Webinars this Month!

By Celis Brisbin, Programs Manager


Come join us for some great webinars this month! Webinars that you can check out include:

Shoebox Energy Modeling: How To Do Quick, Early Simulations will be shown on 12/15/15 in Cambridge at noon. Most whole building energy simulations require a mechanical system design, making them unsuitable for early-design modeling. By the time you’re sizing mechanical systems and debating the finer points of shading mechanisms, you know you’ve missed some really big energy-saving opportunities. Learn from the architects and energy modelers who are turning to shoebox models—with one or just a few zones— to capture big energy, design, and construction savings.

To join this in-person webinar, register here!

New Construction & Philadelphia’s Energy Benchmarking Law will be shown on 12/16/15 in Boston at 4:30. Energy benchmarking and disclosure mandates are a growing national trend. Although these policies are geared towards existing buildings, there is a unique opportunity to impact the new construction industry as well. This session is intended to educate design professionals, energy services providers, and commercial building owners about the importance of optimizing the energy performance of new buildings and how to achieve the best results using integrated design, energy modeling, EPA's Target Finder, and more. We will also review Philadelphia's energy benchmarking and disclosure law, Year 2 results, and current green codes and standards, which will be beneficial to policy makers who have recently adopted or are considering similar legislation.

To join this webinar, register here!

Geothermal Heating and Cooling: A Renewable Energy Technology will be shown on 12/21/15 in Worcester at 6pm. This course will cover several critical topics surrounding our industry today in the world of geothermal heating and cooling. You will learn the basic principles of the geothermal heat pump technology and we will discuss some of the misconceptions that often arise in today’s market. You will walk away with an understanding of how and why geothermal heat pumps systems are so incredibly energy efficient and gain a general understanding of how the four basic systems are designed and work for each job application.

To join this webinar, register here!

Get Psyched for the Green Associate!

By Allison Maynard, Communications Associate


In just three weeks we'll be holding our next LEED Green Associate Exam Preparation course! I'm excited to say that I received my LEED Green Associate Accreditation just a few weeks ago, and the course I attended to prepare was invaluable in helping me learn what would be included in the exam and what to focus on. This is also the perfect opportunity to get ahead of the game 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. 

Find more details about the course and 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.

 

Living Building Challenge Building Tours

By Allison Maynard, Communications Associate

On December 11th Jonathan Wright of The Wright Builders and his project team leaders will lead professional tours of two buildings designed to meet the rigorous standards of the Living Building Challenge (LBC) – of which there are only eight certified projects in the world. Currently under construction, both The R.W. Kern Center (80% complete) and The Hitchcock Center for the Environment (framing is in place) are on Hampshire College's Campus in Amherst, MA.

Light refreshments will be provided by The Wright Builders and the conversation with continue after dark at the Kern Center with the Facility Owners participating in a Question and Answer session, led by the Boston LBC Collaborative.

Please register here to attend!


Project Details:
The first building is the 17,000 square-foot R.W. Kern Center. Upon its completion, the Kern Center will be a multifunctional learning, teaching, and exhibition space; the point of entry for prospective students and their families into the Hampshire community; and the location of the admissions financial aid and new student programs offices. Project completion is scheduled for the winter of 2016.

The second building is the new 9,000 square-foot Hitchcock Center.  The building will be New England's first public environmental education center to meet the LBC (version 2.1), more than doubling the Center’s capacity to host programs for all ages, while also being a one-of-a-kind teaching tool. The new “living” Hitchcock Center is designed to model and mimic natural systems with interpretive and interactive exhibits, and will be an extension of Hitchcock’s mission to create a healthier more sustainable future. The building will be completed in the summer of 2016.

 

More of November's New LEED Buildings

By Allison Maynard, Communications Associate



The MIT Spec Lab at 130 Brookline Street in Cambridge was certified LEED Gold for Commercial Interiors v2009 on November 14th. Our Chapter Sponsoring Partner Arrowstreet renovated the building into a new laboratory building for MIT, which is now fully occupied by tenants 24M Technologies, an innovative energy storage company founded by two MIT professors, and Intellia Therapeutics, an industry leader in therapeutic gene editing technology.

