as the focal point to the expansion. The Hub features Glue Laminated Timber (GLT), which is lumber bonded together with durable, moisture-resistant adhesives. The use of GLT creates not only an aesthetically pleasing space, but is a considerable contribution to our company’s sustainability efforts.

Turner featured the Wellesley project in their submission to the 2022 Green Building Showcase.

DisplayOnly_Wellesley College Science Center

Mass Timber has become a leading design due its environmental and potential cost benefits. As a natural material, wood stores carbon making it an excellent building material choice when considering the environmental impacts compared to other traditional building materials. Recent advances in the digital fabrication tools have created new possibilities to fabricate intricate Mass Timber members, which previously were not feasible. The ability to prefabricate the material reduces the project schedule and eliminates waste, bringing overall cost savings to a project. Additional benefits include increased building occupant health and well-being associated with the use of Mass Timber design and the ability to leave the structure exposed while maintaining the aesthetic of a completed ceiling.

Turner is always looking for ways to embrace new innovative and sustainable construction methods, and the successful use of Mass Timber has only strengthened our commitment to being a green builder. Nationally, Turner has already incorporated more than 3,000,000 sq. ft. of Mass Timber on our construction projects, and will continue to champion it along with a more sustainable future for the industry.

2022 Green Building of the Year: Bristol County Agricultural High School

Nov 17, 2022 | Blog, Green Building Showcase

BE+ was pleased to award HMFH Architects the 2022 Green Building of the Year for their work on the renewal of Bristol County Agricultural High School (Bristol Aggie)’s campus at this year’s Green Building Showcase.

According to the judges, Bristol Aggie “checked so many boxes for us… aggressive sustainability, a strong community connection, a focus on carbon reduction, a teaching tool …all on a limited, public-school budget. The project is also a very familiar project type, the renovation and expansion of an obsolete public school, which the team executed beautifully, serving as a fiscally responsible model for the community, state, and public-school project type.”

The renewal of Bristol Aggie’s campus reflects the school’s close ties to the natural environment and unique curriculum rooted in science and environmental education. Integrating sustainability with curricular goals, the campus is both a place of discovery and an instructional tool through its highly sustainable design. Building systems that reduce energy use, carbon emissions, waste, and water are purposefully exposed to view to offer immersive, hands-on learning experiences and to maximize educational impact.

Designing a multi-building campus for a complex technical program with a limited public-school budget, for the Bristol County Agricultural High School showcases achievable, replicable, and comprehensive sustainable design of public projects.

HFMH - Bristol Aggie - 2022 Green Building of the Year

At the heart of the campus, the heavy timber-framed Student Commons provides a space to work, eat, study, and socialize. Home to the dining area and media center, the Student Commons is a community asset hosting local environmental organizations in addition to being a hub for student activities.

The new Center for Science and the Environment (CSE) highlights the integral role of science and environmental research. Designed as an interactive learning center, the CSE houses a student-curated natural resource museum, specialized bio-secure labs, and flexible classrooms. The CSE is the first public school in Massachusetts with composting toilets that reduce annual water use by 68% from code baseline and helps educate students about water conservation. In addition, rainwater harvesting, vegetated green roofs, and exposed mechanical systems reinforce the idea of the building as a teaching tool.

The renovation and addition to the main academic building, Gilbert Hall, originally built in 1935, showcases the environmental benefits of reusing existing buildings. The design revitalizes the existing space to accommodate academic classrooms, administrative space, two gymnasiums and a one-of-a-kind indoor arborist climbing lab, while maintaining the original building’s character.

All new buildings on campus—the Center for Science and the Environment (CSE), Dairy Barn, Student Commons, and Landscape Arbor building—are designed to accommodate rooftop PV arrays to power 100% of the campus’ energy use. The design team performed radiance map studies of each building to determine the optimal PV placement and roof orientation.

Appropriate access to daylighting and view to support the circadian rhythm of students and faculty and help maintain the psychological connection to nature.

Three out of four newly constructed buildings on campus utilize heavy timber as the primary structure, as it is significantly lower in embodied carbon compared to steel or concrete. Together, the three timber buildings save approximately 221 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

Water conservation strategies reduce campus water usage by 50% even while the campus expanded from 450 to 640 students.

Heavy timber structures are uncommon in public schools due to cost and code restrictions. The use of timber reflects the school’s natural setting and environmental educational mission. Together, the two heavy timber structures, Student Commons and net-zero ready Dairy Barn, sequester 75 metric tons of carbon. While the visibility of the structural components offers opportunities for student learning, reinforcing math- and science-based principles, and give the spaces their lofty, warm, and light-filled appearance.

The renovation of Gilbert Hall demonstrates another strategy for the reduction of embodied carbon, building reuse. Programmatic needs and increasing costs often limit the reuse of public buildings. This building avoids 744 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions versus building a new structure and updates a significant piece of the school’s historical identity.

Natural carbon sinks can be overlooked, and maintaining their integrity is an important, carbon savings strategy with broad environmental benefits. Beyond addressing operational carbon, the campus design also addresses waste and water systems, paying homage to its relationship to the Taunton River. Bristol Aggie is the first state-funded public school in Massachusetts with composting toilets, a key water conservation strategy that saves between 95-97% potable water. In addition, comprehensive composting of degradable waste, diverts an average of 90% of trash from landfills and not only avoids the generation of methane but becomes a resource to use on-site.

Using these carbon reduction strategies and holistic approach is regenerative. They contribute to a clean watershed, reduce waste, and create a low-carbon campus, and are powerful lessons for generations of students demonstrating that sustainability and environmental stewardship can be realized.

As a county-based public career technical school, Bristol Aggie serves a diverse range of students from across the region and is a valuable resource to the local community. Early visioning engaged stakeholders in conversations about designing a campus that would best serve the students, educators, community, region, and the State.

Bristol is designed to positively impact student well-being by fostering social interaction, strong connections to nature, and highly visible and interactive constructed interventions. The close ties between the school and the natural landscape are evident the moment you arrive on campus: amphitheater style outdoor seating, a grassy common for gathering and socializing, and rooftop academic spaces foster this connection and nurture students.

