Built Environment Plus

A Just Celebration
2023-06-22 17:30 - 19:30 (America/New_York) | MA
Come Celebrate!
We invite you to join us for the 2023 Living Future New England Just Celebration to acknowledge organizations in our community who have taken the next step towards transparency in becoming a socially equitable and diverse business. This is an exciting opportunity to connect and celebrate with those raising the bar of social justice at an in-person gathering.
Celebrate the accomplishments of some hard-working organizations, hear what it takes for organizations to achieve the Just Label, understand the value of going through the Just process, and what companies are learning in the process.

What is Just?
The Just program is a voluntary disclosure tool for organizations by the International Living Future Institute. Just is not a certification program, it is a transparency platform for organizations to disclose their operations, including how they treat their employees and where they make financial and community investments. Learn More

Event Sponsors

Our Hosts

DiAnn Tufts
Host / Co-Facilitator
DiAnn is a Senior Associate and the Director of Sustainability at PCA, and co-facilitator of the BE+ hosted Living Future New England.

Jim Newman
Host / Co-Facilitator
Jim is founder and Principal at Linnean Solutions, and co-facilitator of the BE+ hosted Living Future New England.

Living Future New England promotes the transformation of communities throughout Boston and New England that are socially just, culturally rich, and ecologically restorative.

Join the Conversation

The Location
Humanscale’s new Boston office suite and showroom is located in the Seaport District. To align with Humanscale’s corporate mission to provide environmentally-friendly product offerings, the space incorporates sustainable design strategies throughout the project, such as low-flow plumbing fixtures, daylighting, and energy efficient lighting fixtures.
We are excited to be hosted by a Just and Living Product Challenge certified organization!

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BE+ Embodied Carbon Challenge Office Hours
2023-07-12 12:00 - 13:00, 2024-01-24 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual Event
Reps from Built Environment Plus, MassCEC, and Brightworks Sustainability will be online and available to answer questions about the Embodied Carbon Challenge. Bring your questions about Resources and Tools (Having trouble accessing your LCA software? Unsure where to find LCA tips and tricks?), Education and Training (What are the requirements? What does my team lead need to complete?), project submission requirements (WBLCA, project GSF minimum…), and general questions about the ECC (what’s this all about?!).
This is a great opportunity to learn more and best position your project team for success in the Embodied Carbon Challenge.

Background photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash.

Carbon and Energy Roundtable
2023-07-20 08:00 - 17:00, 2023-07-20 15:00 - 16:00, 2023-08-17 15:00 - 16:00, 2023-09-21 15:00 - 16:00, 2023-10-19 15:00 - 16:00, 2023-11-16 15:00 - 16:00, 2023-12-21 15:00 - 16:00 | Virtual Event
Join the BE+ Carbon and Energy Roundtable, a venue for architects, designers, construction managers, and sustainability professionals to discuss issues related to carbon and energy in buildings.
Reach out to carbonenergy@builtenvironmentplus.org with any inquiries, questions, or concerns.

*Roundtables are FREE for Built Environment Plus Members.
**New to the Roundtables? Join as a Newcomer, and come visit up to 3 times for FREE. After that, consider becoming a BE+ Member, or purchase general admission to return as you like.

BE+ Summer Shindig
2023-08-09 17:00 - 20:00 | Portico Brewing, 101 South Street, Somerville, MA, 02143, United States
Come on out to Portico Brewing’s Taproom and raise a glass to the incredible local green building community! Join us for our first-ever Summer Shindig – a fun way to meet and greet the leaders, aspiring leaders, and emerging professionals driving the sustainability of the built environment. Meet and connect with BE+ members and potential members, board members, staff, and the larger BE+ community. Have a blast while celebrating green building progress, learning more about our 6 thriving topic communities, and experiencing the exciting new development of Boynton Yards.
Learn more about Portico’s Environmental Handprint.