 


 

 

 

100 High Street in Boston was certified LEED Silver for Existing Buildings v2009 on Novermber 19th. The property is managed by CBRE New England who provide services and amenities that cultivate creativity and drive productivity.

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

ONE Marina Park Drive, home to EnerNOC, was designed by our Chapter Sponsoring Partner Elkus|Manfredi Architects and certified LEED Gold for Existing Buildings v2009 on November 20th. The building was the first newly constructed LEED Gold Certified building in Boston in 2010.

 

 

 

Congratulations to everyone involved in these projects! If you have a project that has recently been certified or otherwise earned a distinction, please let us know so we can share the story with your peers in the industry.

 

Welcome, New England Lab!

By Allison Maynard, Communications Associate


We're excited to welcome New England Lab as our newest bronze level chapter Sponsoring Partner!

New England Lab was established in 1990 as a laboratory furniture specialist. Their focus on quality, service and value to the client has been the foundation of their continuous growth. Taking the time to understand their client’s requirements, vision and budget allows them to provide the necessary support throughout the life of the project. As a result they are able to offer the correct product combined with seamless project coordination. Their internal manufacturing capabilities along with their strong network of manufacturing partners ensure that they meet specific project requirements and can respond quickly to their client’s needs when tight deadlines must be met.

Their dedicated team of professionals combines expert knowledge and experience in design and installation of laboratory furniture, to achieve great results for their clients. They also take great pride in completing projects on time and within budget and can assist with design, coordination, and material selection and provide a complete solution for clients laboratory furniture and systems needs. They are devoted to furnishing state-of-the-art laboratories that meet the current and future needs of the research, medical and scientific communities.

New England Lab provides material that is rapidly renewable, made with recycled content and has no added urea formaldehyde. New England Lab holds an FSC® (FSC-C105535) chain of custody number enabling them to provide proper documentation from product sourcing through installation for certain products. They have supported dozens of LEED accredited projects in New England and the Mid Atlantic States.  With LEED AP's on staff they can assist in material selection, proper material categorization and paperwork.  They can provide material to meet the following LEED credits: MR 4.1, MR 4.2, MR6 and MR 7.

Welcome to our sponsor community, New England Lab!

Greenbuild 2015: What a week

By Derek Newberry, Advocacy Fellow

Here's a re-post of an article from USGBC National–check out the original article here.

Published on 23 Nov 2015  |   Written by Fleming Roberts


Greenbuild came home this year! Welcoming our industry to Washington, D.C., where USGBC is headquartered, made it a show like no other we’ve seen.

“Monumental Green” was the official theme, but USGBC CEO Rick Fedrizzi introduced the unofficial theme during his presentation at the opening plenary: “There is work to be done, so we do it.” This sentiment was carried throughout the show, which was packed with people attending education sessions, sharing best practices across fields and planning for the future of the green building movement.

Three summits kicked off the week on Tuesday. The Materials and Human Health Summit covered topics such as supply chain optimization, innovative materials and market transformation. At the Communities and Affordable Housing Summit, sustainability and community leaders came together to discuss successful neighborhood-driven programs, meaningful investment strategies and how to keep inclusivity and equality as part of the conversation. During the sold-out International Summit, speakers from around the world covered topics such as mass urbanization, growing populations and smart city planning. The rooms were full of brainpower being applied to the most pressing problems in our movement. The work was being done. Deepak Chopra wrapped the day up with an inspirational talk at a special closing plenary for all summit attendees.

On Wednesday, the opening plenary featured an open and honest discussion between Mika Brzezinski, Co-Host of MSNBC's “Morning Joe,” and Academy Award–winning Director James Cameron, director of films such as Avatar and Titanic. They discussed the stark realities of climate change, the most impactful ways to mitigate it and even the sustainability motivations behind Cameron’s vegan diet.  Rick Fedrizzi set the electric tone for the rest of the conference. He highlighted the changes taking place around USGBC, including verbally and physically embracing his upcoming successor as CEO of USGBC and GBCI, current Chief Operating Officer Mahesh Ramanujam

Later that morning, the ribbon was cut, and attendees flooded the expo hall floor, where more than 600 exhibitors showed off the latest and greatest in building technologies and innovations. Later in the day, leadership workshops and sold-out education sessions took place all around the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

On Thursday, the Women in Green Power Breakfast opened its doors bright and early at 6:30 a.m., and more than 500 women packed the room for the sold-out event. Senior Vice President of Knowledge Rachel Gutter led the forward-thinking program, and issued a challenge to the women of the room to commit to mentorship. USGBC unveiled the successful pilot of its Bringing Up Girls Program, a collaboration with the Girl Scouts Council of the Nation’s Capital, and recognized the girls who took part in the initiative. Many women said this breakfast was their favorite part of Greenbuild this year.

