USGBC MA Sponsored ABX Session B25: Transforming Inertia

By Alexander Landa


Coming up November 15th to 17th will be ABX 2016! As part of the Northeast's largest building industry conference and tradeshow, Architecture Boston Expo, the USGBC MA Chapter will be sponsoring multiple panels this year. This year, we're hosting multiple panels, so let's take a look Wednesday's panel, B25: Transforming Inertia.

There is a huge opportunity for practitioners to learn how to change firm culture and overcome inertia in order to pursue sustainability in their projects. The presentation will cover the insight of those outside of a firm but working on this issue with firms, as well as the perspectives of those in an architecture and engineering firm. The client just cares about cost. The principal isn't really interested in integration. Half the project team has bought into sustainability and health goals, and half hasn't. We hear the same complaints from even the most progressive designers year after year. In this session, we'll identify and then design the behaviors and processes that we actually want. Not just another session about integrated design (“won't work here”) or trickery (“what's this broccoli doing in my chocolate?”), you'll go home with specific, easy, fun, collaborative, momentum-building wins for your practice.

Speakers

Barbra Batshalom LEED AP, BD+C Founder & CEO Sustainable Performance Institute

Jacob Knowles LEED AP Director of Sustainable Design BR+A Consulting Engineers

Andrea Love AIA, LEED Fellow Director of Building Science Payette

B25: Transforming Inertia
Wednesday, 11/16
10:00 AM – 11:30 AM
Room 109A

Register here!

USGBC MA Sponsored ABX Session B04 – Ask the Experts: Live up to the Living Building Challenge

By Alexander Landa


Coming up November 15th to 17th will be ABX 2016! As part of the Northeast's largest building industry conference and tradeshow, Architecture Boston Expo, the USGBC MA Chapter will be sponsoring multiple panels this year. This year, we're hosting multiple panels, so let's take a look Wednesday's panel, B04: Ask the Experts: Live up to the Living Building Challenge.

As designers and builders lead the charge to create low-energy, healthy buildings, owners remain hesitant to commit to new standards in sustainable design. The Living Building Challenge (LBC) is a certification program, advocacy tool and philosophy that defines the most advanced measure of sustainability in the built environment possible today. What can help advocate building owners to pursue LBC Certification? What does the owner expect from their design and construction teams to guide them through the process? Relating early expectations to end results, what are the lessons learned? How do we find (and encourage) those who are asking 'What's beyond LEED?' In this three part plenary, owners with local projects pursuing LBC certification will share their experiences of rising to meet the challenge. A brief overview of each project will precede a facilitated panel discussion, followed by the audience leading the closing conversation.

Speakers

Deborah Frieze Owner Old Doak Dojo

Shawn Hesse RA, LFA, LEED BD+C, O+M Boston Office Leader emersion DESIGN

Julie Johnson Executive Director Hitchcock Center for the Environment

DiAnn Mroszczak LEED BD+C Designer Prellwitz Chilinski Associates

Carl Weber Interim Director Facilities & Grounds Hampshire College

B04: Ask the Experts: Live up to the Living Building Challenge
Wednesday, 11/16
8:00 AM – 9:30 AM
Room 109A

 

Quebec is Quality Reception + USGBCMA Project Showcase Nov. 16

By Alex Landa


ABX 2016 is next month! While the focal point of the Northeast's largest building industry conference is the plethora of session options you can choose from, there's more than that. In addition to the ABX Pre-Mixer on November 14th with Amanda Sturgeon, you can also sign up for the Quebec is Quality Reception + USGBC MA Project Showcase November 16th.

Join several of Quebec’s finest manufacturers of quality construction products for drinks and hors d'oeuvres at a complimentary reception. This partnership will highlight the top materials from Quebec and award winning designs from leading firms in Massachusetts.

Québec’s harsh and intense climate has shaped the robust character of its construction industry and led to the development of a unique set of skills and products.

Learn more about:
structural elements and trusses, insulation products and membranes, green products, exterior siding, historic restoration, windows and doors, cabinets and countertops, millwork, stairs, flooring and, of course, all things wood!

See what sessions the USGBC MA is sponsoring here.
Monday, November 14th, 2016
Boston Convention and Exhibition Center
415 Summer Street, Boston, MA, 02210
6:00PM-7:30 PM
Learn more about Quebec is Quality and register here!


 

 

 

 


 

USGBC MA Sponsored ABX Session – A44: Beyond Inspiration: Implement A Successful Biophilic Project

By Alexander Landa


Coming up November 15th to 17th will be ABX 2016! As part of the Northeast's largest building industry conference and tradeshow, Architecture Boston Expo, the USGBC MA Chapter will be sponsoring multiple panels this year. This year, we're hosting multiple panels, so let's take a look at Tuesday's panel, A44: Beyond Inspiration: Implement a Successful Biophilic Project.