BE+ Summer Shindig headliner Rosie Osser will perform an original standup comedy act with the goal to amuse and inspire the green building community. Later, audience members are warmly encouraged to take the mic to share their favorite comic stories from the field.
Roselin Osser, PE, BEMP, LEED AP BD+C is a senior project engineer with AKF’s Energy + Performance group. With 16 years of experience in building performance consulting, she has managed diverse sustainability projects including complex science laboratories, hospitals, unusual archival spaces, multifamily buildings, and k-12 schools. In addition to expertise in energy modeling, energy policies, utility incentives, and the LEED rating system, she brings a unique enthusiasm for inspiring project teams to optimize and decarbonize the built environment.
Osser has combined strong motivation to reduce human impact on the environment with a lifelong passion for the performing arts. Known for dynamic and humorous presentations on green building topics, she enjoys an unusual parallel career as a classical singer, specializing in comic opera roles. This year she made her Boston Lyric Opera debut as Hansel in a touring children’s production of Hansel and Gretel, introducing opera storytelling to hundreds of Boston area students from kindergarten through 10th grade. The BE+ Summer Shindig will be her standup comedy debut.

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Background photo by Mainvestinc on Instagram.

Design for People
2023-08-10 08:30 - 12:00 | Payette Office, 290 Congress Street, Boston, MA, 02210, United States
Design for People: Green Buildings for All
Embracing the built environment as a leverage point for a healthy, diverse, equitable, and inclusive society.

True sustainability requires a triple-bottom line of meeting the social, economic, and environmental needs of current and future generations. Join the leaders elevating the design field as we attempt to answer these important questions:
How do we build “green buildings” for all people all of the time?How are we engaging people in the community we are building in?How do we draw from the inherent wisdom of all stakeholders?Who are we collaborating with to be more inclusive?
We will hear from industry leaders and change-makers on how they are disrupting business-as-usual with new approaches to equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Agenda

8:30 AM | Breakfast Networking
9:00 AM | Designs with EquityIndustry leaders from MASS Design Group and DREAM Collaborative will share projects resulting from new approaches to design that includes equity.
9:30 AM | Implicit Bias IntroductionTiffany Cogell of Design4Equity will deepen participants’ knowledge and understanding of inclusivity and implicit bias in the broader employment market at this moment in time, within their organization, and in their own individual work. The Focus of this introductory workshop is to improve overall employee engagement and performance by maximizing inclusion and minimizing implicit bias in the workplace.
10:00 AM | AEC firm evolution Panel DiscussionTiffany Cogell will lead a discussion with panelists from four AEC firms who have participated in implicit bias workshops. The Green Engineer, Elkus Manfredi, DiMella Shaffer, and Payette will demonstrate strategies they are applying in their offices and highlight lessons learned and tools to share.
10:40 AM | Q&A
11:00 AM | Next Steps – Connecting with Industry
Hear from community and industry leaders from Browning the Green Space, the City of Boston, and Sasaki on tangible next steps for taking design for equity into practice.
11:30 AM | Networking

Tiffany Cogell is the principal of Design 4 Equity, an EDI (Equity, Diversity, Inclusion) practice, where she collaborates with nonprofits and businesses to design processes and systems to embed diversity, equity, and inclusion into their organizational structure and culture. She has a background in office management, community organizing, construction project management, active transit advocacy, food sovereignty, urban planning, and racial justice activism.
Tiffany serves on multiple boards. She is the Benefit Director for The Green Engineer’s board, a co-founder of the Cross Cultural Collective, an arts collaborative that amplifies diasporic art and its creators, a co-organizer for Ride for Black Lives Boston, and a League Cycling Instructor (LCI) with the League of American Bicyclists. She is a mother of four, and passionate about reflecting inclusion, economic equity, and collective empowerment through design, art, housing, and public spaces.

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BE+ Bike Tour 2023
2023-09-09 09:00 - 14:00 | Alewife Brook Reservation, Alewife Brook Pkwy, Cambridge, MA, 02140, United States
Grab a bike and join us for the 2023 BE+ Bike Tour!
This year, we will be touring from Cambridge to Boston Seaport, following the Green Line Extension community path along with projects from local architecture and engineering firms in their efforts in creating a more sustainable built environment.
All riders are required to complete this Safety Waiver and Liability Release form prior to the event. After registering, you will be receiving a confirmation email outlining next steps and important information in preparation for the ride.

