The Living Building Challenge (LBC) is a revolutionary new green building certification program. It calls for the creation of building projects that operate as cleanly, beautifully and efficiently as nature's architecture. On May 11-13, The Living Future Conference will convene in Seattle. At this meeting, professionals and experts will exchange technical expertise, bold strategies and provocative case studies. It will be a productive exchange about green buildings' newest and most intense standard.
At USGBC MA, we will convene 2 Tuesdays from now, May 17th, to familiarize our network of professionals and enthusiasts with the new standard and discuss the results of the conference. Participants will gain a basic understanding of the LBC- a philosophy, advocacy tool and certification program that addresses development at all scales. Attendees will also learn to describe the key components of the program and discuss the rationale for restorative design principles.
We have four goals for the event:
1. Understand the basic philosophy of the Living Building Challenge
2. Describe the key components of the program
3. Discuss the rationale for restorative design principles
4. Identify and locate the resources provided by the International Living Future Institute for deeper engagement
Are you serious about your dedication to sustainable building? Come to our Green Associate course next week on Wednesday, June 15th, in our Boston office!
Anybody that's serious about sustainable building should definitely have their LEED Green Associate accreditation! And we'd be happy to help you prepare for your Green Associate Exam. In fact, we're hosting an exam preparation course which would be perfect for you next month! This is also the perfect opportunity because we will be transitioning to an updated version of LEED next year, and this will give you a better grasp of the updated
certification information for the new version.
Already a LEED Green Associate or Accredited Professional? Invite a friend or colleague who still needs their accreditation!
The full day comprehensive course covers the following topics:
Chapter #1 – Introduction
This 1-hour chapter will explain the LEED Green Associate credentialing process and serve as an introduction to LEED, sustainability, the USGBC, the GBCI and the LEED rating system.
Chapter #2 – Location and Transportation / Sustainable Sites
This 1-hour chapter will focus on site issues such as connectivity, transportation, erosion, landscaping, and heat island effect.
Chapter #3 – Water Efficiency / Energy and Atmosphere
This 1-hour chapter will focus on water issues (plumbing efficiency, irrigation, process water, etc.) and energy and atmosphere issues (demand, efficiency, renewable energy, ozone depleting substances, etc.)
Chapter #4 – Materials and Resources
This 1-hour chapter will focus on procurement and waste diversion.
Chapter #5 – Indoor Environmental Quality
This 1-hour chapter will focus on indoor environmental quality issues such as indoor air quality, occupant comfort and green cleaning.
Chapter #6 – Innovation / Regional Priority / Certification Process
This 1-hour chapter will explain the LEED certification process and the Innovation and Regional Priority categories.
Chapter #7 – Exam Review
This 1-hour chapter will focus on exam format and registration and strategies to pass the exam.
Chapter #8 – Exam Review
This 1-hour chapter will focus on sample exam questions.
When: June 15th, 8:30 AM through 5:00 PM
Where: 50 Milk St, 18th floor, “Woolf” room, Boston, MA- 02109.
The S.2012 Energy Policy Modernization Act (EPMA) was passed by a definitive 85-12 vote in the U.S. Senate on April 20th, 2016. The act represents a major step forward in bipartisan action at the Federal level towards addressing energy and environmental issues.
How did this happen? The bill avoided any highly controversial topics which usually divide the Senate, such as climate change (!) and fossil fuel exploration, and instead focused on promoting renewable energy development, energy efficiency of buildings, and cutting greenhouse gas emissions. If the Senate and House work together on a compromise between their two versions of this bill, it will be the first time since the George W. Bush administration that an energy package has been sent to the President's office for signing.
The bill is requiring electricity operators to modernize the power grid with energy storage systems for the ever-growing production of renewable energy. The bill also includes several programs to improve building energy efficiency, such as increasing the maximum length of time from 10 to 25 years for federal utility savings contracts, allowing for a longer payback period to upgrade government buildings. The 2.5% annual reduction in energy use for government buildings from 2016 to 2025 is formalized by this bill. Cyberattacks on the power grid are also a priority and initiatives to strengthen the safeguards against such attacks are included. National parks and wilderness areas have also gotten attention with the authorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
On the downside, the bill does facilitate the exporting of American natural gas by accelerating the approval of permits for coastal gas terminals, and does not change the immense subsidies for the fossil fuel industry. The bill has left some environmental groups disappointed. Jason Kowalski, the policy director for 350.org has stated that the policy is outdated, “tolerable in the ’80s or ’90s, but not in tune with the scientific realities of 2016.”
Hopefully this bill is seen as a landmark of bipartisanship cooperation, and we can expect stronger action in addressing climate change through our domestic energy policies.
The Residential Green Building Committee gathered for a meeting on May 9th, 2016. We had a presentation from Declan Keefe who is the Strategic Director at Placetailor, an architecture firm focusing on design and development of energy efficient buildings.
Placetailor is unique in the energy efficiency building space, as they incorporated the Passive House (Passivhaus) standards from Germany into the US market (there are separate standards for Passive House US), which mandate environmentally friendly heating and cooling systems in a building. Placetailor also strives to achieve a net zero source energy rating for their projects, meaning the building’s production will zero out when “embodied energy” is taken into account, as opposed to net zero site energy. This embodied energy is not directly tied to Passive House standards, but Placetailor has made great strides to achieve this through employment of local crews, purchasing of materials nearby, and more. Net zero site energy does not include the full life cycle analysis of the building’s creation, but homeowners can make further strides to achieve net zero source energy by installing solar PV for example.
Keefe shared some case studies of past projects with us, which gave us a chance to ask any and all questions about the details of their work. Their first project in 2008 was the Pratt House, and the previous owner of Placetailor actually lived there. Furthermore, the Rocksberry project has a roof that was installed at an asymmetric angle, to accommodate Solar PV if the homeowner chose to install.
Placetailor is a competitive player in the energy efficiency building market, especially when it comes to cost. Overall, they have found their projects are outperforming what they had modeled initially, and utility bills are lower than predicted for their clients. It was an amazing presentation, and we look forward to staying on top of future Passive House news!
To continue our Committee meeting, we discussed RGBC initiatives for this year. We found advocacy to be a common interest among us all, and we plan to focus on these efforts. We will also have some updates for the Integrated Energy Efficiency Program in Somerville and Boston soon!
