Cambridge Net Zero Green Breakfast!

By Anthony Lucivero, Advocacy Fellow

The USGBC MA Chapter was proud to present the City of Cambridge’s Net Zero Action Plan at one of our newly re-branded “Policy Podium” gathering this morning. We had a great turn out from our community members, and this meeting of minds is a sign of great things to come.  The presentation provoked excellent discussions between the audience and presenter Susanne Rasmussen, the Director of Environmental and Transportation Planning for the City of Cambridge.

Cambridge’s Net Zero Action Plan is grand in scope and ambition, with an Action Plan that spans the next 25 years.  A unique factor in Cambridge is that one-third of its built environment is laboratories, making it difficult to plan for building-mounted solar panel installation.  A key strategies, according to Ms. Rasmussen, was to design the Net Zero Action Plan as a ladder, allowing for incremental change that adds up to big improvements down the road.  Cambridge's Net Zero Task Force has made it a priority to engage stakeholders to ensure that this detailed plan is practical and agreeable to all parties.  Additionally, the Net Zero Action Plan has built-in review periods every five years, allowing for evaluation and rethinking strategies as new technologies and economic factors emerge.

Here are some photos from the event, and some slides from Susanne's presentation!


 



 


 


 


 


 


Click here to go to Cambridge Net Zero's official website to view documents and presentations about the Net Zero Action Plan, and click here to read press coverage!

Sponsor Spotlight: Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc.

By Ryan Duffy, Communications Fellow


Picture of SGH's recent passive house project.  Photo rendering by Placetailor, Inc.

Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc. (SGH) is a national engineering firm that designs, investigates, and rehabilitates structures, building enclosures, and materials. Their award-winning work encompasses building, energy, civil/infrastructure, and science/defense projects in the United States, Canada, and more than thirty additional countries. 

The group recently worked on the Passive House at 140 Centre Street, Roxbury, MA.  SGH, working in collaboration with Placetailor, designed the structure for this multifamily building that incorporates several passive strategies.  See more here.

SGH also recently self-funded a research project to evaluate energy usage before and after St. Paul's School replaced the windows in their schoolhouse building. During the winter, St. Paul's reguarly struggled to maintain daily temperatures in their 1936 schoolhouse. SGH worked in collaboration with St. Paul's and Honeywell. See more here

In an effort to use urban roofspace more productively, SGH recently evaluated existing structures to support new rooftop farms.  The project was done in collaboration with owners and Recover Green Roofs. See photos and more about the project here and here.

Tomorrow's Webinar: You Are What You Breathe: Taking Action on Chemicals of Concern

By Ryan Duffy, Communications Fellow

Tomorrow, January 28th, from 12:00 to 1:00 PM, we're partnering with Greenwash Action and the International Living Future Institute (ILFI) to bring you the Issues of Controversy in Green Building Policy  webinar series. You Are What You Breathe: Taking Action on Chemicals of Concern is the second installment. This is an online webinar series through ILFI and you can watch anywhere online or we will have an in-person viewing session here at 50 Milk Street with the opportunity for group discussion. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of the most important trends in green building in recent years has been growing market demand for transparency and avoidance of toxic chemicals in building materials. This webinar will provide a primer on chemicals of concern in the built environment, an overview of the tools that are driving the development of healthier building materials and will contrast the approaches of Living Building Challenge, LEED and Green Globes to this important issue. We will also explore how webinar participants can play a role in inspiring increased uptake of healthy materials through specification, contracts and other advocacy tools.

Objectives

  1. Outline the history of political debate that surrounds ingredient disclosure of building materials and emerging trends of toxic chemical avoidance within the green building industry.
  2. Explain how various green building certifications are driving healthy material specification with a particular focus on LEED® and the Living Building Challenge, including its related Declare label.
  3. Identify techniques that practitioners can use to incorporate healthy materials into Living Building Challenge and other sustainable building projects.
  4. Discuss how participants can play a role in promoting market uptake of ingredient transparency through specification and other advocacy tools.

