New Approaches to Designing Net Zero Buildings (and selling them on your clients)!

By Celis Brisbin, Programs Manager

 

 

Join us for a discussion:

Eric Corey Freed of the Organic Architect and the Instutite for Living Buildings will be presenting the latest on the Living Building Challenge and the quest for Net Zero on the West Coast. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to rally your project team to achievenet zero energy on your projects.  You’ll discover ways to sell your clients on being committed to never having to pay a utility bill ever again.  Using specific case studies and stories from the field, you’ll develop an arsenal of ideas you can apply to your current projects right now.  You won’t want to miss this workshop by a pioneer in regenerative buildings.  Follow our 20 step process to getting to net zero in your buildings.
 
BONUS:  Includes a never before seen discussion of Seattle’s Bullitt Center, called the “greenest office building in the world” and how they achieved net zero with an EUI of 10.
 
 

When:  January 12th, 2016 8:30 AM – 12:00 PM

Location: 50 Milk St, 18th Floor, “Hemingway” Room, Boston MA, 02109

Chapter Member $ 50.00

Non-Member $ 65.00

 
 
 
 
 
 

BRIEF BIO:

Eric Corey Freed is Founding Principal of organicARCHITECT, a visionary design leader in biophilic and regenerative design.  As a licensed architect, Eric brings over 20 years of experience in helping architects, builders and homeowners use sustainability to improve the design and operational savings for thousands of buildings around the country.  Eric has helped thousands of companies monetize sustainability by showing them how to cut their real estate operations costs in half.
 
Eric co-developed the Sustainable Design programs at the Academy of Art University and University of California Berkeley Extension, and currently teaches at Boston Architectural College.  He has served on the boards of the Inland Empire Chapter of the USGBC, Architects/Designers & Planners for Social Responsibility (ADPSR), as well as the advisory boards of over a dozen other organizations.  
 
He was the founding Chair of Architecture for The San Francisco Design Museum and one of the founders of ecoTECTURE: The Online Journal of Ecological Design.  He’s a regular contributor for Sustainable Industries Journal, Luxe, Natural Home, Metropolitan Home and dozens of other publications.  Eric lectures around the country at over 50 events a year, and his work has been featured in Dwell, Metropolis, Town & Country, Natural Home and Newsweek.  He has been seen on television on Fox News, HGTV, The Sundance Channel and PBS.
 
He was a founding board member and Chair of the Coachella Valley branch of the US Green Building Council, and sat on the Sustainability Commission for the City of Palm Desert where he drafted visionary sustainability policies.  He has received awards from several Mayors, and worked with dozens of municipalities around the country to help implement sustainable policies.
 
Eric is the author of 11 books, including “Green Building & Remodeling for Dummies”, a bestseller with over 200,000 copies in print, and “Sustainable School Architecture.”  His how to book, “Green$ense for your Home” won the 2011 Outstanding Book Award from the American Society of Journalists and Authors.  He is also co-founder of Architect Exam Prep, providing innovative study guides for young architects. 
 
Eric is considered a leader in the field; named by San Francisco Magazine “Best Green Architect” in 2005; “Best Visionary” in 2007; and “Green Visionary” by 7×7 Magazine in 2008.  In 2012, he was named one of the 25 “Best Green Architecture Firms” in the US, and one of the “Top 10 Most Influential Green Architects.”  He also holds a prestigious LEED Fellow award from the US Green Building Council.

OFFER IN PARTNERSHIP WITH:

 

Earn GBCI Credits at Upcoming Webinars about LEED v4

By Derek Newberry, Advocacy Fellow

Start the new year off right by getting up-to-date with LEEDv4, while stocking up on GBCI credits. Sign up for one of these upcoming in-person webinars, offered at various locations in January.

