Built Environment Plus

Health and Wellness Roundtable
2021-12-10 12:00 - 13:00, 2022-01-14 12:00 - 13:00, 2022-02-11 12:00 - 13:00, 2022-03-11 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | Virtual Event
Join the BE+ Health and Wellness Roundtable, a venue for architects, designers, construction managers, and sustainability professionals to discuss issues related to healthy buildings.
Reach out to wellness@builtenvironmentplus.org with any inquiries, questions, or concerns.
View the roundtable’s webpage

Group Leadership:

Co-Chair: Lisa Carey-Moore
Co-Chair: Connie (Tzou) Wijaranakula
Board Liaison: Jenn Taranto
Board Liaison: Heather Henriksen
Board Liaison: Rebecca Schofield

2022 Topics & Speakers

March - Owner's Perspective
Alexandria Real Estate Equities Develops and owns extensive life sciences properties throughout the Greater Boston region. They cater to a demanding life science sector that demands Class A space. Health and Wellness is one of the important aspects of these developments.Rick Malmstrom is the Executive Director – Sustainability Operations at Alexandria, and will talk about their approach to delivering healthy buildings.

Featured Leaders:
Rick Malmstrom – Executive Director, Sustainability Operations at Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc.

January - Reflection and Year Ahead

2021 Topics & Speakers

December - ???? Bright Ideas in Lighting
Lighting, both natural and manufactured, is essential to human health and wellness. The roundtable speakers will share their work in the field, with a discussion of the whole life cycle impacts of lighting, as well as the idea of “perception……” Please join us to learn, and to share your ideas and experiences in the realm of light
Featuring Lighting Leaders:
Alexandra Gadawski AIA, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP – Architect / Sustainability leader at HMFH Architects
Keith Yancey IALD, AIA, LC, P.E. – Principal at Lam Partners
Melissa Mattes LC, LFA, – Senior Lighting Designer at Sladen Feinstein Integrated Lighting Inc.

November - Big Wins and Challenges in Building Rating Certifications
More info to come – Presentations of built projects by local leaders discussing the successes and challenges when using various rating systems to drive health and wellness in the finished design.

September - Member Input & Planning Meeting

August - Materials Universe
The products we use to construct our buildings and create engaging interior spaces are expected to do more than serve a function or aesthetic. Today’s materials are being asked to have healthier ingredients, lower embodied carbon and promote circularity, and, if they’re really well conceived, address inequities and injustice throughout their supply chains.

Building and product certifications, as well as commitments like the 2030 Challenge or AIA Material’s Pledge provide us with frameworks for setting materials goals. Research continues to evolve to support, or even challenge, the use of certain materials. It’s a lot to stay on top of given that product selection is likely only one facet of our work.

Jack Dinning of Brightworks Sustainability, and a materials consultant to Harvard’s Office of Sustainability, has been regularly mapping the building products ecosystem, and is looking to engage practitioners at all levels of experience to share information and strategies for pursuing optimized materials goals.

Note: Attendees will get access to a Miro board prior to the session that will be the focus of the collaborative discussion and once complete, can serve as a resource for accelerating the work of optimized materials.

Thank You to our Health & Wellness sponsor Superior Essex!

*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.

An Introduction to Zero Carbon Certification
2021-12-14 08:30 - 10:00 | Virtual Event
As climate disasters threaten the wellbeing of people and the planet, the need to reduce CO2 emissions is ever more urgent. The ILFI Zero Carbon Certification is the first worldwide, third-party certified Zero Carbon standard. This program recognizes the growing interest and focus on a broad-based tool for highlighting energy efficient buildings which are designed and operated to fully account for their carbon emissions impacts.

WHY CERTIFY ZERO CARBON?
AUTHENTICITY – Zero matters. Zero Carbon certification is the only standard to measure actual decarbonization, not just reward carbon calculations or modest reductions.
RESILIENCY – Zero Carbon buildings operate efficiently, phase out combustion, and use renewables. They are the safest properties when weather or energy markets shift.
VALUE – The world’s largest companies, investors, and cities are already decarbonizing. Zero Carbon buildings are future-proof to remain valuable in a post carbon building market.
The presentation will introduce carbon in the built environment, the benefits of Zero Carbon buildings, and the climate impacts of building energy and materials. You’ll learn the requirements for Zero Carbon Certification and discover key planning and design considerations for reducing the embodied and operational carbon impacts of your projects that will support the project’s climate action goals. Examples of real-life projects that have achieved Zero Carbon certification will give you the guidance and confidence needed to commit to a Zero Carbon future.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:• Define the building industry’s contributions to global carbon emissions• Describe how Zero Carbon certified buildings demonstrate value and impact• Name key design and planning needs for Zero Carbon buildings• Outline the process for developing a Zero Carbon approach
PRESENTER:• Jacob Bloom is a Living Future Ambassador and Associate at CambridgeSeven, a Cambridge-based interdisciplinary architecture and design firm. Working with owners, developers, and the community, Jacob designs projects to be culturally, ecologically, and financially responsible.
DiAnn Tufts and Jim Newman are co-facilitators of the New England Living Future Collaborative. Both are Living Future Ambassadors. This event is hosted by the Living Future Collaborative New England / BE+ Living Future Roundtable.
CONTINUING EDUCATION:• 1 General LFA CE credit. Any questions related to Living Future Accreditation can be directed to LFA@living-future.org.

