Presinar: Designing a LEED Campus in the Desert – Part 2: January 1st

By USGBC MA


The University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix has created an innovative model for an interdisciplinary approach to health sciences education and research. The new iconic copper-clad Health Sciences Education Building, a $135 million dollar medical school in downtown Phoenix, will support the colleges of medicine, pharmacy, nursing, allied health, and biomedical informatics for the University of Arizona. The new LEED certified building will educate the healthcare workforce of tomorrow.

Register here!

The intended audience for this course includes architects, engineers, contractors, owners, and other design professionals. Course participants will examine the role of the contractor in LEED implementation during construction, including lessons learned, personnel training, and documentation tips discussed by the construction team. In addition, course participants will learn about positive outcomes by utilizing the Integrated Design Process. Finally, participants will be treated to an in-depth building tour that highlights the design elements of the LEED project.

Objectives

  1. Discuss how the integrated design approach affected the cost and design of the HSEB building
  2. Describe the role of the Contractor in LEED implementation during construction, including lessons learned, personnel training, and documentation tips discussed by the HSEB construction team
  3. Detail the MR and IEQ credits that the Contractor has a primary responsibility for during construction
  4. Explain the roles and responsibilities of various construction team members for the commissioning process as it relates to Enhanced Commissioning (EAc3)
  5. Articulate internal and external conditions of a project that can affect Increased Ventilation (IEQc2) Course outline: Not needed.

Location
The Sustainability Hub
912 Main Street, MA, 01610.
Worcester, Massachusetts 01610

Sun, January 1, 2017

6:30 PM – 8:30 PM EST

Healthy Materials Sponsor Profile: PCA

By Alexander Landa


The Healthy Materials Summit on October 26th was an awesome event! We couldn't have put everything together without the help of a hosting committee, the volunteers, and especially our sponsors. An extra big thank you goes to the Prellwitz Chilinski Associates for really helping to make the Summit happen.

PCA is an architectural firm that builds anything from residential buildings to educational facilities, and anything in between. With dozens of LEED-certified buildings, this group is able to perfectly balance innovation, a sustainable built design that has a low impact on the immediate environment, fulfilling their customers' desires, and acting as a leader in the local community.

This firm We assists owners, property managers and institutions such as Carpenter and Company, the Druker Company, Leslie College, Harvard University, the Massachusetts Bar Association, the World Trade Center Boston, and many other business and property owners throughout the city and region in identifying opportunities for amenities that enhance the life and value of their properties.

Thank you, and we hope to see you at another event!

Early Bird Registration for BuildingEnergy Boston is Open

By USGBC MA


Our friends over at the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA) are putting together a pretty cool event March 7-9. BuildingEnergy Boston Conference + Tradeshow is the region's leading event for those in the field of sustainability, bringing over 2500 local leaders & emerging professionals together.

What makes this conference stand out is its place in the field – it's much more interdisciplinary in content and in audience than other similar tradeshows. Attendees and topics range from architecture, engineering, building design, consulting, policy, finance, auditing, installation, construction, education, and more.

Learn more about BuildingEnergy here.

Support Us and Win an ILFI Membership

By Alexander Landa


With less than two weeks to go in 2016, we can't thank you enough for all the times you've supported us during the year, and how you will support us in 2017.

The USGBC MA is built on the entire community, which means over 600 people working together to advocate for a more sustainable, net-positive Commonwealth. Whether you're an architect, a student, or just a green building enthusiast, we're all working together for the same, shared mission.

To keep doing what we do best – advocating for more green buildings and connecting industry leaders together to make it all happen – we need your help.

Right now, PayPal is adding an extra 1% to all donations received through the end of the year. You can make an end-of-the-year contribution by going here.

You can also support us during our Facebook campaign as well.

This isn't the end of the story, though. This fundraiser is also a silent auction for an ILFI membership. If you're interested in WELL and Living Buildings, then you have an extra incentive to help us out. 

Massachusetts Has Over 100,000 Employed in Clean Energy

By Alexander Landa


At this point, I'm sure anyone reading this knows that the state of Massachusetts is one of the greenest there is. With massive amounts of LEED certified buildings and ongoing sustainability endeavors, this state has made a positive impact on the built environment. What may be news is that the state has over 100,000 individuals employed in clean energy jobs.

Read the full report by MassCEC here.

The Commonwealth recently added 6300 jobs, bringing the total to over 100,000. Clean energy is now at $11.8 billion industry in Mass., making that 2.5% of all gross state product, and 2.9% of the state's overall workforce.

“The Commonwealth’s highly educated and well-trained workforce makes it an attractive place for innovative industries, including clean energy companies,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Massachusetts’ recently passed comprehensive energy diversification legislation will continue to build on the recent success of the clean energy industry by increasing opportunities for growth and advancement.”