Biophilia is becoming an increasingly popular global topic. The design community recognizes the importance of our human connection to nature and of bringing the beauty and wonder of nature into the built environment. But how do designers go above superficial references to nature and use of natural materials to design environments that are truly connecting, inspiring, and regenerative? The Living Building Challenge is a certification and advocacy program designed to address these needs and look at how buildings can go beyond standard sustainable design and become truly 'living.' This session will inspire participants and give them a working understanding of the biophilic design process, from the history and techniques used in successful biophilic projects, to elements of a biophilia focused design charrette, to the importance of hands-on research with a project site's natural features as well as looking at the Challenge as an attainable way to achieve beautiful biophilic design.

A44: Beyond Inspiration: Implement a Successful Biophilic Project
Tuesday, 11/15
1:00PM-2:30PM
Room 109A

ILFI's Amanda Sturgeon will present.

Register here!

October 31st is the Last Day to Register Any LEED Projects Under the 2009 Rating System

By Alexander Landa


October 31st is the last day you will be able to register any projects under the LEED 2009 rating system. From there, only LEED v4 is the only rating system that will be available for new LEED projects. The USGBC national chapter has thoroughly explained everything you need to know to be prepared, as well as the next steps you can take to move forward with your designs. They outlined five major components:

1) You must register any existing or upcoming LEED projects by October 31st if you want to use this rating system. Otherwise, you will need to use v4 moving forward.

2) By visiting LEED Online, you can register a 2009 rating system project before 10/31. Pre-existing projects that are already registered should note additional deadlines regarding certifications here.

3) You can upgrade your LEED 2009 project to LEED v4 by going here.

4) Sunset for LEED 2009 rating systems is June 31, 2021.

5) There's no need to worry if you miss the 10/31 deadline for LEED 2009. Registration is open for v4 until the next version arrives.

The Healthy Materials Summit Is This Wednesday! Register Now

By Alexander Landa


2016 has gone by a bit too fast. It feels like the Green Building Showcase and Greenbuild 2016 were just last week. Well, as this year starts to wrap up and we make plans for the holiday season, make your work week a little less pen-and-paper and join us for the Healthy Materials Summit this Wednesday.

To make things better, if you attend the morning session you can earn four AIA and GBCI credits towards maintaining credentials!

So much is going into this summit. We have awesome speakers, engaging workshops, and a fun networking session at night. Here's everything you need to know about the Healthy Materials Summit this Wednesday:

Video: Why healthy materials are important – Blake Jackson

Speakers:
Gregory Norris – ILFI
Doug Brown – BASF
Rebecca Callahan Klein – Global Health Exchange
Monica Nakielski – Partners Healthcare
Brent Ehrlich – Building Green
Barbra Batshalom – SPI (Silver Sponsor)
Denny Daragh – Forbo (Gold Sponsor) 

Components:
Supply And Demand Hackathons
Healthy Materials 101
Afternoon Add-On: Living Building Challenge Materials Petal Workshop

Thoughts of the Leaders:
Why you should care about healthy materials – By Steven Burke
Get excited about healthy materials – by Blake Jackson
Grey Lee wants to see you at HMS!

There are lots of cool people going to the Healthy Materials Summit next week. Aside from our sponsors (who can be found here) and our speakers above, we have attendees coming from a wide variety of organizations:

Forbo
Shaw
HDR
Tremco
Triumph Modular
SMMA
Bruner/Cott Architects
The Green Engineer, Inc.
The Elbaum Group
Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
Satoria
Conservation Solutions
A. Jandris & Sons
Flow Tech, Inc.
Hueson
Ellenzweig
Tro-Design
Wilson Architects

We hope to see you Wednesday! Please register here to attend this unique event.

Attend the ABX Pre-Mixer: Living Building Challenge On November 14th

By Alexander Landa


We invite you to join Amanda Sturgeon and ILFI's Boston Collaborative for drinks and appetizers at our pre-ABX reception. Amanda will give a brief overview of the Living Building Challenge (LBC) and be available to answer questions. Amanda's overview is especially timely with the recent rollout of the new 3.1 Standard

In this exciting time of rapidly increasing innovation, the LBC continues to raise the bar and lead the way in regenerative design. This is your opportunity to hear directly from Amanda and network with other green professionals!


