Thank you from the Greening Committee – see you at Greenbuild!
By Emily Kingston
Greenbuild Boston is just next week – we are so excited to network with colleagues, learn from the experts, and celebrate all of the hard work USGBC MA’s Greenbuild Host Committee put in since first coming together in LA last year!
Over the past few months, the Greening Committee has been hard at work compiling information for your reference to make your stay in Boston more environmentally responsible. If you haven’t already, check out our Greening Greenbuild map with information on travel, restaurants, and hotels here.
In an effort to support (okay, brag about) the City of Boston’s leadership in climate adaptation and preparedness, which you can learn more about here and here, we also created 2-page resiliency assessments for all 17 Greenbuild hotels. You can download those at the link below to learn more about specific risks each hotel faces and resources from the City to help mitigate and adapt to climate change. With the help of Linnean Solutions, the Greening Committee wants to help educate and inform the hospitality industry in Boston and get the message and findings described in Climate Ready Boston out to that critical industry. In addition to creating the 2-pagers, the Greening Committee has also coordinated a meeting and presentation with Boston Green Tourism, which will bring Greenbuild hotels together in early December to learn from the experts about Climate Ready Boston and resilient design solutions that will help improve the built environment and our preparedness to the imposing risks of climate change.
Thanks for following along with our Greening efforts over the past year. Please walk, bike, or carpool when in town this week. Check out our amazing local food and vegetarian offerings. And applaud your hotel for their commitment to sustainability!
See you soon,
Christina McPike, WinnCompanies and Samira Ahmadi, enviENERGY Studio
Maximizing Sustainability on the Harvard Campus
By USGBC MA Communications
Greenbuild 2017's Green Building Tours welcome you the Harvard University Campus for a walking tour of the sustainable facilities across the campus on Saturday, November 11 from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Participants will engage with state of the art offices, classrooms, laboratories and dorms while strolling along the Charles River and through historic Harvard Yard. The tour will feature presentations from the Office for Sustainability, Green Building Services, and faculty highlighting how Harvard's campus serves as a living lab putting the latest sustainability research into practice.
Harvard's Sustainability Plan aligns Harvard's decentralized campus around a holistic vision and sets clear University-wide goals and priorities in the areas of emissions and energy, campus operations, nature and ecosystems, health and well-being, and culture and learning. It also encourages students, faculty, and staff to continue piloting sustainability solutions throughout the University by using Harvard's cutting-edge research and teaching to tackle real-world challenges on campus.
Attendees of this tour will gain a comprehensive understanding of the myriad sustainability issues and competing priorities Harvard weighs in developing its campus. Guides will weave presentations from leading administrators and faculty into the tour portions to provide a deeper understanding than a series of individual building tours would allow.
The tour will provide a greater understanding of the policies, guidelines, tools and strategies developed at higher education facilities that help to ensure best practices in sustainability are integrated into capital projects and existing building operations. In addition, attendee will be able to explain how measurement and verification, energy management, and continuous commissioning processes can be used to ensure facility energy performance meets design goals and estimates. Join in to see how campus-wide resources can be used to maximize sustainability beyond the footprint of each individual building and establish processes that can be replicated worldwide.
This tour is one of many throughout Greenbuild 2017. Check out the conference schedule here and sign up for workshops, tours and more!
Comfort
By Melissa Caldwell
I just finished reading “If Only Green Homes Could be Sold like Breakfast Cereal”, a blog from Martin Holladay’s “Musings of an Energy Nerd”. Although a seemingly big stretch from marketing boxed cereal to a green home, Martin says the bottom line is all about acknowledging what’s important to the shopper, and their level of interest in whatever the marketer is using to sell the item or service. Holladay noticed that some sweet sugary cereals are sold, touting their ‘g of fiber in every serving’. In this instance, the shopper knows what a “g” is and that the grams of fiber content justifies the purchase. Sure, why not! I can eat this mostly non-nutritive cereal and still do something good for myself. Go figure. So, the quandary for us as sustainable builders is, if shoppers are savvy enough to know what a “g” is on a cereal box, can’t we assume they would know what HERS ratings, LEED and ENERGY STAR certification are and what a sustainable home means to your energy savings? No, we can’t! What we and others have found is that home owners don’t care so much about green and/or sustainable, but more about COMFORT!
