2023 Board of Directors Election

Sustainability Manager, Energy & Utilities, BXP

I joined BXP in 2021 as a manager in the sustainability team. My focus is on strategic initiatives and implementation of decarbonization projects and carbon-neutral operations planning for the 52 million square feet portfolio. Engaging with stakeholders across BXP’s six regional offices, with a focus on carbon neutral & energy efficient operations, renewable energy procurement, decarbonization & electrification of new development and existing buildings, solar PPAs, embodied carbon reduction strategies, transition risk assessment for a low carbon economy, etc. Prior to joining BXP, my work focused on sustainable and high-performance building design consulting and technical analysis, helping projects implement energy efficiency and carbon reduction strategies, and achieve aggressive sustainability goals.

I hold a M.Arch from the University of Massachusetts (Amherst) and a B.Arch from the Indian Institute of Technology at Roorkee, India. Prior to arriving in the US, I also worked as a green building architect in India and Singapore.

What is your background in the green building industry?

I am passionate about helping integrate sustainability and the triple bottom line into every business decision. Sustainable and high-performance building design specialist with over 12 years of consulting and technical analysis experience helping projects implement energy efficiency initiatives, reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions, and implement sustainability goals. Extensive experience in stakeholder engagement to execute energy efficiency and net zero energy projects, decarbonization planning, project management, and LEED certification process.

List organizations in the building and/or environmental industries you are actively involved in:

• USGBC – LEED AP
• IWBI – WELL AP
• An active member of ULI and A Better City through BXP company membership
• Department of Energy’s Better Climate Challenge Working Groups on Electrification and Portfolio Level Decarbonization
• Past member of IBPSA

Briefly list your areas of expertise. For example; energy, renewable energy, water, indoor air quality, resiliency, health and wellness:

• Energy and Indoor Air Quality
• Renewable Energy
• On-site and Off-site Renewable energy procurement (PPAs, VPPAs, RECs, Carbon Offsets)
• Health and Wellness

Describe any involvement and interactions with Built Environment Plus (USGBC MA) in the past five years:

I have been a member of BE+ for several years and I have become more actively involved in the past couple of years. I have been involved in several roundtables hosted by BE+, both as a participant and guest speaker. I have been a team member in developing and submitting projects for the Green Building Showcase hosted by BE+.

What will you bring to the Board of Directors?

I am passionate about sustainability and climate action. In addition to bringing my passion and enthusiasm, I will bring to the BE+ board my leadership experience working on strategic initiatives as well as my experience as a member of the Sustainable Operations Committee at BXP and as a Principal, member of Board of Directors, and a member of Strategic Planning Committee at The Green Engineer. My leadership experience, collaboration with different working groups on environmental sustainability resources, and an active engagement in the environmental industry make me a strong candidate for the BE+ board.

Town of Lexington

What is your background in the green building industry?

As an Economic Development professional, I have been working with developers, architects, design engineers, and many environmental advocates to assess the built and the future development in a community to maintain sustainable systems. As the Town of Lexington works towards rezoning its commercial landscape and develops an aggressive roadmap for achieving net-zero by 2035, there has been more proactive efforts in my role to advocate, educate, and participate in green building industry. I recently also completed a course in Zero Energy and Passivehouse Buildings from Harvard Extension and participated in ICMA Sustainable Cities Virtual Study Tour.

List organizations in the building and/or environmental industries you are actively involved in:

Briefly list your areas of expertise. For example; energy, renewable energy, water, indoor air quality, resiliency, health and wellness:

Describe any involvement and interactions with Built Environment Plus (USGBC MA) in the past five years:

What will you bring to the Board of Directors?

Green buildings and sustainable building standards have become such an integral part of development in large commercial cities like Boston and Cambridge. It is still in its juvenile stages in the greater Boston areas. With more than 5 million square feet of Lab/life sciences development proposed in Lexington in the next 5 years, being on the Board of Directors I will be able to help identify early adopters and some of the future roadblocks that one could encounter during advocacy and education which is one of the goals of this organization.

Principal, Cadmus Group LLC

Mr. Laurent is a Principal with the Cadmus Group and leads the Sustainability and Energy team. Prior to Cadmus he was Vice President and General Counsel at Meister Consultants Group which was acquired by Cadmus in 2017. He was also the Manager of Renewable Energy Programs for the Green Energy Consumers’ Alliance and was a legal fellow in the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office in the Energy and Telecommunications Division. Chad’s professional experience also includes work with the Environmental Defense Fund and the Rocky Mountain Institute. He holds a Juris Doctor from Suffolk University Law School where he was a Rappaport Honors Fellow in Law and Public Policy, and a B.S. from the University of Michigan in Environmental Policy & Behavior and Natural Resource Ecology & Management. He is a professionally trained mediator, facilitator, and is admitted to the Massachusetts Bar.

What is your background in the green building industry?