REGISTER HERE on the ILFI website and CONTACT US if you would like to join the in-person viewing.

New Communications Intern, Ryan Duffy

By Ryan Duffy, Communications Fellow


Hi all!  My name is Ryan and I am very happy to be joining the team for the spring as a Communications Fellow.  Though I was born in Boston, I have lived in Dallas, Texas my whole life until recently. I am in my third year at BC, where I study Political Science and Economics.  After graduation I hope to attend law school and eventually practice environmental law. I have always been passionate about climate change, since I think it is one of the most important issues of our time.

In the past I have worked on a political campaign, researched for a solar energy institute, and studied abroad in Parma, Italy and Dubai, United Arab Emirates (two very different places). In my free time I like traveling, volunteering, and running (I'm running my first marathon, the Boston Marathon, in 3 months for the Dana-Farber team). Sustainability, energy efficiency, and clean building are all topics that interest me, so I know that this position will be a great fit for me. I am looking forward to a great spring here!

New to LEED, join us for this Green Associate Prep Session!

By Celis Brisbin, Programs Manager


Come to our Green Associate course on Thursday, 2/18/16 in Boston!

Are you serious about your dedication to sustainable building? Then you should definitely have your 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!

Register here!

 

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.

Mass Moving on Up at #3: Top LEED State in the Nation

By Celis Brisbin, Programs Manager

U.S. Green Building Council Announces Massachusetts is Third State in the Nation for LEED Washington, D.C. — (Jan 26, 2016) — Today, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) released its national ranking of the top states in the country for LEED green building and Massachusetts is the third state in the nation for 2015. The rankings come at an important time for states looking to reduce their energy use. LEED-certified spaces use less energy and water resources, save money for families, businesses and taxpayers, reduce carbon emissions and create a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community.

“The State of Massachusetts is a nationwide leader in green building and LEED certification. LEED creates jobs and increases opportunities for Massachusetts’s workers and businesses while contributing billions of dollars to the state’s economy,” said Rick Fedrizzi, CEO and founding chair of USGBC. “LEED has become an essential standard for the transformation of building design and construction. LEED certified buildings drive economic growth, creates jobs and makes communities healthier.”  

The annual ranking is developed by analyzing each state in terms of square feet of LEED certified space per state resident. Now in its sixth year, the list highlights states throughout the country that made significant strides in sustainable building design, construction and transformation throughout 2015. Massachusetts certified 112 projects representing 19,850,624 square feet of real estate, or 3.03 square feet per resident, in 2015.

“Massachusetts' innovative spirit and champion attitude drive performance in our building sector,” said Grey Lee, executive director, USGBC-Massachusetts Chapter. “The USGBC Massachusetts Chapter is proud to represent the high-achievement professionals of the green building industry who have worked hard on the creation of LEED certified space. From major existing building retrofits to the creative design of new and resilient structures, our professionals and advocates are supporting the implementation of best practices in real estate and ensuring Massachusetts remains the market with the best investment opportunities in the country.”

In addition, data from USGBC’s 2015 Green Building Economic Impact Study show LEED construction is expected to support 155,000 total jobs in Massachusetts and have a total impact on GDP of $13.6 billion from 2015-2018.

A few notable projects that certified in Massachusetts in 2015 include: 

  • Boston Logan ConRAC-Phase 1; LEED Gold 
  • Troy Boston; LEED Gold 
  • One Financial Center; LEED Gold 
  • New Douglas Elementary School in Douglas; LEED Silver

The full ranking of the top 10 states for 2015 includes: 

Rank 

  1. Illinois 
  2. Maryland 
  3. Massachusetts 
  4. Washington 
  5. Colorado 
  6. Nevada 
  7. California 
  8. Texas 
  9. Virginia 
  10. Utah 
  • Washington, D.C. (not ranked as it is a federal district, not a state)

Collectively, 1,633 commercial and institutional projects became LEED certified within the Top 10 States in 2015, representing 274.9 million square feet of real estate. Worldwide, 4,837 projects were certified in 2015, representing 818.9 million square feet. Nearly 75,000 projects representing 14.4 billion square feet of space have been LEED-certified to date.