We have a building tour coming up on June 4th, visiting two houses. Sign up HERE. Stay tuned for some more events with USGBC!
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (BCBSMA) built its new 308,000sf space to provide 1,000 associates with a state-of-the-art environment to support collaboration, productivity, and wellness—mind, body and soul—in an efficient and sustainable environment. Chapter Sponsoring Partner Structure Tone served as the construction contractor for this complex project.
With an eight-month preplanning phase and an actively involved owner, the team developed the massive fit-out design and intricate logistics plan for moving materials and equipment in and out, scheduling trades, and converting 14 floors into cutting-edge office space.
BCBSMA’s focus on wellness is paramount. The insurer dedicated 13,000sf to a cafeteria and full-cooking kitchen offering predominantly healthy food choices. Abundant natural light and a living green wall spanning two stories create a connection with the outside world.
Structure Tone built a wellness center with a yoga room with floating floors and moveable partitions to accommodate exercise and meditation breaks. To integrate exercise with work, employees can reserve walk stations (desktop surfaces with treadmills beneath and plug-in capability), and sit-to-stand desktops and ergonomic chairs are standard, along with hydration centers on every floor.
To enable collaboration, a variety of formal and informal meeting spaces were built, along with interconnecting stairs—floating steel staircases that link multiple floors. State-of-the-art technology provides associates with connectivity from any location via soft phone systems, Lync Innovation Rooms that facilitate virtual meetings and remote content sharing, and click share technology.
To learn more about the projects conducted by Structure Tone, visit their website or our blog!
By now you probably know that our planet's future is precariously linked to our impact. Thus, it is now important more than ever to create collaboratively and achieve levels of synergy that transform our impact.
The project delivery process is the life-blood of your business yet most firms try to achieve these ever-higher performance targets using the same old delivery process that doesn't achieve performance. Our event will provide participants with practical frameworks and proven methodologies to transform their practice from “random acts of sustainability” to consistent capability based on cultural change, clearly articulated methodologies, truly integrative design and effective use of metrics to achieve continuous improvement.
Come with specific questions and scenarios and we will address them!
This event will be on May 24th, from 8:30 AM to 11 AM at 50 Milk St, 18th Floor – 'Hemingway' Room, Boston 02109.
Come join your green building colleagues May 26th for a tour of the EMD Serono Research & Development Institute in Billerica in the Unity and Sagamore buildings. The former achieved LEED Gold certification in 2011, while the latter attained LEED Platinum certification in 2015.
The Unity building is a state-of -the-art biology and chemistry research facility which houses 200 scientists and research labs. The Sagamore building is a former pilot scale Protein Production Laboratory which has been transformed into an open concept office space.
EMD Serono prides itself on environmental responsibility and cutting edge technology which are driving factors for the facility design. The presenters from EMD Serono include Tony Meenaghan, Senior Director Facilities EHS & Engineering, Jeff Hyman, Senior Manager, Environmental Health & Safety US, and Jack Conway, Project Manager Facilities.
JLL Construction will be sponsoring this event. JLL offers comprehensive services as a construction manager, general contractor and design/builder, completing over 300 diverse assignments annually from New England all the way to Philadelphia.
The tour will take place from 6:00-7:00pm. EMD will host us for a social event afterwards with drinks and appetizers from 7:00-8:00pm. For carpooling purposes, please include the town from which you will be coming to the tour. EMPA will help facilitate ride sharing for those who are interested.
Special thanks to JLL Construction Services for sponsoring this event!
This event will be May 26th from 6 PM to 7 PM at 45 Middlesex Turnpike, Billerica, MA.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony a week ago marked the opening of the first new building on the Hampshire College campus in nearly three decades. The College has always been committed to community and environmental principles but building best practice has changed over the decades. When the campus was first designed, it was designed as a hub and spoke, with the hub being a large parking lot and the buildings and congreation areas encircling. Today, the campus is transformed to be a walking campus with green open space connecting the built environment.
The College's most recent achievement is the R. W. Kern Center, a Living Building Project. As a Living Building Project, it was designed and built to achieve the most advanced environmentally sound building standard in the world by our professional colleagues (and Chapter sponsoring partners) at Bruner/Cott and built to exacting specificaitons by the Wright Builders team (also a Chapter sponsoring partner!).
The new 17,000-square-foot campus center, the R.W. Kern Center, was constructed using non-toxic materials that were locally sourced whenever possible to reduce the carbon footprint. The building is designed to supply its own power and water and process waste on-site.
College president Jonathan Lash said it is a symbol of the school’s beliefs.
“We want this building to not just be a structure that houses some activities, but a part of who we are and how we teach,” Lash said in an interview.
The new building will house admissions and financial aid. There will be classrooms and a coffee bar.
Hampshire College worked with architects Bruner/Cott of Cambridge, Mass. to design the building with the goal of being certified a “living building” by the International Living Future Institute. There are currently nine such buildings in the world with more awaiting certification or under construction.
The two-story timber beam-and-post building has solar panels on the roof to supply power. There are two 5,500-gallon cisterns that hold rainwater, which is purified for drinking. All the organic waste ends up in large composters.
Kern Center builder Jonathan Wright of Wright Builders in Northampton said the project was “difficult and exacting.”
Wright, a Hampshire College alum, said the most difficult challenge in the project was avoiding the use of any construction materials or chemicals found on a so-called “red list” of about a dozen toxins.
“A building like this, if it was conventional, might have 150 submittals;products you have to bring forward and say this is want we plan. This building has over 800 submittals; everything from the electrical tape to chalks and glues,” explained Wright. ” It is very process intensive.”
With the exception of the heat pumps for the building, which came from Japan, and frames for the window glass that came from Germany, everything else, including the stone veneer and the eastern white cedar shingles were fabricated within 500 kilometers of the construction site, according to Wright.
“That is part of the Living Building Challenge is to source it locally,” said Wright.
All wood that was used was certified by the Forest Stewardship Council or came from salvage. Wright and the college’s Facilities and Grounds office worked to reduce or eliminate construction waste through recycling.
Students were involved in the project from the start. Wesley Evans, a senior majoring in applied design, joined the planning committee for the Kern Center when he was freshman.
