2.5 Weeks From Now: NESEA: BuildingEnergy '16 Conference

By Ryan Duffy, Communications Fellow


Join us at BuildingEnergy Boston Conference + Trade Show, March 8-10 at the Seaport World Trade Center, Boston MA. It's going to be awesome!
 
We will be right there on the trade show floor – let us know if you'd like to volunteer to share the good news of the USGBC MA Chapter to conference attendees. 
 

Friends of USGBC MA can register with the case sensitive code FRIENDOFNESEA to receive $25 off!

Read more about the event below!

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Join NESEA for the BuildingEnergy Boston Conference + Trade Show: March 8-10, 2016

Pre-Conference Workshops and Networking: March 8, 2016 at the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston, MA

Conference + Trade Show: Wednesday and Thursday, March 9-10, 2016 at the Seaport

What is BuildingEnergy?

The BuildingEnergy Boston Conference + Trade Show is the Northeast's premier gathering for sustainable design, green building, and renewable energy professionals. Produced by the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA), the annual event attracts more than 3,500 practitioners working together to advance the adoption of sustainable energy practices in the built environment. Attendees span all sectors of the building industry, ensuring that the people you meet and the knowledge you gain will expand your network and strengthen your business. Conference sessions are rigorous, relevant, and rooted in whole-systems thinking. The trade show hosts companies with cutting edge products and services. Greenwashing is left at the door. Sound good? Join us!

Why Attend BuildingEnergy?

  • Network with industry leaders
  • Build your competitive advantage
  • Make business-to-business connections and grow your client base
  • Learn new techniques and new technologies at over 80 sessions and workshops
  • Earn your professional credits in highly engaging multi-disciplinary sessions
  • Visit exhibits of companies with cutting edge products and services

Why Exhibit at BuildingEnergy?

  • Introduce your products and services to new clientele
  • Debut new products and services to established clientele
  • Make business-to-business connections and grow your client base
  • See and be seen by industry leaders and emerging professionals
  • Avoid the discomfort of having to explain your absence

BuildingEnergy Attendee Breakdown

51% Building professionals (architects, engineers, builders, planners, contractors, facility managers, developers and designers)

23% Energy and environmental professionals

15% Educators, homeowners, students and non-profit organizations

2016 Volunteer Appreciation

By Celis Brisbin, Programs Manager

Congratulations to the many individuals who have consistently volunteered for the Chapter to help us move forward with our mission. Our volunteers are really making a difference in how we are able to deliver education, to create excellent networking opportunities, and to advocate for state and local policies that will benefit our industry. And – they appear to have a great time while working on these many fronts! 

We took a few minutes at the Annual General Meeting to recognize some of these folks. It was fun.

 

Shining Star of the Chapter: Phoebe Beierle

Phoebe lead the Green Schools committee through another successful and record making year. The Green Apple Day of Service supported over 4,000 students and their communities with Green Schools projects! 


 

Stepper-Uppers: Jessie Miller, Kimberly Le, Brice Hereford

Jessie Miller – Outreach Committee, Kimberly Le- Residential Green Building Committee, and Brice Hereford – West Branch, all stepped up to lead their teams in 2015. We are extremely happy to have them onboard and to work with them in 2017. Thank you!


 

 

New Hit Wonders: Colleen Brisport, Mark Pignatelli, Suzy O'Leary

Colleen, Mark and Suzy all worked hard this past year to bring programming and support to the Chapter. We appreciate their individual contruibution of time and service to our Chapter and are proud to have them and their continued efforts in 2016!


Special: John DiModica & Dan Whittet

John championed PACE+R with the Advocacy Committee. We were pleased to have him at the State House and here in our offices, enlightening us on the importance of this legislation, and conveying its merits to lawmakers. Dan has been a champion of green buildings and frequently works with us on educational presentations, advocacy, and our existing building community. 