Chad is a nationally recognized expert in clean energy, and climate action strategies. He has overseen multiple U.S. Department of Energy projects including the Better Buildings Initiative where on behalf of the DOE he manages projects providing green building technical assistance support to wastewater treatment facilities, commercial buildings, correctional facilities, and university and hospital partners. He frequently works with corporate, university, non-profit, and municipal clients to develop renewable energy supply, decarbonization, net zero, and electrification roadmaps and procurement strategies. In addition, Mr. Laurent has worked internationally including projects in Vietnam, Indonesia, Azerbaijan, Jamaica, and Lesotho. He has worked on green building initiatives as part of broader climate strategies for numerous clients in Massachusetts including the Trustees of Reservations, Mass Audubon, DOER, MassCEC, EEA, and Massport among others. He has similarly supported hundreds of clients across the country through technical assistance support contracts at the state and federal level.

List organizations in the building and/or environmental industries you are actively involved in:

Clean Energy Solutions Center, Clean Power Hub, USDN, A Better City, Boston Green Ribbon Commission, National Community Solar Partnership.

Briefly list your areas of expertise. For example; energy, renewable energy, water, indoor air quality, resiliency, health and wellness:

Energy, renewable energy, energy storage, renewable heating and cooling, electrification, electric vehicles, stakeholder engagement, renewable energy law and policy.

Describe any involvement and interactions with Built Environment Plus (USGBC MA) in the past five years:

I am new to Built Environment Plus.

What will you bring to the Board of Directors?

I would bring 20-years of experience working with clients across the world on climate, energy, and green building policy development and implementation. This global best-practice knowledge can help inform BE+ goals, and support educational efforts. My legal background can help provide insights into the regulatory environment and changes required to accelerate green building and clean energy deployment. I have experience directly working with a broad set of clients helping them identify and work to solve their climate challenges. I would also bring experience in stakeholder engagement and mediation that is required to bring together diverse sets of people to problem solve, and agree on pathways forward. I also bring an enthusiasm and entrepreneurialism to my work, and would be excited to collaborate with an amazing group of people.

Wentworth Institute of Technology

I have a BSc in Civil Engineering, a M-Arch and a PhD in Architecture. I have taught fifth grade to PhD students. I teach design studios that involve travel to Africa, including Cape Verde, Benin, and currently Morocco. I teach another studio that involves the Solar Decathlon. I also teach courses related to how to put together buildings, and the systems within buildings. I also teach seminars on design ethics, building materials, and on waste in the industry . I have worked at design firms in Boston, New York City, Milwaukee, and San Francisco on a range of projects including institutional, commercial, and residential buildings. I have also participated in sustainable development projects in the US, such as in Milwaukee, and in Kiowa Nation, Oklahoma, and abroad in Liberia, Nigeria, and elsewhere.

What is your background in the green building industry?

In most of my projects, I have endeavored to use passive design strategies, including the use of a modified Swedish Standard Framing wall assembly to minimize energy demand in a way that is familiar to American construction workers. I have participated in research on the operations of several building, monitoring their performance to ascertain the efficacy of simulation programs. I am also engaged in research into the humidity regulating and air purifying qualities of building with earth. I teach the core required course on passive design strategies and then another course on mechanical, and electrical systems. I like to call the latter, “when the architecture fails.” In both courses, we teach the sue of simulations to test the efficacy of design choices. Both of my studios apply these principles. In my Morocco studio we think about green building from a very low-tech perspective, and respect for local knowledge and resources. The Solar Decathlon studio focuses on high-tech and regulatory frameworks.

List organizations in the building and/or environmental industries you are actively involved in:

BSA (Boston Society of Architects), NOMA (National Organization of Minority Architects), SBSE (Society of Building Science Educators).

Briefly list your areas of expertise. For example; energy, renewable energy, water, indoor air quality, resiliency, health and wellness:

Waste, Water, Indoor Air Quality, Materials Research – Earth Building, “Alternate” Construction Methods, Urban Agriculture.

Describe any involvement and interactions with Built Environment Plus (USGBC MA) in the past five years:

Not much. Hopefully, that means that I bring a fresh (and constructive) perspective.

What will you bring to the Board of Directors?

I believe that I can forcefully bring an alternative perspective to those of many on the board. Assuming there are already other such forceful voices, I may be a necessary, and perhaps, lacking voice for considering low-tech solutions, adding more robustly to the discourse on appropriate technology. My experience working with communities without large financial resources both in the global south and north (particularly those often underserved by the design professionals) would perhaps, provide a fresh take on how we think about sustainability. This obviously includes what the industry does, and what we teach emerging professionals, but also what solutions we privilege. I am very concerned about the overemphasis on adhering to quantitative metrics and targets at the expense of ethical positions on why our actions are important. I worry about the neglect or overlooking of potential downstream impacts, particularly on the communities I mentioned… I worry about the generational nature of those impacts and the dearth of discourse on the longevity of decisions. I consider myself a strong advocate for such underserved communities, and those under-represented within our industry. Acknowledgments that we are on the lands of indigenous peoples are not sufficient and rings hollow! We must take into account their concerns and more importantly, we must incorporate their outlooks into how we imagine and then map our collective future. This also goes for other people of color, LGBTQI folks, and many others, who have long been absent at the decision-making table.