Erosion Control, Part 1: An Introduction

January 18th, 6:00-6:30pm at the Sustainability Hub in Worcester, MA (don't forget to sign up for Part 2, immediately following Part 1)

This course covers the basics about erosion, sedimentation and their respective control measures, relating how LEED v4 acts as a tool to encourage the implementation of an erosion and sedimentation control plan before starting earthwork of a project. Causes of erosion and subsequent problems for humans and the environment are explained, highlighting the need for preliminary studies and analysis of active and passive forces of the site before designing solutions.

Examples of control measures and slope stabilization practices along with their technical drawings and materials are shown, describing their functions, objectives and maintenance procedures. Additionally, the LEED v4 categories, prerequisites and credits related to erosion and sediment controls are explained.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Define causes and problems of erosion
  2. Recognize the importance of erosion and sedimentation control (ESC)
  3. Identify general ESC practices
  4. Explain the benefits of ESC practices for LEED certification

Who should attend: LEED professionals, architects, engineers, designers, contractors, consultants, investors, developers.

Erosion Control, Part 2: The Tropics

January 18th, 6:30-7:00pm at the Sustainability Hub in Worcester, MA

This course aims to explain the fundamentals of erosion control in a tropical setting, and how LEED v4 can have an impact on its development. Erosion problems in the tropics are described, and the appropriate erosion and sedimentation control (ESC) practices related to LEED certification are explained in detail. Technical drawings and examples are shown to facilitate comprehension of the proper implementation of ESC best practices, along with their functions, required materials and maintenance procedures.

Two case studies of erosion and sediment control practices in Panama guide the technical implementation process of slope and soil stabilization.

Among engineers, architects and urban planners, this course is intended for anyone interested in learning more about the tropics and innovative soil bioengineering and ESC practices in Central America, in relation to LEED.

Participants should have a basic knowledge of ESC practices as requirements for the LEED v4 Sustainable Sites Prerequisite: Construction Activity Pollution Prevention, which is covered in the course “Erosion Control Part 1: An Introduction” in this series.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Recognize the severity of erosion problems in the tropics
  2. Identify best management practices (BMP’s) for construction in tropical areas
  3. Explain the challenges and benefits of implementing erosion control practices for LEED certification in Central America
  4. Acquaint the technical implementation process of slope and soil stabilization

Understanding and Improving Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) — VOC eating drywall

January 20th, 4:30-6:00pm at 50 Milk St., Boston MA

Sustainable buildings now address indoor air quality (IAQ) to enhance the comfort of building occupants. The course focuses on airborne pollutants and chemicals associated with adverse health effects. Participants who complete this course will be able to identify common contaminants and design appropriate remediation strategies, as well as identify emerging product capture technologies.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Understand the relationship between indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and indoor air quality (IAQ)
  2. Identify common indoor air contaminants and describe their adverse effects
  3. Describe how to improve IAQ using different remediation strategies
  4. Describe how to improve IAQ using different remediation strategies

 Certified Wood & Green Building

(available either to watch remotely, or in-person with the opportunity for group discussion)

January 26th, 12:00-1:00pm at 50 Milk St., Boston MA

As part of our global policy efforts, the Institute has partnered with Greenwash Action to develop a suite of advocacy trainings for our network of members, practitioners and volunteers. This series of webinars will explore hot topics in the green building industry and lay the foundation for local policy and advocacy efforts.

Certified wood and forest certification have long been lightning rods in the green building advocacy arena. In this webinar, we will examine the big picture of forestry and timber production and provide an overview of forest certification, examining the history of and the key differences between the main competitors in forest certification, FSC and SFI. We will explore how each of these certifications is considered within various certification programs, including the Living Building Challenge, LEED and Green Globes. This webinar will also discuss the potential impact of burgeoning interest in cross-laminated timber production with a particular emphasis on the Cascadia bioregion.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Outline the history of political debate that surrounds sustainable forestry and emerging trends of timber specification within the green building industry.
  2. Explain how various green building certifications are driving sustainable timber practices with a particular focus on LEED® and the Living Building Challenge.
  3. Identify techniques that practitioners can use to incorporate sustainably sourced timber into Living Building Challenge and other sustainable building projects.
  4. Discuss how participants can play a role in promoting market uptake of certified wood through specification and other advocacy tools.

