Fuse Apartment Tour

By USGBC MA Communications

On Thursday USGBC – Residential Green Building Committee organized a tour for the FUSE Cambridge Apartments – a 244-unit apartment community located at 165 CambridgePark Drive, Cambridge, MA.  The 250,000-square-foot complex, developed by Hines and managed by the Bozzuto Group, is LEED certified (Silver) and is the first in Massachusetts to introduce Well Signature apartment homes.  Well Signature apartments incorporate features such as advanced water and air filtration systems and innovative technologies for lighting.  


The group was initially greeted by Sean from Hines and Nate from Bozzuto Group in the club room with wine and cheese. Soon the tour began in the lobby.  The lobby was designed to be a window to connect pedestrians and residences to the adjacent 100+ acre Alewife Brook Reservation.  The lobby spans two stories with glass facade so people walking by on CambridgePark Drive have a direct view of the reservation.


After we walked outside towards the Alewife Brook Reservation the hosts explained that the parcel of land the apartment sits on was previously a factory therefore a lot of remediation work had to be done to the soil before the foundations for the apartments could be poured.  The other interesting thing is that the orientation of the building and design of glass façade was optimized for viewing angles of two willow trees that stood side by side overlooking the reservation, which we were told, was not standard practice in the industry.  Over 60 percent of the 244 apartment units have a window over-looking the reservation.   The apartment complex has a 1:1 bike rack to parking space ratio.  

The group then walked around the building and re-entered through the front lobby from Cambridge-drive Park.  The group was brought to the second floor to view the common room and the green wall.  The common 

room is where residents can go to do work.  It is equipped with wifi, computers, printers, and lots of places to sit.  It even has a conference room for meetings.  The hosts explained that many of the residences take advantage of the common room using it as an office to get work done.  After touring the common room, the group arrived at one of the show pieces of the property – the living green wall.  The green wall consists of 250 individual potted plants on a wall with lighting above that is optimized for their photosynthesis needs.  It gets watered about once a month and so far, the hosts say it’s been a big success.  The wall breathes life to the interior of the apartment and lifts one’s mood up each day after work.   

At the green wall the group had a lively discussion about lighting requirements in commercial buildings.  Afterwards, the group was shown a sample apartment unit which incorporated the Wells Signature equipment.  It is offered at the apartment as an add-on package which includes: advanced air purification, circadian mood lighting, circadian shower, blackout shades, aromatherapy, water purification, Cleveland clinic wellness, and well hub.

 

 


 

RGBC Meeting with John Rockwell Zehnder America

By Molly Cox

The Residential Green Building Committee gathered on October 16th, 2017. We had a guest presentation from John Rockwell, of Zehnder America. He was here to help us understand proper and efficient mechanical ventilation standards for buildings.

He started off by emphasizing the importance of making buildings airtight, and not just jumping straight to insulation measures when looking for fixes. He continued to explain that air movement is the primary goal, because of all the contaminants and toxins buildings can have inside (in the rugs, furniture, etc), and we need that to move through.

John went on to explore the different ventilation options: Exhaust Ventilation, Supply Ventilation, Balanced Ventilation and Heat Recovery Ventilation. The conclusion was that the Balanced Ventilation is highly recommended in conjunction with an HRV or ERV, over Supply Ventilation for example, which pulls outside air into the home, while the stale air exits the home through building envelope leakage. The HRV serves as a heat exchanger between the fresh and stale air, and they actually have a higher heat recovery efficiency than an ERV. The reason being is because the HRV isn’t focused on moisture transfer like the ERV’s are, so there are more resources being dedicated to the heat exchange.  

John explained that when choosing to implement an HRV or ERV, it is important to think about climate, occupancy, and humidity levels. Not only are all these ventilation methods supposed to be efficient for overall energy use, but they are also supposed to enhance the health and comfort of the inhabitants within the building.