“We did not know at the time the level of sustainability the Kern Center would have or the depth and rigger that would go into the planing process,” said Evans. ” What came out of it really is a testament to how involved the community was , how deeply the Hampshire community cares about sustainability and leaving the planet better than we found it.”
Carl Weber, associate director of Facilities and Grounds, said it will be at least a year before the college finds out if the Kern Center achieves the Living Building Challenge standard.
“After a certain amount of time we have to be able to prove we did what we said we would.” said Weber
The Hitchcock Center for the Environment, a nonprofit education center, is constructing a new building on the Hampshire campus that is also designed to meet the Living Building Challenge standard.
Today, Mexico's architects, construction firms, energy companies, city planners, enterprises and politicians are working together to create the sustainable cities of tomorrow.
Mexico is the home to 139 LEED-certified and 460 LEED-registered projects, totaling 13,168,705 gross square meters of space. From hospitality to retail, whether single projects or those using LEED volume certification, the projects in Mexico represent the diversity and breadth inherent in LEED.
Check out a few of Mexico's most impressive projects below.
HSBC Tower, Mexico City, Mexico, LEED Gold
HSBC Tower, designed by Bioconstruccion y Energia Alternativa (BEA), obtained the first LEED Gold certification for New Construction and became the second certified project in the country. With 34 levels, a heliport, 12 parking garages, and 2 basements, HSBC Tower is a massive steel structure located in the heart of Mexico City. HSBC Tower unleashed the LEED certified buildings trend in the city's Economic District. Its innovative measures resulted in a reduction of water use by 76% and energy consumption by 25%. With 3,000 people using the building full-time, the tower provides occupants with 144 bike stations, 18 showers and dressing rooms, and a green roof space to relax.
Bioconstruccion 347, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, LEED Platinum
As the headquarters for the LEED-pioneer consulting firm, Bioconstruccion y Energia Alternativa (BEA), Bioconstruccion347 promotes the company's green building services and commitment to abetter-built environment by being the first LEED for New Construction Platinum certified office space in Latin America. BEA reused 75% of the building'swalls, floors and roof, and 50% of interior nonstructural elements. Thebuilding also operates on energy powered by solar panels and a wind turbine. These innovative green technologies draw people in on a regular basis for guided open tours of the facility. BEA has more than 15 years of experience designing greener buildings.
Universidad Del Arte, Puebla, Mexico, LEED Platinum
UNARTE was designed by AKF Group with its campus' commitments to education and art in mind. Located in a pre-existing campus parking lot, the building took on a stack architectural approach in order to restore the area's original topography. By including native vegetation and a rainwater infiltration system, UNARTE harvests, reuses and treats 100% of its rainwater. Its natural aesthetic is due to its 'origami' layout where the structure folds and unfolds into different rooms and edifices. Inside, UNARTE's design promotes natural lighting and ventilation in order to create an atmosphere necessary for a productive workspace.
Join us Tuesday, May 31st, from 8:30-10:30am for the next installment of our Building Blueprint series. This round we will introduce the groundbreaking new building standard WELL. We will follow the introductory session with a roundtable discussion. We are excited to welcome professionals from all sectors of the building industry–owners, engineers, builders and occupants interested in the new standard.
We will be watching a segment from the USGBC's Education platform to bring all in the room up to speed on WELL and then having a moderated discussion on the future, impact and evolution of the standard.
This is part of our ongoing effort this year to learn more about green building's newest rigorous building standard. Previous events we've hosted about well featured conversation with owners' reps, architects, and contractors who are considering using the WELL building standard on an actual project – everyone benefited.
Come to this month's presentation to be a part of this exciting new development in the green building movement!
Below, find some information on the WELL content that will be covered:
About
The Introduction to the WELL Building Standard presentation provides an overview of the WELL Building Standard ideology, structure, and certification process. The medical basis for the concept categories is introduced along with design and construction strategies to create healthy buildings. The time has come to elevate human health and comfort to the forefront of building practices and reinvent buildings that are not only better for the planet—but also for people. This presentation will introduce how to do this using the WELL Building Standard as the framework.
Objectives
Articulate the financial, societal, and environmental benefits of WELL certification
Identify the role of the International Well Building Institute and the WELL Building Standard
Recognize the structure of the WELL Building Standard
Explain the 7 concepts of the WELL Building standard, the strategies to achieve them, and the health impacts they address
Summarize the certification process of the WELL Building Standard
The event will be at 50 Milk St, 18th Floor- “Hemingway” Room, Boston, MA 02109. Register here and find more about WELL here!
Annie is widely regarded within the marketplace as an expert in third-party verification and sustainable program development. She previously held positions like Vice President of Certification Services at GreenCircle Certified, LLC until starting her own independent organization in 2017. She sits as a technical advisor to: the US Green Building Council’s Materials and Resources TAG, the International Living Future Institute (ILFI), Clean Production Action and the GreenScreen Program, the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council, the ASTM E 60 Committee, and the Collaborative for High Performing Schools National Technical Committee.
LAUREN HILDEBRAND
Sustainability Director, Steven Winter Associates
Lauren Hildebrand is a Sustainability Director at SWA. Her work focuses on sustainable and high performance residential and commercial building design, construction, renovation, and operation. Ms. Hildebrand’s expertise includes: sustainable design integration; indoor air quality and energy performance testing; and implementing project certification for both commercial and residential programs, such as LEED®, ENERGY STAR®, NYSERDA, NJ Clean Energy, and Enterprise Green Communities. Awards presented to her clients include the 2013 USGBC NJ Urban Green Project Award. Ms. Hildebrand works as a LEED® for Homes Green Rater and verifies implementation of the LEED® for Homes criteria. She is an integral part of the initial strategic planning sessions and workshops with builders, architects, and homeowners based on the LEED for Homes program. She also partners with and implements criteria for Enterprise Green Communities (EGCC), NYSERDA’s Multi-Family Performance Program, and the ENERGY STAR® Multi-Family High-Rise Program Certification. Ms. Hildebrand also has experience with a variety of commercial and mixed use projects, including LEED® for New Construction, Commercial Interior, Core and Shell, and Schools. In addition to her project experience and program guidance, Ms. Hildebrand manages classroom training and curriculum development for architects, owners, developers and building management staff on green and high performance building design strategies, cost effective building system operation, and energy-saving maintenance practices.