This is a massive achievement for our wonderful state. Part of Massachusett's initiative is to get to 100% renewable energy, which can work alongside our mission for a net-positive future. This report is proof that so many organizations and industries have the same mission in Mass. – a more sustainable, healthier future, through any means necessary.

Healthy Materials Sponsor Profile: Sustainable Performance Institute

By Alexander Landa


The Healthy Materials Summit on October 26th was an awesome event! We couldn't have put everything together without the help of a hosting committee, the volunteers, and especially our sponsors. An extra big thank you goes to the Sustainable Performance Institute for really helping to make the Summit happen.

SPI, lead by our friend Barbra Batshalom, aims to advocate for more green buildings by working with designers and consulting them on how they can construct more sustainable buildings. They fight for LEED, Net-Zero, Living Buildings, and more, to change the root of an organization to want more than just a building, but a sustainable design and a healthier company culture with it.

To do this, they provide design assessments for the building owner's team to see where they're currently at. From there, they educate the team on best practices and to understand the green building industry better. From there, they consult the team on the next steps to take, certify them on what they're learned and how they have changed, and then give a report card on how the group has progressed.

In January, we're hosting a morning educational session with SPI! Join us on the 19th for our Project Mapping Workshop talk. Register here.

Healthy Materials Sponsor Profile: WSP

By Alexander Landa


Following the Healthy Materials Summit in October, we've become more devoted than ever to the subject of healthy materials in sustainable design. Every part of a building's lifecycle is important, and the components going into it are crucial. WSP has proven to be a leader in sustainability, and we want to thank them for being a sponsor of the Summit!

WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff is one of the world's largest leading engineering consulting firms with a genuine devotion to restoring the built environment into a more natural one. Their work includes urban planning, engineering buildings, and more. Their team of over 36,000 people includes engineers, technicians, scientists, architects, planners, surveyors, program and construction management professionals, and various environmental experts.

We're especially appreciative of their sustainability mission, which goes beyond just consultations and advice. They aim to connect with communities directly, to grow the sustainable economy, creating designs that will last for years, and creating the smallest environmental impact possible.

Thank you and we look forward to seeing you again!

2016 Retrospective – USGBC MA Year in Review

By Alexander Landa


2016 was a huge year for our Chapter. We won major advocacy victories: passing PACE legislation, renovating the building code and stretch code, and improvements to net metering.

We surpassed 600 dues-paying members and tripled the size of our Emerging Professionals Committee. We rolled up our sleeves for service projects in Dorchester, Roxbury and Mattapan, and along the Charles River.

We continue to connect sustainability-strong professionals to work together to create more green buildings and smart cities. We have over 900 LEED certifications and 2 Living Buildings in Massachusetts. We're proud of our community and our successes. 

We are energized to drive sustainable and regenerative design, construction, and operations of buildings. We want net positive results for our communities through a better built environment.

Thank you

Now that 2016 is coming to a close, we again want to say how thankful we are for such a passionate community of green building leaders and advocates! 
We would genuinely appreciate an end of the year donation to help us strengthen our advocacy campaigns, educational opportunities, and to connect more industry leaders to make Massachusetts that much greener of a state. For the remainder of 2016, PayPal is matching 1% of all donations to our chapter, and any support you can give us truly does make a difference.

Donate now.

There are other ways you can help! One of our primary objectives is of course advocacy. Between contacting legislators directly, attending our meetings, and anything in between, you can help shape our environment. Learn more about advocacy.

Another great way to get involved is in our mentorship program. If you have knowledge to pass on, please consider mentoring a future green building leader. Those looking for guidance themselves can be matched with one of the volunteering mentors. Learn about mentoring.


 

Annual Meeting

The beginning of the year started off in a big way. We celebrated our victories, planned out the rest of 2016, elected new board members, and had a really fun evening aside. If there's any time to see what being a member of our Chapter is like, then this is the event to attend. Our next Annual Meeting is January 26th, and you can register for the big day here, and see the full recap of the 2016 meeting here.


 

 

Policy Podium for Net Metering

One of our most pivotal advocacy campaigns involves net metering, and aiming to grow solar development and work with legislation directly. In effort to eliminate net metering caps, we brainstormed that we need to modernize the grid, focus more on transparency, and decide what steps building developers can do directly. Full recap.
 

Building Tech Forum

This was a really exciting night for everyone in our community. We're all about innovation and trying to raise the bar for what green building professionals can do, so we decided it was time to take a deeper dive into emerging technological advancements to support sustainable design. This unique event focuses on smart cities, and what can be done now to work towards a more advanced future and what steps we can take now to make it happen. Full recap, and sign up for 2017's Building Tech Forum.