Visit the Bike Tour 23' Webpage

Greenbuild 2023: Building Transformation
2023-09-26 08:00 - 2023-09-29 19:00 | MA
Connect with like-minded sustainability professionals and discuss solutions to your project’s challenges at Greenbuild 2023.
If you want to learn, meet other sustainability leaders, find new products/services, and have fun, Greenbuild is your opportunity to gain the insights needed for a strong year ahead.
This year at Greenbuild 2023 in Washington, DC, the Greenbuild team has made all of that easier – and more valuable – with new, customized Circles of Sustainability Networking Activities – providing exciting ways to meet with the right partners.
As the U.S. recently passed the billion-dollar Inflation Reduction Act, a significant level of federal funding is dedicated to carbon reduction as well as clean energy investments. It’s more critical than ever for the green building industry to stay on top of the latest building codes, tech advances, and exciting ideas in the sustainability world.
Not only will there be ground-breaking keynotes and CE-accredited education sessions to keep your skills sharp and your certification current, but Greenbuild will also feature some can’t-miss networking activities, evening events, and more to help recharge your mind, body, and spirit.
Here’s a sneak peek at just a few of the new activities you can expect this year:
Morning rejuvenation: Get focused and energized for the busy days while you explore the spectacular Washington, DC, scenery and get your heart pumping. Greenbuild organizes a guided morning run through the heart of the city and morning yoga to ensure a productive and healthy start to the event.
Hands-on workshops: In these collaborative workshops, you’ll brainstorm solutions to a real-world challenge that Greenbuild’s hand-selected session leaders are currently experiencing. Guaranteed, you’ll come out with new ideas and approaches that you can apply to your own business or your projects.
Happy hours in the Expo Hall: In addition to winding down with evening cocktails on the show floor lounge, if you download our Greenbuild mobile app, you’ll be able to schedule personally relevant, one-on-one meetings with a targeted list of your fellow attendees and exhibitors. Greenbuild’s AI-powered algorithm will match you with the right connections to spark meaningful business opportunities – a definite upgrade from the days of standing around with a drink in your hand, hoping you luck into a valuable conversation.
Speed networking: If you’re looking for an even more efficient meet-and-greet experience, Greenbuild also offers the sustainable business version of speed dating. Whether you’re looking for a quick intro to the latest vendor or have an exciting idea you’d like to pitch to potential partners, these fast-paced events will introduce you to a wide range of green building professionals, so your networking time is optimized for efficiency and impact.
Evening celebrations: From their evening welcome reception to the Greenbuild Gala celebration, you’ll have a chance to reconnect with old friends and make a few new ones during a night packed with great music, food, drinks, and more!
Greenbuild 2023 is pulling out all the stops this year to celebrate USGBC’s 30th anniversary. The Greenbuild team maintains the highest health and safety standards to ensure all attendees feel confident that they’ll enjoy a seamless and stress-free experience. Of course, if you cannot join Greenbuild in person this year, you can still take advantage of their virtual conference pass, which grants you on-demand access to two selected tracks to watch at your convenience.
With more reasons than ever to want to break out of your year-long holding pattern and return to the business of creating sustainable spaces, you won’t want to miss Greenbuild in Washington, DC, September 26-29 | Expo: 27-28, 2023. Register for your pass today. Prices increase after September 25th.

Register Here

Tally Office Hours
2023-10-05 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual Event
Drop in with any questions you have about tallyLCA and how to apply it to your projects as they relate to MassCEC’s Embodied Carbon Reduction Challenge. The tallyLCA team will be available to assist, so it’s your best chance get your questions answered.

Background photo by Thomas Lefebvre on Unsplash.

BE+ Green Building Showcase 2023
2023-10-26 16:00 - 21:30 | Amazon L4 Tower, 111 Harbor Way, Boston, MA, 02210, United States
The BE+ 2023 Green Building Showcase Awards Program & Celebration.
Your Community. Your Projects. Your Showcase.

Visit the GBS23 Webpage

Emerging Professionals 2024 Kickoff
2024-01-18 17:30 - 19:30 | Hub Pub, 18 Province Street, Boston, MA, 02108, United States
Join the Emerging Professionals Community for our 2024 kickoff event!
Come to our first in-person event of the year to network, meet community members, and hear about what we have planned for 2024. It’s a great time to get involved! This event is FREE, so attendees will be responsible for their food + beverage orders. Please share with your networks and bring friends!
Reach out to ryan@builtenvironmentplus.org with any questions.
Location:Hub Pub – 18 Province Street, Boston, MA 02108
This event is free for Emerging Professionals.
This event was planned and is hosted, by the BE+ Emerging Professionals Community

2024 Annual General Meeting
2024-01-25 17:00 - 20:00 | Fort Point Room, Atlantic Wharf, 290 Congress St, Boston, MA, 02210, United States
Date: January 25th, 2024 | Time: 5:00pm – 8:00pm | Location: Atlantic Wharf | Fort Point Room
It’s that time of the year again when we all come together to celebrate the members, volunteers, and successes that make our BE+ community amazing! We’re ringing in the new year with board elections and an award ceremony for our members.