John taught us a lot on Monday night, and was an extraordinary teacher for all of us! We hope you will join us at our next Residential Green Building Committee meeting to continue the conversation and learn from one another.

Here are some upcoming events to keep an eye on:

October Greenbuild Mixer with BCBS of Massachusetts Oct 26th, Boston

How to Network at Greenbuild and Build Your Career in Sustainability Oct 26th, Boston

 

USGBC MA Stories: Jim Newman, Linnean Solutions

By Jim Newman, Linnean Solutions


Thoughts on the future of green building in Massachusetts

In the Boston area, we have a couple of both advantages and disadvantages that drive the market. One of the advantages we have is a very supportive regulatory environment that is moving all of the built environment towards greener, more environmentally sensitive outcomes. We also export architecture. There are more architects than can work on projects locally, so we are actually a net exporter of design – a big exporter. So things that happen here are exported to other places.

Some of the disadvantages are that even with a very supportive market, it's a relatively conservative practice space. Engineering and architecture practice in the Massachusetts area is not super progressive in general. I think that what is happening with green building now is it is becoming ubiquitous within standard design. It is not the realm of leaders at this point, it is the realm of everybody, and so you see it in all of the regular engineering and architecture firms in the area who are all the least bit engaged. Green building has a lot more reach than in the past.

I think that, in the future, there will be two or three primary movers which emerge out of the general green building movement. One of these is a focus on health and healthy places. This is important to how people live and how people work, and how to improve health. Residential developers have figured this out, and they see value in creating more healthy developments.

The second mover is the net zero movement. I think that the industry, as well as consumers have finally gotten it into their heads that we can make our buildings close to net zero, and even net positive. What we are seeing now is that communities are engaging with the idea of net zero communities, housing developments are engaging with the idea of net zero housing at a large scale, and municipalities are legislating net zero towns. This will be transformative. It is going to take a while for it to take hold in the mainstream, but it is already taking hold for the leading practitioners.

The third mover is that the social structures that have underpinned how development is done are being called into question, which sharpens the game. The resilience movement is part of that. Equity efforts are part of that. I think there are a lot of forces that are pushing people who participate in, regulate, and consume the built environment to rethink what they are trying to do. So, I think there is a real opportunity for us, both as practitioners and as an organization to help move these issues forward. We have a lot of opportunities as a chapter, to really help move the market in ways that are pretty substantial

SMMA Fund Grants Scholarship to Hudson Senior

By USGBC MA Communications


The SMMA Fund, the firm's philanthropic arm, has awarded its 2017 scholarship to Daniel Morton, a senior from Hudson High School. Daniel was chosen from a field of applicants based on his academic performance, recommendations from his counselors and teachers, and his stated intent to pursue studies in the field of design that contributes to the built environment.

Each year, the SMMA Fund grants scholarships to outstanding students from high schools that the firm has designed. The Fund has provided more than $36 thousand in financial assistance to 34 students from 13 high schools since its inception in 2010.

In his application, Daniel cited a passion for mechanical engineering, which has seen him lead a team of fellow students in the development of a sports-based prosthetic for a young softball player. The experience, and the knowledge gained in his time at technology-rich Hudson High School, which has been selected for inclusion in the Massachusetts School Building Authority's Model School Program, has fostered his desire to continue studying the discipline at the collegiate level.

“The SMMA Fund is a demonstration of our commitment to social responsibility and directly benefits the communities we serve,” said Marie Fitzgerald, SMMA board member and director of the firm's interior design practice. “We are proud to assist Daniel as he takes the next step in his educational journey.”

 

 

Presently second in his graduating class of 148, with a grade point average of 4.45, Daniel captains the school's golf and tennis teams, participates in its ski and ultimate Frisbee clubs, and has been a member of the National Honor Society for the entirety of his four-year career. He plans to attend the University of Pennsylania or Northeastern University in the fall of 2017.

