Happy New Year! We're Going to Start 2017 Strong

By Alexander Landa


Read the full January 2017 newsletter here!

It's already 2017! How did that happen so quickly? Well, now that the holidays are over, we're keeping the positive vibes and we're going to be starting 2017 off with a bang.

Spoilers for our upcoming Annual Meeting in a few weeks – we're going to be announcing a game, and it's going to be quite…ENGAGING! This new program will shine the spotlight on those who really make an impact in our Chapter, and we're really excited to get this going. We will also recap the advocacy victories of 2016 and announce new Board members for the 2017 cycle.

From there, we will be holding our Building Tech Forum on February 16th – a unique event exploring how green buildings are a part of the smart cities of the future. Join us for this mixer combining technology with the building sector.  Science and the future are awesome.

Also, please join us on January 11th for a morning educational session with Eric Corey Freed, as he walks us through the power of exponential thinking in green building design. Register.

Sign up for our newsletter and event notices here

Read the full January 2017 newsletter here!

Join TechSandBox on 1/12 for a Panel on High Performing Green Buildings

By Alexander Landa


On January 12th, our friends over at TechSandBox will be holding a meeting with a panel session to discuss High Performing Green Buildings. On this Thursday evening gathering, learn from local industry leaders about new technology, how to use them properly, taking environmental/financial impacts and effects, and considering ROI.

The panel will feature Elijah Ercolino (Director of Building Automation Services at Boston University), Michael Fitzgerald (General Manager at MIT Endicott House Conference Center), and Chriss Schaffner (PE, LEED Fellow, Founder & President of The Green Engineer, Inc.) This discussion will be moderated by Brad Rolph. 

Register here!

Thursday, January 12th, 2017
5:30pm – 8:30pm
 

Jan 11 – Discuss Exponential Thinking in Creating Healthy Buildings with Eric Corey Freed

By Alexander Landa


Before the new year really picks up and you're still decompressing from a busy holiday season, enjoy a morning away from the office and meet Eric Corey Freed as he discusses the power of exponential thinking when designing healthy buildings.

Register here!

Wednesday, January 11th, 2017
8:30am-10:15am
50 Milk St., 18th Floor, Hemingway Room
Boston, MA, 02109

Full details:

The way buildings are built today has remained relatively unchanged for nearly two hundred years. The $9 trillion a year global construction industry is responsible for nearly 60% of climate change emissions, a third of landfill waste and a shocking array of negative health effects.

Even the most advanced construction projects in the world continue to use ancient techniques of modular assembly, relying on painstaking human effort to construct dead & ancient materials of wood, steel, and concrete. Construction is driven by standards and codes to ensure economy and safety, but in the process fail to protect people from larger risks.

In 2016, the XPRIZE Foundation set out to establish a “moonshot” for construction by creating the XPRIZE for Healthy Buildings. In this talk, you’ll learn how the team approached this unique opportunity to develop a way to (literally) grow buildings by fusing synthetic biology, genomics, parametric modeling and 3D printing to create a disruption and paradigm shift that could switch us from a PETRO-chemical world, to a BIO-chemical one.

Eric Corey Freed: 

Named as one of the Top 10 “Most Influential Green Architects” in the world, Eric is an architect, author, and speaker, as well as a frequent guest on CNN, Fox News, PBS and HGTV. He’s published 11 books, and has dedicated his career to helping people create sustainable and healthy buildings. In addition to being an award-winning architect, he advises manufacturers, developers, and Fortune 500 companies on how to improve the health, energy, and water impacts of their products, portfolio and systems.

Licensed Architect; LEED Fellow, US Green Building Council; Voted “Best Green Architect” by San Francisco Magazine

December 2016 LEED Certified Buildings

By Alexander Landa


We're always happy to see more LEED Certified buildings in Massachusetts! Every building that becomes certified deserve a little more credit, so we want to put the spotlight on some recently certified designs in Boston.

Shout out to Boston University's Law Auditorium (left) for obtaining 2009 Gold certification on 12/22/2016! This design stands out for achieving 24/26 points in Sustainable Sites, 5/6 for Innovation in Design, and 10/14 in Materials & Resources.


Next up is 3200 Washington Street, a multi-family residential home that is registered to become LEED for Homes MR v2010 certified. Earlier in December, the Harvard Ed Portal became LEED Commercial Interiors 2009 Silver certified, largely thanks to its 84% Energy Star Qualified Equipment rating.

We're Doing Podcasts! Listen to our 2016 Recap

By Alexander Landa


You heard that right – we're kicking off 2017 with a new way to talk green building with podcasts. With so much news in the industry – within our organization and outside of it – we want to use as many channels as we can to share what's going on with you. When you're driving home, on public transport, relaxing in a cafe, or just need something to listen to at work, we will be bringing everything important to you in a digestible format.

This is something we've been planning for a while now, and we're super excited to finally start it. Starting in January, we will be releasing at least one podcast per month, featuring different speakers, themes, stories, and news. For now, we will be hosting the talks on our YouTube account, with a proper iTunes podcast to follow.

See our video below to listen to our first podcast, where Executive Director Grey Lee & Programs Manager Celis Brisbin recap 2016.