MICHAEL GRYNIUK
PE | Associate, LeMessurier
Michael Gryniuk, PE is a Structural Engineer at LeMessurier in Boston. As the leader of LeMessurier’s Sustainability practice, he is responsible for strategy, project consulting, and education for LeMessurier. He is currently on the Steering Committee of Structural Engineering Institute (SEI) Sustainability Committee of ASCE and currently serves as Chair of the Structural Engineers (SE 2050) Commitment Program Working Group whose aim to establish a national commitment program for structural engineers for the purpose of achieving net zero embodied carbon in structural systems by 2050. Mike taught for many years at the Boston Architectural College. His current projects include the 2 million square foot Hub on Causeway development as well as upcoming developments of Kenmore Square. Mike has also led several other projects for institutions including Boston College, Holy Cross, RISD and UNH. Mike attended Syracuse University and Tufts University.
ANNE PECK
Vice President, AEW’s Architecture & Engineering group
As Vice President in AEW’s Architecture & Engineering group, Ms. Peck is responsible for physical property inspections, engineering and mechanical system evaluations and environmental audits on potential investments for all commercial property types. She is also responsible for the review and analysis of energy audits and LEED gap analysis with respect to acquisitions, and oversees the scope and results of third-party due diligence reports on property acquisitions. For development projects, Ms. Peck is responsible for the evaluation of construction documents to assess the constructability and recommend sustainable products and practices. She is responsible for overseeing the construction of new development projects from AEW’s initial involvement through closeout and warranty completions. Ms. Peck assists asset managers with large capital improvement projects or physical problems at various properties. In addition, Ms. Peck Co-Chairs AEW’s Sustainability Committee and provides guidance and assistance with most sustainability initiatives with the objective of reducing operating costs, improving indoor air quality and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions. She sits on the GRESB Real Estate Benchmark Committee in North America and assists with all sustainability reporting for AEW. Ms. Peck is a licensed Massachusetts Construction Supervisor with LEED AP Certification, and passed her FE exam towards a mechanical engineer/registered professional engineering license.
ANDREA ALAOWNIS
Interior Designer, Jacobs, Boston
Andrea Alaownis is an Interior Designer with the Jacobs, Boston, MA office. After graduating from Radford University, she has concentrated on commercial projects through all phases of design and construction. As a WELL Accredited Professional, she participated in assisting the Jacobs Boston office to achieve WELL V1 Gold, Fitwel 3 Stars, and LEED V4 Gold certifications and continues to educate the design community and clients on wellness through design.
KIMBERLY LEWIS
Senior Vice President, Market Transformation and Development U.S. Green Building Council
As Senior Vice President for Market Transformation and Development in North America, Kimberly Lewis knows better than anyone that market transformation begins with community. Kimberly is laser focused on diversity, inclusion, equity and advancing transparency and excellence. By honing our community’s focus on collaborative impact, Kimberly incorporates people‐centric strategies to provide the organization and movement with a strong foundation of stakeholder based support.
Kimberly’s efforts encourage innovation in the market and challenge all of our community members to go above and beyond what was possible yesterday, to define the built environment of tomorrow. Kimberly knows that when we celebrate our leaders and advocate for growth across sectors, regions, and programs, taking care to bring our best to underserved populations and communities, we achieve real and lasting market transformation of the highest order.
To this end, Kimberly directs all of USGBC’s local communities, volunteers, and emerging professionals around the world, delivering on the USGBC mission to improve the quality of life for all through more sustainable cities and communities worldwide.
Kimberly was the founder of the Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, which is now globally represented in five international markets. She has served on the advisory boards of Starwood Hotels, Marriott International Hotels and the convention and visitors bureaus in New Orleans, Atlanta, and Denver. She is a member of the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE), the Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC) and the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), where she has served on the CSR task force.
Kimberly serves on the board of directors for Groundswell and is the former chair of the board of trustees of the Green Building Foundation. Committed to healthy communities and equitable access to green buildings regardless of income level, Kimberly has been recognized with numerous awards. In April 2011, Kimberly received prestigious recognition as the White House Champion of Change for Clean Energy. She was also named Glamour Magazine 70th Anniversary 70 Women Leaders to Know in Sustainability. Most recently Kimberly was recognized with GB&D Magazine’s 2018 Women in Sustainability Leadership Award.
JIM STANISLASKI
AIA LEED AP BD+C | Senior Associate, Gensler Boston
Jim Stanislaski, AIA LEED AP BD+C is an Architect at Gensler in Boston. As co-leader of Gensler’s northeast region Design Resilience practice, he is responsible for strategy, project consulting, and education for over 1,000 staff in four offices. He is currently a Director on the Board of USGBC MA and a member of the Architecture Boston Magazine Editorial Board. Jim is a former President of AIA MA and has served on two National Academies research panels for renewable energy and energy efficiency at airports. As a past co-chair of the Boston Society of Architects Committee on the Environment (BSA/COTE), Jim led the AIA 2030 Professional Series at the BSA, serving to educate local designers on strategies to achieve net positive energy goals for buildings. Jim has also testified before state and city government committees to advocate for environmental legislation and regulation. Jim started his career as a US Air Force officer and attended Syracuse University.
CARLIE BULLOCK-JONES
LEED Fellow, WELL AP | Founder and Principal, Ecoworks Studio
Carlie Bullock-Jones, LEED Fellow, WELL AP, is the founder and managing Principal of Ecoworks Studio and has dedicated her entire career to bringing about a greener, healthier built environment. As a nationally known expert in sustainability, Carlie has facilitated on numerous award-winning projects. With a passion for green sports, Carlie has spearheaded LEED certification efforts for several stadiums, arenas, and training facilities for the NFL, NHL, NBA, MLS and higher education projects. Most notably, Carlie was the LEED consultant for the new home of the Atlanta Falcons, Mercedes-Benz stadium, which achieved the highest LEED Platinum score of any sports facility in the world.