Visit the 2023 Annual General Meeting Webpage

“Easy” Wins for Embodied Carbon Reduction
2024-01-31 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual Event
There are many opportunities to reduce the embodied carbon of your building’s design, but it can be hard to know where to start. Questions such as “What tools do I use?” “What if I’ve already started design?” “How much will this all cost?” can easily stand in the way of taking action. In this presentation, we will present a variety of proven strategies to reduce embodied carbon that can be implemented into your next – or even your current – project without requiring extensive LCA modeling. If you are looking to start implementing low carbon solutions into your building and are looking for some strategies to get started, this is the presentation for you. Opportunities in the design process, in material selection, and in project specifications will all be addressed, as well as your questions. Join us and start reducing your project’s embodied carbon footprint today!

Background photo by Tiard Schulz on Unsplash.

Click Here to Take the Quiz

A Just Celebration
2024-03-07 17:30 - 19:30 | Humanscale Showroom, 34 Farnsworth, Boston, MA, 02210, United States
Come Celebrate!
We invite you to join us for the 2024 Living Future New England Just Celebration to acknowledge organizations in our community who have taken the next step towards transparency in becoming a socially equitable and diverse business. This is an exciting opportunity to connect and celebrate with those raising the bar of social justice at an in-person gathering.
Celebrate the accomplishments of some hard-working organizations, hear what it takes for organizations to achieve the Just Label, understand the value of going through the Just process, and what companies are learning in the process.

What is Just?
The Just program is a voluntary disclosure tool for organizations by the International Living Future Institute. Just is not a certification program, it is a transparency platform for organizations to disclose their operations, including how they treat their employees and where they make financial and community investments. Learn More

Event Sponsors

Our Hosts

DiAnn Tufts
Host / Co-Facilitator
DiAnn is a Senior Associate and the Director of Sustainability at PCA, and co-facilitator of the BE+ hosted Living Future New England.

Jim Newman
Host / Co-Facilitator
Jim is founder and Principal at Linnean Solutions, and co-facilitator of the BE+ hosted Living Future New England.

Living Future New England promotes the transformation of communities throughout Boston and New England that are socially just, culturally rich, and ecologically restorative.

Join the Conversation

The Location
Humanscale’s new Boston office suite and showroom is located in the Seaport District. To align with Humanscale’s corporate mission to provide environmentally-friendly product offerings, the space incorporates sustainable design strategies throughout the project, such as low-flow plumbing fixtures, daylighting, and energy efficient lighting fixtures.
We are excited to be hosted by a Just and Living Product Challenge certified organization!

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BE+ Earth Day Scavenger Hunt
2024-04-20 09:00 - 14:00 | Boston Common, 139 Tremont Street, Boston, MA, 02111, United States
BE+ Earth Day Scavenger Hunt
The BE+ Emerging Professionals Community is excited to host a one-day Sustainability Scavenger Hunt this year! This in-person event will kick off at 9AM on Saturday, April 20th* at a central location in the Boston Common, where we’ll provide everything you need to complete the day’s missions. We’ll reconvene at 2PM at Hub Pub to celebrate and share stories from the day. The event will take place around Boston, using only public transportation and your own legs to get around! This is the perfect Earth Day activity for any company advancing the sustainability of the built environment.
This event will feature similar, sustainability-inspired missions as previous years, with written, photo, and video submissions. Come dressed as a team and be ready for some healthy (but fierce) competition! All participants get free entry to the BE+ Earth Day Celebration on April 25th, where we will announce the Scavenger Hunt winners.
For examples of previous missions, see our 2023 Scavenger Hunt event page.
This event is hosted by the BE+ Emerging Professionals Community, but is open to anyone with an interest in the built environment, a passion for sustainability, or a competitive spirit!
*Rain Date for this event is Sunday, April 21st from 9AM-2PM.