Amanda has been with the International Living Future Institute for over 5 years, initially overseeing the programs, then as Executive Director and now as CEO. She joined the Institute following a career as a licensed architect with fifteen years experience designing and managing some of the most sustainable buildings in the Pacific Northwest. Amanda was a founding board member of the Cascadia Region Green Building Council and a recent board member of AIA Seattle. Amanda was elected as a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects in 2013 and a LEED Fellow later the same year in recognition for her extensive advocacy and volunteer service to the green building movement. She was named as one of the top ten most powerful women in sustainability in 2015 as a recipient of the Women in Sustainability Leadership Award.

Register for this Pre-Mixer here

Skanska Boston Headquarters
101 Seaport Blvd
Boston, MA, 02210

The Massachusetts USGBC Chapter is hosting multiple sessions at ABX! Please see here to find out what sessions we're involved in, and to register for any that interest you.

UMass Boston University Hall Tour 10/20 Recap

By Aminah McNulty


EPMA hosted a tour of UMass Boston's University Hall. We were joined by project architect Jason Pollutro of Wilson Architects, civil engineer PARE Corporations and sustainability consultants from The Green Engineer. A group of 21 sustainability professionals made the tour a lively, engaging and interactive discussion about the latest strategies and technologies showcased in this project. 

A highlighted feature of the project is the large copper clad wall wrapping around the main auditorium of the building connecting the interior and exterior of the building in one sweeping gesture. In addition, the seating upholstery of the building's seating highlights the succession of color found throughout the lifespan of copper. 


We toured the main atrium, music performance authority, black box theater, 500 and 200 seat classrooms and the penthouse floor of utilities. It was noted that all the building's utilities were designed for the top floor as part of a resiliency plan against flood events and sea level rise. 

A big thank you to EPMA's Lindsey Machamer for organizing this tour and sharing her expertise on the engineering of the project. 

Also thanks to UMass Boston for hosting us and to Pare Corporation for sponsoring the event.



SMMA Member Profile: Martine Dion of SMMA

By Caitlin Forbes


Martine Dion, AIA, LEED AP BD+C

Martine’s commitment to sustainability began on a fifth grade “green” field trip when, in encountering a landfill, she realized that pollution directly impacted community health. Since then she has been invested in creating a cleaner world, both personally and professionally. As SMMA’s Director of Sustainable Design, Martine provides energy efficiency, sustainability, and LEED consulting services to clients. Martine has been in charge of the implementation and coordination of sustainable design practices for the firm for the past 17 years and has largely contributed to its consolidation and expansion across the firm’s A&E dis.

Much of Martine’s background in sustainable design aligns with the origins of the USGBC. When she moved to Boston she immediately connected with its sustainable network, many of whom were originally brought together by the BSA COTE Committee. This group of sustainable advocates eventually came together to form the USGBC MA Chapter. As a founding Director on the USGBC MA board, Martine helped establish the organization, creating its bylaws and expanding it to support an executive director and staff. She remains an active member of USGBC today.  Martine also currently serves as a Director on the NESEA Board. 

While her sustainable projects have varied over her twenty-four year design career, Martine sees her work at K-12 schools as career highlights, such as her work at Winchester High School. Martine believes that green schools are crucial tools for encouraging youth engagement in sustainability and energy conservation because they can uniquely supplement a sustainable curriculum. The school facility can be an active tool for learning – a photovoltaic system informs a science class even as it contributes to fossil fuel reduction; green vegetated roofs and school gardens often bring the classroom outside, connecting the students to nature and inspiring them to invest in protecting resources.

Looking forward, Martine envisions her design career continuing to support sustainability across five crucial areas: education, community health, materials transparency, zero-net energy, carbon neutral and performance based design

 

Did You Know That Green Buildings Promote Human Rights?

By Alexander Landa


According to an article by the Journal of Human Rights and the Environment, it turns out that there's a solid connection between human rights and the built environment. Essentially, humans should be guaranteed at least a bare minimum of living in a quality environment; there's a case to be said that there would be legal ramifications should a person not be surrounded by buildings that meet certain health requirements.

This dilemma is emerging, though. These provisions are historically meant to say that a human should be safe in the natural environment, not the built environment. The USGBC and other organizations are working to amend this to include indoor requirements as well.

A major claim by the article is that humans have the rights to the environment, health, housing, water, and sanitation, and that this is all affected by the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) as well as the outdoors, natural environment.

There's a bright side, at least! The report also details that green buildings are combating this, as these designs are meant to address and fix many IEQ issues, considering anything from indoor air quality to lighting and acoustics. This means that LEED buildings are essentially built and designed with IEQ in mind.

Information was taken from Josh Gellers, PhD at GBIG/Journal of Human Rights and the Environment.