As a LEED Faculty mentor for the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and the first external WELL Faculty for the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), Carlie is a highly sought-after speaker and writer for national events and publications. She has been extensively involved in the development of LEED standards over the years, serving as a Subject Matter Expert for USGBC and GBCI, assisting in course curriculum, exam development and reference guide creation. In 2012, Carlie was inducted by USGBC as a LEED Fellow, one of 77 in the world at that time. Carlie is also one of the first WELL Accredited Professionals on the planet, demonstrating expertise and extensive knowledge of human health and wellness in the built environment. As an early adopter of the WELL Building Standard, Carlie facilitated WELL certification efforts for the 27th, 37th and 100th WELL certified projects in the world (Silver, Gold and Platinum respectively). Most recently, Carlie was the recipient of the 2018 Inaugural IWBI WELL Leadership Recognition Award.
KOMAL KOTWAL
AIA, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP
Komal Kotwal is a Sustainable Design Leader and Project Manager at HOK with over 13 years of experience. Komal has led sustainable design and LEED Certification efforts for over 2M square feet including 1+M sf. of LEED Platinum projects and two Net-Zero projects. With the intent of bringing the human connection to sustainability, Komal currently focuses on intentional design to address human behavior and foster physical, mental, and emotional health. As a WELL AP, Komal is one of HOK’s leads in promoting and practicing health and wellness in architecture. Komal has served on the AIA Houston Chapter’s Board of Directors, Texas USGBC Regional Council and on USGBC’s Greenbuild Program Committee among others. A strong advocate for equity and inclusivity, Komal serves on HOK’s firm-wide Diversity Advisory Council and is a recent addition to HOK’s Management Board.
Speaking Engagements
TSA Convention 2016: Design for Healthy & Livable Communities
Gulf Coast Green Conference 2015: Integrating LEED ND Communities
CSI Chapter Annual Meeting 2014 : 2030 Commitment and how to get there
American Society of Indian Engineers ( ASIE) 2016: Getting to LEED Platinum
University of Houston, 2018: Staying Ahead of the Commercial Energy Code
Texas A&M University, 2016: Integrating Sustainability: A path to Net-zero
ANITA SNADER
LEED AP BD+C | Environmental Sustainability Manager, Armstrong World Industries
Anita Snader is the Environmental Sustainability Manager of Armstrong World Industries in Lancaster, PA. She manages the sustainability strategy for Armstrong Ceiling and Wall Solutions, and serves as an internal environmental advocate, and environmental spokesperson. She is a LEED accredited professional, and well versed in the LEED rating systems and USGBC initiatives. As co-chair of Armstrong’s LEED EB team, she led the corporation to a LEED EB Platinum for their Headquarters building in Lancaster, PA in June 2007, and served on the team obtaining LEED EB recertification in 2014.
Recently, Anita has led Armstrong in a new initiative focusing on the Health and Wellbeing of occupants called Better Spaces. She drives the material health and transparency efforts, and created and manages Armstrong’s commitment through our SUSTAIN™ portfolio of high performance ceiling systems.
Anita joined Armstrong in 1997. Her experience is in Marketing, Research, Product Development and Customer Satisfaction both in the consumer goods, hospitality, building products and advertising industries. Her passion centers in developing strategies for reducing our impact on the environment through product and process innovation, and is always looking at opportunities to share knowledge and innovation with others.
Speaking Engagements: • Mindful Materials Series (2018 – NYC, Chicago)
• USGBC Central PA – 2017 – Green Con – Healthier Buildings
• USGBC GreenBuild – 2016 – Los Angeles, CA – LEEDv4 and Material transparency
• Living Future – Seattle 2016 – Declare and Living Building Challenge
• Costa Rica Green Building Congress – May 2015 – Materials and LEEDv4
• Canada Green Building Conference – June 2015 – Panel on Material Transparency
• USGBC GreenBuild – 2014 New Orleans, PA – two sessions
• State of Green Business – 2011
• PA Green Growth Partnerships, Pittsburgh, PA 2009
• PennTap, Green Workshop, Harrisburg, PA 2008
• Central PA USGBC Chapter Construction Waste Workshop, 2008
• LEED for Existing Building Workshop, Lancaster, PA, November 2007
• NeoCon East, Green Building Workshop, Baltimore, MD, October 2007
• ICA International Conference – Madrid- Acoustics and Green Building, September 2007
• ASHRAE ‘007 Conference – Long Beach, CA – Acoustics and Green Building, May 2007
• GreenBuild 2006 – Got LCA?, November 2006
• Local Green Building Council of PA –LEED for Schools Workshop, October 2006
• Various Recycling Summits throughout the nation
• Customer and sales presentations each month
Tune in:
Listen to a podcast interview with Anita Snader here.
DR. JOSEPH ALLEN
Assistant Professor of Exposure Science | Director of the Healthy Buildings program
Dr. Allen researches community and occupational exposures and health risks related to a broad range of chemical, biological, physical and radiological stressors. In particular, he focuses on the built environment, emissions from building materials and consumer products, and building system performance, each of which has the potential for both positive and negative impacts on human health, well-being and productivity. He is the Director of the Healthy Buildings program at the Harvard Chan School of Public Health and faculty director of the Harvard Sensors for Health research group. Dr. Allen teaches a class on the Impact of Buildings on Human Health, and is the faculty advisor for a new initiative out of Harvard’s Office for Sustainability – the Harvard Healthier Building Materials Academy.
HEATHER HENRIKSEN
Managing Director, Harvard University Office for Sustainability
Heather Henriksen has served as Harvard University’s chief sustainability officer since 2008, advising the President and senior leadership on strategy and building an organizational change enterprise. Heather leads the Office for Sustainability which oversees the implementation of the Harvard’s comprehensive Sustainability Plan (co-created with faculty and students in 2014) and the University’s ambitious new Climate Action Plan (to be fossil fuel-free by 2050 and fossil fuel-neutral by 2026) which builds upon the 2016 achievement of Harvard’s initial science-based climate goal.
The Office for Sustainability has expanded a multi-disciplinary living laboratory research program that partners with faculty and students to use the campus as a test bed for piloting and sharing innovative solutions to real-world sustainability challenges. A nationally recognized leader in healthier building materials, Heather is leading an effort with faculty within Harvard to translate research into practice related to heath in the built environment including a focus on addressing the use of chemicals of concern in common building products. Through this work, Harvard is partnering with business and non-profit leaders as they strive to transform the marketplace for a healthier built environment. Heather also advises courses throughout Harvard College and the professional graduate schools and speaks nationally and internationally on sustainability.