It's impossible to describe all of the different speakers and events that took place over the course of Greenbuild 2015, from the exciting presentation by USGBC's COO Ramanujam and Chief Product Officer Scot Horst about what’s coming for USGBC and GBCI, to Master Speaker Elizabeth Kolbert, a Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist and author whose series on global warming, “The Climate of Man,” won the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s magazine award. There was something for everyone.

The Greenbuild celebration was held at a truly monumental location—the Newseum. Fitz and the Tantrums brought the house down!

Friday arrived in a flash, and conference attendees reflected on how quickly the week had passed. USGBC President Roger Platt began the closing plenary with his personal reflections on the week and a moment of silence for the events in Paris and in Mali. An insightful panel conversation took place, moderated by Kevin Klose, President Emeritus of NPR, about values-based business decision making, with representatives of companies including StarbucksUnited Technologies CorporationKohler Co. and Vasakronan ABJoe Romm, Senior Fellow at American Progress and overseer of ClimateProgress.org, presented on the climate change crisis. Rick Fedrizzi took the stage once again to thank attendees, and brought all USGBC staff on stage for a #USGBCfamily photo. 

Finally, Kimberly Lewis, Senior Vice President, Community Advancement, Conferences and Events at USGBC, closed the show by looking West—because we’re already planning for next year’s Greenbuild in sunny Los Angeles, California! The theme is “Iconic Green,” and we hope to see you there.

To see our coverage for the week, be sure to check out our videos on USGBC’s YouTube channel, or usgbc.org. To see pictures and learn more, check out #Greenbuild on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

What a Monumental Greenbuild 2015!

By Grey Lee, Executive Director


We had a large contingent of USGBCers from Massachusetts attend the big annual conference, this year in Washington, DC. It was a lot of great networking, learning, and fun. Congratulations to the many chapter members who presented or reviewed presentations – there was a lot of fabulous content. We also had fun saying hello to many of our sponsoring partners at the Expo Hall. Amazing technologies and services in there! We can't wait to get to LA in 2016 and of course, we're excited for Greenbuild to come to Boston in 2017!!

To check out all of our Greenbuild 2015 Highlights, stop by our Flickr here!

 

This was the entry hall after the rush. We did a lot of walking between classes, presentations, and the Expo Hall!


 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

The U.S. Capital has a lot of wonderful stuff to see – esp. from the site of the “I Have a Dream” speech of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, at the Lincoln Memorial.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We recognized the USGBC volunteer board and advisory council and heard from the outgoing CEO Rick Fedrizzi.


And caught up with a lot of closer colleagues such as Shawn Hesse, myself, and Jim Newman, those both being on our local chapter board.




There were many great classes like this one on “green leasing.” One of our interns, Allison Maynard, volunteered for Greenbuild in exchange for attending the conference for free!


The affordable housing and green communities program was a top-notch congregation of advocates from across the industry. We made a lot of great contacts and heard an excellent presentation about the sharing economy and how that affects under-resourced communities. On the other hand, we found a lot of other great connections at the trade show in the Expo Hall.



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There were a lot of parties as well – to ensure we are all building social capital as colleagues in the industry!

 

 

 

 

December Webinars

By Allison Maynard, Communications Associate


Come join us for some great webinars next month! Webinars that you can check out include:

Shoebox Energy Modeling: How To Do Quick, Early Simulations will be shown on 12/15/15 in Cambridge at noon. Most whole building energy simulations require a mechanical system design, making them unsuitable for early-design modeling. By the time you’re sizing mechanical systems and debating the finer points of shading mechanisms, you know you’ve missed some really big energy-saving opportunities. Learn from the architects and energy modelers who are turning to shoebox models—with one or just a few zones— to capture big energy, design, and construction savings.