Built Environment Plus’s Living Future Collaborative New England promotes the Living Building Challenge and other ILFI programs. The Collaborative promotes the transformation of communities throughout Boston and New England that are socially just, culturally rich, and ecologically restorative. Learn more about the Collaborative and the International Living Future Institute here.

Women in Green 2021: What's your Superpower?
2021-12-15 08:00 - 10:00 | Virtual Event
Celebrating and unleashing our individual and collective superpowers to address the tough challenges we face together.

Event Information:

OUR BIGGEST WOMEN IN GREEN EVENT OF THE YEAR! Women are driving the sustainability of the built environment. We are tasked with the most important mission of all: healing the earth. The Women in Green Roundtable creates opportunities for women to thrive in this work and to raise each other up. Once a year we get together for a larger celebration of powerful women reimagining and reshaping our world. Once again, we will gather virtually during these difficult times.
This year’s annual “BIG WIG” will be a virtual Zoom event

SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER
Rev. Mariama White-Hammond
Boston’s Chief of Environment, Energy, and Open Space.
Rev. Mariama White-Hammond has extensive background in embedding equity and environmental justice into Boston’s communities. She is the founding pastor of New Roots AME Church in Dorchester, a multi-racial, multi-class community. In this work, Rev. White-Hammond utilizes an intersectional lens to connect ecology, immigration, climate change, energy policy and economic justice. She is a fellow with the Green Justice Coalition, which brings together eight social/environmental justice groups from around Massachusetts. Rev. White-Hammond is a public speaker throughout the nation and was a leader for both the 2017 Boston Women’s March and Boston People’s Climate Mobilization. She has received numerous awards, including the Barr Fellowship, the Celtics Heroes Among Us, The Roxbury Founders Day Award and the Boston NAACP Image award. She was selected as one of the Grist 50 Fixers for 2019 and Sojourners 11 Women Shaping the Church.
Rev. White-Hammond joins the City of Boston with a three-pronged agenda to combat climate change and the environmental inequities that have been intensified by COVID-19. This roadmap consists of utilizing innovative approaches to mitigate extreme heat and create equitable cooling plans during the summer, enhancing food access through community gardens, as well as creating a new green jobs pipeline targeting workforce development for the younger generation.

Agenda
8:00-8:10 – Networking breakout groups8:10-8:20 – Welcoming8:20-8:50 – Breakout groups identifying and discussing superpowers8:50-9:10 – All together report out with discussion on insights and impressions9:10-10:00 – Guest speaker with discussion

Superpower Resources
RESOURCE LIST
Below is an abbreviated list of personal assessments that can help you identify your superpowers.
Sparketype
Online assessment. FREE. (Additional information/book available for a fee.)
https://sparketype.com/sparketest
The assessment reveals three key ‘Sparketypes’ custom to you: your primary, shadow and anti-sparketype. The dynamic between these three is useful in determining the balance that will make your life and career more meaningful.

Strengthfinder / Clifton Strengths
Online assessment $19.99 (or purchase book with online assessment code)
https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/253676/how-cliftonstrengths-works.aspx
https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/253922/popular-cliftonstrengths-books.aspx
Identifies your strengths based on the 10 Clifton Strengths themes. Discover what you naturally do best and learn how to develop your greatest talents into strengths.

16 Personalities
Online Assessment. FREE.https://www.16personalities.com/
Learn how your personality type influences different part of your life. Identify which of the 16 types, related to MBTI types and personality traits, that you most identify with.

How Emotionally Intelligent Are You?
Quick fun online assessment. FREE
https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/ei-quiz.htm

Discover your Dosha
Quick fun online assessment. FREE.
https://chopra.com/dosha-quiz
Discover your mindbody type. Your dosha is your individual blueprint that describes your unique personality, tendencies, and physical nature. Understanding your dosha reveals how to keep yourself in balance to stay happy, healthy and disease free.

DISC
Assessment by a facilitator.
https://www.discprofile.com/
Personality and behavioral assessment used to improve teamwork, communication, and productivity. Understand drivers of everyone in your workplace, based on four main behavioral styles, and learn how to work better together.

MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator)
Assessment by a facilitator.
https://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/mbti-basics/
Personality type is a practical tool for investigating what works for you. Knowing which one of the16 personality types of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator you are, can help you look for and recognize work that satisfies you.

Thank you to our sponsors:

REGISTRATION

Scholarship

Don't let cost keep you from attending. Scholarships for our events and trainings are provided by our friends at the R.W. Kern Center. Apply for free admission.

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How would free registration for Women in Green 2021 further your professional goals in sustainable building?

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Sponsorship

If you would like to sponsor Women in Green: What’s your Superpower?, simply e-mail Meredith Elbaum at meredith@builtenvironmentplus.org or call the office directly 617-752-2422.

Platinum

$2,500

8 Event ticketsLogoEndorsement by announcers1 blog post

Gold

$1,250

4 Event ticketsLogoEndorsement by announcers1 blog post

Silver

$750

2 Event ticketsLogoshared blog post

Bronze

$300

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Want to champion Women in Green on an ongoing basis? Sponsor our quarterly Women in Green Roundtable! E-mail meredith@builtenvironmentplus.org

About the BE+ Women in Green Roundtable
A venue for architects, designers, construction managers, and sustainability professionals to collaborate as Women in the industry. While women are dramatically underrepresented in the building industry, the disparity in green building is less severe. The Women in Green Roundtable creates opportunities for women to thrive in this work and to raise each other up.