Heather is on the Board of Directors of the Health Product Declaration Collaborative. Heather serves as Advisory Committee Co-chair of the International Sustainable Campus Network (ISCN), and she is a member of Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2). Heather holds a Master in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School.
LAUREN M. WALLACE
Principal & Director of Certifications and Consulting, Epsten Group, Inc.
Lauren M. Wallace is a Principal and the Director of Certifications and Consulting at Epsten Group, Inc., where she has helped facilitate sustainability and wellness measures for thousands of projects around the globe. Ms. Wallace is a USGBC and WELL Faculty member, WELL AP, LFA, LEED AP BD+C, LEED Project Reviewer, BREEAM USA In-Use Assessor, Fitwel Ambassador, Parksmart Advisor, and TRUE Advisor. With a background in Architecture, Ms. Wallace has more than ten years of experience in sustainability. She speaks regularly to audiences with varying expertise about implementing change in the building industry, focusing on technical information and application.
BECCA RUSHIN
Vice President of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility, Jamestown
Becca Rushin is the Vice President of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility at Jamestown where she leads ESG initiatives through the Jamestown Green program and the Jamestown Charitable Foundation. Prior to joining Jamestown in 2012, Ms. Rushin worked as a local government consultant for Clark Patterson Lee, where she served as Community Development Coordinator and Sustainability Commission Staff Liaison for the City of Dunwoody. She is a Certified Energy Manager (CEM) and holds a LEED AP O+M credential. Ms. Rushin is an active volunteer with the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and Environmental Policy from Sewanee: the University of the South and a Master of Science in Sustainable Development: Environmental Policy and Management from Utrecht University.
JODI SMITS ANDERSON
Director of Sustainability Programs, DASNY | LEED AP BD+C
Jodi Smits Anderson is the Director of Sustainability Programs for DASNY, an architect, LEED AP BD+C, AIA member, lifetime member of NESEA, past regional and national U.S. Green Building Council committee member, wife, mom, hiker, kayaker, knitter, and storyteller. She has spoken at the ILFI unconference in Seattle, WA, at the NACUBO conference in Austin, TX, at the first Wellness in Design conference in San Diego, CA, and several times each at Greenbuild, NESEA’s Building Energy Boston, and the NYS Green Building Conference, and has been a guest teacher at SUNY ESF, RPI, Ithaca College, NYU, Cornell, and SUNY Albany. She is a NY Energy Code trainer, the 2018 recipient of the Green Building Advocate award, and has assisted in research and writing for Project Drawdown, which cites the 100 market-proven ways we already have in our toolkit to reduce CO2 in our atmosphere. She has a featured article appearing in the Journal of Green Building’s V14 N3 in July of 2019, on Excellence in Building Envelopes, and is currently working on a ZNE renovation to an existing residence hall, a project intended to change how we do renovation projects in New York state. Jodi’s goal is to understand and incorporate informed sustainable practices into design, construction, and living, and to share whatever she has learned and learn still more from whomever will talk with her.
JIM NEWMAN
Founder and Principal, Linnean Solutions | LEED AP, O+M; EcoDistrict AP
Jim is the Founder and Principal at Linnean Solutions, a mission-driven firm that helps local governments, organizations, and communities reach sustainability and resilience goals. Jim’s twenty years of experience includes carbon mitigation planning and life cycle assessment; sustainability and resilience building certification; climate action and adaptation planning for municipalities, agencies, and organizations; resilience analysis, policy, and design standard development; EcoDistrict planning and management; and stakeholder engagement processes to strengthen communities. As a Living Environments in Natural, Social, and Economic Systems (LENSES) Facilitator and Trainer, Jim regularly leads community planning workshops, and trains others in becoming effective facilitators.
Previous to Linnean, Jim worked with BuildingGreen as the Director of Strategy, where he led the development and introduction of most of BuildingGreen’s online products including LEEDuser.com, BuildingGreen Suite, and the High Performance Buildings Database. Jim is a founding board member of the Resilient Design Institute, and a key author of several influential resilience reports and tools—including the Building Resilience in Boston report and
the Enterprise Community Partners’ Ready to Respond: Strategies for Multifamily Building Resilience manual. He is a member of the RELi/USGBC Steering Committee, where he has worked to bring a social equity lens to the development of the new certification standard for resilient buildings.
JULIE JANISKI
Associate Principal, BuroHappold Engineering
Julie Janiski leads integrated teams of engineers, designers, analysts, and subject-matter experts at BuroHappold Engineering for projects with ambitious goals related to design innovation, building performance, and the health, wellbeing and experience of building occupants and community. Julie’s recent work includes: Cornell Tech’s new Verizon Executive Education Center with Snohetta; Glenstone Museum with Thomas Phifer and Partners, St. Ann’s Warehouse theatre in Brookyln with Marvel Architects; a number of U.S. Embassy projects internationally for the U.S. State Department; a new corporate headquarters campus in Baltimore for Under Armour; an integrated “roadmap” plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80% by the year 2050 (80×50) for the City of New York; and The House at Cornell Tech – a residential high-rise in New York City which is certified Passive House. Julie also teaches at Columbia University’s GSAPP in the first-year core studio, and has been a guest critic/lecturer at other universities including MIT, Tulane, and NYU.
SARA NEFF
Senior Vice President, Sustainability at Kilroy Realty Corporation
Sara Neff is Senior Vice President, Sustainability at Kilroy Realty Corporation. Sara took Kilroy from having no sustainability program to being named the #1 publicly traded real estate company on sustainability in North America by GRESB, and under her leadership the company recently committed to becoming the first carbon neutral real estate company in North America by the end of 2020.
At Kilroy, she oversees all sustainability initiatives such as solar and battery deal-making, the implementation of energy and water efficiency initiatives throughout the existing and development portfolios, the integration of sustainability standards into annual financial reports, the launch of the Kilroy Innovation Lab, and the award-winning green leasing program. She holds a BS from Stanford and an MBA from Columbia Business School.