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BE+ Earth Day Celebration
2024-04-25 17:00 - 20:00 | Cisco Brewery, 85 Northern Ave, Boston, 02210, United States
Join us for a celebratory Earth Day event at Cisco Brewers, where we’ll unveil the 2024 Update to the MA is Ready for Net Zero Report. We’re excited to recognize the top contributing companies and celebrate the hard work and progress of our dedicated Community!
Cisco Brewers SeaportThanks to WS Development, we are thrilled to bring this year’s Celebration to Cisco Brewers Seaport Beer Garden. Located at 85 Northern Avenue, this outdoor beer garden is in its sixth season bringing a slice of Nantucket to Boston.

Close the Gap(s): Decarbonizing Large Buildings Symposium
2024-05-02 08:30 - 13:30 | Greentown Labs, 444 Somerville Ave, Somerville, MA, 02143, United States
Are you struggling with decarbonizing large buildings?

You’re not alone. As energy codes and emissions reduction ordinances force the issue, the building industry is waking up to a new landscape. Decarbonizing large buildings – new and old – is critical to achieving Massachusetts Climate Targets. While the technologies, skills, and strategies for decarbonization exist, we need to rapidly develop the industry’s capacity to implement these at scale. From knowledge gaps and funding gaps to policy gaps and technology gaps, we have our work cut out for us.
This half-day symposium will address knowledge gaps through a series of short training sessions on strategies and technologies to overcome current obstacles in decarbonizing large buildings. Topics include Preservation and Performance, Low Carbon-Cement, Carbon and Components, Funding High Efficiency Retrofits and more.
The event will begin and end with networking time and include coffee, snacks and lunch for attendees.
Presented by the BE+ Carbon & Energy Community and Decarbonize Existing Buildings Alliance, in partnership with Greentown Labs and the Sponsors of Mass Save®: Cape Light Compact, Eversource, National Grid, and Unitil.

Event Details
Thursday, May 2, 2024 | 8:30am – 1:30pmGreentown Labs444 Somerville Ave, Somerville, MA 02143

Who will be there?
Architects, Engineers, Contractors, Developers, Owners and Owner Reps struggling with decarbonizing large buildings.

Agenda
8:30am – 8:50am | Arrival, Coffee, and Networking
8:50am – 9:00am | Opening Remarks by Joe Curtatone, President of Northeast Clean Energy Council (NECEC).
9:00am – 10:00am | Session 1 – Money Matters, Funding High Efficiency Retrofits
10:00am – 11:00am | Session 2 – The Carbon and the Component Conundrum
11:00am – 12:00pm | Session 3 – Preservation and Performance, Mutually Inclusive!
12:00pm – 1:30pm | Lunch and networking

Sessions
Session 1 – Money Matters, Funding High Efficiency Retrofits – We have (carbon) goals. But these goals cost (quite a bit of) money. How do we achieve our (carbon) goals and pay for them? We shall discuss current programs in the Rebuilding America program and what methods are being used to control the costs of doing so as well as fortifying a gap in workforce development—another project cost impact as cited by the recent HBRA Wentworth/MIT Study.
Moderated by: Stephen Moore of Steven Winter AssociatesConfirmed Panelists: Eri Furusawa of HR&A Advisors, Afshin Pourmokhtarian and Payam Bakhshi, PhD, PE of Wentworth Institute of Technology, Ilene Mason of RPM, Tom Chase of MassCEC
Session 2 – The Carbon and the Component Conundrum – Concrete is a significant contributor to carbon pollution. But how can we build without it? So is insulation. But we need to get the performance. We will talk with folks that are working the carbon OUT of building components so we can both build and reduce. Be it low carbon concrete, air sealing materials and strategies, or retrofitting comfort systems—all will play a role.
Moderated by: Karla Butterfield of Steven Winter AssociatesConfirmed Panelists: Beverly Craig of MassCEC (on concrete), Derek Stein of Adept Materials (vapor barrier), Tom Holmes of AeroSeal (air sealing), Tommy Gibbons of Hempitecture (insulation), Aaron Baskerville-Bridges of AeroShield Materials, Inc (windows)
Session 3 – Preservation and Performance, Mutually Inclusive! – As we look to incorporate latest practice decarbonization efforts in both the new construction and existing building realms, the latter presents unique challenges—particularly when they are occupied and/or historic. Two that are pertinent to the discussion are the Hotel Marcel (in CT) and Rubin Hall on NYU’s Campus—that both underwent high efficiency efforts with very limited ability to change the exterior facades.
Moderated by: Dylan Martello of Steven Winter AssociatesConfirmed Panelists: Bruce Becker, FAIA of Becker + Becker Architects (remotely/video), Caitlin Robillard Director of Real Estate Development for Allston Brighton CDC, Jonathan Hernandez of Brightcore Energy