Carbon and Energy Roundtable
2021-12-16 09:00 - 10:00, 2022-01-20 09:00 - 10:00, 2022-02-17 09:00 - 10:00, 2022-03-17 09:00 - 10:00 | 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 communications@builtenvironmentplus.org with any inquiries, questions, or concerns.

Group Leadership:

Co-Chair: Joelle Jahn
Co-Chair: Stephen Moore
Board Liason: Julie Janiski
Board Liason: Rebecca Hatchadorian

Sponsors:

2022 Topics & Speakers

March - ASHRAE 209
Featured Leaders:
Chris Schaffner, Founder and President of The Green Engineer, Inc.
Julie Janiski, Partner at Buro Happold, BE+ Board Member
Samira Ahmadi, Founding Principal of enviENERGY Studio
Ben Brannon, Building Performance Engineer at Arup

February - BERDO + BEUDO
Featured Leaders:
Hannah Payne, Carbon Neutrality Program Manager at City of Boston
Seth Federspiel, Climate Program Manager at City of Cambridge

January - Electrifying Labs & Life Sciences
Featured Leaders:
Ari Greenberg, PE, LEED AP BD+C – Senior Associate, HVAC/Sustainable Design at BR+A
Andrew Wang, AIA, LEED AP – Senior Project Manager, Design at Related Beal
Matthew Fickett, AIA, CPHC, LEED – Director or Science and Technology at SGA

2021 Topics & Speakers

December - Schools
Featured Leaders:
Kimberly Cullinane – Supervisor, New Construction, Energy Efficiency at Eversource
Julia Nugent AIA, LEED BD+C – Principal at HMFH Architects
Martine Dion FAIA, LEED AP BD+C – Principal, Director of Sustainable Design at SMMA

November - Boston’s Zero Net Carbon Building Zoning

October - Current Events and Roundtable Planning
This month’s roundtable will start with a brief current events update on what has been happening locally and then we will open up the space for others to share or comment.
The majority of the roundtable will be spent actively engaging the group to understand what the future of this roundtable should look like. This space is for the community to have dedicated time to connect and work together on Carbon & Energy related issues and opportunities in the built environment.
BE+ members and IBPSA Boston members can sign up for the session for free. People new to BE+’s roundtables without membership can also attend for free.

August - Let's Prep for DOER Input
Interested in sharing your thoughts on the Massachusetts Stretch Energy Code? The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) has just a year left to develop and promulgate the next MA stretch energy code. They are required to hold at least five public hearings throughout the state during the process yet have not released a schedule as of now. While we wait for the hearings to begin we want to proactively gather the Building Community to discuss priorities and recommendations.
This will be the first of monthly roundtables on Carbon and Energy. This month’s session will take place this Thursday, August 19, from 9-10am, and will focus on gathering input from Massachusetts building industry practitioners on the direction of the state’s Stretch Energy Code. We want to hear both your fears and hopes for the code.
BE+ invited IBPSA members, a community of energy modeling professionals in the Boston area, to attend and form a dedicated “breakout room” focused on the role of energy modeling in the Stretch Energy Code. Now is your chance to share testimonies on energy modeling requirements in the current code, and provide input on potential new directions for the code in the future.
Depending on attendance, we’ll have additional breakouts to gather thoughts on efficiency, electrification, renewables, and other.
The result of the breakout room discussions will be a letter drafted to the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) on behalf of Built Environment Plus and IBPSA Boston, summarizing the discussion.
BE+ members and IBPSA Boston members can sign up for Thursday’s session for free. People new to BE+’s roundtables without membership can also attend for free.

*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.

Emerging Professionals Roundtable
2021-12-20 18:00 - 19:30, 2022-01-24 18:00 - 19:30, 2022-02-28 18:00 - 19:30, 2022-03-21 18:00 - 19:30, 2022-04-18 18:00 - 19:30 | Virtual Event
*BE+ Emerging Professional Roundtables (EPMA meetings) are being hosted virtually until further notice.

BE+ EMERGING PROFESSIONALS (EP) The EP group is a great venue for becoming more engaged with the green building community and forming meaningful connections with colleagues across the industry. Our monthly meetings are open to anyone interested in becoming more involved.
TYPICAL MEETING AGENDA: The meeting starts with a 45 minute discussion with the committee leaders regarding planning for upcoming EP events and BE+ updates. All are welcome to this portion of the meeting as we look for volunteers to help plan events. Please join us at 6:45pm for the presentation and networking. Below is the breakdown of the meeting agenda:

6:00-6:40pm: Committee Meeting
6:40-6:45pm: Break/Introductions
6:45-7:20pm: Presentation
7:20-7:30pm: Networking