Fundraiser Rockers: Ben Myers & Jim Newman

Ben and Jim have been working in the boiler room of the USGBC supporting us with the funds needed to make progress on our mission and to support our community. Thanks Ben and Jim for your work connecting us with the community of support!

 

Emerging Professionals of the Year: Vinoth Kumar Sekar & Rebecca Slocum

Rebecca has developed the Mentoring Program with EPMA group which is now underway for the 2016 cycle. Vinoth teamed with the USGBC and the Northeastern University to start the first annual Energy Conference. The conference was a total success and we look forward to supporting it next year. 

 

Noteworthy Mention: Stephanie MacNeil, Kristin Malyak, Matt Smith, Ryan Montoni, Marie Nolan, Alana Spencer, Mark Dunn, Laura Fitch, Aelan Tierney, Jared Gentilucci, Craig Foley, David Bliss, Bill Tobin, Kate Bubriski, Adrian Charest

Thank you to our family of volunteers who work tirelessly to support the mission of the USGBC Massachusetts Chapter. Without your support, we would not be the organization that we are. 

 

 

11/23 Advocacy Breakfast on Building a Clean Energy Future

By USGBC MA Chapter

Start off your Thanksgiving holiday week by filling up on GBCI credits. Come to our breakfast meeting to discuss the complexities of net-metering, the Acadia Center's solar policy framework for Massachusetts, and their plan for reaching 2020 greenhouse gas emission targets.

Join us at 50 Milk St. on Monday, November 23, 8:30-10:00am for a discussion about the legislature's hot-button net-metering issue. The Acadia Center's Tyler Soleau will discuss his organization's Next Generation Solar Policy Framework, which the USGBC MA Board endorsed this summer. Soleau, a former Beacon Hill staffer and lawyer, will share his inside views on how to best approach the legislation and lift these caps–and what other policy areas should be targeted.

Learn about Acadia Center's EnergyVision and Next Generation Solar Policy Framework. Developing more renewable energy is key for building a clean energy future. Come understand and join our Chapter's push for lifting the state's net-metering caps to support the sustainability of the solar industry

Questions for discussion at this presentation include:

  • What is the real obstacle to net-metering reform?
  • How can we ensure the most vigorous continued growth of the solar industry and other renewables?
  • Can we identify new synergies to ensure that Massachusetts gets the most sustainable grid possible?
  • What policy reforms are necessary to reach the state's greenhouse gas emission reduction targets?

This comprehensive outline for the state will help preserve and sustain the solar industry in Massachusetts. Read more about the Acadia Center's Framework on our website, and learn why our Chapter supports this comprehensive policy approach, and the lifting of the net-metering caps, in our recent blog post.


Although Speaker DeLeo said that he intends for the legislature to resolve net-metering by November 18, this coalition needs to plan next steps to ensure the sustainability and growth of the solar industry. Moreover, members of the green building industry and our Chapter's peer organizations are instrumental in advancing renewable, energy efficient policies in the state. Come learn about these issues and what role you and your company can take in helping the state reach these important goals.

Register for the Nov. 23 breakfast here. See you soon!

About the Speaker

Tyler Soleau is Acadia Center’s Energy and Climate Outreach Director. He came to Acadia Center from the Massachusetts House of Representatives where he served most immediately as Staff Director and Counsel for the House Committee on Climate Change. Tyler holds a JD magna cum laude from Vermont Law School and BA from Hamilton College.

2014 LEED Certification in Review

By Grey Lee

2014 was a great year for green building and LEED Certification in Massachusetts!  Of the 130 total projects certified in 2014, 19 earned LEED Certified status, 29 earned LEED Silver, 61 earned LEED Gold, and 21 earned LEED Platinum.
 