TRISTAN ROBERTS
Co-Founder, Facilitator at The Laurentia Project | LEED AP BD+C, LFA
Tristan Roberts is responsible for leading staff support for HPDC’s Technical Committee, education programs, and the evolution of the HPD Open Standard. Mr. Roberts is a leader in the advancement of green building practices. Prior to joining HPDC in May 2018, he was part of BuildingGreen, Inc. for eleven years, where he most recently served as Chief Strategy Officer, moderating and leading the community development of LEEDuser forum which supports over 10,000 users. He is the author of hundreds of articles and in-depth reports on building industry trends and technologies, and is a frequent speaker and educator in the areas of green building and sustainable design. His objective stance and focus on practical tools has earned him the trust of a wide spectrum of stakeholders in the industry, including architects, sustainability professionals, manufacturers, and nonprofit groups. Mr. Roberts has taught sustainability and building science at the Boston Architectural College.
TIM CONWAY
Vice President of Sustainable Development, Shaw
As a flooring industry expert, Tim Conway is focused on the positive affects that sustainable flooring products have on our buildings, and more importantly, the people that occupy and live in the spaces we design. Tim has worked closely with Bill McDonough and the internal team at Shaw for the past twelve years developing and maintaining Shaw’s Cradle to Cradle certifications, HPDs and EPDs. His unique role at Shaw enables him to drive the communication between clients’ requirements and the product development team at Shaw. He has presented at GreenBuild, Living Future, and Design Future Council and has been an integral part in the development of healthy carpet specifications for clients all over the world. Tim is passionate about collaborating with clients to develop flooring specifications that are safe throughout a product’s entire supply chain, from raw material chemical building blocks to end of life replication. He has a unique ability to translate complex systems like Cradle to Cradle and HPDs into simple stories that empower change and deliver buildings that have positive intent for the future of our people and our planet.
BILL WALSH
Founder and President, Board of the Healthy Building Network
Bill Walsh is the Founder and President of the Board of the Healthy Building Network (HBN). Since 2000 HBN has been defining the leading edge of healthy building practices that increase transparency in the building products industry, reduce human exposures to chemicals in building materials, and create market incentives for healthier innovations in manufacturing. He has been Visiting Professor at Parsons The New School for Design, is a Fellow of the Lowell Center for Sustainable Production at the University of Massachusetts, and a founding board member of the Health Product Declaration (HPD) Collaborative. Bill and HBN have been awarded the Design for Humanity Award by the American Society of Interior Designers (2019); WEACT for Environmental Justice Leadership Award (2018); Healthy Schools Network Hero (2013); US Green Building Council’s Leadership In Advocacy Award (2012). Previously he served as a national campaign director at Greenpeace USA, and held staff attorney positions with the US Public Interest Research Group and the Institute for Public Representation at Georgetown University Law Center. He holds a J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law and LLM in Public Interest Advocacy from Georgetown University.
BRENT TRENGA
Building Technology Director, Kingspan North America
Brent has truly run the construction industry gamut serving in various roles including Architect, Construction Manager, Developer and even project owner, allowing him to fully understand the sustainability ecosystem. As Building Technology Director for Kingspan North America, Brent is committed to reducing the environmental impact of business operations, products and services through continuous improvement and environmental transparency.
JENNIFER TARANTO
LEED® AP ID+C, BD+C, USGBC Faculty, WELL® AP, WELL Faculty and Fitwel Ambassador Structure Tone, Director of Sustainability
Jennifer Taranto ensures the principals of sustainability, wellbeing, and Lean construction are incorporated into client projects and everyday work practices throughout the STO Building Group.
Jenn is a passionate advocate for reducing environmental impact of the built environment and enabling organizations to improve people’s health and wellbeing while reducing the construction and operating costs of facilities. She gets involved in the early stages of client projects to define the needs and the overall sustainability goals in order to create an internal road map to team success.
Jennifer brings more than eighteen years of experience in the commercial real estate and construction industry, and joined Structure Tone in 2001. Her previous roles included superintendent and project manager prior to becoming Structure Tone’s Director of Sustainability in 2008.
As a founder of the USGBC Massachusetts Chapter and the former Chair of the Chapter’s Board of Directors she is recognized as a leader in the sustainable built environment. She has lectured at Wentworth Institute of Technology and Boston University and spoken at Labs21 Conference (I2SL), Delaware Valley Green Building Council’s Sustainability Symposium, Living Futures and Greenbuild. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Engineering from North Carolina State University.
Jennifer has a Bacon number of 2.
LEIGH STRINGER
Workplace Strategy Expert and Researcher, EYP
Leigh Stringer is a workplace strategy expert and researcher whose work has been covered recently by BBC News, The Globe and Mail, Fortune, CNN and Good Morning America. She works for EYP, an architecture and engineering firm. She is the author of two best-selling books, The Green Workplace and The Healthy Workplace. Leigh is currently collaborating with Harvard University’s School of Public Health on a new Health and Human Performance Index and the Center for Active Design in New York on their Fitwel building certification program to create new tools, connect like minds and blur the boundaries across industries in order to advance our improve our well-being at work. Leigh is on the board of directors of a new non-profit, Global Women for Wellbeing, an organization that aims to give women a voice to create better health and wellbeing for themselves, their businesses, and their communities.
CHARLEY STEVENSON
Principal, Integrated Ecostrategy
Charley Stevenson has been delving deeper and deeper into healthier building materials since beginning work on his first Living Building Challenge project in 2011. With the team at IES, he has developed process and software to integrate better materials selections into all project types and to transform the market as quickly and easily as possible. The Red2Green platform has reduced Red List research and documentation effort by a factor of three while building up a library of over 10,000 products screened for compliance.