To join this in-person webinar, register here!

New Construction & Philadelphia’s Energy Benchmarking Law will be shown on 12/16/15 in Boston at 4:30. Energy benchmarking and disclosure mandates are a growing national trend. Although these policies are geared towards existing buildings, there is a unique opportunity to impact the new construction industry as well. This session is intended to educate design professionals, energy services providers, and commercial building owners about the importance of optimizing the energy performance of new buildings and how to achieve the best results using integrated design, energy modeling, EPA's Target Finder, and more. We will also review Philadelphia's energy benchmarking and disclosure law, Year 2 results, and current green codes and standards, which will be beneficial to policy makers who have recently adopted or are considering similar legislation.

To join this webinar, register here!

Geothermal Heating and Cooling: A Renewable Energy Technology will be shown on 12/21/15 in Worcester at 6pm. This course will cover several critical topics surrounding our industry today in the world of geothermal heating and cooling. You will learn the basic principles of the geothermal heat pump technology and we will discuss some of the misconceptions that often arise in today’s market. You will walk away with an understanding of how and why geothermal heat pumps systems are so incredibly energy efficient and gain a general understanding of how the four basic systems are designed and work for each job application.

To join this webinar, register here!

Building and Real Estate Companies Join Call for Action on Climate Change

By Marisa Long, Public Relations & Communications Director, U.S. Green Building Council

WASHINGTON, D.C. — (Nov. 20, 2015) — As Paris readies for the COP21 International Climate talks, more than 54 building and real estate companies, including Thornton Tomasetti, Skanska and JLL, announced today that they have signed on to the Building and Real Estate Climate Declaration, a business call to action that urges policymakers to seize the economic opportunity of tackling climate change. The declaration was recognized before thousands of industry leaders and experts at the closing plenary of the annual Greenbuild International Conference and Expo taking place in Washington, D.C. this week.

The Building and Real Estate Climate Declarationis a collaborative effort among the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the Carbon Leadership Forum and Ceres. It is a companion to Ceres’ Climate Declaration, launched in 2013, which has more than 1,660 signatories nationwide, including iconic brands such as Gap Inc., General Mills,, Disney, Apple, and Starbucks. The building and real estate sector firms have signed their own Building and Real Estate Climate Declaration, to call attention to the specific risks and opportunities associated with climate change on the built sector industry, which is a major economic driver in the United States and produces 39 percent of carbon emissions annually.  

“The Building and Real Estate Declaration is the first collective statement of the building community on climate, and it signals we are ready to get to work, both sustainably and profitably,” said Roger Platt, president, USGBC. “Our community knows that buildings represent the lowest cost and greatest potential to reduce carbon emissions. The Climate Declaration will give visibility to buildings as a critical climate solution. We’ve proven that by acting sustainably, we can leverage innovation and efficiency to driven economic growth.”

“These building and real estate companies recognize the financial upside of tackling climate change today, both for their own bottom lines and the overall economy,” said Anne Kelly, director of policy and BICEP at Ceres, a nonprofit sustainability advocacy organization. “They recognize that strong policies are essential for tackling climate change at the scale and pace that’s needed. We urge negotiators at COP21 to follow their lead.”

The building and real estate industry faces multiple climate change impacts. Extreme weather, sea level rise, coastal erosion, floods, and wildfires are contributing to rising insurance rates and premiums in sought-after coastal real estate. Hundreds of billions of dollars of property are at risk of inundation from sea level rise and storm surge alone. In the construction sector, extreme heat can lead to lower labor productivity, curtailed hours and extended construction schedules. The cost of property damage from extreme weather events in the United States topped $19 billion across 35 states in 2014. Built sector leaders are turning those risks into opportunities. 

“For us, signing the Building & Real Estate Sector Climate Declaration was common sense,” said Gunnar Hubbard, principal and sustainability practice leader at Thornton Tomasetti. “As an innovative business, we stand to gain financially from good policies that recognize the reality of climate change and, because we believe reducing greenhouse gases is the responsible thing to do, our firm continues to do its part to reduce emissions through our core business practices and services.”

