By Alexander Landa
These major events are the cumulation of the efforts of our entire community. Our staff, generous sponsors, energetic members and volunteers, and everyone else who wants a net-positive future for ourselves and generations to come make our dreams a reality, and for that, we can't thank you enough.
As guests came in early in the evening, they enjoyed snacks and drinks while catching up with old and new friends in the innovative Fraunhofer building. After our Executive Director Grey Lee gave the opening remarks to kick off why we need to start planning for smart cities, Christian Hoepfner and Kurt Roth of Fraunhofer touched on what they're doing to make it all happen.
Afterward, we all made our way to Fraunhofer's open event space on the 5th floor where the real action was happening. Jaime Paris Boisvert from Siemens talked about their innovative development strategies, with Ryan Blackmon & Matt Barry representing Union Point and discussing their actual smart city just 12 miles south of Boston.
Our panel showcased how diverse the community behind smart cities really is – it's not just a concept of tech professionals or architects, rather it connects developers, academics, researchers, urban planners, and more all together to make it happen. Shoutout to Jascha Franklin-Hodge of the City of Boston, Jennie Stephens of Northeastern University, Gretchen Sweeney of the USGBC, Ryan Blackmon of Union Point, and Brycen Spencer of Siemens for educating us on all the hard work you're doing and why we need to start pushing for more smart cities!
After the panel, everyone continued networking and meeting old and new friends alike, sharing drinks, and deciding how we can make realistic strides to develop smarter infrastructure – and not just share pipe dreams of them. Special thanks also to Anne Williams of Fraunhofer for allowing us to host the event here!
Thank you to everyone who came, and we look forward to seeing you at future events! More event pictures can be seen on our Flickr page.
PE | Associate, LeMessurier
Vice President, AEW’s Architecture & Engineering group
Interior Designer, Jacobs, Boston
Senior Vice President, Market Transformation and Development U.S. Green Building Council
AIA LEED AP BD+C | Senior Associate, Gensler Boston 
LEED Fellow, WELL AP | Founder and Principal, Ecoworks Studio
LEED AP BD+C | Environmental Sustainability Manager, Armstrong World Industries
Sustainability Director, Steven Winter Associates
Assistant Professor of Exposure Science | Director of the Healthy Buildings program
Managing Director, Harvard University Office for Sustainability
Principal & Director of Certifications and Consulting, Epsten Group, Inc.
Vice President of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility, Jamestown
Founder and Principal, Linnean Solutions | LEED AP, O+M; EcoDistrict AP
Associate Principal, BuroHappold Engineering
Senior Vice President, Sustainability at Kilroy Realty Corporation
Co-Founder, Facilitator at The Laurentia Project | LEED AP BD+C, LFA
Founder and President, Board of the Healthy Building Network
Building Technology Director, Kingspan North America
LEED® AP ID+C, BD+C, USGBC Faculty, WELL® AP, WELL Faculty and Fitwel Ambassador
Workplace Strategy Expert and Researcher, EYP
Principal, Integrated Ecostrategy
Senior Vice President, International WELL Building Institute
AIA, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP
Principal, Bruner/Cott
Architect, Associate, and Sustainability Design Leader, Stantec Architecture and Engineering
FAIA, LEED Fellow, Long Green Specs
Products & Materials Specialist, BuildingGreen
Director of Acquisitions and Development
Director of Restorative Enterprise, Interface
Vice President of Sustainable Development, Shaw
Sustainability Manager, Consigli Construction Company
Global Head of Sustainability, Superior Essex