Wright Builders has been known for more than 20 years for its commitment to and execution of green and sustainable building; the use of energy efficient systems including state of the art minisplits, triple glazed windows, double stud walls, HERS ratings below code minimum, ENERGY STAR and LEED Certification. That’s all well and good, but what Holladay and others are asking is, what about the comfort! According to Dr. Helen Ryding, only governments care about energy efficiency; homeowners care about comfort. And said differently by the author of “People Don’t Care about Energy Efficiency”, Leland Teschler says “Energy efficiency just isn’t a priority for the vast majority of consumers.” ‘People are concerned about the predictable matters like the aesthetics of their homes and comfort.” Here’s that word again. C-o- m-f- o-r- t! Okay, we can do this. We can talk about comfort first, then sustainable construction and weave the 2 together using any of our sustainable building attributes. Triple glazed windows as an example, now more often used in new green home construction and required in zones 7-8. With these windows comfort equals reduced sound transmission, excellent resistance to condensation problems, decreased relative heat loss resulting in positively impacting your energy bills, security enhancement, as the thicker area will be harder to break in if someone wants to do some property damage, greater energy savings when compared to regular and double glazed windows, and in certain circumstances, installing triple glazed windows is equivalent to upgrading walls and ceilings from R-20 to R-40. That’s all about year-round comfort when heating or cooling.
Comfort in a sustainably built home comes in many flavors and connecting the dots between comfort and sustainably built is easy. Lower indoor room temperature fluctuation; low operating costs achieved through ENREGY STAR compliance, low HERS rating and state-of- the-art building envelope design, and satisfaction of knowing that a long-term investment, enjoyed every day is also treading as light as possible on the planet. That all spells C-O- M-F- O-R- T. Here’s an idea: Have your marketing materials show beautiful interiors, with lounging happy home owners, comfortable in their new home as a Nor’ Easter blows through! With their double stud walls and R-35 wall insulation and triple glazing with a U .17, the windows aren’t moving and the curtains aren’t blowing in the breeze! And when the power goes out, knowing their home is minimally vulnerable during power outages as these homes hold their temperature for an extended period of time is just another plus. We’re looking forward to winter! How about you?
Welcome Gensler as our Newest Sponsor!
By Emily Kingston
We are honored to announce Gensler as our newest Green Level sponsor.
Gensler's goal is to promote broader awareness about the environmental impact that buildings have on the world, and contribute to conversations about the leadership role that the architecture, engineering and construction industries can play in global efforts to answer the challenges posed by climate change.
Impact by Design 2017 is Gensler’s second annual publication analyzing the sustainable performance of their work. In it, they provide a comprehensive look at the energy performance and the carbon impact of their design work, a broad analysis of how new innovations in design, engineering, and technology are improving the sustainable footprint of the global built environment, and recently completed projects that exemplify sustainable design in action, while noting specific strategies or design aspects that have made noticeable differences.
Gensler projects that push the boundaries of sustainable performance include PartnersHealthCare, Etsy Headquarters, Gensler New York offices, and the International Interior Design Association. Some of the strategies implemented with the greatest opportunity to make an impact are tree canopy shading, LED lighting, real-time performance modeling, Energy Star appliances, and demand response appliances.
Welcome to our sponsoring partner community, Gensler. We are proud to have you as a partner and look forward to accomplishing great things together.
Sustainability Performance Management – LEED Certification through the Arc Platform
By Donny Goris-Kolb, Environmental Planner, VHB
For many it has become almost cliché – the adage, “You can’t manage what you don’t measure.” However, it’s extremely relevant for effective and sustainable management of buildings, campuses, and entire communities. At VHB, we’ve been exploring the best ways to support our clients’ efforts to manage their buildings and operations, and to communicate performance, not only to the public, but also to operators and decision-makers. After all, sustainable management really comes down to effective decision-making, which is only possible when armed with the best available data. The Arc platform, introduced in 2016 and maintained by Arc Skoru Inc. (an organization created by the Green Business Certification, Inc. [GBCI]), is a novel approach to the implementation of LEED for existing buildings with plans to expand to other green building rating systems, protocols, and guidelines such as
GRESB, WELL, PEER, SITES, and Parksmart. It represents a concerted effort by United States Green Building Council (USGBC) and GBCI to broaden the reach of LEED and related principles and practices, as the platform’s target audience includes not only projects looking to achieve LEED certification or recertification, but also non-certified projects whose owners/operators would like to make and measure incremental sustainability improvements, as well as cities and communities looking to provide enhanced quality of life. The digital platform streamlines LEED Operations + Maintenance (O+M) recertification for existing LEED-certified projects by focusing on performance data across five key subcategories: Energy, Water, Waste, Transportation, and Human Experience. For non-LEED certified projects wishing to pursue initial certification under LEED v4 O+M, the platform simplifies the process through the “Performance Score to LEED certification pilot credit.” This alternative pathway reduces the requirements for certification by requesting the same performance data as required for recertification, along with satisfying a limited number of prerequisites and optional credits.