USGBC calculates the list using per-capita figures as a measure of the human element of green building. This also allows for fair comparisons among states with significant differences in population and number of buildings.

LEED Certification Update: New in 2016

By Celis Brisbin, Programs Manager

Published on Written by Posted in LEED

 

Reinstating our monthly feature, we take a look at LEED certification activity since January 1, 2016 broken out by rating system and location, as well as newly certified LEED projects in the news.

Be sure to check out the LEED project directory or the State and Homes Market Briefs for a closer look at LEED projects in your area. You can also visit the Country Market Briefs or the Green Building Information Gateway to analyze LEED trends around the world.

 

Certification Level Projects Certified Square Footage Certified
Certified 47 3.6 million
Silver 39 4.6 million
Gold 65 15.3 million
Platinum 15 4.5 million
Total 166 28 million

 

Rating System Projects Gross Square Footage
LEED for Retail (CI) Pilot 1 94,243
LEED for Schools 1 63,795
LEED v4 ID+C: Retail 1 2,000
LEED-CI 2.0 1 10,521
LEED-CI Retail v2009 32 86,431
LEED-CI v2009 15 1,185,565
LEED-CS 2.0> 1 120,051
LEED-CS v2009 20 4,956,331
LEED-EB:OM v2009 25 11,872,578
LEED-HOMES v2008 9 846,382
LEED-NC 2.2 7 2,086,172
LEED-NC Retail v2009 2 9,984
LEED-NC v2009 51 6,638,664
Total 166 27,972,717

 

Rating System Single Family Projects Certified Multifamily Projects Certified Total projects Certified Total Square Footage Certified
Homes 2 7 9 846,382

 

Countries Projects Gross Square Footage
Argentina 1 21,404
Brazil 4 520,083
Canada 3 4,600
China 6 2,037,344
China, Hong Kong 2 549,169
Colombia 1 64,046
Czech Republic 2 1,432,960
Finland 1 223,968
Germany 1 747,239
India 3 207,781
Indonesia 2 279,219
Mexico> 4 773,390
Peru 1 94,243
Philippines 1 304,309
Republic of Korea 1 1,310,313
Russian Federation 1 554,395
Spain 3 231,746
Sweden 2 327,916
Taiwan 2 1,835,611
Turkey 1 213,617
United States 124 16,239,365
Total 166 27,972,718

   

Starting 2016 Off With A Bang!

By Molly Cox, Residential Green Building Committee

The USGBC Annual Meeting on January 21st, 2016 was a big hit. As a new Chapter member of the Residential Green Building Committee (RGBC), I could not have been more inspired by the talent that surrounded me. So much was accomplished by all Committee members in 2015, and I can tell we are more motivated than ever to raise the bar in 2016.


You can see photos of the event on this album.


We have new board members! 

New Directors:

Julie Conroy of MAPC
Darien Crimmin of Winn Development
John Markowitz of MassDevelopment
Johanna Jobin of Biogen
Sarah Brylinski of MIT 
Steven Burke of SMMA
Samira Ahmadi of AHA

Returning:

Ben Myers of Boston Properties
Andrea Love of Payette


There was an overwhelming (in a good way) sense of passion in the room, of volunteers who are truly trying to make a difference. These people really believe in our mission. The event allowed for like-minded individuals of various Committees to share their interests, experiences, and goals. It seemed to me that each Committee is only getting larger, and staying as committed as can be.