You Are What You Breathe: Taking Action on Chemicals of Concern

(available either to watch remotely, or in-person with the opportunity for group discussion)

January 28th, 12:00-1:00pm at 50 Milk St., Boston MA

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.

Learning 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.

Congress Extends Wind & Solar Production Credits

By Derek Newberry, Advocacy Fellow

Great news for the green building industry: Congress just passed a budget deal that supports continued growth and competition in renewables market by extending tax credits for developers before phasing them out. 

Renewable Choice Energy, an environmental consultancy, summarized the key takeaways of these federal tax incentives:

  • Production Tax Credit (PTC) extended for new wind power development projects with construction start by December 2016. Projects starting construction during 2017 would get 80% of the PTC, during 2018 would get 60%, and during 2019 would get 40%.
  • Investment Tax Credit (ITC) stays in place as a 30% tax credit through 2019. Credit winds down to 10% over the following four years.

The year-end fiscal passage passed by Congress this morning supports the renewable energy market by providing developers and buyers with a predictable regulatory environment in which to develop and price new wind and solar power projects.

For wind developments, the newly extended PTC allows all projects with a start of construction date prior to December 31, 2016 to take advantage of 100% of the tax credit.  This maintains the current favorable pricing environment for buyers of large scale renewables through Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs). Going forward, the tax credit will be phased out on the following schedule: Projects starting construction during 2017 are eligible for 80% of the tax credit; eligible for 60% during 2018; and eligible for 40% during 2019.  The PTC is currently worth $23 per megawatt-hour of electricity produced in the first 10 years.

For solar developments, the news is even better.  The newly extended ITC stays in place as a 30% tax credit for all projects with a start of construction date prior to December 31, 2019.  The credit ramps down over time.  Projects that start in 2020 are eligible for a 26% credit and those that start in 2021 are eligible for 22%.  Projects that start after 2021, or that are started sooner but not placed in service until after 2023, are only eligible for a 10% ITC.

Atlantic Wharf & E+: Smart Green Buildings

By Derek Newberry, Advocacy Fellow

The Urban Land Institute's magazine just published an article about 10 of the smartest green buildings in the country, and 2 of Boston's innovative green building projects  made the cut! Read the excerpts about the featured Boston-area projects below, and check out the full article by Ron Nyren here.

(We're especially excited that this article featured Boston Properties, one of our Chapter sponsors.)

_________________

ULX: 10 Smart Green Buildings

Although solar panels and wind turbines may be the poster children for sustainable design, many of the most effective methods for lowering a building’s energy use are decidedly low tech. Narrow floor plates and extensive glazing maximize natural light and ventilation; sunshades, proper building orientation, and high levels of insulation cut cooling and heating costs. But in an increasingly wired and data-driven world, sophisticated technologies have emerged that enable buildings to respond intelligently to environmental conditions and occupant behavior.

The following ten projects—all completed during the past five years—supplement their green design strategies with a range of computerized technologies, providing feedback on energy or water use, shutting off lights and other equipment when not in use, monitoring and adjusting comfort levels, or opening windows and skylights at night to bring in cooling air.

3. Atlantic Wharf
Boston, Massachusetts


Along Boston Harbor’s Fort Point Channel, three abandoned, decaying historic buildings have found new life as part of the mixed-use Atlantic Wharf. The local office of Boston Properties worked with local firm CBT Architects to restore and adapt one of the historic structures, the 1899 Russia Building, to provide 86 residential lofts. A new low-rise structure behind the rehabilitated facades of the other two buildings incorporates office, retail, and public uses; a new 31-story tower contains offices. Atlantic Wharf also has gallery and meeting space for the Boston Society of Architects, a public multimedia center, public galleries, event space, and a landscaped waterfront plaza.