Arc represents a recognition by USGBC and GBCI that data management and analysis are integral components of a project’s sustainability, and that transparency is an essential part of such efforts. The platform provides projects with the ability to measure its sustainability improvements through continuous data uploads, real-time analysis, and web-based reporting. Leveraging its growing database of performance data, Arc provides projects with the ability to compare their performance to that of its peers locally and globally, and to share that data with its stakeholders through the Arc interface. Cities and communities can now also take advantage of Arc with the LEED for Cities and LEED for Communities pilot certification programs built directly into the platform. For the first time, cities, communities, neighborhoods, districts, townships, and counties can be LEED-certified. Within Arc, these entities can set goals, implement system-recommended strategies to meet those goals, and track their progress through key metrics and shared performance data, including greenhouse gas emissions associated with energy consumption.
VHB has worked with cities, airports, transportation agencies, and building owners on sustainability management for years. And we understand there is no single platform or solution that will meet everyone’s needs in the same way. What we consistently find to be most important in sustainability management is the ability to maintain a clear view of the program’s primary goals, which are to manage resources effectively, improve efficiencies, make people’s jobs easier, and manage data effectively to inform smart decision-making. We aim to connect our clients to the best available tools and resources to achieve these goals, and also have developed some custom tools to support such efforts where appropriate. At the end of the day, what is most exciting about Arc and similar programs is to see how big data and web-based management capabilities are expanding to help our clients to provide better services to their customers or citizens and improve their sustainability performance.
Find VHB on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
Greenbuild Mixer with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
By USGBC MA Communications
On October 26th, we gathered together at the headquarters of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts for our final Greenbuild Mixer. Over 80 members of Boston's green building community joined together at the beautiful venue for drinks and networking before Greenbuild. Our very own Celis Brisbin gave an opening speech welcoming everyone and thanking Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts for sponsoring the event. During his speech, Celis addressed various topics such as Greenbuild and our Local Chapter Welcome Party, which will be held on November 7th.
Krystle Thomsen of BCBSMA gave a fascinating talk about the various design aspects of 101 Huntington Avenue, the headquarters of BCBSMA near the Prudential Center. One topic she touched on about the building was the amount of natural sunlight employees have access to, as well as the re-design of their cafeteria, which included more open seating, LED lighting, TV screens, and pictures of greenery and natural landscapes.
The Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts headquarters is the largest project in New England, and 12th largest in the nation, to be LEED® Platinum certified. The area includes several features to promote employee well-being such as a wellness center with yoga and meditation classes, flame retardant furniture, adjustable height desks for every associate, sustainable food options, compostable cafeteria wares, and open internal stairways. Attendees toured the 10th, 11th, and 12th floors, and learned about the ergonomic design feature in the office to make working there enjoyable, including electronic raisable desks and benches in cubicles to share ideas near.
Thank you again to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts for opening your doors to the green building community!
Thoughtforms – Quality Houses for the Masses
By Mark Doughty, Thoughtforms Corp
Thoughtforms was formed in 1972 looking to create ‘quality homes for the masses.’ With events such as the Cuyahoga river fire capturing public attention, the definition of quality included sustainable and a community focus. In the 45 years since, the team has built their reputation crafting the highest quality homes and estates in the Boston area and has taken every opportunity to influence designs to incorporate elements of healthy homes and energy efficiency into projects. As sustainability has returned to the fore in recent years, Thoughtforms has had the opportunity to prominently embrace the builder’s role in the sustainability challenge. Recently, a number of projects have captured the attention of many. Examples include:
The Lincoln Farmhouse achieved 50% net positive results, LEED Platinum certification, Living Future Institute REVEAL certification, Fine Homebuilding Best Energy Smart Home 2017 and two Gold Prism awards from the Builders and Remodelers Association of Greater Boston.