Project board submitted by HMFH Architects. Click the image to see the PDF version.

Public school projects are a highly visible commitment from a community for future generations. This project not only educates the students and faculty that regularly attend Bristol Aggie, but the highly public nature of this specific school is a model that can educate visiting communities about sustainable practices and be a demonstration for feasible, and fiscally responsible strategies.

Apply for 2022 Express Program Grant Funding by December 10th

Nov 17, 2022 | BE+ Trainings, Blog, Education, Workforce Training Funds

It is still possible to get 2022 Express Program grant funding approved for BE+ trainings, with a two-year window for course completion. Be sure to apply by December 10th. After December 10th, you are then eligible for 2023 grant funding.

Under the Commonwealth Corporation Workforce Training Fund Express Program, any company in MA may be eligible for up to $30,000 of training per year. Companies with fewer than 100 employees in MA may qualify for full course reimbursement. Companies with over 100 MA employees are 50% reimbursed.

BE+ has over 80 courses approved in the grant program as listed in our Training Catalog, including Passive House 101 and 201, Certified Passive House Consultant (CPHC) Training, Building Science Fundamentals, Energy Codes and Trends, Introduction to Designing a Net Zero Building, LEED, WELL, and SITES Courses, Healthy Materials, Designing with Energy Models, Honeybee and Ladybug, Implicit Bias, Effective Meeting Facilitation, and many more.

Looking for ideas on how to spend the rest of your 2022 grant funds? Apply for grant funding for courses already on our 2023 Calendar:

Certified Passive House Consultant (CPHC) Training – December 14th, January 9th, February 13th, March 13th (recurring monthly registration) (Grant Deadline: 21 days before course start date)
Building Science Fundamentals, January 10th, 12th, 17th, and 19th (Grant Deadline December 20th) Registration Coming Soon
Introduction to the Passive House Standard – January 24th, (Grant Deadline: January 3rd)
LEED BD+C Exam Prep – March 7th and 9th (Grant Deadline: February 14th)
High-Performance Building for Carpenters – April 6th, 13th, 20th, 27th, May 4th and 11th (Grant Deadline: March 16th) Registration Coming Soon
Lead Carpenter Training – May 9th, 16th, 23rd, and 30th (Grant Deadline: April 18th)
APPLY FOR ANY COURSE on our 2023 Training Priority List. You do not need to know the course date to apply for the grant funds. You can use awarded funding for two years. Once the course is on our calendar and registration is open you can sign up.

Want to learn more about available Grant Funding? Visit our Workforce Training Grants page and stay tuned for a BE+ Education Open House to be scheduled early next year when we will fill you in on all our trainings and also how to apply for grant funding.

Announcing the 2022 BE+ Green Building Showcase Award Winners

Nov 1, 2022 | Blog, Green Building Showcase

Celebrating and showcasing inspiring success stories for a sustainable built environment.

Over 225 people gathered in the main atrium of Harvard University’s new Science & Engineering Complex to celebrate the impressive array of projects that have slowly but surely transformed the built environment and our relationship to it. The venue itself served as a fitting success story itself – winning last year’s Green Building of the Year Award, and securing LEED Platinum certification along with Living Building Challenge petal certifications for Materials, Equity, and for Beauty.

The annual awards program and celebration is an important marker of progress towards sustainable and regenerative design, construction, and operation of the built environment. The local green building community came together in full force. It was the largest showcase since the national Greenbuild conference was held in Boston in 2017. Attendees included architects, engineers, contractors, developers, owners, facility managers, building users, lenders, suppliers, and others who play a role in shaping the built environment. The Harvard SEC project team, led by Erik Hegre of Behnisch Architekten, coordinated building tours ahead of the reception.

For the second year running, local judges selected a Change Agent of the Year to recognize someone who has made a significant positive impact on the environment, social equity, and economy. The awards program included one new award for Sustainable Building Renovations, highlighting the importance of retrofitting existing buildings. Another new award category for Sustainable Interior Fit-outs did not receive any submissions, but we hope for many projects to submit for next year’s program.

The highly coveted Green Building of the Year Award went to HMFH Architects for their impressive Bristol County Agricultural High School.

GREEN BUILDING OF THE YEAR

Bristol County Agricultural High School
Submitted by HMFH Architects

The renewal of Bristol County Agricultural High School’s campus reflects the school’s close ties to the natural environment and unique curriculum rooted in science and environmental education. Integrating sustainability with curricular goals, the campus is both a place of discovery and an instructional tool through its highly sustainable design. Building systems that reduce energy use, carbon emissions, waste, and water are purposefully exposed to view to offer immersive, hands-on learning experiences and to maximize educational impact.

A new Landscape Arbor Building, renovations of a small building for the Agricultural Mechanics program and the new net-zero ready, heavy timber Dairy Barn which features state-of-the-art robotic milking technology complete the campus expansion.

Here’s what the judges had to say: “The Bristol County Agricultural High School checked so many boxes for us… aggressive sustainability, a strong community connection, a focus on carbon reduction, a teaching tool …all on a limited, public-school budget. The project is also a very familiar project type, the renovation and expansion of an obsolete public school, which the team executed beautifully, serving as a fiscally responsible model for the community, state, and public-school project type.”

GREEN HOME OF THE YEAR

Preserving a Family Legacy
Submitted by Byggmeister Inc.

The owners of this 1930 home reached out to the designers with a long list of frustrations. Their kitchen was cramped, dark and isolated. The half-bath was tiny and lacked privacy. Insufficient insulation and old, inefficient systems made for hot summers, cold winters, and high utility bills. While such frustrations are common for owners of older homes, the relationship these owners have with their house is anything but common. The husband’s grandfather was the home’s first owner, and his mother grew up there. He and his wife inherited the house and raised their children there. This family legacy imbued the project with special significance.