 

 

Charles River Cleanup

We get out there and we get our hands dirty. If we're going to help make more green buildings, we should be surrounded by a greener surrounding environment. It's only fair to make everything healthy! Full recap.


 

 

 

 

Green Building Showcase

Obviously, a major component of what we do is supporting designers and architects who create more sustainable buildings. At the Showcase, we shine the spotlight on those who are willing to put the extra effort in to create a healthier building for the environment, and for the inhabitants. Read the full recap, see the winners, and read more about the Building of the Year award winner, Elkus Manfredi for their New Balance HQ design.


Healthy Materials Summit

The building as a whole is incredibly important, but we need to start paying more attention to the materials that go into creating them, and ensuring more transparency is disclosed regarding the materials. The Healthy Materials Summit focused on materials transparency, and what developers can do to work with it. Full recap.


 

 

 

Greenbuild

We're sure you already know, but Greenbuild is coming to Boston in 2017! This year, Greenbuild was in Los Angeles, so we flew out there to enjoy the world's largest green building conference with our peers. We went to educational sessions, networked with like-minded individuals, and learned how we can make 2017's event that much better. Full recap.

 

ABX

In November in Boston, we attended the Northeast's largest architectural expo, and learned quite a lot from a wide variety of industries in the world of architecture. We met with materials manufacturers, designers, green building advocates, and people from all around the world. On Monday, we held our own little pre-mixer with ILFI's Amanda Sturgeon, and on Wednesday we worked with the Quebec Delegation to have an engaging party, celebrating our new partnership with them. Full recap.


Greenbuild Kickoff & Volunteer Night

Just last week, we held our kickoff party for Greenbuild 2017. We're going all-in for the next year to make sure this is the biggest one yet! We set up working groups and volunteers of eager, enthusiastic green building professionals to work together to make magic happen. Full recap.


 

 

Let's start making 2017's retrospective

Our journey and mission will never end. We have some really exciting events coming up that we'd love to see you at. We want to imagine ourselves at the end of 2017 and say “Wow, we really started off the year well!”

 

 

Attention Learners: Attend Harvard Extension's Spring 2017 Class on occupant well-being in buildings!

By Alexander Landa


Join Chapter Member, and former Director, Nathan Gauthier for an exciting look at the health effects of buildings.

Anyone interested in improving outcomes in buildings will benefit from this upcoming class at Harvard Extension: “High Performance Buildings for Occupant Wellbeing.” 

Many organizations are requiring better, greener buildings. As a community of practitioners, we are working hard to meet this demand. The class will dive into materials & transparency, renovation trends, equipment, and energy disclosure. 

Students will focus on the impact of the built environment on an individual's well-being, workplace productivity, and comfort levels. You will have a chance to explore what makes a building healthy and comfortable, and how can one influence a building's design for health outcomes. 

This will surely be an engaging class for everyone who takes it! Whether you're new to the green building industry, or already a veteran, your will gain new insight as a professional.

Guest speakers to include:

–        Dr. Steven Lockley from Harvard’s Sleep Medicine Institute – Did you know looking at an iPhone screen before bed can have significant impact on your sleep?

·        Nada Tarkhan from Arup – How can you use DIVA to optimize daylighting?

·        Tom McGraw from Acentech – What’s the best way to improve acoustics in schools?

·        Dr. Robin Dodson from Silent Spring Institute – Did you know harmful semi-volatile organic compounds used in fireproofing stay in your house for a very long time?

Learn more here.

GRESB Announces New Leadership

By USGBC

Amsterdam, Netherlands—(Dec. 20, 2016)—Today, GRESB announced the appointment of Sander Paul Van Tongeren as its new managing director. Sander Paul will assume responsibilities on Dec. 20, 2016, succeeding Nils Kok, who announced his plans to leave GRESB earlier this year. Van Tongeren has been part of GRESB since the company was founded in 2009 and was formerly head of EMEA. 

GRESB was acquired by GBCI in October 2014 in an effort to provide an unprecedented view of global real estate to help protect and enhance the value of its investments, while simultaneously contributing to a more sustainable built environment. “I want to acknowledge Nils and his significant contribution to GRESB over the last seven years. After his transition, he will act as my strategic advisor,” added Ramanujam. “Nils’ vision for the real estate and infrastructure sectors to create more efficient buildings and assets, in ways that make good business sense and reward innovation, will carry forward as we continue to position GRESB as a unique global information platform for real assets and define the financial value of the green building movement and industry.” 

“I greatly look forward to the opportunity that lies ahead for GRESB,” said Sander Paul Van Tongeren, managing director, GRESB. “The ability to lead this next chapter is exciting, and I am focused on accelerating the innovation in ESG that our members are expecting from us. I also plan to continue to help GRESB fulfill its mission to enhance and protect shareholder value by assessing and empowering sustainability practices in the real asset sector.”

Read the full press release here