MEETING ACCESS: https://zoom.us/j/95860673399?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 958 6067 3399Passcode: [REDACTED]
Dial by your location+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)+1 646 876 9923 US (New York)+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)+1 408 638 0968 US (San Jose)+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)Meeting ID: 958 6067 3399Passcode: [REDACTED] your local number: https://zoom.us/u/ab8QDwbcWc
A BIT MORE ABOUT THE EP GROUP: The BE+ Emerging Professionals Group is a community of ascending professionals across the green building industry and allied fields that provides professional support, development and advocacy tools through active networking, monthly programming and community events. To learn more about EP, join the mailing list by following this link (select the Emerging Professionals e-mail list), visit our EPMA facebook group page (Built Environment Plus Emerging Professionals – MA) or send an email to emergingprofessionals@builtenvironmentplus.org.
BE+ EP Events Include:

Building Tours
Sustainable Bike Tour
Networking Nights
Neighborhood Clean-Ups
Student Programming

Passive House 201: Technical Aspects of Design & Construction
2022-01-18 15:00 - 17:00 | Virtual Event
This session will take a deeper look into common design & construction strategies for achieving the Passive House standard.
Concepts will include building envelope & insulation, air tightness, thermal bridging, testing & verification, and mechanical systems. A brief review of Passive House basics will be included, though some familiarity is recommended.
This course is taught by Aaron Gunderson. Aaron is the Executive Director of Passive House Massachusetts, overseeing member engagement, public outreach, educational programing, and organizational administration. He is a Certified Passive House Tradesperson and an accredited LEED professional with prior experience in community outreach & development for clean-tech companies and solar power installers. He holds a Master’s in Sustainability from Harvard University where he focused on sustainable building design, embodied carbon and energy analysis, greenhouse gas reporting, and community-level climate adaptation.

Course Objectives
Learn about designing projects to the Passive House standard and details to focus on, including thermal & air barriers.
Learn about common construction issues and strategies to successfully build PH projects.
Learn about methods to achieve PH air tightness metrics and conduct testing & verification on the envelope.
Learn about mechanical systems, including VRFs, heat pumps, and ERVs, and things to consider when designing for them.

Funding Grants Available: Submit by December 28th, 2021
The express grant is designed to help businesses of all sizes respond quickly to emerging needs and keep employees engaged. With bite-size grants for just-in-time training and no waiting periods between grants, the Express program is the Workforce Training Fund’s fastest path to funding.
You could take this training for FREE. Learn more and get in contact.
Course ID# 1131154

Background photo above is of The Distillery via Icon Architecture

2022 Annual General Meeting
2022-01-27 16:30 - 18:30
VIEW MAIN EVENT PAGE

Board of Directors Election

REGISTER TO ATTEND

Buildings and Carbon
2022-02-08 13:00 - 17:00 | Virtual Event
This course will focus on climate impacts associated with carbon emissions from the built environment. It will emphasize the importance of goal setting and taking actions to manage building-related carbon emissions throughout a building’s life cycle.
The course will begin with an exploration of the context of climate emissions in the built environment, covering topics such as the global carbon cycle, whole building life cycle analysis, operational carbon, embodied carbon and the impact of building materials and practices, carbon storage and buildings as carbon sinks, the “time value” of carbon, and a series of solutions from material selection to policy engagement for addressing the climate impact of the built environment.
Next, the course will explore applied strategies in the context of a design practice, covering topics such as goal setting and defined metrics, defining core questions framing carbon analysis, carbon accounting tools, and workflow in the design process.
Finally, the course will guide participants through a series of workshops and facilitated discussion in which key barriers to and opportunities for implementing carbon reduction strategies in participants’ practices are identified, discussed, prioritized, and formulated into an action list for participants to reference moving forward to actualize real carbon reduction in their work.
This course is taught by Jacob Deva Racusin. Jacob is co-owner of New Frameworks Natural Design/Build, offering services in green remodeling, new construction, consultation, and education featuring low-impact high-performance building technologies.
Photo above by Clark Van Der Beken on Unsplash

Course Objectives
After attending this course, participants will be able to:
Understand the impact of embodied carbon and carbon storage in building materials.
Become familiar with real-world examples and case studies that stored carbon.
Identify tools, workflow strategies, and other resources for carbon accounting in the design process.
Take action on opportunities and strategies for integrating climate action and carbon reduction into their professional practice.

Funding Grants Available: Submit by January 18th, 2021
The express grant is designed to help businesses of all sizes respond quickly to emerging needs and keep employees engaged. With bite-size grants for just-in-time training and no waiting periods between grants, the Express program is the Workforce Training Fund’s fastest path to funding.
You could take this training for FREE. Learn more and get in contact.
Course ID# 1131156

Light in the Urban Night
2022-02-10 17:30 - 19:30 | Kendall Square, 247 Main St, Cambridge, MA, 02142, United States
What makes for a good luminous environment? What distinguishes a good luminous environment from a bad one?
Through this winter night walk we will experience various exterior luminous environments at night using our primary tool of visual perception – our eyes. Beginning at the Kendall Square T Stop, we will meander through the MIT and Kendall Square area stopping at notable projects to discuss design solutions, as well as note how various public spaces create place through lighting, the perception of safety (or not), and minimize glare and light pollution.
An interactive scavenger hunt will augment lively discussion through the two-hour walk, ending at an outdoor food-and-drink establishment.

Meet at Kendall Square T stop at 5:30pm
Walk through Kendall / MIT area stopping at various locations along the route
End at Termeer Square around 7:30pm

Learning Objectives:

Experience various luminous environments at night to understand their qualitative differences.
Understand the impacts of lighting decisions on light pollution.
Understand what goes into creating comfortable night time luminous experiences.
Explore typical and not-so-typical solutions for the urban realm at night.