The design team reoriented the kitchen towards the back yard, adding a full glass door and three windows that beckon onto a generous deck. They widened the opening between the kitchen and dining room, eliminating a pinch point and visually connecting the front and back of the house. They addressed the comfort complaints, inefficient systems, and high operating costs with a comprehensive package of insulation, air sealing and HVAC measures. They insulated the basement walls with 2” of closed cell spray foam; dense packed the wall cavities with cellulose; insulated the underside of the roof with 3” of closed cell spray foam followed by 7” of cellulose; reduced air leakage by 58%; and replaced the gas heating and hot water and window air conditioning with ducted heat pumps and a heat pump water heater.

According to the judges, “The project demonstrates the value of preserving the embodied carbon of the home, which might have otherwise been demolished; yet accomplishes substantial energy savings and comfort improvements. The project preserved the original character of this home as well as its neighborhood and was done affordably. The judges were impressed with the practical approach that achieved such significant results.”

CARBON & ENERGY

Williams College Renovation of Fort Bradshaw
Submitted by Mesick Cohen Wilson Baker Architects, LLP

Fort Bradshaw (The Fort) a 1931 Tudor Revival building, neighboring The Clark Art Institute, today is home to 12 students in The Williams College Graduate Program in the History of Art. The Fort, constructed with brick masonry walls, slate roof, crenellated parapets, copper oriel window, and four-centered Tudor arch entry, needed interior and exterior renovations. The building had no insulation, was difficult to heat, not fully accessible and had programmatic issues from being divided up piecemeal, over the years.

Williams College set a high bar for the renovation requiring LEEDv4 Gold, Living Building Challenge Petal Certification, eliminating on-site combustion energy and an aggressive site EUI of 30 kBTU/yr/sf, all while maintaining the historic features of the building that had become part of the program’s identity. Through reuse of an existing building and an addition designed to blend-in, a dedicated design-build team, supported by the college’s commitment to sustainability, was able to achieve these goals.

The completed renovation is 12,900 gsf, fully accessible with elevator, contains 14 bedrooms, 8 bathrooms, community space for cooking, dining, socializing, and a space for film screening and lectures, bike storage inside and out, and a variety of exterior spaces that extend and connect to the interior. Landscaping is with native plants and grasses and no need for irrigation.

Critical to the success of the project, work included window replacement, insulation, blower door testing, geothermal well field, ground source heat pump, VRF heating and cooling, energy recovery ventilation, roof mounted solar thermal, drain water heat recovery as well as low-water usage fixtures and energy efficient lighting and control systems.

Extensive research and review ensured material selections were free from toxins that affect human health and our ecosystems and that the sources of these materials are close to the site, meeting both LEED and LBC requirements.

In the judges’ words, “Reuse and renovation of existing buildings is the critical next step to decarbonization of the built environment and this project accomplishes not just that goal, but also shows a replicable pathway. The judges were impressed with both embodied and operational carbon savings through use of several innovative technologies.”

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Smith College – Neilson Library
Submitted by Thornton Tomasetti

Creating a sustainable building was a critical objective for the new Neilson Library; one that reflects Smith College’s commitment to sustainability. As a result, the design team used a series of workshops and meetings with stakeholders to create a project sustainability charter that established metrics from the most stringent third-party green building rating systems such as LEED, WELL and Living Building Challenge. The team developed four sustainability priorities as part of the charter:

The new Neilson Library will:

Be smaller than the old library, featuring collaborative space and reducing energy use and carbon emissions.
Be one of the most energy efficient libraries with special collection spaces in North America.
Emphasize health and well-being of students, the community, and the environment.
Enhance the local ecology of Smith’s historic campus.

The college committed to making the new Library as healthy as possible for the people using it. They decided to utilize the iconic nature of the building to advocate for positive change in the marketplace and encourage manufacturers to eliminate Red List chemicals, as defined by the International Living Future Institute. The project team used a targeted vetting approach to focus on visually prominent materials, interior finishes, furniture, and other materials that could influence market transformation efforts. This effort evaluated more than 100 manufacturers and 68 products from a healthier materials standpoint. The process and outcomes of this project are influencing other large institutions, and the healthier materials initiative is continuing to be implemented on Smith’s campus.

In addition to healthier materials, the team prioritized low carbon materials. Thornton Tomasetti performed a whole building Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to study opportunities for reducing embodied carbon and engaged Smith College students on a capstone project focused on creating a campus Embodied Carbon Roadmap using findings from the Neilson Library.

The judges “appreciated Smith’s commitment to both eliminating materials with Red List chemicals in the Nielson Library and to publicly sharing the knowledge they gained in the process. The library is a beautiful, thoughtful project with aggressive sustainability goals that seem to have largely been met.”

EQUITY & INCLUSION

Frost Terrace
Submitted by Bruner/Cott Architects

Frost Terrace is a unique, transit-oriented, 100% affordable family community. By weaving together three historic houses, significant contemporary architecture, and a dynamic, human-centered landscape, the design transforms a forgotten residential site, along a commercial avenue, into high-quality multi-family affordable housing for 40 low- and middle-income families—including (13) three-bedroom, (13) two-bedroom, (13) one-bedroom, and one (1) studio unit(s). Frost Terrace creates critically needed, modern, and sustainable affordable housing.

Frost Terrace’s approach to sustainable design aligns with the principles of affordable housing—lowering utility costs, conserving resources, prioritizing mobility (bikes and transit), and creating healthy living environments for residents. The LEED Gold-certified project includes re-used existing buildings and materials, wood structure and finishes, energy recovery ventilation, efficient electric-driven heat-pump systems, and highly insulated envelopes (new and upgraded).

Frost Terrace is an innovative project that transforms a forgotten residential site along a commercial avenue into high-density, affordable urban housing. The design combines new construction with the creative reuse of existing historic resources – reminding us of the past while connecting to the present and future of Cambridge – and leverages the urban, transit-friendly site to create a place that favors people over parking.

According to the judges, “this project provides opportunities for affordable, intergenerational living in infill environments. The engagement with the community through design, and the community created by the development, are both exemplary.”