About Greentown Labs
Greentown Labs is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit catalyzing climate solutions through entrepreneurship, partnership, and collaboration. As the largest climatetech startup incubator in North America, Greentown brings together startups, corporates, investors, policymakers, and many others with a focus on scaling climate technologies. Driven by the mission of providing startups the community, connections, and resources they need to thrive, Greentown offers lab space, shared office space, machine shops, electronics labs, tool shops, software and business resources, and a large network of corporate customers, investors, and more. With incubators in Somerville, Mass. and Houston, Texas, Greentown is home to more than 200 startups and has supported more than 500 since the incubator’s founding in 2011. These startups have collectively created more than 11,000 jobs and raised more than $5.7 billion in funding. For more information, visit www.greentownlabs.com or follow Greentown on LinkedIn.

Getting There
Parking is incredibly limited at Greentown Labs and we encourage attendees to consider taking advantage of public transportation. We’re a short walk from the recently opened Union Square station, as well as 1 mile away from both the Harvard and Porter MBTA stations. Union Square in Somerville is also easily accessible via the #86 and #91 MBTA buses. We offer indoor bike parking on-site and the closest Bluebikes stations are at Dane St., Conway Park and Union Square.

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BE+ Green Building Showcase 2024
2024-10-29 16:00 - 21:30 | One Boston Wharf Road, 1 Boston Wharf Road, Boston, MA, 02210, United States
The BE+ 2024 Green Building Showcase Awards Program & Celebration.
Your Community. Your Projects. Your Showcase.

Visit the GBS24 Webpage

Embodied Carbon Reduction Challenge: Lessons Learned and Case Studies
2024-12-19 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual Event
Hear what we’ve learned from the sixteen projects submitted to the Embodied Carbon Reduction Challenge.
View our Embodied Carbon Reduction Challenge page for our complete case study report.
Questions? Reach out to communications@builtenvironmentplus.org.

In 2023, with a goal of accelerating the consideration of embodied carbon in the built environment, The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) engaged Built Environment Plus (BE+), a non-profit driving the sustainability of the built environment, to conduct an Embodied Carbon Reduction Challenge for new construction and major renovation projects in process or recently built in Massachusetts. Over the course of a year BE+ conducted multiple trainings, held office hours, facilitated LCA user groups and a communication platform. In addition, they provided participants with free access to Tally and OneClick LCA software programs to conduct whole building life cycle assessments. Nearly 50 companies expressed interest in the challenge with cash prizes totaling $380,000 and in the end sixteen teams submitted projects for consideration. This session will showcase the winners selected by a panel of embodied carbon experts. The judging criteria were based on the project’s replicability and cost effectiveness, reduction in embodied carbon, and innovativeness. We’ll share lessons learned from across the entrants, innovative reduction strategies and trends common between them. Lastly, we’ll focus on the Challenge’s effectiveness as a tool for accelerating the reduction of embodied carbon in the building industry and thoughts on next steps to accelerate reduction even further.

In partnership with Carbon Leadership Forum, Seattle

Featured Speakers
Meredith Elbaum, Executive Director, Built Environment Plus
Meredith’s thesis at MIT, in 2003, recognized the disconnect between people and resources for a sustainable built environment. Since then, she pioneered the Director of Sustainable Design role at Sasaki, an international planning and design firm and then co-convened the first summit of Sustainable Design Leaders, now an ongoing professional network. She championed transparency as Interim Executive Director for the Health Product Declaration Collaborative and led the University of Missouri’s Climate Action Planning. She founded the USGBC MA Chapter and later, as Executive Director, transformed it to Built Environment Plus where, like a bridge, she makesconnections, celebrates, educates and advocates, all to advance the green building industry. When she’s not trying to save the world you’ll find Meredith hiking, biking and swimming with her family.
Beverly Craig, Program Director, Massachusetts Clean Energy Center
Beverly Craig, LEED AP is a Program Manager at the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, a quasi-state government agency focused on economic development to supports Massachusetts’ ambitious climate goals. Her policy work includes the Passive House Design Challenge, Embodied Carbon state policy, a grant program for MA concrete ready mix concrete climate transparency, and centralization of retrofit content in a Building Energy Exchange coming soon to Massachusetts. Ms. Craig comes from a background of directing energy efficiency retrofits and installing renewables in affordable housing portfolios and her work has included LEED Platinum deep retrofits on three income restricted properties and one new construction LEED Platinum multifamily development. Beverly holds a BA from the University of Southern California and an MPP from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.
Aurora Jensen, Senior Manager, Low Carbon Buildings, Carbon Leadership Forum
Aurora Jensen is a Senior Manager focused on Low Carbon Buildings at the Carbon Leadership Forum. Her role emphasizes building-scale embodied carbon reduction through research, technical guidance and collaboration. Before joining CLF, Aurora grew and led the Embodied Carbon team at Brightworks Sustainability. She supported clients in understanding and driving down the embodied carbon impacts of their buildings and portfolios through design exploration and procurement. She has led numerous whole-building life cycle assessments (WBLCAs) for LEED and ILFI and published research on the embodied carbon of mass timber buildings. With previous experience in operational energy modeling and evaluating passive strategies, she works to link operational and embodied carbon considerations and consider trade-offs. Aurora also teaches Environmental Design as a part-time faculty member at Parsons School of Design at The New School.