To align with our strategic plan, we are seeking the representation of experts from a variety of sectors involved in the design, construction, and operation of our built environment. BE+ currently has 14 Board members. According to our bylaws, we can have no fewer than seven and no more than 19 Directors. In addition, BE+ seeks a diversity of perspective from its Directors across professions, areas of expertise/interest, as well as gender, age, race, and ethnicity.

In order to increase the diversity of the board and potential participation by members, the BE+ board has embarked on a new process to support greater participation by members:

1. The nomination period is from 11/15 to 12/22.
2. There are three methods to get nominated to the board:
               a. Members can nominate themselves
               b. Members can nominate other members
               c. A Board selected Nominating Committee will nominate members to the Board.

Seats are organized based on the following professional sectors: Design Consultants, Construction/Manufacturing, Owners/Operations, Policy/Advocacy, Other Fields not named above (e.g. Education, Utilities, Law, Community Development, Clean Energy, etc.). Seven of those seats are reserved for one representative from various professions outlined in the table below.   

After the nomination period is complete, the Board and the Nominating Committee will vet the candidates and bucket them according to the categories noted in the tables below. The Board has discretion to increase/decrease numbers in each Professional Category by 1. to align with our strategic plan and diversity goals.  The Board will vote on the final Ballot and number of Board members for the year.

Board Composition

In 2023, we are aiming to have fifteen elected and one appointed Board Members. Seven Board seats are not up for election this year. There are two incumbents seeking reelection.

Design Consultants:
There is one incumbent Director seeking reelection for the seats:

• MEP Engineering: Julie Janiski, Buro Happold
• Open

Construction/Manufacturing:
There is one open seat:

• Open

Owner/Operations:
There is 1 open seat:

• Open

Policy/Advocacy:
There is one open seat:

• Open

Other + EPMA: Fields could include Education, Community Development, Finance, DEI, Clean Energy, Fundraising/Development, etc.
There are 3 open seats:

• Open
• Open
• Open

BE+ has identified these priority professional categories for new board members and encourages people from these fields to be nominated:

• Building Operations & Maintenance (energy)
• Construction/Manufacturing
• Community Development
• Government/Advocacy
• Land conservation and management

In addition to specific sectors in the field of design, construction, and operation of our built environment, the board is looking for expertise in specific areas:

• Development/Fundraising
• Finance
• Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI)
• Legal

A BE+ Board Member…

• Has knowledge of BE+ mission, goals, and objectives and is able to promote them effectively;
• Has the experience and influence needed by BE+ and/or can also represent one or more disciplines that can help balance the Board’s membership;
• Has showcased leadership skills in their community and can use their experience to successfully work with the rest of the Board and its committees;
• Is capable of being an active public representative of the organization and can successfully include others in the work of BE+;
• Is a member in good standing of BE+. Double-check your membership status by visiting the BE+ Join It membership profile by clicking the blue MEMBERSHIP button in the upper right-hand corner of our website.

The Board as a whole cannot have more than two Directors from the same company or organization at a time. A board member should expect to commit an average of 3-6 hours a month. Monthly commitment may vary based on initiatives, committee work, and events.

Board members are expected to… 

• Review financial statements and the budget and to otherwise help the board fulfill its fiduciary responsibilities;
• Familiarize themselves with bylaws and other organizational documents;
• Attend at minimum fifty percent of board meetings per year either in person or virtually;
• Read board materials in advance of monthly board meetings and to come prepared to ask questions and participate in discussions.
• Currently the board meets once per month virtually or in person;
• Serve on one or more committees of the board and actively participate in committee work. Current committees include; Education, Community Building, Governance, and Advocacy;
• Be an active community member of Built Environment Plus
• Secure a minimum of $1500 necessary for BE+ to achieve its mission, whether from the Board member’s own organization, from personal contributions or in using personal relationships and connections to actively recruit sponsorships and memberships. Alternatives to actual monetary contributions include supporting efforts to bring in monetary resources (such as teaching courses, participating in panels, etc.).
• Responsibly represent the organization to their respective communities and advocate for BE+’s mission, programs, and services as appropriate.
• Support initiatives and events, panels, etc. to further the organization’s mission. These may include efforts around DEI, elections, educational programming, advocacy efforts, etc. This is an active and engaged Board.

Each board member is required to vote and have an informed decision after a thorough assessment of an issue. Specific tasks which will need groundwork and a vote by Board members include:

• • Decisions on policies, goals, objectives, and priorities;
  • Collaboration with other Board members and staff in the process, updates, and approval of specific strategies and objectives;
  • Nominate and vote officers for the BE+ Board;
  • Oversee and evaluate the strength and success of the projects and programs and make sure that these projects and programs are reaching the appropriate goals needed by the organization;
  • Approve and oversee operation, property, and equipment budgets;
  • Facilitate selection, employment, and evaluation of the Executive Director;
  • Support the Executive Director in fulfilling their job duties;
  • Review and update the Strategic Plan as required.

BE+ seeks an experienced green industry professional who has connections and the ability to bring new members/sponsors to the organization. We seek a board leader to help cultivate the board’s leadership role in support of staff as part of a broader commitment to increase awareness about the importance of our mission, influence public policy, and expand our reach. Preference for candidates who have prior board member experience.