SITE & LANDSCAPE

Colby College Harold Alfond Athletics & Recreation Center
Submitted by Thornton Tomasetti

Colby College Harold Alfond Athletics & Rec Center

As one of the leading sustainable institutions in the country—and one of seven to achieve carbon neutrality— Colby College considers sustainability to be a key factor of every building and site design for its campus. The new 350,000-square-foot Harold Alfond Athletics and Recreation Center (HAARC) is the most advanced and comprehensive NCAA D-III facility in the country, and it achieved LEED Platinum and SITES Gold certification. The facility includes an indoor track-and-field competition center, aquatic center, squash center, gymnasium, hockey arena, fitness center and studios, as well as training rooms and coaching suites. In addition, three new relocated fields are available for use by the community as well as the college.

Sustainable Building Features include:

Energy savings: 52.19% reduction with PV, 42.05% without PV.
19.84% of total energy costs offset through on-campus generated renewable energy.
100% of the total building energy consumption offset by RECs and carbon offsets
50% reduction in indoor potable water use
95.53% of construction waste diverted from the landfill.
Biophilic design strategies improve indoor space quality and connect people with the natural environment.
Whole Building LCA was performed to reduce embodied carbon in the project.
Envelope and monitoring-based commissioning was performed on the project
Advanced submetering to monitor usage water and energy usage over time and track on-going performance.

Timber from the existing athletic center was salvaged and repurposed to clad the support building adjacent to the fields and provide custom benches across the site, and all topsoil removed from the building site was saved, amended, and reused on-site to provide better drainage, plant growth and drought-resilience. Boulders were found during excavation and integrated into the site landscape and the central courtyard in the building.

The judges commented, “We celebrate this project for both its design aspirations as well as the reality of its implementation and operations. The site and landscape are a living organism and this project has the infrastructure to support an on-going, durable landscape.”

SUSTAINABLE BUILDING OPERATIONS

Circling Back After Getting the Plaque
Submitted by The Green Engineer, Inc.

The Green Engineer gathered operating performance metrics and conducted interviews with town staff for 21 public schools and libraries in Massachusetts that received LEED (15 total) or CHPS (6 total) certification. Energy use was the primary focus in this study of “high performing buildings” but other feedback was requested as well, such as on water use, occupant well-being, commissioning effectiveness, problems encountered, and lessons learned.

The actual site EUI, the total amount of energy consumed in one year, was calculated for each building and compared to the predicted EUI from energy models. We found that the total amount of energy consumed each year is typically higher than predicted by models. Energy models underpredict EUI by 15 kBtu/SF on average. Looking at schools only, we found that energy models underpredict EUI by 17 kBtu/SF.

The design water use estimates showed water use savings ranging from 26% to 38% for the 11 schools and libraries in our study with water data. However, when comparing actual use to design estimates, 6 out of 11 projects experienced more water use than predicted.

Many of the problems faced and lessons learned during the initial years of a school or library’s operation were shared by the Interviewees and summarized in the report. One common theme was that High Performing schools and libraries are complex buildings whose operators need to be properly trained and adequately supported to take full advantage of the efficiencies in their buildings’ design. Issues varied, however complicated air conditioning systems and schools occupied year-round were often noted as explanations of high energy use. Many of the insights and lessons learned after occupancy are best practices in the industry, however this pilot study highlights and documents some of the problems encountered by those who are charged with operating public schools or overseeing public libraries.

The judges said “building performance is the proof case for sustainability. This team demonstrated transparency, collaborative leadership, and accountability by circling back to past projects to measure and share ongoing performance data.”

SUSTAINABLE BUILDING RENOVATION

808 Memorial Drive
Submitted by Bruner/Cott Architects

The project at 808 Memorial Drive is an occupied renovation of two 1970s-era apartment buildings along the Charles River. 808-812 Memorial Drive houses 300 mixed-income apartments of varying sizes, approximately 38,000 square feet of commercial space, and five levels of parking. The project aims to improve residents’ comfort and security, while also strengthening their sense of community and identity. Exterior renovations include the installation of new, high-performance cladding and window systems that refresh the appearance of the building, support efficient mechanical system upgrades, and significantly reduce residents’ cost of living. The project also reworks the landscape and community courtyard space to improve lighting, circulation, and accessibility.

To avoid displacing families and individuals, the two buildings have remained fully occupied during construction and installation of their overcladding systems. This critical goal refined the approach to design, installation, and phasing for the 450,000 square feet of exterior surface. The team developed a panelized skin that could be assembled off site and lifted into place. Once installed, the existing windows are removed and sealed to the new windows as a last step of assembly.

Fair Housing Act guidelines and requirements for material specifications on projects that receive public funding presented an unprecedented challenge for the design team. Research and development in healthy material and product alternatives directly inform the interior design of 808 Memorial Drive, which is uniquely positioned to advocate for formal healthy building materials criteria on future publicly funded affordable housing projects.

According to the judges, “the project caught the jury’s eyes for its replicability, every city has brutalist apartment buildings that would benefit from a face lift. Renovating while the mixed income residents occupied the building took careful consideration to avoid disrupting occupants, and the resultant energy and water savings are compelling. This project gives us hope that refreshing existing buildings can breathe new life into our communities.”

SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION INNOVATION

Mass Timber for Mass Workers: The C. Gerald Lucey Building
Submitted by Jones Architecture, Inc.

Mass Timber for Mass Workers - Lucey Building

The C. Gerald Lucey Building for the Massachusetts’s Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) is a modestly sized building that takes on an outsize role, blazing an important new path to sustainability for the Commonwealth. Envisioned as prototype for the design of future State office buildings, it has set a new standard by being the most sustainable building in the State’s inventory. In addition to the high bar raised for sustainability, its forward-thinking design for the workplace provides a comfortable and flexible environment for its hard-working occupants. The building, its programs and the energy of its presence, are also helping to revitalize a struggling historic core and revive what was once a vibrant area of Brockton. As the first State project of this scale constructed with cross laminated timber (CLT) and glulam and a column structural system, the success of this building, and its ability to be replicated, establish a benchmark for the future.