Registration

Emerging Professionals 2025 Kickoff
2025-01-09 17:30 - 19:00 | Hub Pub, 18 Province Street, Boston, MA, 02108, United States
Emerging Professionals 2025 Kickoff
Time: 5:30pm – 7:00pm | Location: The Hub Pub (18 Province St, Boston, MA 02108)
Join the Emerging Professionals Community at Hub Pub to network with other emerging professionals in the area, meet Community members, and hear about what the Community has planned for 2025. We will kick off the event at 5:30, but feel free to join us whenever you can—whether it’s at or after this time—and stay for as long as you’re able. Please share with your networks and bring friends!
Food and drinks are excluded from the ticket price.
This event was planned, and is hosted, by the BE+ Emerging Professionals Community
We hope to see you at our first event of the year!

2025 Annual General Meeting and Volunteer Celebration
2025-01-23 17:00 - 20:00 | Fort Point Room, Atlantic Wharf, 290 Congress St, Boston, MA, 02210, United States
Date: January 23rd, 2025 | Time: 5:00pm – 8:00pm | Location: Atlantic Wharf | Fort Point Room
It’s that time of the year again when we all come together to celebrate the members, volunteers, and successes that make our BE+ community amazing! We’re ringing in the new year with board elections and an award ceremony for our members.

Visit the 2025 Annual General Meeting Webpage

Equity in Practice Workshop: Postponed
2025-04-03 13:00 - 17:00 | Consigli Construction Company, 313 Congress St, Boston, 02210, United States
Dig into Living Future’s Just 3.0 Label as a Framework for a Socially Just Workplace

We are postponing our April 3rd Just 3.0 Workshop in order to reimagine this important workshop and celebration.
Please do join us instead for an informal social gathering of the Living Future Community at Portico Brewing, 5:30 PM, April 3rd, 101 South St, Somerville, MA 02143. No tickets. Pay your own way for food and drinks

Thinking of bringing the Just label to your organization and not sure where to start? Do you have an existing label and want to learn more about 3.0? Are you looking to learn more about specific indicators?
We invite you to join us for a half-day workshop to explore organizational justice and the value of Living Future’s JUST process. Lead your company and industry to address the challenges at all scales for broader adoption and an accelerated rate of change. This is an exciting opportunity to connect and learn from those raising the bar of social justice at an in-person gathering.
In this hands-on opportunity, dive into the topics and categories of organizational transparency for the company where you work, at any level. The new JUST 3.0 Transparency label is a step up in the quest for equity and inclusion in the AEC industry. The workshop is organized around a series of small group working sessions with a facilitator on each of the key transparency categories. The workshop aims to work as a community, helping all attendees use the JUST 3.0 framework to assess and take action in their organizations.
Tickets include access to our JUST Celebration event following the workshop.
What is Just?The Just program is a voluntary disclosure tool for organizations by the International Living Future Institute. Just is not a certification program, it is a transparency platform for organizations to disclose their operations, including how they treat their employees and where they make financial and community investments. Learn More

Event Sponsors

Facilitators

DiAnn Tufts
Host / Co-Facilitator
DiAnn is a Senior Associate and the Director of Sustainability at PCA and is a co-facilitator of the BE+ Living Future Community.