 

 

Healthy Materials Sponsor Profile: Brightworks Sustainability

By Alexander Landa


The Healthy Materials Summit on October 26th was an awesome event! We couldn't have put everything together without the help of a hosting committee, the volunteers, and especially our sponsors. An extra big thank you goes to the Brightworks Sustainability for really helping to make the Summit happen.

Very much so in line with our mission focused on sustainability, Brightworks works with their clients of architects and engineers to help them create more sustainable buildings through ecological, social, and economic lenses. Through planning and facilitation services, Brightworks can help their clients increase the value of their assets, reduce operating costs, manage risk, and enhance their brand – all while considering the design's impact on the environment.

A significant amount of their work and services provided revolve around LEED certified buildings, such as LEED for Homes, LEED Energy Modeling, and more, while also looking at corporate sustainability programs, and general green building consulting.

Thank you, Brightworks!

Joining Our Mentor Program? Attend Our Kickoff Party Feb 8!

By Alexander Landa


For those of you who are signed up to be a part of our 2017 Green Building Mentor Program – or are planning to – please attend our upcoming event that will celebrate all of the upcoming successes from this program.

Mentors and mentees will come together on this Wednesday evening for a fun night of food and drinks in Downtown Boston to your group for the upcoming 2017 cycle. You'll be able to meet established professionals who will be the mentors, as well as all upcoming Emerging Professionals.

The mentoring program is a year-long commitment pairing a group of college seniors, grad students, or young professionals with local industry leaders. Get the chance to hear first-hand from these professionals if you're interested in becoming a mentee, or share your guidance with those following in your footsteps if you want to become a mentor.

Register here!
Wednesday, February 8th, 2017
5:30pm-8:30pm
Elephant & Castle
161 Devonshire Street
Boston, MA, 02110

Go here to learn more about the 2017 Green Building Mentor Program

Healthy Materials Sponsor Profile: HDR

By Alexander Landa


The Healthy Materials Summit on October 26th was an awesome event! We couldn't have put everything together without the help of a hosting committee, the volunteers, and especially our sponsors. An extra big thank you goes to the HDR, Inc. for really helping to make the Summit happen.

HDR specializes in engineering, architecture, environmental, and construction services, such as high-performance buildings and smart architecture. Their work includes working with multiple disciplines, including scientists, economists, builders, analysts, and artists. Many within the organization are specialists and leaders in natural resources, climatology, renewable energy, LEED, commissioning, measurement, and verification and community planning.

Their devotion to sustainability is impressive, and balances client needs with economic, social, and environmental value. Their sustainability principles are effectively laid out and act as cornerstones of every action they take, such as reducing fossil fuel, water consumption, and waste generation. HDR continuously encourages their staff to have more expertise in sustainability, creating the potential for broader impact.

Thank you for being a huge part of the Healthy Materials Summit!

Presinar: Designing a LEED Campus in the Desert – Part 2: January 1st

By USGBC MA


The University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix has created an innovative model for an interdisciplinary approach to health sciences education and research. The new iconic copper-clad Health Sciences Education Building, a $135 million dollar medical school in downtown Phoenix, will support the colleges of medicine, pharmacy, nursing, allied health, and biomedical informatics for the University of Arizona. The new LEED certified building will educate the healthcare workforce of tomorrow.

Register here!

The intended audience for this course includes architects, engineers, contractors, owners, and other design professionals. Course participants will examine the role of the contractor in LEED implementation during construction, including lessons learned, personnel training, and documentation tips discussed by the construction team. In addition, course participants will learn about positive outcomes by utilizing the Integrated Design Process. Finally, participants will be treated to an in-depth building tour that highlights the design elements of the LEED project.

Objectives

  1. Discuss how the integrated design approach affected the cost and design of the HSEB building
  2. Describe the role of the Contractor in LEED implementation during construction, including lessons learned, personnel training, and documentation tips discussed by the HSEB construction team
  3. Detail the MR and IEQ credits that the Contractor has a primary responsibility for during construction
  4. Explain the roles and responsibilities of various construction team members for the commissioning process as it relates to Enhanced Commissioning (EAc3)
  5. Articulate internal and external conditions of a project that can affect Increased Ventilation (IEQc2) Course outline: Not needed.

Location
The Sustainability Hub
912 Main Street, MA, 01610.
Worcester, Massachusetts 01610

Sun, January 1, 2017

6:30 PM – 8:30 PM EST

Healthy Materials Sponsor Profile: PCA

By Alexander Landa


The Healthy Materials Summit on October 26th was an awesome event! We couldn't have put everything together without the help of a hosting committee, the volunteers, and especially our sponsors. An extra big thank you goes to the Prellwitz Chilinski Associates for really helping to make the Summit happen.

PCA is an architectural firm that builds anything from residential buildings to educational facilities, and anything in between. With dozens of LEED-certified buildings, this group is able to perfectly balance innovation, a sustainable built design that has a low impact on the immediate environment, fulfilling their customers' desires, and acting as a leader in the local community.

This firm We assists owners, property managers and institutions such as Carpenter and Company, the Druker Company, Leslie College, Harvard University, the Massachusetts Bar Association, the World Trade Center Boston, and many other business and property owners throughout the city and region in identifying opportunities for amenities that enhance the life and value of their properties.

Thank you, and we hope to see you at another event!