The built environment is better off when its plus Lam Partners. We hope you can join in for this Built Environment Plus event. If the cost is prohibitive, a scholarship form to apply to attend for free is below.
Please note: We ask that masks be worn for the duration of the walk.

OUR HOSTS

Dan Weissman AIA, MIES, Associate IALD
Senior Associate & Director of Lam Labs
A registered architect, Dan has over 12 years of experience in architectural lighting and is a leader in the firm’s endeavors in digital technologies, daylighting, dynamic lighting, and academic engagement as Director of Lam Labs. In 2018, Dan was named as one of “40 under 40” international lighting designers by Lighting Magazine. Dan recently completed building his first mandolin from scratch. He tends a garden, along with two very active children, and bakes two sourdough loaves a week.

Keith J. Yancey IALD, AIA, LC, P.E.
Principal
With over 35 years of experience in the fields of lighting and engineering, Keith’s portfolio includes lighting for college campuses, parks and resorts, pedestrian malls, and urban streetscapes, as well as numerous museums, universities, offices, and hospitals. Being registered as both an architect and engineer has embodied his interest in both the art and science of lighting. Keith knew he wanted to be a lighting designer when he designed his first luminaire in kindergarten, using a blue marble, a miniature flashlight, some string, and a box.

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SCHOLARSHIP FORM

Don't let cost keep you from participating. Scholarships for our events and trainings are provided by our friends at the R.W. Kern Center. Apply for free admission.

Name

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What would free registration to "Light in the Urban Night" do for you?

How will you use this opportunity to help others?

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Emerging Professionals Podcast Club: Resiliency
2022-02-17 18:00 - 19:00 | Virtual Event
You’ve heard of a book club, but get ready for…a podcast club! Listen to curated podcasts, plus one you find, then join this discussion.

This event is for anyone interested in podcasts and resiliency!
You’ve heard of a book club, but get ready for…a podcast club! This event invites participants to listen to 2 selected podcast episodes + 1 choose your own episode from a selected show, and then join us for a discussion.
Episodes are freely available on apple podcasts, spotify, and the podcast’s websites.
Podcasts:

Pod 1: Presenting: Life Raft – Could We Just Make Our Houses Float?
Pod 2: Katie Ackerly on housing as the core of a resilient future
Pod 3: Resilience: The Global Adaptation Podcast (Choose an Episode)
Pod 4: Resilient Cities, with Jainey Bavishi — Wild Talk Podcast
Pod 5: Everything you wanted to know about Managed Retreat (but were afraid to ask) with Dr. AR Siders — AMERICA ADAPTS

This event was planned, and is hosted, by the BE+ Emerging Professionals Committee.
This event is FREE for BE+ Emerging Professionals Members and Emerging Professionals who have been in the green building industry for 3 years or less.

Background photo by Dillon Shook on Unsplash

LCAs & EPDs: What You Need to Know
2022-03-08 13:00 - 17:00 | Virtual Event
Learn the promise and pitfalls of Life Cycle Assessments & Environmental Product Declarations, and how green rating programs address them.
Through this course you will learn the promise and pitfalls of LCA and EPDs, compare how the Living Building Challenge, Living Product Challenge, LEED and Green Globes address them and examine related advocacy opportunities, how to outline the history of political debate that surrounds Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of building materials and emerging trends of environmental product declarations within the green building industry, and how to explain how various green building and product certifications are driving increased transparency about environmental impacts of building materials with a particular focus on LEED®, the Living Building Challenge and the Living Product Challenge.
This course is taught by Jim Newman. Jim is founder and Principal at Linnean Solutions. He helped found the Massachusetts Chapter of the USGBC (Now Built Environment Plus) and held the position of Chair of the Board of the Chapter for two years. Jim is a founding Board member of a the Resilient Design Institute. Created by Alex Wilson of BuildingGreen, the organization pursues research and education on resilience in the built environment. Jim is also a Board member of CLEAR, the owner of the LENSES regenerative development framework. Previously, Jim worked as the Director of Strategy at BuildingGreen. Jim is the Co-Chair of the Living Future Collaborative, and Living Future Roundtable, both hosted by BE+.
Background photo above by Bernard Hermant on Unsplash

Funding Grants Available: Submit by February 15th, 2022
The express grant is designed to help businesses of all sizes respond quickly to emerging needs and keep employees engaged. With bite-size grants for just-in-time training and no waiting periods between grants, the Express program is the Workforce Training Fund’s fastest path to funding.
You could take this training for FREE. Learn more and get in contact.
Course ID# 1131196

Sustainable Acoustics
2022-03-22 15:00 - 17:00 | Virtual Event
An overview of acoustic principles and ways in which sustainable design can be applied to acoustics to extend green design concepts.
Acoustics is a critical component in providing a comfortable listening environment for users and is recognized by several building rating systems for sustainability and health including LEED, WELL, Fitwel, and Passive House. We will overview of acoustic principles and various ways in which sustainable design can be applied to acoustics to extend green design concepts. We will discuss the ABCs of architectural acoustics and the importance of proper acoustic design to the comfort and wellness of occupants across different types of building uses. We will discuss design strategies to help achieve the acoustics requirements of various building rating systems throughout the design and construction process. We will discuss synergies of acoustical design with other green building strategies – such as environmentally friendly materials, smarter use of energy, water and material resources and improved indoor environmental conditions – and potential tradeoffs.
Background photo above by Ren Ran on Unsplash.