The West Acton Village Ecology project created a new solar-powered community space that strengthens people’s connection to their town and tangible (rather than virtual) social networks.
An energy retrofit, including envelope updates and solar power generation, of a post-and-beam farmhouse overlooking a pond west of Boston that revitalized the property and enabled the resumption of on-site food production.
Renovation of a hilltop home and establishment of extensive food production and storage capabilities, including permaculture landscape. This project notably included an extensive hillside solar array generating more than 135KwH
In addition to projects, Thoughtforms has engaged in other ways to enhance and educate the community. Key relationships and activities in this area include:
- An alliance with the Forest Society of Maine that lead to the protection of an 81-acre inholding on the shore of Moosehead Lake
- A seat on Massachusetts Audubon’s Design Review Advisory Committee which is currently working on a net-zero environmental Learning Center
- Liaison work with the MIT Sloan Sustainability Initiative which develops the next generation of industry leaders
While some architects and builders have opted to only accept net-zero projects, Thoughtforms intentionally engages all architects and clients in an effort to influence, educate, and learn from the broader community.
See more at thoughtforms-corp.com.
Welcome Finegold Alexander Architects as our New Sponsor!
By Emily Kingston
We are honored to announce Finegold Alexander Architecture as our newest Advocate Level sponsor.
The success of Finegold Alexander Architects' projects results from their proven ability to balance the goal of design excellence within the realistic parameters of budget and schedule. Throughout the planning stages of a project, a variety of architectural concepts are fully explored in relation to aesthetics, function, site and environmental issues, engineering requirements, energy conservation, accessibility, cost, and schedule.
When focusing on sustainability, Finegold Alexander Architects embraces the opportunity to develop sustainable energy sources and with the common sense of new planning and design creates spaces in a holistic approach to energy conservation. Interior finishes, materials and natural/artificial lighting are among initiatives that they can suggest and include to reduce energy use.
Welcome to our sponsoring partner community, Finegold Alexander Architecture. We are proud to have you as a partner and look forward to accomplishing great things together.
EPMA October Meeting with Breiter Planet Properties: Implementing Utility-Scale Solar Projects
By Anna McGinty, EPMA Committee
Fall has fallen upon the EPMA Committee! Last Monday night we kicked off the meeting with some delicious cider donuts and new members. The group discussed the past month’s events, including the Panel on Careers in Sustainability and BMC Rooftop Garden Tour, as well as upcoming activities and local events. On the horizon is the anticipated Greenbuild International Conference & Expo taking place in Boston from November 8th – 10th! With Greenbuild almost here, the EPMA committee is hosting a “How to Network at Greenbuild” event this Thursday, October 26th if you need to fine tune your networking skills!
Last week we were joined by Andrew Breiter-Wu, President and Sales Director of Breiter Planet Properties, for a presentation on his energy consulting firm, Breiter Planet Properties. Breiter Planet Properties helps clients implement commercial solar developments by working as a liaison with property owners, local government officials, and engineering firms. With operations all over the United States, the vision of Breiter Planet Properties is to accelerate renewable energy generation adoption by providing flexible options in roof and leasing, along with other services, to real estate owners. Consultants assists with the sales and procurement for solar development projects with projects typically ranging in size from 500 kW to 5+ MW.
Although Breiter Planet Properties has run into challenges with uncertainty in the market due to the shifting political landscape and utility regulations, the emerging company is expanding throughout the United States and looking to tap into the Japanese market within the next two years. The work of consulting firms, such as Breiter Planet Properties, is paving the way for communities to lower their carbon emissions and transform into a low carbon economy to fight climate change to the benefit of all. Way to go Andrew!
Join us for next month’s presentation by Oliver Bautista of Turkel Design, who will explain the process of how a new single family dwelling is built using prefabricated wall panels; from it's initial schematic design phase all through construction of the panelized shell assembly.