Sustainable strategies include a vegetated roof and a stormwater management system that retains rainwater and reuses it in irrigation and in the heating, ventilation, and cooling system. A centrally monitored electronic metering network keeps track of the electricity, natural gas, and water consumption of the base building, including its public spaces. Tenants have access to infrastructure that allows them to monitor their own spaces as well using submetering guidelines developed by Boston Properties. The project was completed in 2011.

 

6. E+ // 226–232 Highland Street Townhouses
Boston, Massachusetts


The city of Boston developed the Energy Plus (E+) Green Building Program as a pilot initiative to create highly sustainable housing in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods, with the goal that the buildings produce more energy than they consume. The first project completed under the program’s umbrella is E+ // 226–232 Highland Street Townhouses. The Boston Redevelopment Authority and the Department of Neighborhood Development chose local firm Urbanica and Philadelphia-based Interface Studio Architects to develop the four three-story townhouses on a vacant city-owned lot in the Roxbury neighborhood. Three of the for-sale units are market rate; the fourth is earmarked for households earning less than 80 percent of AMI.

To achieve positive energy production, the building uses both passive and active design strategies, including a high-performance building envelope heavily insulated against Boston’s cold winters and humid summers. Large, recessed, north-facing windows bring in natural light and facilitate cross ventilation; south-facing sloped roofs hold photovoltaic panels. A grant from the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, a local publicly financed agency, funded incorporation of sensors that track electricity production and consumption. Residents can access this information through an online and smartphone interface that also lets them remotely control their units’ heating and cooling. The buildings were completed in 2013.

Meet Our Newest Chapter Member: Jacob Werner

By Derek Newberry, Advocacy Fellow

We are happy to welcome Jacob Werner as a new member of the USGBC MA Chapter.  After years of being a LEED AP, participating in many LEED projects (including as LEED administrator), and working with the USGBC National organization, he discovered the MA Chapter.  He is excited to be a part of the Emerging Professionals mentoring program and looks forward to working on events and outreach in the new year. As a member of the Boston Society of Architects (BSA) and the International Institute of Sustainable Laboratories (I2SL), he is looking forward to exploring joint programs with these groups.


Jacob says, “Getting involved with the Massachusetts Chapter has been a fun and rewarding experience.  Chapter events have a welcoming, casual feel, while simultaneously being interesting and broadly applicable to my work. Participating in events helps me feel more connected to the sustainable design movement in Boston and the region.”

Mr. Werner is the Director of Sustainable Design at Wilson Architects in Boston, and focuses on the design of high tech and laboratory projects. Currently, he is the project architect / project manager for the UMass Physical Sciences Building on the Amherst campus. In addition to leading sustainable design efforts firm-wide and contributing sustainable design “consulting” for all projects, Mr. Werner's efforts also include mentoring, managing educational programs, overseeing the lunch 'n learn program, and developing engineering partnerships. He is especially proud that Wilson Architects has made the AIA 2030 Commitment, because the company has been a USGBC National Member for 10 years and an advocate for LEED. 

Check out the Wilson Architects' blog for more information about the company, and their commitment to green buildings.

 

 

Things to look forward to!

By Celis Brisbin, Programs Manager

New: Online education for credentialing and maintenance

By Celis Brisbin, Programs Manager


GBES is an Education Partner with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)
in the development of new green building education courses and has partnered with the Massachusetts Chapter to provide online webinars for LEED credentialing and maintenance. 

“We are excited to take the next step in our long affiliation with USGBC,” said Charlie Cichetti, principal of GBES. “Our established role ensures that GBES will continue to offer our customers the most relevant, up-to-date, and high-quality materials for sustainability education.”

The education partnership with USGBC strengthens the GBES position as the industry leader in LEED exam preparation since 2007. GBES has been active in USGBC Chapters and other industry organizations throughout the United States, as well as key international groups, with both online and in-person education.