 

Sustainability in Higher Ed: Southland Science Tour

By USGBC MA Communications

The Southland Science Tour on Saturday, November 11 is a Greenbuild 2017 Green Building Tour you just can't miss! The day trip will bring attendees to two projects south of Boston that demonstrate how higher education institutions can minimize their environmental footprint despite their high energy use intensity. The objectives of the tour are to understand the key strategies necessary to achieve Zero Net Energy in a laboratory building and identify opportunities to simultaneously enhance occupant health and safety while reducing energy consumption. Upon completing this tour attendees will be able to discuss how historic preservation and modern state-of-the-art educational spaces can combine to create unique, sustainable opportunities and how the site, neighborhood and structure of an historic building can impact the sustainability story of a project, including remediation, preservation and meeting the tenets of LEED certified project.


The John J Sbrega Health and Science Building at Bristol Community College in Fall River, MA, is a 2017 AIA COTE Top Ten recipient, and is anticipated to achieve LEED Platinum certification. Designed as a Net-Zero Energy building, numerous strategies were employed to reduce the building's baseline energy use intensity, and cut fossil fuel consumption. The building realized a 67% reduction in hourly air changes and air-handling capacity. Additional strategies triggered a number of capital cost savings ranging from less ductwork and smaller air handling units to decreased floor-to-floor height and building envelope area. The John J. Sbrega Health and Science Building is as a shared resource occupied by multiple disciplines within the Sciences and Health Professions disciplines at Bristol Community College. The facility represents the translation of basic science to its application in the health professions. For the sciences, the building accommodates flexible instructional labs and support space for field biology, biotech, microbiology, and general chemistry.

 

 


The South Street Landing in Providence, Rhode Island, was an abandoned structure formerly occupied by the Narragansett Electric Company that now houses a statewide modern nursing education facility through a joint venture among three universities. The project team has worked to preserve historic features of the original power station including the large, 50-ton gantry crane and the Dynamo concrete pedestal. The site design features stormwater management best practices, and the 4-story dynamo block and hall where the generators churned electricity was reimagined into a commons. The core/shell and interior fit-out of the nursing education center are both targeting LEED-CS and CI Gold certification. The $220 million South Street Landing project represents a major transformation of the Jewelry District that will spur further economic growth and advance academic excellence in the capital city and across Rhode Island.

 

Greenbuild 2017 is just around the corner! Sign up for this tour and many other opportunities today! Greenbuild is the world's largest conference and expo dedicated to green building. The ideals and passion of the green building community come alive at Greenbuild. The buzz is contagious. Greenbuild brings together industry leaders, experts and frontline professionals dedicated to sustainable building in their everyday work, and a unique energy is sparked. Participants are invigorated. Inspired. They find themselves equipped to return to their jobs with a renewed passion and purpose. Register today!

What Does “GOOD” Look Like?

By Communications

The Living Building Challenge asks us to imagine a building that answers the question: “What does good look like?”

As a green building certification program and sustainable design framework that visualizes the ideal for the built environment, the Living Building Challenge (LBC) sets out to create buildings that are:

  • Regenerative spaces that connect occupants to light, air, food, nature, and community.
  • Self-sufficient and remain within the resource limits of their site. Living Buildings produce more energy than they use and collect and treat all water on site.
  • Healthy and beautiful.

Greenbuild is kicking off its Green Building Tours series with “Green Day Out” at 8:00am on Monday, November 6. Green Day Out will bring participants to see three buildings designed to meet the Living Building Challenge, and a fourth that uses the most advanced cross laminated timber construction in the United States! This tour will take you to Western Massachusetts, where you be able to see the application of and implementation of sustainable design frameworks that have resulted in cutting edge projects that are changing the building industry. Here's a sneak peek at the projects:


The R.W. Kern Center at Hampshire College, designed by USGBC MA Chapter Sponsor Bruner/Cott & Associates, is a 2-story, 17,000 SF registered LBC project & 2017 COTE Top 10 Award winner. It generates 100% of its energy on-site and reduces water consumption by 95%. To reach the desired self-sustaining goals, the eco-friendly center has been outfitted with solar panels, composting toilets and a rainwater harvesting system. The Kern Center now functions as a hub for student life with a “community living room” and cafe, and it also serves as a welcome center for parents and staff. Moreover, it also houses a learning and teaching laboratory for both students and visitors. This green building is aiming to bring Hampshire closer to its goal that is to be completely carbon-neutral in coming years.