Kristen Murphy, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP
Course Instructor. Consultant at ACENTECH
Since her architectural training (14 years ago), Kristen’s interest in sustainability and the built environment has been a core thread of her experience in the AEC industry. As this field constantly develops, she keeps abreast of how her role in acoustics affects sustainable design.
As the conversation on sustainability has expanded to include occupant wellness and health, she is excited to see acoustics becoming a bigger player in many recognized rating systems. Acousticians deeply know the connection between unwanted sound and health. From her experience and research on healthcare and school projects, she makes sure that occupants can heal and learn.
As an acoustical consultant and expert in sustainability, she works both internally and with clients on how to incorporate requirements from the rating systems. She is especially interested in the hidden acoustic synergies and difficulties of sustainable design to develop a broad picture view, beyond ticking boxes. She wants to empower clients to feel comfortable with the acoustics requirements, and empower the consultants to stay abreast of sustainable design practices.
Her current research interests include understanding more healthy and sustainable acoustic materials, understanding trends in sustainable design and how they relate to acoustics, and energy efficient MEP design.
Kristen stays active in the broader sustainability community. She is the resident expert on the intersection of acoustics and sustainability with Built Environment+, and regularly teaches classes and workforce training for BE+. She ran a one woman talk on Acoustics and Sustainability at Greenbuild 2019. She has recently completed Built Environment Plus Green Building Leadership Institute program, a two-year program focusing on community service, knowledge, and leadership. She has served as an advisor with the International Well Building Institute (IWBI) for the Sound concept.
Active memberships: Built Environment Plus, and the ASA Leo & Gabriella Beranek Scholarship Award Committee

Funding Grants Available: Submit by March 1st, 2022
The express grant is designed to help businesses of all sizes respond quickly to emerging needs and keep employees engaged. With bite-size grants for just-in-time training and no waiting periods between grants, the Express program is the Workforce Training Fund’s fastest path to funding.
You could take this training for FREE. Learn more and get in contact.
Course ID# 1131194

Women in Green Roundtable
2022-03-23 12:00 - 13:00 | Virtual Event
The BE+ Women in Green Roundtable is a venue for architects, designers, construction managers, and sustainability professionals to collaborate as Women in the industry.
Reach out to womeningreen@builtenvironmentplus.org with any inquiries, questions, or concerns.
View the roundtable’s webpage

Group Leadership:

Chair / Moderator: Allison Zuchman, Senior Sustainability Consultant at The Green Engineer
Board Liason: Jenn Taranto, Director of Sustainability at STO Building Group
Board Liason: Kristen Fritsch, Sustainability Coordinator at Elkus Manfredi Architects

Topics & Featured Leaders

March 2022 - Owners and Real Estate Developers
This roundtable session will include leaders from the real estate development sector and higher education responsible for overseeing their organizations ESG initiatives, sustainable design, and green building certification projects. Learn about what led them to their current roles and what unique skills have made them successful. Learn how each are advancing sustainability efforts within their own organizations and within the building sector overall. Gain advice on working most effectively with developers and clients on your projects. Join us and bring your questions!

Featured Leaders:
Jenny Whitson – Director, Sustainability & ESG at IQHQ
Heather Henriksen – Managing Director, Office for Sustainability at Harvard University
Neetu Singh Siddarth – Sustainability Manager at Boston Properties
Randa Ghattas – Senior Sustainability Project Manager at MIT

2021 Topics
November 2021 – Construction Leaders
Of all people working construction, women comprise only 10.3 percent. This roundtable session will include women from Boston area construction companies including a Passive House specialist, a sustainability manager, and project managers. Learn what led them to work in this industry including how they moved into their current roles, what challenges they may face and what unique skills have made them successful.
Join us for this lively conversation and bring your questions!
Sustainable Leaders:

Kate Starr – Project Manager at Commodore Builders
Alex Testa – Project Manager at Siena Construction Company
Caroline Murray – SPD Senior Project Manager / Sustainability Manager at Turner Construction & SourceBlue Manager, Architectural Products

Moderator:

Jenn Taranto – Director of Sustainability, Global Services at STO Building Group

August 2021 – Building Performance Leaders
This roundtable session will include three building performance leaders including a founding principal of a woman-owned energy analysis and sustainable design consulting firm, a building performance analyst with experience working at both an engineering firm and currently a local sustainable design consulting firm, and a technical principal in a sustainability practice within one of the world’s leading engineering firms. Learn about what led them to their current technical roles and what unique skills have made them successful. Gain some advice if you are interested in pursuing energy analysis work, and learn how to most effectively work with analysts on your current projects. Join us and bring your questions!
Sustainable Leaders:

Samira Ahmadi – Founding Principal of enviENERGY Studio LLC
Jasmine Abdollahi – Building Performance Analyst at The Green Engineer
Joelle Jahn, Associate – Technical Principal at WSP USA

May 2021 – Sustainability Directors, Coordinator, Manager
This roundtable session we have three sustainable design practice leaders representing a small, medium and large-size design firm joining us to share about their roles and how they integrate sustainable design into their practices. If you are interested in learning about sustainable design topics and practices that are gaining the most ground in their firms currently, getting advice on how to establish a role or how to be a sustainability champion in your firm, getting firm leadership on board and how to implement strategies, join us and bring your questions!
Sustainable Leaders:

Kate Bubriski – Director of Sustainability & Building Performance at Arrowstreet
Alison Nash – Architect and Sustainability Practice Leader at DiMella Shaffer
Kristen Fritsch – Sustainability Coordinator at Elkus Manfredi Architects

*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.