PETER SMITH
Senior Vice President, International WELL Building Institute
Peter is engaged with leading organizations and institutions seeking to transform their real estate portfolios to enhance health and business metrics. As Senior Vice President at IWBI, he leads a team driving the global growth and adoption of the WELL Building Standard, the first performance-based building standard to exclusively focus on human health. Peter is also an active speaker and educator, promoting health in the built environment through industry events and technical workshops. Previously, Peter served as Vice President of Delos Solutions, a team of consultants and subject matter experts incorporating health and wellness strategies into the pioneering WELL Certification projects. Working closely with Delos Labs, an internal research group, he identified best-in-class design solutions, products and technologies to improve the built environment and optimize for human health, well-being and environmentally sustainability. Peter has an extensive background in building science and energy efficiency. Prior to joining Delos and IWBI, he worked as a Sustainability Consultant at Steven Winter Associates, an industry leading green building consulting firm. Focusing on affordable housing in the greater New York City area, Peter worked with multifamily developers to implement sustainable design principles and energy efficiency measures into new construction projects and validate high-performance building criteria. Peter holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a Bachelor’s degree from Colgate University in Environmental Economics. He also maintains accreditations for WELL AP™ and WELL Faculty™.
JASON JEWHURST
Principal, Bruner/Cott
Jason’s passion for reconnecting with the natural environment informs all of his work as a specialist in sustainable and high-performance building design. With a strong technical background in building systems, technology, and sustainability, Jason is driven by a deep respect for craftsmanship and the art of making and by the possibilities created by merging tested traditions of construction with new fabrication technologies and material production. He leads design teams to explore possibilities inspired by a shared set of values and goals to create high-performance contemporary architecture that is beautiful and inspiring. He is a recipient of a 2017 Living Hero Award.
BLAKE JACKSON
Architect, Associate, and Sustainability Design Leader, Stantec Architecture and Engineering
Blake Jackson is an architect, Associate, and Sustainability Design Leader with Stantec Architecture and Engineering in Boston, Massachusetts. His work focuses on the nexus between sustainability, wellness, and resiliency, and he has over fifteen years’ experience in planning, retail, hospitality, labs, healthcare, commercial, higher-education, and multifamily projects. Blake is a prolific author and speaker on his three main areas of focus, is an adjunct faculty at the Boston Architectural College and at Mount Ida College, and he currently serves as the Vice President for Advocacy for the Boston Society of Architects. He was named a national top “40 Under 40” built environment professional by Building Design and Construction Magazine in 2015.
ANNE HARNEY
FAIA, LEED Fellow, Long Green Specs
Anne Hicks Harney has over 30 years of experience, focusing on high quality design imbued with a solid technical and sustainable foundation. Formed in 2016, Long Green Specs provides sustainability focused construction specifications and building science material expertise to Architectural firms across the country. She is a member of the AIA COTE Advisory Group. She was a founding co-chair of the Baltimore – Building Enclosure Council, chair of the AIA Materials Knowledge Working Group, and a member of the USGBC Materials & Resources Technical Advisory Group. In 2016, Ms. Harney was awarded fellowship by the AIA and became a LEED Fellow.
Speaking Engagements
Living Future unconference 2019 – Using the AIA COTE Toolkit to Elevate Every Project –
Living Future unconference 2019 – Entering the material pool – deep end jump or shallow slide?
2019 AIA Women’s Leadership Summit – Go Forth and Prosper, While Changing the World
Greenbuild 2018: Chicago IL, November 2018 – Closing the Transparency Loop: Collaboration in Action
AIA Conference on Architecture 2018, New York NY: Holding Ourselves to Higher Standards – Healthy Materials Every Time
BRENT EHRLICH
Products & Materials Specialist, BuildingGreen
Brent is the products & materials specialist at BuildingGreen, where he has been researching and writing about green building products, materials, and their health and environmental impacts for more than a decade. He brings a nuanced understanding of materials, their constituents, and lifecycles to his work as a consultant and speaker and leads a team of editors that selects products for the company’s BuildingGreen Approved database and annual Top 10 Products Award.
Speaking Engagements
• Annual BuildingGreen’s Top 10 Products award at Greenbuild (8 years as presenter)
• Northeast Sustainable Energy Association: NESEA 2014: The Forest and the Trees
• NESEA 2011: Materials Track Chair + Cool New Products presentation
MATT EDLEN
Director of Acquisitions and Development
Matt Edlen oversees acquisitions and development in the Midwest and East Coast for Gerding Edlen’s various investment funds. Matt is responsible for sourcing, negotiating and executing on investment opportunities across key urban markets within those regions.
Prior to his role in acquisitions, Matt was focused on the development and management of the firms internal multifamily marketing and sales platform. His efforts have helped the firm invest over $1 billion worth of real estate across the country in cities such as Seattle, Los Angeles, Portland, San Francisco, Boston, and Chicago.
Matt currently serves as national chair of the board for Design Museum Foundation and as a board member for Boston’s NOAH (Neighborhood of Affordable Housing), and The Oregon Sports Authority. He has also served as board member and chair of the site selection committee for PHAME Academy, board member and co-chair of the Arts Connector Program of Business for Culture and the Arts, and alumni board member of Young People’s Theater Project. Matt earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Loyola University of Chicago.
MIKHAIL DAVIS
Director of Restorative Enterprise, Interface
Mikhail Davis is Director of Restorative Enterprise at Interface, a world-leading modular flooring company with a fully integrated collection of hard and soft flooring. Interface’s mission, Climate Take Back™, invites industry to commit to making a profit in a way that is restorative to the planet and creates a climate fit for life. Mikhail is responsible for advancing Interface’s mission in the Americas by building internal leadership capacity, facilitating strategic alignment of efforts, and creating external partnerships that shift the marketplace toward sustainability. He leads Interface’s product transparency efforts in the Americas and was lead author and editor of Interface’s Radical Industrialists column at GreenBiz.com for two years.
An expert in sustainable materials and NGO collaborations, he represents Interface in many organizations focused on sustainability innovation, closed-loop systems, recycling, and chemicals of concern, including serving as 2016-18 Chair of the US Green Building Council’s Technical Advisory Group on Materials and Resources (MR TAG), Co-Chair of the Materials Working Group of BizNGO and Program Advisor to the Next Generation Bio-based and Sustainable Chemicals Summit.
STEVEN BURKE
Sustainability Manager, Consigli Construction Company
Steven is a Sustainability Manager at Consigli Construction Co., Inc., an 800+ person construction firm based in Massachusetts. His position involves management of company sustainability processes and sustainable construction projects at Consigli. He has a Master of Science in Sustainability Management from Columbia University, and has delivered many presentations on how to integrate health and wellness into the design and construction of the built environment.