Thornton Tomasetti has goals to implement climate neutral business operations and buildings by 2030. Measuring the embodied carbon of its structural engineering projects and reporting to the American Institute of Architects 2030 Commitment since 2012, Thornton Tomasetti has numerous initiatives towards achieving their goal, including LEED Gold+ certification of all new offices and major office renovations over 4,000 square feet.

Similarly, since 2007 JLL has documented $2.5 billion in cumulative energy savings for their clients, through energy efficiency, sustainable construction practices, and participation in the ENERGY STAR and U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED programs. In 2013 alone, the firm saved clients $681 million in energy costs. Read more about JLL's sustainability report. 

“Signing the climate declaration is a no-brainer for us. With advances in technology and the heightened awareness leading up to COP21, we have a real opportunity right now to make changes; we must be ready to take advantage of them,” said Dan Probst, chairman of energy and sustainability services at JLL. “Whether it’s joining the growing interest in renewable energy sources, retrofitting existing buildings to reduce their environmental footprint or simply reducing waste, there is something everyone can do to make a difference.”

The construction giant Skanska has goals to replace fossil energy with renewable energy, and has conducted 113 “project carbon footprints” to reduce greenhouse emissions in 2014, an increase of 40 percent since 2013. Skanska is also committed to long-term objectives such as generating zero waste through reducing upfront demand, reusing materials and implementing environmentally sound treatments.

“In addition to the ability we have to make the construction process more environmentally sound, we can go even further with our commitment,” said Elizabeth Heider, chief sustainability officer at Skanska USA. “By setting a high bar for the sustainability of the things we develop and by working with customers at early phases of project planning, we can help ensure that, no matter what is being built, it is being built green.”

“The Building & Real Estate Sector Climate Declaration provides a venue for our industry to act together, sharing both concern and optimism. We recognize the challenges of climate change and know that changes to building practices can have a significant impact,” said Kate Simonen, director of the Carbon Leadership Forum. “We helped launch the Declaration to communicate opportunity and best practices to policymakers and industry partners.”

The building and real estate industry is a major economic driver in the United States, accounting for 39% of CO2 emissions per year, with real estate construction alone contributing $1 trillion towards the nation’s economic output in 2014. As of early 2015, the U.S. Bureau of Labor estimated that 6.34 million Americans were employed in the construction industry. The agency also estimated that in early 2014, 1.5 million Americans were employed in the real estate industry.  Green building is a significant segment of the industry, and its growth is outpacing conventional construction and will account for more than a third of all construction in the United States by 2018, according to a USGBC 2015 Economic Impact Study conducted by Booz Allen Hamilton. 

Other building and real estate companies are invited to join the effort at: climatedelaration.us/build.

The 54 real estate and building sector signatories include architecture and engineering firms, construction companies of all sizes, and building product manufacturers, and are headquartered all across the United States, from New York City to California. See the full list of Building and Real Estate agencies signing the Climate Declaration. 

 

About Ceres

Ceres is a nonprofit organization mobilizing business leadership on climate change, water scarcity and other global sustainability challenges. Ceres directs the Investor Network on Climate Risk (INCR), a network of more than 110 institutional investors with collective assets totaling more than $13 trillion. Ceres also directs Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy (BICEP), an advocacy coalition of 36 businesses committed to working with policy makers to pass meaningful energy and climate legislation. For more information, visit ceres.org or follow on Twitter @CeresNews. For more information on the Climate Declaration, visit climatedeclaration.us. 

 

About U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)

USGBC is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. USGBC works toward its mission of market transformation through its LEED green building program, robust educational offerings, a nationwide network of chapters and affiliates, the annual Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, the Center for Green Schools and advocacy in support of public policy that encourages and enables green buildings and communities. For more information, visit usgbc.org, explore the Green Building Information Gateway (GBIG) and connect on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

 

About the Carbon Leadership Forum

The Carbon Leadership Forum is a collective effort of manufacturers, designers, builders and academics hosted by the University of Washington. The CLF is focused on reducing the carbon ‘embodied’ in building material manufacturing, use and disposal. The reduction of embodied carbon is an essential part of reducing emissions in our built environment. Projects of the CLF range from developing standards to report the environmental impacts of concrete, to testing low carbon building methods and hosting building industry educational forums. For more information, visit carbonleadershipforum.org.

 

Get Accredited With Us!

By Allison Maynard, Communications Associate


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.