Here is what the judges had to say: “Realizing mass timber is not easy on a budget! By utilizing an advanced bid package to work within the Massachusetts procurement requirements a thoughtfully integrated design and construction process resulted in holistic sustainability. The jury recognizes that the project will have a far reach as a visible ambassador for mass timber and more for its occupants.”

STUDENT PROJECT OF THE YEAR

Eco Homes Highland Park
Submitted by Northeastern University Solar Decathlon: Aasav Harania, Kamran Zahedi, Theodore Walinskas

Eco Homes Highland Park is a proposal for an affordable homeownership development as part of a recent RFP submission for Packages 3 & 5 of the Highland/Marcella E+ Sites released by The City of Boston’s Mayor’s Office of Housing. The proposal calls for 18 Units of housing, all Home Ownership & Income Restricted. The design is inspired by a triple decker and bow front, and looks to restore Highland Park’s Urban Landscape of the early 20th Century using this brownfield development.

The project structure creates a model that brings educational and environmental stewardship to the development process. In terms of technological innovation, using the power of home automation & passive house design strategies, the Project Team can successfully achieve ‘energy-positive’ even under high occupancy and dense living. This is supported by energy modeling early in the design process, as well as collaboration with Northeastern Labs & Faculty.

The engineering theory within the project is that many sustainable design techniques in housing have already been created, and the next step is to efficiently converge these designs into a development that can meet performance measures such as energy-positive, yet remaining affordable to local residents in historically disadvantaged communities, where sustainable housing may otherwise price them out.

The judges commented “the collaboration in this project brings the community together on a topic that concerns everyone around affordability and inclusion in new housing development. This project could serve as a model not only for cities that struggle with housing affordability and choice issues, but also for cities that deal with historic segregation. This model gives the community an opportunity to voice their opinions and co-create.”

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD

10 Fan Pier / MassMutual
Submitted by Elkus Manfredi Architects

People's Choice - 10 Fan Pier / MassMutual

MassMutual at 10 Fan Pier Boulevard is an expansion of the company’s presence in Boston that honors their long history with a landmark destination and a contemporary, inspiring work environment. Applying the same empathy and respect for its employees that it does for its policyholders, MassMutual aspired to create a flexible, responsive workspace able to adapt to employee needs. Designed to house 1,200 staff members, the 17-story building offers ground-floor restaurant and retail, and an outdoor public plaza along the Harborwalk.

With a biophilic rounded exterior and tiered setbacks, the building establishes a uniquely elegant presence on Fan Pier—the distinctive exterior incorporates folded stainless steel panels in a pattern of contrasting angles, accentuating the building’s curvature as reflections shift throughout the day. Inspired by cresting waves, the curved, undulating façade has two large terraces carved out of the massing, allowing all employees access to the waterfront views.

While a glass curtain wall was desirable by the owner and tenant, they recognized the importance of energy efficiency and collaborated with the design team and energy modeler in a vigorous, iterative process to maximize the envelope performance and drive energy savings up, resulting in meeting the 2019 AIA 2030 carbon reduction target. Health and wellness was also a high priority for MassMutual. The office space features gender neutral restrooms, yoga rooms, an open communicating stair as well as consideration for indoor environmental quality which is maintained by monitoring CO2 levels, providing increased outside air rates for ventilation, selecting low-VOC materials, and incorporating biophilic elements. The building as a whole is similarly responsive–high-performance, low-emissivity glazing contributes to the highly efficient exterior envelope that, when coupled with high-performance mechanical systems, creates a building designed to LEED Platinum standards.

CHANGE AGENT OF THE YEAR

Katherine Walsh
Sustainability, Energy, and Environment Program Director for Boston Public Schools

Congratulations to Katherine Walsh, Sustainability, Energy, & Environment Program Director of Boston Public Schools for such important work supporting future generations.

Her nomination raved “Katherine’s innovation and leadership even extends beyond the walls of our buildings. She leveraged the pandemic to re-emphasize the timely importance of access to nature for all students, and the benefits of outdoor classrooms, particularly in urban school districts. This past year, she was able to hire the district’s first Outdoor Teaching and Learning Coordinator, who will work to design outdoor classrooms, accessible gardens, green stormwater infrastructure, and curriculum for our district.”

The judges were particularly impressed with such measurable outcomes, her deep commitment to equity and inclusion in all of her work, and the innovative, replicable, and collaborative approaches she takes, sharing her learnings beyond BPS to practitioners across the country.

Experience our 2022 Green Building Showcase as a Digital Gallery

Thank you to our Amazing Judges!

Alexa Stone

LEED AP, SFP, ENV SP, President, EcoPreserve

Sustainable Construction Innovation | Sustainable Building Operations |
Sustainable Building Renovation

Arathi Gowda

AIA, AICP, LEED AP BD+C, PrincipalZGF Architects LLP

Sustainable Construction Innovation | Sustainable Building Operations |
Sustainable Building Renovation

Michael Brown

EIT, CEM, LEED AP BD+C, Associate | Energy Systems Design Engineer, HKS, Inc.

Sustainable Construction Innovation | Sustainable Building Operations |
Sustainable Building Renovation

Deepa Vedavyas

Program Manager, Neighborhoods and EnvironmentThe Cleveland Foundation

Equity & Inclusion | Site & Landscape | Student Project of the Year

Allison Wilson

AIA, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP, Associate Principal | Sustainability DirectorAyers Saint Gross

Equity & Inclusion | Site & Landscape | Student Project of the Year

Mtra. Alicia Silva Villanueva

LEED FELLOW, USGBC Faculty, WELL Faculty, LFA, Founder | CEO, Revitaliza Consultores

Equity & Inclusion | Site & Landscape | Student Project of the Year

Kim E Shinn

PE, LEED Fellow, BEMP, Principal | Sustainability Wizard, PEAK Institute

Green Home of the Year | Carbon & Energy

Sarah Gudeman

PE, BCxP, CPHC, WELL AP, LEED Fellow, Partner | Director of Sustainability, Morrissey Engineering

Green Home of the Year | Carbon & Energy

Ramya Shivkumar

CEM, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP, Director of Energy & Sustainability,Windward Engineers & Consultants

Green Home of the Year | Carbon & Energy

Julie Hendricks

AIA, GRI, LEED Fellow, Senior Sustainability Manager, JLL

Green Building of the Year | Health & Wellness

Lindsey Perez

AIA, LEED Fellow, GGP, Fitwell Amb., Senior Sustainability Architect, Amazon Fresh

Green Building of the Year | Health & Wellness

Brian Malarkey

FAIA, LEED AP, Executive Vice President | Director of Interior Architecture, Kirksey Architecture

Green Building of the Year | Health & Wellness

Thank you to our Event Sponsors!