Jim Newman
Host / Co-Facilitator
Jim is founder and Principal at Linnean Solutions and is a co-facilitator of the BE+ Living Future Community.

Jacob Bloom
Host / Co-Facilitator
Jacob is an Architect at CambridgeSeven and is a co-facilitator of the BE+ Living Future Community.

Robert Donohue
Host / Co-Facilitator
Robert is a Sustainability Innovation Lead at enviENERGY Studio LLC, and is a co-facilitator of the BE+ Living Future Community.

Living Future New England promotes the transformation of communities throughout Boston and New England that are socially just, culturally rich, and ecologically restorative.

Join the Conversation

The Location
Consigli Construction Company313 Congress St, Boston, MA 02210
Consigli Construction Company’s Boston office is located in the Seaport District. They work to preserve its past and guide the transition to its forward-thinking future while contributing to the welfare of society and minimizing the impact on the environment.
Following the workshop, we will be walking over together from Consigli to the Celebration at the Humanscale showroom. Workshop tickets include access to the Celebration.

Registration

Workshop tickets include entry to the Celebration following the workshop.

Scholarships

Don't let cost keep you from participating. Apply for free admission.

Name

Email Address

Job Title

Company

What would free registration to the "Equity in Practice: Just 3.0 Workshop" do for you?

How will you use this opportunity to help others?

Submit

A Just Celebration 2025: Postponed
2025-04-03 17:30 - 19:30 | Humanscale Showroom, 34 Farnsworth, Boston, MA, 02210, United States
We are postponing our April 3rd Just 3.0 Workshop and Celebration Event in order to reimagine this important workshop and celebration.
Please do join us instead for an informal social gathering of the Living Future Community at Portico Brewing, 5:30 PM, April 3rd, 101 South St, Somerville, MA 02143. No tickets. Pay your own way for food and drinks

The BE+ Living Future Community is excited to invite you to the 2025 Just Celebration to salute the organizations in our community who have demonstrated their commitment to transparency, equity, diversity and justice in their workplace and in their projects.
What is Just?The Just program is a voluntary disclosure tool for organizations by the International Living Future Institute. Just is not a certification program, it is a transparency platform for organizations to disclose their operations, including how they treat their employees and where they make financial and community investments. Learn More

Event Sponsors

Our Hosts

DiAnn Tufts
Host / Co-Facilitator
DiAnn is a Senior Associate and the Director of Sustainability at PCA and is a co-facilitator of the BE+ Living Future Community.

Jim Newman
Host / Co-Facilitator
Jim is founder and Principal at Linnean Solutions and is a co-facilitator of the BE+ Living Future Community.

Jacob Bloom
Host / Co-Facilitator
Jacob is an Architect at CambridgeSeven and is a co-facilitator of the BE+ Living Future Community.

Robert Donohue
Host / Co-Facilitator
Robert is a Sustainability Innovation Lead at enviENERGY Studio LLC and is a co-facilitator of the BE+ Living Future Community.

Living Future New England promotes the transformation of communities throughout Boston and New England that are socially just, culturally rich, and ecologically restorative.

Join the Conversation

The Location
Humanscale Showroom34 Farnsworth St 5th floor, Boston, MA 02210
We will be walking over together from the half-day workshop at Consigli to the Celebration at the Humanscale showroom.
Humanscale’s new Boston office suite and showroom is located in the Seaport District. To align with Humanscale’s corporate mission to provide environmentally-friendly product offerings, the space incorporates sustainable design strategies throughout the project, such as low-flow plumbing fixtures, daylighting, and energy efficient lighting fixtures.
We are excited to be hosted by a Just and Living Product Challenge certified organization!

Registration

Workshop tickets include entry to the Celebration. Register here for the Workshop

Scholarships

Don't let cost keep you from participating. Apply for free admission.

Name

Email Address

Job Title

Company

What would free registration to "A Just Celebration" do for you?

How will you use this opportunity to help others?

Submit

Building Tech Forum 2025
2025-07-17 17:00 - 21:30 | Joyce Cummings Center, 177 College Ave, Medford, 02155, United States
Building Tech Forum 2025 is a series of 45 x 5-minute lightning talks where industry leaders present practical innovations accelerating the sustainable and regenerative design, construction and operation of the built environment.
All presenters are then available at networking tables to connect and explore the future of building science and the collaborative potential of the moment.

Visit the BTF25 Webpage