 
We want to thank all of the project teams for their hard work and commitment to innovation in efficient design, construction and operation. We are looking forward to another impressive year in 2015 and we already have three certifications completed this year, including a LEED Platinum project by our sponsor The Green Engineer.  The following top ten list ranks firms and owners whose project administrators helped certify over 50 LEED projects together in 2014.
  1. The Green Engineer (Sponsor)
  2. Harvard University
  3. AHA Consulting Engineers (Sponsor)
  4. Entegra
  5. Bergmeyer
  6. New Ecology
  7. Urbanica
  8. ADD; CBRE; Chapman Construction; TND; VHB; Wright Builders
  9. Boston Properties (Sponsor); Boston Global; Corgan; GSA; Perkins + Will; TT Arch
  10. AECOM; Architerra; Callison; Goody Clancy; Mount Vernon

 

Look for upcoming blog posts highlighting our sponsors and some of their recent achievements in Green Building.

 

 

“Living With Water” Design Competition Launch at ABX in Boston

By Grey Lee

Boston's Mayor Marty Walsh kicked off a new design competition today at ABX – the Boston Society of Architects' (BSA) annual convention at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center. 

“Boston Living with Water” will draw on the collective talent of architects and planners globally to explore how rising sea level can be an opportunity rather than a threat to Boston.  Three types of scenarios are in the contest: mid-size multifamily building on the waterfront, a vacant lot area in the Seaport, and Morrissey Boulevard on the Dorchester waterfront which already floods regularly. 

More info on the contest is here.
 

 
 

Hundreds of people attended to hear the announcement, which also included remarks by Chief of Environment for the City Brian Swett describing a leadership summit on climate resilience to be hosted at UMass Boston in the spring.

The Mayor was joined by City Manager Rossi of Cambridge, Manager Ash of Chelsea and Executive Director of the Metropolitan Area Planning Commission Marc Draisen to announce a new regional effort to help prepare Boston and the metropolitan area for the impacts of climate change. 

Also in attendance (below) were the leaders of the BSA Eric Wilson (Executive Director) and Emily Grandstaff-Rice (current President of the BSA) among other state and local officials.
 

Chapter all-stars included Phoebe Beierle (Boston Public Schools), John Dalzell (Boston Redevelopment Authority), [Grey Lee], and Brian Swett (City of Boston).
 

 

2014 Green Apple Day of Service

By Steve Muzzy

by Steve Muzzy

We are wrapping up the 2014 Green Apple Day of Service campaign and are excited to share that we had 60 projects this year in MA, exceeding last years total!  We also piloted a Green Apple Day of Service Mini-Grant program that awarded 14 grants to well deserving schools.  These schools will be submitting blogs to the Chapter soon.  In the meantime, please check out the following blogs for a sampling of this years projects:

I also want to recognize the efforts for the Bunker Hill Community College USGBC Student Group and specifically their President (and Chapter volunteer) Steven Fitzgerald.  Steven and his group have coordinated 10 projects ranging from collecting cell phones for veterans to LEED tours.
 

Boston Green Academy

 

 

The Center for Green Schools reports that Green Apple Day of Service 2014 brought together hundreds of thousands of volunteers participating in 3,760 service projects in all 50 states and in 42 countries throughout the world.  Thanks to everyone for making the 3rd Annual Green Apple Day of Service a success!

 

 

 

Thank you again to our generous Green Apple Day of Service Mini Grant sponsors and their support of healthy, sustainable schools.

 

 

   
   

$5600 in Green Apple Day of Service Mini-Grants Awarded

By Grey Lee

 

 

Green Schools Update 
$5600 in Green Apple Day of Service Mini-Grants Awarded
 
 
Thanks to the generous support from a number of sponsors, we have awarded a total of 14 mini-grants of $400 each to schools in support of Green Apple Day of Service projects.  National Grid and NSTAR funded a total of 12 projects focused on energy conservation (National Grid split their grants between MA and RI) – with Arrowstreet, Capitol Waste Services, Re-Stream, and Triumph Modular providing support for five more projects. 

 

Congratulations to our awardees!

