Supporting your future by supporting us

By Grey Lee, Executive Director


Green Building Advocates, 

I am stuffed from the recent holiday…but I am still hungry!

We have so much work to do. And now it's #GivingTuesday. Allow me to ask for your help, yet again.

I hope that you all had a great long weekend of giving thanks and connecting with loved ones. I can only imagine the diversity of discourse at your Thanksgiving tables. We are a creative bunch, and our families reflect the pluralism of the country. I love talking up green buildings with my less-green relatives. Our mission and programming is notably supported by all facets of our society. 

We connect voices and offer a market-smart solution which provides broad community benefits.

Green buildings mean more jobs, more skilled workers, less money out the door for operating expenses, and better investments. Green b uildings also mean: healthier buildings, decreased GHG emissions, more resilient designs and stronger, more inclusive cities. 

Our mission and the impact of our organization is so expansive and deep rooted that when examined, we should be at the top of any charitable giving list. I know it may sound presumptive, but green buildings really are “the answer” to a lot of things we are concerned about!

Our mission addresses the 40% of GHG emissions which come from buildings – an eminently practical solution to a global crisis. O ur mission promotes significantly healthier indoor environments where Americans spend 90% of their time – with the potential to decrease many health risks. 

Green building will account for $13.6 billion in contribution to GDP; 155,000 jobs; $9.12 billion in labor earnings; and $279 million in tax revenue by 2018. If you are involved with our organization and reading this, you are most likely part of these numbers. 

We often refer to green buildings as high performance buildings, designs consisting of many technological advances offering exceptional results. It's exciting to be a part of the future of real estate!


What we see green buildings being is the harmony of leadership at many different levels. Clients, who see the value of building efficient, healthy and socially equitable structures as a reflection of the ir corporate values; designers pushing the limit of traditional design norms and code as the base standard; manufacturers showing leadership by re-engineering their products to support values at all points in their life-cycle; and occupants for demanding a revolution in the building industry. 

The USGBC MA is the only organization which is working to connect all these voices, provide market solutions , and take significant steps towards responding to the honest concerns you may have voiced or heard voiced at the Thanksgiving table.

Can you help us take it to the next level? Can you help us with the massive task of transforming our built environment for net positive results?  
 

Our organization can only work at the pace of our funding, so we ask you now, in the spirit of Giving Tuesday, in the spirit of the holidays, in the spirit of not letting another lousy building go up ever again, please support our work.
 
With your support in the past year, we organized hundreds of hours of volunteer service. We educated and inspired thousands of event attendees with green building content. We raised the solar net metering caps, supported net-zero municipal policy and successfully passed legislation for Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) in our advocacy work. Massachusetts went from #5 to #3 in the union for LEED per square foot. We supported industry-transforming research at Harvard connecting green buildings to improved cognitive function, and we built coalitions of allies to expand our influence in real estate, academia, building operations, solar deployment and the general environmental advocacy community.

If this resonates with you, please donate.
 
We are asking for everyone to donate: the amount is up to you. The challenge of transforming the building sector is daunting, and we are needed now more than ever. We value your support and will continue to serve you through our mission. Thank you for being an engaged member of our community. 


Best wishes,

Grey

Healthy Materials Sponsor Profile: Shaw Floors

By Alexander Landa


Much more goes into a building's lifecycle than just design and construction – there are the components that go into the design that will determine how long the building will stand, as well as its impact on the sustainable environment. Recently we held the Healthy Materials Summit in Cambridge, and we want to thank Shaw Floors for being a sponsor of the event.

On numerous occasions, Shaw has been ranked #1 for their carpet and hardwood products, all thanks to their mix of quality, service, support, price, availability, training, and consumer preference.

Shaw has a devotion to sustainability, as evidenced by their annual sustainability report, among other proven successes. They're completely transparent, never shying away from the materials they use, nor the implementation behind material use – all for a healthier future. Shaw even advocates for carpet recycling, rather than loading the landfills with them.

Thank you Shaw for making the Healthy Materials Summit, we look forward to working together again in the future!

 

YouthBuild Giving Back Day Winterization Service Project

By USGBC MA


On Saturday, November 19th, we worked with YouthBuild Boston and the Residential Green Building Committee to learn how to winterize your home, with a focus on helping low-income elderly homeowners in need.

With a packed room of eager volunteers from our Chapter, we prepared ourselves for a harsh Northeastern U.S. winter by learning how we can avoid solely relying on fossil fuel and electric heating, saving money as well as protecting the environment. Both are reasons enough to winterize your homes!

It's no secret that Boston and the rest of the Northeast have brutal winters, and elderly citizens are among the most sensitive to this climate. Our volunteers are awesome, and helped over a dozen seniors with their homes. It was a great way to give back to our community.

Annual General Meeting January 26th

By USGBC MA


Come on down!

Join us for our Annual Green Building mission “revival” as we celebrate our community's victories and share a war story or two from the front lines of the transformation of real estate.

We will be recognizing green building achievements, awarding our green volunteers for the year, speed networking and playing games based on the integrated design process.

Is it possible to have that much fun? YES!!!

And we will finalize the USGBC MA Board elections.

There will be a loud green building themed sound track.

Register here!

Thursday, January 26th
5:30PM – 8:00 PM
Payette
290 Congress Street
Boston, MA, 02110

November and December Events! Let's Celebrate and Network this Holiday Season

By Alexander Landa


See our full November Event Note II here!

What are you thankful for? We appreciate your support and ongoing participation. 

We are grateful that you support our mission to transform the built environment for net positive results!