LEED® GA Exam Prep - Two Part
2022-04-05 13:00 - 17:00, 2022-04-07 13:00 - 17:00 | Virtual Event
This LEED® Exam Prep Course is a comprehensive course which will prepare attendees for the Green Associate exam. The day long curriculum is designed to cover the segments of the Green Associate Exam and to lightly cover the AP specialty exams.
It will be a fast-paced class for real estate professionals, architects, engineers, and anyone else interested in green building practices and LEED. The majority of attendees have little previous knowledge of the LEED® rating system, green building operations and green building construction. Upon completion of the class you will be eligible to sit for the LEED Green Associate exam at a local testing center.

This occurance will happen in two parts and only needs one registration to attend both:

Tuesday April 5th from 1:00pm to 5:00pm EST
Thursday April 7th from 1:00pm to 5:00pm EST

This course is taught by Patrick Boyle, LEED AP, WELL AP, Assistant Sustainability Consultant at The Green Engineer.

Funding Grants Available: Submit by March 15th, 2022
The express grant is designed to help businesses of all sizes respond quickly to emerging needs and keep employees engaged. With bite-size grants for just-in-time training and no waiting periods between grants, the Express program is the Workforce Training Fund’s fastest path to funding.
You could take this training for FREE. Learn more and get in contact.
Course ID# 1131031

Background photo above is of the Rockwell Integrated Sciences Center, Lafayette College via The Green Engineer / Payette taken by © Robert Benson.

Tools for Building Life-Cycle Assessment (Part A )
2022-04-12 13:00 - 17:00 | Virtual Event
Through this course participants will begin to understand the basics of conducting an LCA for a building.
Life-cycle assessment (LCA) is a critical methodology that can be used by building designers to evaluate the climate impact of their projects. Building design professionals are invited to join this course to learn an overview of LCA and how it is used within the design workflow. Through direct instruction in the LCA tool, Tally, participants will begin to understand the basics of conducting an LCA for a building. Also, through live demonstration, participants will be introduced to the Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator (EC3) Tool, a free and open-source database of environmental product declarations (EPDs). To reinforce the introduction of both tools, participants will have the opportunity to complete a practice exercise at home.
Learning Objectives:
– Learn to evaluate the environmental impact of building materials through the use of life-cycle assessment (LCA)
– Learn to interpret and communicate results from an LCA
– Learn to utilize industry tools to evaluate the environmental impact of a building
– Learn to conduct an LCA that meets the Whole-Building Life-Cycle Assessment requirements of LEED v4 and v4.1″

This course is taught by Vaclav Hasik, Data Manager at Building Transparency at Building Transparency.
Background photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash

Education Credits

Part A: Earn 4 LU|HSW unitsPart B: Earn 4 LU|HSW units

Funding Grants Available: Submit by March 22nd, 2022
The express grant is designed to help businesses of all sizes respond quickly to emerging needs and keep employees engaged. With bite-size grants for just-in-time training and no waiting periods between grants, the Express program is the Workforce Training Fund’s fastest path to funding.
You could take this training for FREE. Learn more and get in contact.
Course ID# 1135248

Tools for Building Life-Cycle Assessment (Part B )
2022-04-14 13:00 - 17:00 | Virtual Event
Building design professionals are invited to join Part B of this course to expand on the concepts and tools introduced in Part A.
Through in-tool demonstration, participants will learn advanced features of the LCA tool, Tally, and the specification and procurement tool, EC3. Participants will learn how to interpret LCA results and use the output to meet LEED credit requirements. During this session, participants will learn how these tools can inform design decisions and project specifications to achieve a reduction in the embodied carbon of their buildings. Participants will also be introduced to carbon baselines and benchmarks, and how they may be used in the design process.
Learning Objectives:
– Learn to evaluate the environmental impact of building materials through the use of life-cycle assessment (LCA)
– Learn to interpret and communicate results from an LCA
– Learn to utilize industry tools to evaluate the environmental impact of a building
– Learn to conduct an LCA that meets the Whole-Building Life-Cycle Assessment requirements of LEED v4 and v4.1″

This course is taught by Vaclav Hasik, Data Manager at Building Transparency at Building Transparency.
Background photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash

Education Credits

Part A: Earn 4 LU|HSW unitsPart B: Earn 4 LU|HSW units

Funding Grants Available: Submit by March 24th, 2022
The express grant is designed to help businesses of all sizes respond quickly to emerging needs and keep employees engaged. With bite-size grants for just-in-time training and no waiting periods between grants, the Express program is the Workforce Training Fund’s fastest path to funding.
You could take this training for FREE. Learn more and get in contact.
Course ID# 1135249