The Hitchcock Center for the Environment is a single story, 9,000 SF environmental education center and registered LBC project. Designed to be a teaching tool, The Hitchcock Center offers free tours twice monthly to the community. The net zero energy building harvests and recycles its own water, uses composting toilets, and was constructed with responsibly sourced, nontoxic materials. The Hitchcock Center includes educational displays for Pre-K through adults, explaining composting toilets, potable rainwater harvesting & treatment, and greywater systems. The project supports a new approach to achieving environmental literacy in the 21st century.

 


The Bechtel Environmental Classroom, a 2,300 SF single story building designed as a field station for Smith College, was the fifth Certified Living Building in the world and first in New England. Designed by Coldham & Hartman Architects, the classroom is a wood-framed building that serves as a field station for a 233-acre forest and pasture property. It doubles as a classroom and seminar space. The building uses solar panels and an innovative septic system involving composting toilets to fit the consumption imperatives. Since the building’s opening in September 2012, students have monitored a range of data points of electricity and water usage to demonstrate that the building operated over its first year of occupancy as a net-zero facility. “The design and construction of this remarkable building has been a great way to engage our students’ cross-disciplinary abilities and put them in a position where they were making production decisions,”  said Drew Guswa, professor of engineering and director of Smith’s Center for Environment, Ecological Design and Sustainability (CEEDS) in a press release. “The building has been, and will continue to be, an invaluable teaching tool.” 


The University of Massachusetts Amherst Design Building is a 4-story, 87,500 GSF building pending LEED Gold. Its heavy-timber wood structure demonstrates how the industry can address climate change by building with wood. UMass says its new Design Building is the largest modern wood building in the U.S. – and the most advanced cross-laminated timber (CLT) building in the country. Designed by Boston-based architects Leers Weinzapfel Associates, the $52 million building is among the first in the U.S. to use a wood-concrete composite floor system. The building saves the equivalent of over 2,300 metric tons of carbon when compared to a traditional energy-intensive steel and concrete building, says the university.

 

Join us! Monday, November 6 from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Meet at Tour Meet Desk (Lobby). This is a tour you just can't miss! Upon completing the tour, you will be able to discuss 1) why building with wood is critical for the building industry and addressing climate change; 2) the fundamentals of mass timber buildings and structural systems; 3) the basic requirements of the Living Building Challenge; and 4) the collaborative approach and engagement strategies used in Living Building Projects to ensure goals are met. 

Greenbuild is just around the corner. Register today and take a look at the schedule for all of the exciting events Greenbuild 2017 has to offer!

Massachusetts: A Spark in the Net Positive Revolution

By Communications

We are amidst a paradigm shift in the building sector– a shift that is completely necessary in the face of our changing climate. One significant tool in the emerging design strategies toolbox for sustainable building construction and operations is the principle of “Net Positive”. A positive energy building is one that produces more energy from renewable sources than it consumes.

Why is this significant? According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, about 40% of total U.S. energy consumption was consumed by the residential and commercial sectors in 2016. From space heating and cooling to electricity use, addressing energy consumption at the building level has the potential to make a significant impact on reducing total national energy consumption and thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Massachusetts is very much a part of this movement!