District Energy Electrification Poised to Help Decarbonize Existing and New Buildings

Sep 23, 2022 | Blog

The following post was provided by Vicinity Energy.

Today, buildings generate a substantial amount of the world’s annual carbon emissions – 40%, to be exact. And while historically it has been difficult and costly for existing buildings to comply with decarbonization efforts, district energy systems are rising to the challenge.

Agile, fuel-agnostic district energy systems can easily switch to lower-carbon, local energy sources at their central facilities. Because these systems deliver thermal energy to multiple buildings and millions of square feet at a time, any swap to lower-carbon fuel sources has a much wider-reaching green impact and costs existing building owners significantly less than building-by-building retrofits. Making changes or upgrades to onsite boilers or chiller plants at each building is a much more time-consuming and expensive endeavor.

In this way, the electrification of district energy systems could be a game changer for the climate, our communities, and our collective future.

Electrifying Boston, Cambridge, and Beyond

In the first initiative of its kind in the United States, Vicinity Energy already has plans to electrify its district energy facilities in Boston and Cambridge. Modeled after best practices in other leading European and Canadian cities, this approach includes the installation of electric boilers, industrial-scale heat pumps, and thermal battery storage at its central facilities.

They will provide a cleaner energy product by purchasing electricity from renewable, carbon-neutral energy sources like wind, solar, and hydro. Over time, they’ll apply this approach to the rest of their districts, with Philadelphia closely following Boston and Cambridge.

Vicinity’s investments at its central facilities will lower carbon emissions and provide cleaner energy for customers throughout Boston and Cambridge, eliminating 400,000 tons of carbon annually by 2035 – more than the Empire State Building weighs in tons.

In a recent interview, Vicinity’s Chief Sustainability Officer Matt O’Malley stated, “We only have one choice—we need to be bold on climate. Vicinity is doing it.”

Electrification Success Overseas

The electrification of district energy systems has proven successful in various European and Canadian cities. A decade ago, a similar transition took place in the heating networks of Drammen, Norway, with notable success. In 2011, Star Renewable Energy installed the world’s largest 90°C natural heat pump in conjunction with the district energy system in Drammen. The heat pump extracts heat from the cold water in an adjacent fjord to heat homes and businesses across the city.

Since January 2011, the project has delivered over 15MW of heat for the Drammen community of 60,000 people. The city has realized an annual savings of around $2.25 million and 1.5 million tons of carbon — the equivalent of taking more than 300,000 cars off the road each year.

Driving Change with Strategic Private-Public Partnerships

Strong policy, regulations, and collaboration among organizations, as evidenced by the Helsinki Energy Challenge in Finland, encourage and spur innovative and sustainable solutions to decarbonize our cities. The success of district energy electrification in Drammen demonstrates the power of public-private partnerships to achieve overall decarbonization objectives.

European and Canadian cities such as Vancouver, Helsinki, Drammen, and many more serve as a testament to the success of leveraging district energy to meet aggressive emissions targets through electrification.

About Vicinity Energy

Vicinity Energy is a clean energy company that owns and operates the nation’s most extensive portfolio of district energy systems. Vicinity produces and distributes reliable, clean steam, hot water, and chilled water to over 230 million square feet of building space nationwide. Vicinity is committed to achieving net zero carbon across its portfolio by 2050. Vicinity continuously invests in its infrastructure and the latest technologies to accelerate the transition and rapidly decarbonize commercial and institutional buildings in city centers. Learn more about Vicinity’s Clean Energy Future commitment.

Saugus Middle High School—First State-Funded
LEED Platinum School in Massachusetts

Sep 20, 2022 | Blog

credit: HMFH ARCHITECTS/ ROBERT BENSON

The following post was provided by HMFH Architects.

September is here and school is back in session for middle and high school students all across Massachusetts. For students in the town of Saugus, it means setting foot in the new Saugus Middle High School, a 271,000 SF innovation and learning center for 1,360 students. The new school is the first state-funded school project in Massachusetts to achieve the coveted honor of LEEDSchools v4 Platinum-level certification. At the time of certification, it was one of only four Platinum LEED-Schools v4 projects worldwide. HMFH and our consultants worked together from the onset of the project with an original target of LEED Silver certification. Through a holistic sustainable design approach and the innovative work of the design team during the documentation portion of the LEED submission, LEED Gold was achieved and surpassed. This encouraged the team and owner to investigate if the project could achieve LEED Platinum without significantly impacting the budget. The result was a successful Platinum level of certification, much higher than originally assumed.

Key sustainability elements in the new school include the following:

ENERGY EFFICIENCY: Saugus Middle High School uses a combined heating and power system known as tri-generation. Generating electricity on-site significantly reduces operational carbon emissions and eliminates emissions associated with regional source generation, while utilizing waste heat for space heating, domestic hot water heating, and space cooling. Continuously running generators improve resiliency by ensuring emergency systems will be operational when they are needed most.

WATER CONSERVATION: Three 30,000-gallon underground cisterns collect water for reuse while rain gardens throughout the school’s parking lots filter stormwater runoff from the site and mitigate heat island effects. Together with the use of low-flow fixtures, these measures reduce the building’s annual water consumption by 45 percent.