Shining Star of the Chapter: Phoebe Beierle

Stepper-Uppers: Jessie Miller, Kimberly Le, Brice Hereford

New Hit Wonders: Colleen Brisport, Mark Pignatelli, Suzy O'Leary

Special: John DiModica & Dan Whittet

Fundraiser Rockers: Ben Myers & Jim Newman

Emerging Professionals of the Year: Vinoth Kumar Sekar & Rebecca Slocum

Noteworthy Mention: Stephanie MacNeil, Kristin Malyak, Matt Smith, Ryan Montoni, Marie Nolan, Alana Spencer, Suzy O'Leary, Mark Dunn, Laura Fitch, Aelan Tierney, Jared Gentilucci, Craig Foley, David Bliss, Bill Tobin, Kate Bubriski, Adrian Charest


Thank you to Celis and Grey for their enthusiasm and energy towards the work USGBC has accomplished, and for sharing exciting news.

 

Reflecting back on 2015:

  • MA was ranked third in possessing the most per-capita LEED buildings.
  • Many people received special recognition for their efforts in their respective Committees in 2015.

Looking ahead into 2016:

  • USGBC will be hosting Greenbuild in Los Angeles, CA
  • In case you missed in, Greenbuild will be in BOSTON in 2017
  • Congratulations to the new board members, and those returning!

 

After the meeting, we all convened at the Vanderbilt Kitchen and Bar, to continue the conversation at a networking event hosted by our Residential Green Building Committee.

 

Annual General Meeting + A New Board!

By Derek Newberry, Advocacy Fellow

Thanks to everyone who came out last night to our Annual General Meeting!  We were happy to see many familiar faces of our dedicated volunteers, as well as a few newcomers. We're grateful for all of our members that share their time and expertise to advance our mission.

Stay tuned for an exciting announcement next about the Massachusetts green building industry– congratulations in advance to all those who played a part. Continuous advancement of green buildings in our state motivates us to keep up the great work!

The other highlight of the evening was the announcement of our new board members. We will share more information about the board in the near future, but here are the eagerly awaited names. Thank you to everyone who voted.

New Directors:

  • Julie Conroy of the Metroploitan Area Planning Association (MAPC)
  • Darien Crimmin of Winn Development
  • John Markowitz of MassDevelopment
  • Johanna Jobin of Biogen
  • Sarah Brylinski of MIT
  • Steven Burke of SMMA
  • Samira Ahmadi of AHA Consulting Engineers

Returning:

  • Ben Myers of Boston Properties
  • Andrea Love of Payette Associate

Our Chapter is looking forward to an eventful 2016, with even MORE green buildings!

 








Limited Space Left for Thursday's Breakfast with Susanne Rasmussen

By Ryan Duffy, Communications Fellow

Net-Zero in Cambridge

In December 2013, the City of Cambridge created the “Getting to Net Zero Task Force” charged with advancing the goal of setting Cambridge on the trajectory towards becoming a “net zero community”, with focus on carbon emissions from building operations. This includes reducing energy use intensity of buildings and taking advantage of opportunities to harvest energy from renewable sources. To guide this process, a committee comprised of residents, community advocates, business and property owners, developers and representatives of local universities was assembled. This committee worked collaboratively with a team of technical consultants and City staff to examine strategies and develop recommendations that reduce carbon emissions through efficient design and retrofits, improved operations and renewable energy generation. The Task Force developed comprehensive, actionable, long and short term recommendations. In June 2015, a 25-year Net Zero Action Plan, endorsed by stakeholders across the Cambridge community, was adopted by City Council.    

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Susanne Rasmussen is director of the Environmental and TransportationPlanning Division in the Cambridge Community Development Department and has more than 20 years of experience in the implementation of environmental policies and programs.  She is responsible for climate change mitigation and resiliency planning including engaging residents and business in this effort.  She oversees the development of new energy and transportation policies and implementation of a variety of programs and projects in the areas of energy efficiency, renewable energy, multi-modal infrastructure, and transportation demand management.  

Prior to joining the City of Cambridge Susanne was a senior manager for a non-profit energy service company and a land use planner in a major metropolitan city.   Susanne Rasmussen has a master’s degree in City Planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a master’s in Civil Engineering and Planning from the University of Aalborg in Denmark. 

Coffee and a light breakfast will be provided with your registration. There are only a handful of remaining seats, so reserve yours today!