The leaves are falling fast, sales are popping up everywhere, and everyone's on their way to see friends and family for the holidays. There's much for everyone to be thankful for this time of year, and we're thankful to have such an awesome community of green building advocates that we call our friends and comrades. As 2016 comes to an end, we'd like to spend time with you at our upcoming events, and to start 2017 with you as well!

We especially want to see you at our Greenbuild Kick-off Event on 12/15 in Boston.

Thank you for being a part of our community and participating with us.

See our full November Event Note II here!

Ding! Ding! Ding! LEED for Homes vs Passive House December 15th

By USGBC MA


So what's the diff?

Come to our Passive House and LEED for Homes educational session led by Mike Duclos, regional expert and market leader in Passive House design and Mike Schofield, LEED Faculty and LEED for Homes Expert. We will be comparing and contrasting the two systems and also looking at the market response to each. We will ask the attendees to drive the conversation and allow this expert panel to reflect against each system.

We will take a deep dive into the residential market, what drives change and where we are seeing the most effective strategies for adopting green building. We will also have an opportunity to identify the overlap of the two systems, their philosophies and intents.

For those sustainability experts in the room, we should also be able to outline the value of each system as it relates to Scope 1,2 and 3 GHG calculations and which standard might be more effective for different market segments.

SPEAKERS:


Michael Schofield – Senior Project Manager Michael Schofield currently oversees projects across New England, supervising LEED certification and ENERGY STAR® (Homes and High-Rise) ratings of Clearesult’s new construction projects. He directs project managers on building methods and strategies to make improvements cost effective, to create more durable buildings, and to transform the market. Schofield’s work is focused primarily on multifamily and affordable projects. He is certified as LEED faculty and a trainer for ENERGY STAR Homes Version 3.

From 2010 to the present, he is delivering trainings on the Energy Code and Smart Building Practices to code officials, builders, and design professionals across Massachusetts. Schofield holds a B.A. from the University of Massachusetts and an M.S. in Energy Analysis & Policy from the University of Wisconsin. He also holds a Massachusetts Construction Supervisor License, and is a Certified Building Commissioning Professional (CBCP).


Mike Duclos – A principal and founder of The DEAP Energy Group, LLC, a consultancy providing a wide variety of Deep Energy Retrofit, Zero Net Energy and Passive House related consulting services.

Mike is a HERS Rater with Mass. Residential New Construction Program, a Building Science Certified Infrared Thermographer, the PHIUS Certified Passive House Consultant responsible the design and certification of the second certified Passive House in Massachusetts, holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from UMass Lowell, and two patents. He is responsible for two NESEA Building Energy Masters Series Passive House online courses on, and currently has three Passive House certification projects in process.

Register here
Thursday, December 15th, 2016
8:30AM – 10:00AM
50 Milk St.
16th Floor, Edison Room
Boston, MA, 02109

Upcoming LEED and WELL AP Exam Prep Courses

By Alexander Landa


2016 isn't over yet! And that means we have plenty more going on between now and January 1st. Aside from the few holiday & networking parties going on, we still have more LEED and WELL AP exam prep courses coming up.

See how our last LEED exam prep course went here, and read testimonials on the success of our exam prep courses.

 

LEED November Exam Prep Course
Tuesday, November 29th, 2016
8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Register here

LEED December Exam Prep Course
Wednesday, December 14th, 2016
8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Register here

WELL AP December Exam Prep Course
Tuesday, December 20th, 2016
8:30 AM – 4:30 PM
Register here

Healthy Materials Sponsor Profile: Armstrong

By Alexander Landa


Sustainability in our built environment is a complicated machine that goes beyond just the design and features of a building. The materials that go into these designs are important to consider, especially noting that the people inside spend so many hours there, and will be affected one way or another by their indoor surroundings. Following the Healthy Materials Summit last month, we again want to thank Armstrong Ceilings for understanding the importance of the materials that go into building design.

Armstrong World Industries is a global leader in the design and manufacture of innovative commercial and residential ceiling, wall and suspension system solutions. Whether the designs are for the home, office, a healthcare facility, store, restaurant, or classroom, Armstrong offers interior solutions that help to enhance comfort, save time, improve building efficiency and overall performance. These products are meant to be sustainable over long periods of time, making the immediate environment that much more protected over the course of the building's lifecycle. 

Armstrong is a member of the USGBC National Chapter, as evidenced by their loyal devotion to sustainability. This devotion encompasses material transparency, health and well-being, building efficiency, end-of-life recycling, and their environmental footprint.

Education Sessions for Greenbuild 2017

By Grey Lee, Executive Director


Greenbuild is coming to Boston in 2017!

 

It's time to start thinking about educational sessions to produce and deliver at the conference next year.

 

Greenbuild is soliciting entries from presenters already – and the proposals are due Friday, January 13, 2017.

 

Recently, the steering committee for the conference identified two new important priorities:

·        Academic Study: Greenbuild has a firm commitment to the role of academic studies in advancing the mission of transforming the built environment. We are seeking proposals that highlight ongoing or recent research that impacts the built environment, the health of building occupants, our communications about it, or human behaviors that relate to it.

·        New Voices: Greenbuild is a place for industry leaders, novices, and a new generation of leaders alike to gather. We are seeking to provide opportunities for new voices to share their experiences, thinking and work with the Greenbuild audience.

 

The subject area focii are:

  • Health and Well Being
  • Existing Buildings, with a focus on Historic Preservation
  • Innovation in Energy
  • Resilience
  • Social Responsibility, Community Action & Engagement

 

You have probably been wanting to present on your area of expertise: now is the time to organize a deck of slides and practice your best instructional voice. Submit a presentation for the education sessions today!

 

If you are interested in getting involved with the local Greenbuild Host Committee, come to our volunteer recruitment event on 12/15 in Boston after work.