AIR QUALITY AND VENTILATION: Located less than 300 feet from a busy six-lane highway, the new facility responds to the challenge of providing optimal air quality with rooftop mechanical air handling units positioned with their intakes facing away from the highway and prevailing winds. This enables displacement ventilation systems to distribute clean air throughout the interior, bringing 20 percent more fresh air into the spaces at low velocity without the typical costs and acoustical distractions associated with conventional mechanical systems.

EQUITY: The new school represents a transformation of Saugus Public Schools to reflect the town’s vision for innovative, equitable facilities. Creating a welcoming, accessible and inclusive environment for all was critical to the success of the design. All gender toilet facilities are conveniently located and used by faculty and students alike. Special education spaces feature tunable LED fixtures, giving teachers the flexibility to adjust light intensity and color temperature to help modulate behavior and respond to light sensitivity. A special classroom on the third floor provides a designated space for medically fragile community members with exceptional views and access to a rooftop classroom.

Saugus Middle High School stands as a visible commitment to assuring the next generation of students will be stewards of both their community and their environment.

Building Tech Forum: Introducing Mass Save Programs

Aug 1, 2022 | Blog, Building Tech Forum, Premier Events

On Thursday July 7th, the 2022 BE+ Building Tech Forum brought together over 120 attendees and 22 presenters in an exciting night highlighting the cutting-edge products and ideas of the green building industry. Lively presentations covered products, materials, and services that will significantly cut back on carbon emissions in innovative ways, altering the future industry standards. This blog series will provide a recap of the forum to all that were unable to attend. Part one introduces two of our educational track leaders, Eversource and National Grid.

Many thanks to our event sponsors and track leaders, Denise Rouleau of National Grid and Kim Cullinane of Eversource, who opened the evening with an inspiring talk about the future of green building in Massachusetts. Eversource and National Grid, along with other program administrators in Massachusetts, are Sponsors of Mass Save and share the common goal of helping residents and businesses across Massachusetts save money and energy, leading our state to a clean and energy efficient future. Mass Save programs and services are managed and delivered by electric and gas utilities and energy efficiency service providers (working closely with the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources), providing the energy expertise to help save customers money and energy. The funding is supported by a charge on customers’ energy bills.

The Sponsors of Mass Save, including National Grid and Eversource, are paving the way towards an efficient and equitable green future. Through electrification, workforce development, and equity, National Grid, Eversource, and the other Sponsors of Mass Save have created the Three-Year Energy Efficiency Plan that will provide roughly $13 billion in benefits to the Commonwealth and maintain Massachusetts as a top-ranked state for energy efficiency. The plan assigns a social cost of carbon for assessing both climate impacts and the value of mitigation.

With three New Building and Major Renovation Participation Pathways, the Mass Save Sponsors are providing customers opportunities to save energy and pursue Zero Net Energy, Zero Net Energy Ready, or Passive House options. Further, the Mass Save Sponsors are providing heat pump incentives, demand response, and EV charging options. The Mass Save Sponsors can provide customers with energy analysis to determine cost savings, guidance from leaders in the field, and incentive dollars paid at the end of construction/installation.

We are grateful for the continued partnership of National Grid and Eversource, as energy efficiency leaders, as event sponsors, and as long-time Company Members of Built Environment Plus.

Eversource National Grid Proud Sponsors of Mass Save

Health & Wellness Roundtable takes on Affordable Housing

Jul 29, 2022 | Blog

BE+ is happy to start blogging about some of our ongoing community roundtables with the help of our summer interns. Thank you to Lynn Sleiman for this blog entry on the Health & Wellness Community’s recent roundtable on affordable housing.

The July Health & Wellness roundtable examined the intersection of healthy buildings and affordable housing. Stephanie Horowitz, Managing Director of ZeroEnergy Design, started the discussion and emphasized the importance of focusing on the design of homes, energy performance, and indoor air quality. Easy material changes like avoiding vinyl were mentioned. Mary Ayala, Senior Program Director at Enterprise elaborated on a sustainable building standard, the Enterprise Green Communities Criteria. She explained that its goal is to increase the housing supply, advance racial equity and build resilience and upward mobility. Additionally, the Health Action Plan (HAP) was mentioned as a program that promotes healthy lifestyle behavior, and offers designers a decision-making process for coordinating wellbeing in the design.

Clara Fraden, Director of Planning & Development at the City of Cambridge Community Development Department (CDD) mentioned her current work on renovation projects that have cut carbon emissions by half. The Climate Action Plan describes how Cambridge will reduce emissions across the entire city to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. The Frank J. Manning Apartments is an example of their work – a partnership with Boston Medical Center and Cambridge Health Alliance for onsite nursing and community wellness that joins into healthcare frameworks. The integrated plan permitted the property to be certified as part of the Enterprise Green Communities program. In total, the project has reduced energy usage by 60%, with over $350,000 in annual operating savings.

Elana Brochin, Massachusetts Association of Community Development corporations (MACDC) Program Director for Health Equity, brought up the current growth of financial opportunities for low- and moderate-income individuals. That led to the question: What is being done to improve low-income ownership? Are there other mechanisms outside of housing ownership that can provide more stable and reliable multi-generational wealth? These questions guided the conversation as participants emphasized the importance of challenging the mechanism and helping people. The family self-sufficiency program was discussed as a conceivable arrangement for the issue of housing ownership. It advocates for the development of local strategies to facilitate public and private assets that offer assistance to housing choice voucher program participants, and public housing tenants to obtain employment that will enable participating families to attain financial independence. The Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program (MRVP), provides a long-term improvement in the lives of low-income families by offering both occupants- and project-based rental subsidies.

Finally, the conversation shifted to the limitation of the green and affordable housing industries in terms of project budgets, timelines, and housing ownership. They concluded the meeting with an emphasis on the impact that we can have on the industry: “There is always an opportunity to have a positive influence, and space to improve practice.”

Welcome Summer 2022 Interns!