 

NSTAR – NGRID Energy Focused Project Awardees
 

 

Alighieri Montessori School
East Boston
NSTAR
Manning Elementary School
Jamaica Plain
NSTAR
Boston Green Academy
Brighton
NSTAR
Boston Latin School
Boston
NSTAR
Clark University
Worcester
NGRID
Dallin School
Arlington
NSTAR
Manchester Essex Regional Middle High School
Manchester
NGRID
McKinley Middle School
Boston
NSTAR
Medford High School
Medford
NGRID
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
General Project Awardees
 
 

Brooke Charter School
Mattapan
Curley K-8 School
Jamaica Plain
Lillian Jacobs Elementary School
Hull
Quincy High School
Quincy
Wentworth Institute of Technology
Boston
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
We also thank Excel Dryer for their in-kind donation of four XL-SI Green Apple dryers to Brighton High School. 
 
It's not too late to get involved with Green Apple Day of Service. Projects can still be coordinated and registered at http://mygreenapple.org/.  If you're looking to volunteer with a project, see the current MA registered projects for service days in your community.

We especially encourage Chapter Volunteers to attend the projects that received funding support from our sponsors.

 
Thank you to our generous Green Apple Day of Service Mini Grant sponsors and their support of healthy, sustainable schools.
 

Granny Smith
 
 
 
 
 
 
Honey Crisp
 
 
 
 
 
Pippin
 
 
 
 
   

$5600 in Mini Grants Available for Green Apple Day of Service Projects

By Grey Lee

MA logo
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

On September 27th, 2014, students, teachers, parents, and companies from around the world will come together in support of healthy, sustainable schools as part of Green Apple Day of Service. Through local service projects, we are bringing attention to the fact that “where we learn matters”.

 

Green Apple Day of Service (GADOS) is the Green Schools Committee's biggest program – and this year we have mini-grants available to support schools in their greening efforts! Please pass along this opportunity to your local school – even better, take advantage of this opportunity if you work for a school. Details about the mini-grant application process are below. The deadline is tight – August 25, 2014 – but if you are interested and need more time contact me directly – Steve Muzzy smuzzy@usgbcma.org

 
 
Green Apple Day of Service Mini-Grant Details
 

Thanks to the generous support of Capitol Waste ServicesTriumph ModularRe-Stream,ArrowstreetNational GridNSTAR, and Excel Dryer, the USGBC MA Chapter is providing a total of 14 grants of $400 each to help Massachusetts schools fund Green Apple Day of Service projects such as a recycling assembly, garden planting, waste free lunch, clutter cleanouts, etc.

 

In addition, local utilities National Grid and NSTAR have made an additional twelve mini grants of $400 available to schools that are in these respective service territories for ENERGY RELATED TOPICS. Note that National Grid has split their 6 grants and are offering 3 grants each to schools in MA and RI. To see which utility your school is under check the following links – NSTAR communities and National Grid communities. 

 

Grant Eligibility:
  1. Any K-12 school or college, university in the State of Massachusetts is eligible to apply for a USGBC MA Green Apple Day of Service mini grant.
  2. Schools applying for NSTAR or National Grid grants must be in these utility service territories. 
Grant Deliverables – if awarded the grant, you agree to the following:  
  1. Register your Green Apple Day of Service project at www.mygreenapple.org by September 1st, 2014. See current MA registered projects.
  2. Document your project/event by taking pictures and/or video and sharing them along with a 300-word blog post with USGBC MA.
  3. Share your event via social media and include the @usgbcma in your tweets.
  4. Provide USGBC MA with the total number of students, staff, and community members involved with your project, any leveraged funds and total cost of the project by October 1, 2014.
To apply for a GADOS Mini-Grant:  
 
Green Apple projects are held at schools on or around September 27th, 2014. Application deadline has been extended to August 25, 2014. Awards will be made in early September.
Contact USGBC MA Green Schools Program Manager, Steve Muzzy at 413-376-5078 or learn more on our website: http://www.usgbcma.org/MiniGrants
 