USGBC is moving away from its focus on developing and delivering its own green building courses. Instead, it supports GBES and others in the partner network to provide resources to produce best-in-class educational programs. Partners have access to a variety of data, including LEED credit achievement patterns and market trends. In addition, partners can connect with a wide range of subject-matter and education experts, and access all of the USGBC educational materials.

As an Education Partner GBES has access to USGBC’s intellectual property, industry data and marketplace analytics, as well as educational development resources, further enabling us to create content that meets the demand of green education consumers, including design firms, developers, Fortune 500 companies and USGBC chapters.

In a marketplace crowded with elementary and inadequately developed products, GBES offers sophisticated and powerful LEED exam preparation. Backed by the strongest commitment to client success in the industry, dedicated customer support, unrivaled expertise in accreditation training and the best technology, GBES is a reliable partner for learning LEED and passing the LEED exam the first time. 

Visit their site HERE! Tell your colleagues!

Paris COP21: Boosting Transition to Low-Carbon Built Environment

By Derek Newberry, Advocacy Fellow

Below is a reposted article from USGBC National. Our Chapter is excited about a stronger international commitment to low-carbon and energy efficiency–we're looking forward to the impact that this agreement will have on the green building industry in Massachusetts! 

COP21 boosting transition to a low-carbon built environment

Published on 11 Dec 2015

Written by Elizabeth Beardsley


The attention to the built environment at the United Nations’ 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) was unprecedented. We saw the first-ever Buildings Day, and buildings being discussed in all venues, from the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change official side events to city and private sector events in Paris. There are several takeaways and actionable conversations coming out of USGBC’s time in Paris.

Finance community investing in building efficiency

There were signs throughout the conference that the finance world is all in. As USGBC and our colleagues at GRESB and Ceres have been reporting, the investment world is responding in a big way to the threat of climate change—and the return-on-investment potential of building efficiency. Just this week, over 100 financial institutions from more than 40 countries committed to actively contribute to scaling up energy efficiency financing and to work toward tracking deployment of energy efficiency finance. Also, 39 investors collectively managing close to $4 trillion endorsed the G20 Energy Efficiency Investor Statement, pledging to embed energy efficiency into their investment processes, commit to increasing energy efficiency investments, and monitor and report on asset energy efficiency performance. The Global Environment Facility, a key funding entity, announced $23 million in funding for the Building Energy Accelerator and the District Energy Accelerator.

Buildings given new visibility

Buildings Day was marked by widespread understanding that green buildings are at the core of climate action, with potential to drive significant reductions both short- and long-term. As Marcene Broadwater of IFC put it, building green now prevents 80 years of future over-consumption.

Buildings Day began with a call to action as Minister Glen Murray of Ontario asserted the need to rapidly deploy technology to buildings and to get it right, because we can’t go back again and again. We know we must employ energy efficiency and clean energy together, by first saving energy, and then, for the energy we can’t save, making it green. Sandrine Dickson-DeCleve of the Prince of Wales Corporate Leaders Group bravely asked in the morning session, “If everyone says that this is the low-hanging fruit, why the hell aren’t we there?” Or, as Pierre-Andre Chalendar, CEO of USGBC member company Saint-Gobain, said more delicately in the afternoon, “We know how to make buildings that don’t use energy; the issue is, why don’t we?”

The finance community reiterated that the capital is there—or at least ready to be there. Some called for structures and tools to address transaction costs among multiple building sector actors, so that we can get financial flows to where they’re needed. There was agreement on emphasizing the life cycle approach to construction costs—where efficiency scores well. As Dr. Ishii of the Global Environment Facility explained, there’s a huge amount of potential CO2 reduction in buildings, but it doesn’t happen automatically: success requires the private sector and finance community. The need to work collaboratively throughout the value chain to internalize the externalities was emphasized.

Interestingly, private sector actors expressed the need for a strong government role, with codes, incentives and policies that are specific in context to help make our buildings what people want: better places to work, more comfortable homes, and places that support health for our children’s children. To this end, we were pleased to partner in highlighting the climate actions of 11 U.S. cities in the Local Climate Leaders Circle. These cities have not just made commitments, but have shown amazing results with both new and existing buildings, serving as role models to other local governments.