Jun 21, 2022 | Blog

Join us in welcoming our Summer 2022 interns Lynn Sleiman, Cate Byrne, and Claire Randolph! They have already hit the ground running and are making huge strides advancing our mission to drive the sustainable and regenerative design, construction, and operation of the built environment. We know the BE+ community will benefit from their inspired work, and we hope you can wish them a warm welcome! We are eager to see the impact they make throughout the summer, as they apply their skills, passions, talents and dedication to the big challenges confronting us all.

We are so grateful to have them on board!

Lynn Sleiman

Hello! My name is Lynn Sleiman and I am a summer intern at BE+. I am an international student from Lebanon, majoring in Architectural Studies at Mount Holyoke College. My main aim is to focus on the environmental impact that my designs have. By emphasizing green technologies, architects can improve living conditions and the comfort of clients. Reducing the impact of human beings on the environment is one of the fundamental characteristics of my work because the management of energy production and consumption can have a major impact on the health and well-being of people. My second goal is to find ways to redefine design and architecture as a form of empowerment for marginalized communities around the world to act as an important pillar of global equality. I aim to reclaim spaces and focus on equity, inclusion, diversity, and identity, to reconstruct the power dynamics of our society. Through my internship at BE+, I hope to learn more about the various innovations supporting the green building industry as well as enhance my knowledge of sustainable practices.

Cate Byrne

I am excited to join the BE+ team this summer, and to learn as much as I can about sustainability within the built environment! This past May, I earned a bachelor’s in Contemporary Improvisation and a minor in Environmental Science from New England Conservatory. I am looking forward to continuing my education in the fall at Bard College, where I will be pursuing a masters in Climate Science and Policy. During my time with BE+, I will be assisting with our education initiatives. Education is an important tool to advocate for healthy built environments and environmental justice, and it is so exciting to see all the trainings and events BE+ offers. I am grateful to be working with and learning from this wonderful community!

Claire Randolph

Hi all! My name is Claire and I am so excited to be working with the BE+ team this summer as an intern. I am entering my fourth year at Northeastern University where I am studying Business with a concentration in Entrepreneurship and a minor in Sustainability and Environmental Science. I am looking forward to learning more about what it means to work in sustainability and green building, as I hope to pursue a career in the environmental field after I graduate in 2024. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to meet green building professionals through my work this summer and communicate Built Environment Plus’ message with the greater Boston community.

Announcing YOUR new Education Director, Allison Zuchman

Jun 9, 2022 | Blog

BE+ is thrilled to announce this game-changing addition to our growing team, and if you don’t already know her—all you have to do is read her powerful introduction letter to see why. Welcome Allison!!!

I am excited to share that I have joined Built Environment Plus (BE+) as the new Education Director. I am responsible for managing all things education at BE+ including virtual and in-person trainings, strategic educational events, and the Workforce Training Fund General Program and Express Program. Keep your eye out too for new educational offerings, comprehensive training and certificate programs, and the next evolution of the Green Building Leadership Institute.

I am not sure about you but the past two years have left me exhausted and wondering what is next. Wondering what the world will look like post-pandemic. Wondering how we will navigate the changes in our personal and professional lives that have resulted from a world turned upside-down. Wondering how our lives and work will evolve in the future. One thing we cannot deny is that health and wellness, sustainability, and social equity and justice are rightfully no longer on the fringes. This is a time of great opportunity for us in the sustainability and building sector. Just do a web search for ‘sustainability jobs’ to see how much of what we do is in demand. How we design, build, and occupy our buildings, landscapes, and communities is in the forefront. How we do our work and how we work together is just as important as what we create.

What this means for me in my new role as Education Director is that I can use all that I know and all I have learned working for the past 17 years as a sustainability consultant, and prior to that as a designer and architect, to make an even greater positive impact in our field and in the world. I am proud of the strategic, forward thinking, environmentally and socially responsible work I have done to date including all the projects I have worked on with many of you. I have helped organizations develop sustainability initiatives and internal corporate practices, trained staff and team members, led multi-disciplinary teams to earn green building certifications on projects, and sorted through all the green building requirements and national, state, and local energy and sustainable development codes and regulations. In the past, I was a member of the USGBC Education Development & Training Committee, consulted on a USGBC board working group to assist in developing LEED rating system language, and was a GBCI Certification Reviewer.

I first began my involvement with the BE+ community in 2008 while it was the local USGBC Affiliate as part of the Green Roundtable, then as the Massachusetts Membership Forum, then as the US Green Building Council MA Chapter and ultimately as Built Environment Plus. Since then, I have attended events and trainings, taught courses, volunteered on the green building tour committee for Greenbuild Boston, and most recently volunteered as the chair for the BE+ Women in Green Roundtable.

Above all else, I am proud of and value the relationships I have in our community with colleagues, project teams, and organizations I have worked with. I look forward to continuing the trajectory of my past work while building new relationships with those of you I have yet to work with. I see great new opportunities for us to further advance sustainability in the built environment.

What this means for you is that you now have an Education Director. I can help you enhance your current employee training program, or if you don’t currently have a staff member managing education for your company, I can help you figure out your training needs and devise a training plan. We can choose individual courses for your staff or we can plan a curriculum over an extended period of time. You may not realize the breadth of courses that BE+ offers. As expected, for a green building organization, we offer technical courses covering topics such as energy codes, decarbonization, healthy materials, building science fundamentals, LEED, WELL, and Passive House. BE+ also offers software courses, and leadership, team building, and change management courses. In most cases, we can connect you to state funding that covers between 50% – 100% of the course cost for your Massachusetts employees.

Want to learn more? Check out the BE+ website for an updated course training catalog and a list of current courses open for registration, and for information on the grant programs. Attend our monthly roundtables to explore specific issues and topic areas.

We are working on a BE+ monthly education newsletter as a simple resource to keep you updated on available courses, instructors, partners, and funding. If you are interested in being added to the upcoming education newsletter, sign up here.

Keep in touch. Reach out to me and the BE+ team with any questions you have. In this exciting, hopeful, thought-provoking world, let’s keep learning, supporting, and inspiring each other. Knowing you all are here working together doing this important and challenging work motivates me.

Allison Zuchman
Education Director
Built Environment Plus