Introduction to the Passive House Standard
2022-04-14 13:00 - 17:00 | Virtual Event
About the Class
Passive House goals and methodology change the way architects and builders think and work, making the architectural design itself a driver of climate, health, and social solutions. This is a 4-hour course that dives into the basic principles, history, certification, and the new frontiers of Passive House design as it continues to challenge and change industry expectations. All theory is then illustrated through several case studies outlining specific Passive House principles. This course is provided by The Passive House Network.
Participants will need to provide their own laptop with internet capabilities.
4 AIA/HSW Continuing Education Units are available for this training. The Passive House Network is an AIA Continuing Education Provider.
Graphic background photo is a rendering of 201 Hampden via Placetailor

About PHN
The Passive House Network (PHN), formerly known as NAPHN, is a high-performance building literacy program. We provide comprehensive, high-quality Passive House education to stakeholders across the building industry – from architects and engineers, to builders and developers, to regulators and policymakers. We demystify the impact of design and construction choices, form knowledge-sharing networks, raise expectations, and transform how professionals fundamentally think and work.
Passive House is widely recognized as the most powerful tool we have today to produce buildings that rise to meet our challenges, forming the cornerstone of climate mitigation and adaptation, public health, and equity impacts. Read The PHN Difference, for a description of what makes us uniquely positioned in the US building industry.
Our Vision: A sustainable, post-carbon, all-renewable energy future – supported by buildings that are efficient, comfortable, affordable, resilient, and healthy.
Our Mission: The transformation of the built environment, using the tools developed by the Passive House Institute, is a critical effort to combat global warming. We provide training, conferences, and other events to both engage and educate design and building professionals, policymakers, and the general public. We support the success and vitality of the Passive House community.

Why Should I Attend this Course?
Gain a foundation in passive house principles that can influence all your building projects, including single-family, multi-family, mixed-use, commercial, and industrial.
Develop the background needed to pursue further education and certification in Passive House.
Explore case studies of passive house buildings from a variety of projects.

Who Should Attend?

This course was developed for a wide range of student profiles include architects, MEP and structural engineers, facade, energy and sustainability consultants, contractors, developers, policymakers, regulators, and more.

Learning Objectives
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

Outline the basic principles of the Passive House Standard
Outline the history of the Passive House Standard
Cite specifics of a few Passive House case studies

Funding Grants Available: Submit by March 24th, 2022
The express grant is designed to help businesses of all sizes respond quickly to emerging needs and keep employees engaged. With bite-size grants for just-in-time training and no waiting periods between grants, the Express program is the Workforce Training Fund’s fastest path to funding.
You could take this training for FREE. Learn more and get in contact.
Course ID# 1135251

Emerging Professionals Roundtable
2022-04-18 18:00 - 19:30 | Virtual Event
*BE+ Emerging Professional Roundtables (EPMA meetings) are being hosted virtually until further notice.

BE+ EMERGING PROFESSIONALS (EP) The EP group is a great venue for becoming more engaged with the green building community and forming meaningful connections with colleagues across the industry. Our monthly meetings are open to anyone interested in becoming more involved.
TYPICAL MEETING AGENDA: The meeting starts with personal introductions and then transitions into a discussion with the committee leaders regarding planning for upcoming EP events and BE+ updates. The second half of the meeting is reserved for a member presentation with time for discussion.
MEETING ACCESS: https://zoom.us/j/95860673399?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 958 6067 3399Passcode: [REDACTED]
Dial by your location+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)+1 646 876 9923 US (New York)+1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)+1 408 638 0968 US (San Jose)+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)Meeting ID: 958 6067 3399Passcode: [REDACTED] your local number: https://zoom.us/u/ab8QDwbcWc
A BIT MORE ABOUT THE EP GROUP: The BE+ Emerging Professionals Group is a community of ascending professionals across the green building industry and allied fields that provides professional support, development and advocacy tools through active networking, monthly programming and community events. To learn more about EP, join the mailing list by following this link (select the Emerging Professionals e-mail list), visit our EPMA facebook group page (Built Environment Plus Emerging Professionals – MA) or send an email to emergingprofessionals@builtenvironmentplus.org.
BE+ EP Events Include:

Building Tours
Sustainable Bike Tour
Networking Nights
Neighborhood Clean-Ups
Student Programming

LEED® Building Design + Construction - Two Part
2022-04-19 13:00 - 17:00 | Virtual Event
With this LEED® AP Building Design and Construction training, you will know the requirements and calculations required for the following LEED credits: Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Energy & Atmosphere, Materials & Resources, and Indoor Environmental Quality.
You’ll learn and practice the three exam areas – Recognition, Application, and Analysis, as well as be able to identify the key components of the LEED BD+C Rating System. Upon completion of the class you will be eligible to sit for the LEED BD+C exam at a local testing center.

This occurance will happen in two parts and only needs one registration to attend both:

Tuesday April 19th from 1:00pm to 5:00pm EST
Thursday April 21st from 1:00pm to 5:00pm EST

This course is taught by Patrick Boyle, LEED AP, WELL AP, Assistant Sustainability Consultant at The Green Engineer.

Funding Grants Available: Submit by March 29th, 2022
The express grant is designed to help businesses of all sizes respond quickly to emerging needs and keep employees engaged. With bite-size grants for just-in-time training and no waiting periods between grants, the Express program is the Workforce Training Fund’s fastest path to funding.
You could take this training for FREE. Learn more and get in contact.
Course ID# 1131071

Background photo above is of the Lowell Justice Center via The Green Engineer taken by © Anton Grassl.