USGBC anchors green building councils in scaling up

Green building councils have a key role to play in bringing together the private, public and finance sectors. These councils support government policy advances and alignment with building technology, educate those along the value chain, scale up proven tools to mobilize capital for building efficiency and training and help make mainstream technological advances in the life cycle carbon footprint of buildings. USGBC, which runs LEED, the world’s most widely used green building rating system, committed to scaling green buildings and energy efficiency in buildings to more than 5 billion square feet (478 million square meters) over the next five years through LEED, as well as supporting adoption of EDGE as a key tool for energy efficiency in developing countries. We will bring our considerable tools, network and education platform to work with the newly formed Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction to successfully scale green and energy efficient buildings.

The new, official recognition of buildings as a solution, combined with the commitments of the financial community, private sector, green building council and governments, has signs of marking the tipping point we have anticipated. As Special Envoy Michael Bloomberg declared, we didn’t come to Paris to make history, but to make the future. USGBC is ready.

Chapter Member Leo Roy Named Commissioner of Dept of Conservation & Recreation

By Grey Lee, Executive Director

BOSTON – December 9, 2015 – Today, Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Matthew Beaton announced that Leo Roy will serve as Commissioner of the Department of Conservation and Recreation.

 

“Leo brings a substantial amount of experience, dedication and knowledge to the Department of Conservation and Recreation,” said EEA Secretary Matthew Beaton. “His qualifications and skill set will ensure that the public will continue to benefit and enjoy additional recreational opportunities, while simultaneously laying the groundwork to conserve and preserve the state’s natural resources for future generations to come.”

 

“I am honored to join the Baker-Polito Administration and am excited for the opportunity to work with Secretary Beaton and the dedicated staff within the Department of Conservation and Recreation,” said Leo Roy. “The Department’s parks, pools, rinks, beaches, forests, watersheds, and historic properties are enjoyed by so many Massachusetts residents, and their stewardship is a significant responsibility.”


Leo Roy, Commissioner, Department of Conservation and Recreation

 

Leo Roy returns to public service after 15 years in the private sector, most recently as a Principal at VHB – an infrastructure planning, design, engineering, and environmental firm. Leo brings to the Department of Conservation and Recreation his experience in natural and cultural resource management, sustainability, ecological restoration, and agency management.

 

As an environmental consultant Roy worked for state and municipal governments, colleges and universities, airport and port authorities, and private corporations and developers. He was named a LEED Fellow by the US Green Building Council for over a decade’s work in promoting sustainable building design, construction, and operation, and was certified as an Envision Sustainability Professional by the Institute for Sustainable Infrastructure in 2012.

 

Previously, Roy served as Massachusetts Undersecretary of Environmental Affairs from 1992 to 1997. He has been an active supporter of numerous non-profit environmental organizations, serving on the Board of the Environmental Business Council of New England (EBC), and as Chair of the Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership.  

Yet Another Successful Green Associate Class!

By Celis Brisbin, Programs Manager


Another Green Associate class has been launched into the industry. It was our pleasure to host, yet another, prep course. We had individuals from Arrowstreet, Commodore Builders, the BAC, Clean Water Action and other join us for the session earlier this week.

The class was instructed by two awesome engineers at The Green Engineers (Ryan Montoni and Matt Smity) who are experts in the LEED system. There were many moments where questions from the class incited deep level instruction and AP level examination and response. We were glad to see this well rounded group discuss green buildings, network amongst each other and invest their passion for knowledge and efficient design through this credential. All in the class, were interested in AP level credential and the discussion followed in the same depth.

The eight session course was found to be comprehensive, especially relating to the changes in LEED v4. 


We will have our next session in February. Please click here to sign up. If you have a group, please email  (celis@usgbcma.org ) for special rates.