 
Thank you to our generous Green Apple Day of Service Mini Grant sponsors and their support of healthy, sustainable schools. 
Granny Smith 
 
National Grid
 
Eversource

 
Honey Crisp
 
Excel Dryer

 

 
 

2014 Massachusetts Sustainable Campuses Conference

By Steve Muzzy

by Steve Muzzy

 

 

The 3rd Annual Massachusetts Sustainable Campuses Conference was held April 17th, 2014 at UMass Lowell. Individuals representing all facets and sectors of the State came together to hear the best practices for creating sustainable communities. Most of the presentations focused on how higher education institutions are leading these efforts. I attended “Campus Sustainability Plan Updates” and heard from Bentley University, Framingham State University, and UMASS Lowell. All three institutions have signed the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment (ACUPCC) – a pledge made by the university President that commits the institution to eliminating its operational GHG emissions, supporting the educational research, and community engagement efforts that support the goal; thus, contributing to the ongoing annual public reports of progress. Bentley has set a climate neutrality date of 2030Framingham State is aiming for 2060, and UMASS Lowell has set a date of 2050. Framingham State and UMASS Lowell are state-owned buildings.  Through Executive Order 484, they are required to reduce GHG emissions by 25% by 2012, 40% by 2020 and 80% by 2050. The ACUPCC and EO 484 also recommend and require institutions to utilize green building certification. EO 484 requires institutions to build and renovate to a LEED Plus green building standard. All campuses in Massachusetts are well supported in these efforts as the State has implemented terrific programs to advance energy efficiency, increase renewable energy production, and support the development of sustainable communities

 

 

2013 Review – Reprint from the NEREJ

By Grey Lee

It was a great year for the green building industry. The state of Massachusetts was recognized as having the best energy efficiency, renewable energy policies, and incentives in the country by ACEEE (the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy) with Boston recognized as “most energy efficient city” on account of the many programs that have been implemented lately to encourage and achieve significant energy savings. This includes the Greenovate Boston community-engagement brand, the Renew Boston program, and the building energy reporting & disclosure ordinance. As these policies move through the market, they will enhance asset values and improve the end-user experience, attracting better businesses to our region.
 
124 buildings were LEED-certified in Massachusetts this year, capping off with a total of 829 overall. In the past two months, we've seen 15 more projects attain LEED — including 150 Second St. in Cambridge, which earned LEED CS Platinum with the help of Chapter sponsor The Green Engineer. We've seen 117 firms renew or newly join the USGBC as national member firms, including RDK Engineers and Paul Lukez Architects.  The green building movement continues: the Chapter was proud to support Boston Properties' LEED-Platinum targeted Boston Garden Project at a recent Boston Redevelopment Authority hearing.
 
Thank you to our many sponsors and to our many volunteers!  We will be hosting our annual Volunteer Recognition event during our Annual Meeting at EnerNOC on January 29th in Boston.  Also we have lined up a smorgasbord of green building gurus to bring a variety of quick presentations to us that they delivered at Greenbuild in Philadelphia on November. You can find more details on our website's event calendar: www.usgbcma.org/events
 
There are many ways to stay abreast of the burgeoning green building industry through the USGBC. Take a look at our YouTube Channel (USGBC MA) to find a series of short videos describing exemplary projects in Massachusetts such as Grousbeck Hall at the Perkins School and the North Shore Community College – the State's first “Net Zero” academic facility. You can follow us on Facebook & Twitter. Are you keeping up with the discussions on Linkedin? We have a lot going on with our advocacy work and our events!
 
Thank you again for your work to make our region a better place for all by creating more green buildings.
 
Grey Lee, MSc, LEED AP, is the executive director of the USGBC Mass. Chapter, Boston and is a monthly contributing author for the New England Real Estate Journal's Green Building section.