As a part of Greenbuild 2017, the Green Building tours program is showcasing Massachusetts net positive efforts in a full day tour on Monday, November 6 from 8:00AM to 4:00PM. The tour, “Net Positive Revolution” will explore LEED-certified, net positive and passive house buildings that clearly show revolution is afoot again in Massachusetts! Attendess will gain insight on the philosophy and design attributes of the Passive House certification system as well as the building site design, envelope, MEP and renewable energy systems that contribute to net zero building design. In addition, tour attendees will be able to better define how the use of wood as a sustainably-sourced and local material can enhance a project's sustainability.


The tour visits include: an office in Newton MA, with a passive and net positive design that confronts the challenge of retrofitting an existing building to meet Passive House standards; a passive house in Wayland MA which can be heated and cooled by the equivalent of a single burner on a stove; a net positive farmhouse in Lincoln, MA; and Walden Pond Visitors Center (image at right), a net zero energy building that also demonstrates what can be achieved with locally sourced materials and integrating a building into its landscape. Process and detail strategies will be shared by both design professionals and contractors responsible for these projects.

Green Building tours are one of Greenbuild's most popular and exciting features, providing the opportunity to explore green buildings ranging from higher education facilities to sports venues. In addition to the tours, Greenbuild has a whole week of exciting events (Nov. 6 – Nov. 10) including workshops, education sessions and networking opportunities. Be sure to check out the schedule and sign up today!

“A Building and a Landscape Should Work Together”

By USGBC Communications

Levi + Wong Design Associates (LWDA) have embraces an approach to landscape architecture that is grounded in holistic observation. LWDA creates healing gardens, courtyards, and campuses that bring landscape and building together. The firm's mission? Design with purpose, solve spatial problems with imagination, and implement solutions that are both beautiful and sustainable. LWDA works in harmony with existing natural conditions so that building and landscape work together.



The firm is able to unite building and landscape to serve as extensions of one another, creating smooth transitions between indoor and outdoor spaces.

For example, the adult day living courtyard at Braintree Rehabilitation Hospital was inspired from an idea to use the outdoors as an extension of the hospital’s physical therapy program. A former overgrown and little-used side entrance yard was transformed into a new garden that integrates everyday outdoor activities into a patient’s rehabilitation The garden now serves multiple functions including therapy, meditative, and family gathering, and the space successfully mixes patients, families and caregivers in an equitable outdoor environment. A variety of New England pavement types, sidewalks curbs, garden gates and latches, and ramps become activities patients can use to rehab and relearn everyday outdoor living: mailboxes, benches, curbs, curb ramps, outdoor handrails, plant potting, basketball, and miniature golf. Offering comfortable venues of outdoor seating and rehabilitation activities, the garden has become the centerpiece of the hospital.

#BtheChange: Haley Belofsky Sails with Special Olympians

By USGBC MA Communications


ReVision is proud to be a Certified B Corp, a business that has been independently verified to meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. But B Corps are more than just a certification – they are part of an international movement to demonstrate that businesses can be an instrument of positive change.

This new series, #BtheChange, celebrates the employees at ReVision Energy who live out B Corp values on a daily basis.

Today’s feature: Haley Belofsky, of our North Andover, MA branch. Read the Boston Globe article here.

[special olympian sailors in boston harbor]

Haley (Second from right in the photo above) has spent every Wednesday night from May through September sailing with the Special Olympics in Boston Harbor to help them prepare for the annual Regatta. Jay Nothnagle, to Haley’s right, has been sailing since he was a toddler. The athletes vary in social skill and physical ability, but all are determined competitors, and are graceful in victory or defeat.

 

2017 Board Elections are Going on Now!

By Alexander Landa


As of this morning – Friday, January 13th – 2017 Board elections are now going on.

For members of the US Green Building Council Massachusetts Chapter, you should have received an email this morning asking you to fill out a short survey and to decide who you want to see as a member of the 2017 Board of Directors.

If you didn't receive this email, please check your spam folder, or contact us at info@usgbcma.org.

If you aren't currently a member but would like to get involved, please join as a member now, and we will be sending a follow-up email with voting instructions next week for any new members.

For more information on each candidate and to read their statements, please go here.