Wednesday evening, we gathered in the inconspicuous parking lot of the Facilities & Maintenance building for Boston Medical Center (BMC). A few feet above us, just out of sight, the 7,000 square-foot rooftop farm resides, overlooking 180 degree views of South Boston.
Lindsay Allen, farm manager for the BMC farm, Brendan Shea, Director of Operations at Recover Green Roofs and David Stickler with the Boston Area Beekeeping Association led our tour. Lindsay introduced the site to us and explained the context of urban farming and local food in the area. She personally wheels all of her produce through the hospital into the demonstration kitchen so no fossil fuels are used to bring fresh food to patient’s plates. There is a strong symbiosis between the farm and demonstration kitchen at the hospital, which includes a “farm medley” served to patients, CSA shares for new families and dietary specific cooking classes.
Brendan unpacked the technical side of how the farm was constructed. A modular system of milk crates filled with a porous lining and top-grade compost from the Vermont Compost Company made the operation simple and straightforward to install. The irrigation system has a weather sensor to monitor sound, atmosphere, temperature and precipitation. Irrigation will shut off if rain gauge reads above ⅛ of rain or there is more than ⅛ of rain in the forecast. Specific roof-top site constraints include the weight of rainfall, waterproofing the roof system and withstanding wind speed. The team had to come up with specific solutions to address these issues.
David walked us through some common misconceptions about urban beekeeping and explained the simplicity and importance of living close to pollinators. Interestingly, urban bees find more diversity in pollination sources than rural bees because of the wider variety of what people plant in their urban gardens and flower pots.
We gathered at Stella Restaurant in the South End after our tour for a networking event kindly sponsored by Vermont Compost Company. This tour was the first in a series of USGBC programming around urban agriculture, green roofs and food justice. Stay tuned for our next event!
I am relatively new to this whole world. I got my undergraduate degree in geology with a minor in math from Colby College in Maine. When I graduated, like a lot of people, I had no idea what I wanted to do.
I ended up getting a job as a staff geologist for a company in Framingham and stayed there for about three years. I was working in their environmental remediation group, which was really just a fancy way of saying cleaning up other people's messes. Most of our clients were oil and gas companies with contaminated properties, and I spent my time traveling around to various sites sampling soil and groundwater and eventually overseeing drilling and excavation projects. While I learned a ton in that position, I ultimately started to feel that I was just helping to clean up a mess rather than actually trying to prevent the mess in the first place.
While I was there, especially towards the last year, I started spending more and more time on active construction sites. The sites had contaminated soil, and I had to be the annoying person telling the construction crew where they could and couldn't dig. In a way, that was my first introduction to the built environment. Before then, I had never seen a building go up, I had no idea how that worked. I realized I was more interested in watching those processes than actually dealing with the contaminated soil that I was supposed to be watching. That spurred me to make a change.
This is the weird part – after that job I went to western Kenya for 6 months. It was completely unrelated, but I had this really incredible opportunity to volunteer at a community hospital through Massachusetts General Hospital’s Division of Global Health and Human Rights… which is a mouthful. I was not working on projects directly related to the built environment, I was doing more coordination and support of MGH’s teaching and research efforts at the hospital. But my work in Kenya exposed me to a different type of sustainability, in terms of understanding how different cultures use their resources and how any type of change or plan, as well-intentioned as it may be, won’t be successful without real community input.
While I was over there I started thinking about graduate school and how I could pivot myself into the world of sustainability. I ended up finding a masters program at Northeastern and applied before I got home. The faculty actually didn’t want to let me in at first… with reason, because I’m not an architect and I’m not an engineer. They felt that I was qualified for the program, but they weren’t sure what I would be able to do with it afterwards. But I was motivated enough, and I convinced them I would figure it out by the time I was done. I graduated in May, and while I was there I met Jim Newman, who I work for now. He encouraged me that it was an asset to be able to speak the languages of both architects and engineers without being on either side. He showed me there could be a different path through the consulting lens, and he has since given me a really fantastic opportunity to work with him at Linnean Solutions.
ENERGY STAR. It’s the little label with the big message: Better is Better.
Wright Builders is proud to offer new homes that have earned the ENERGY STAR® label. The ENERGY STAR label means that your new home has been designed and built to standards well above other homes in the market today. It means better quality, better comfort, and better durability. It also means that your new home is a better value for today, and a better investment for tomorrow. The ENERGY STAR label gives you the peace of mind that your home has undergone a better process for inspections, testing, and verification to ensure that it meets strict requirements set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ENERGY STAR certified homes are better because they are designed and built to provide homeowners: with a Peace of Mind. The result of a home that’s built better.
With the ENERGY STAR label on your new home, you can be confident that it will deliver. When ENERGY STAR requirements are applied to new home construction, an integrated approach to design combined with tried-and-true best building practices adds up to a durable, comfortable home with reduced utility and maintenance costs. Our ENERGY STAR certified homes have undergone more inspections and testing than typical homes to ensure that your new home was built to higher standards.
Enduring Quality. Better systems make all the difference.
Purchasing a new home is a big investment, so it’s important to be sure that it’s built to last. We design all of our new ENERGY STAR certified homes to include value-adding energy efficiency features, and a combination of materials and equipment that will deliver better performance.
LEED Certified
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ was developed by the US Green Building Council to encourage sustainable green building and development practices. We are enthusiastic USGBC members and sponsors and strive to achieve a minimum standard of Silver LEED Certified on our new construction homes and offices.
The Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Index is the industry standard by which a home’s energy efficiency is measured. It’s also the nationally recognized system for inspecting and calculating a home’s energy performance. HERS® index functions as sort of energy efficiency version of a MPG (miles-per-gallon) sticker for houses, and informs home-owners about how their homes compare to other similar ones in terms of energy usage. All of Wright Builders’ homes are assessed by a local, reputable third party rater. In fact, this rating, as of January 2017, is a Massachusetts building code requirement. Wright Builders has been doing these ratings for over 10 years. Why should you care? Take a look!
What does ‘green’ really mean?
Looking at two seemingly identical houses, one ENERGY STAR/LEED Certified and the other minimally code compliant, you won’t notice much on the surface that seems to be different.
The code minimum house will be a little cheaper. Money’s tight, and you want to get the most for your money. So…don’t buy the cheaper house! Spending a little more on the energy-efficient home will save you money in the long run because of these differences in the construction:
Higher standards of insulation installation, leading to a more weather-tight house.
Prescribed detailing to virtually eliminate wind infiltration.
Minimal usage of low performance insulation products such as fiberglass.
Class 1 Cellulose insulation, a locally recycled product that is sustainable.
More efficient heating systems and sealed ductwork to reduce air leakage.
Floor system air sealing for greater comfort.
Efficient doors and windows.
Low E glass.
Sealing around doors and windows with high performance materials.
Sealed combustion direct vent heating equipment.
No fuel smell from oil heating equipment.
Attics and knee walls sealed from living spaces as if they were outdoors (which they are).
Up to 35% heating cost savings.
Minimum SEER 14 cooling equipment.
Indoor comfort at lower temperatures because of reduced drafts.
High efficiency lighting reduces lighting costs by 75%.
Higher humidity levels are achievable without damage to house – approximately 40% for greater health and comfort indoors.
Constant/periodic ventilation to refresh interior air.
Gas stove hoods vent outdoors for fumes and cooking odors.
Bewildered by the buzzwords? Check out our Vocabulary page for all the definitions!
By VHB – Kari Hewitt, Director of Sustainability, and Steve Anderson, Director of Applied Technologies
As professionals operating in the sustainability and applied technology space, we are no strangers to buzz words, nor to the perception that our work is part of a passing trend. It may be easy to pass off the concept of “smart cities” as the latest of such trendy phrases. What is a “smart city” anyway? Why is everyone talking about “big data” and “internet of things”? Isn’t all this smart technology just for the privileged anyway?
It is fair to be skeptical and cautious. However, imagine a community where we are able to connect all citizens to the internet. Imagine a building stock powered by a smart grid and meters that can respond to changes in demand and inform building managers and homeowners instantly of leaks or inefficiencies. Sensors that know when to light up a street or sidewalk for passing pedestrians or that can inform citizens and public health officials when air quality is poor. Smart waste receptacles powered by solar energy that tell haulers when they need to be emptied. A transportation network enabled with real time data and smart payment options to allow users to make smart and healthy choices about how to get to work or school.
We strongly believe that the cities that are leading the way on sustainability and resiliency are also leading the way on smart cities. And this is because their leaders recognize that these pathways are inextricably linked—innovation, sustainability, and resiliency are a necessity for cities to manage growing populations, remain economically competitive, and to advance solutions to global climate change challenges. They also recognize that city government exists to provide services to its citizens and that they need to be thoughtful about the user's perspective – using technology to better meet the needs of all citizens. Smart City technologies have the potential to:
Improve health and well-being
Enhance mobility
Boost economic development
Reduce disparities/inequities
Improve facility management
Improve safety, emergency response, and cyber security
Promote efficiency and environmental stewardship
Enhance transparency
Enhance resiliency
Measure & report on performance
A key tenet of sustainable planning, design, and management of buildings and communities comes down to effective decision-making. When people are armed with real-time information that they can compare to historic patterns, they are able to make smart decisions, and see if those decisions are actually making a difference. Smart Cities technologies have the ability to arm governments, businesses, and citizens with information to make their communities thrive.
By David P. Manfredi, FAIA, LEED AP – Founding Principal, Elkus Manfredi Architects
Union Point is a new city on 1,500 acres at the intersecting point of the towns of Weymouth, Rockland, and Abington, Massachusetts. Elkus Manfredi Architects has developed the master plan for Union Point with Sasaki Associates.
Union Point is more than a Smart City. Rooted in a human-scaled, 21st-century urbanism, it combines the attributes and energy of a city – including elements such as easy access to public transportation, entertainment and sports venues, education, art, and culture – with 1,000 acres of protected habitat linked to a network of 50 miles of trails plus public parks, open spaces, and pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly roadways. Union Point will combine tomorrow’s communications and smart-living/working technologies for an all-inclusive environment featuring living, workplace, and leisure options that will foster a connected, diverse community.
Union Point is one of the largest remaining parcels of its size in the highly sought-after metropolitan Boston area. As one of only a handful of projects of comparable scale and ambition in the country and around the globe, Union Point is the first of these ground-up developments that is designed as a Smart City. More than just intelligent and unbounded connectivity through an open-source digital technology platform, Union Point, at its heart, is being created as a pioneer city focused on unleashing the potential of the human spirit in an inclusive community that can enhance and invigorate the human experience.
What is a “Smart City?” A Smart City is a connected urban environment that integrates multiple information and communication technologies to manage a city's assets, improve the efficiency of services, and meet residents' needs.
Union Point is also a sustainable community: development will occupy about one-third of the property, leaving 1,000 acres as natural habitat. Elkus Manfredi has designed a flexible framework of buildings, streets, open spaces, and greenways as the foundation for the sustainable and healthy evolution of the community over time.
The multinational professional services firm, Arup, has built a complementary and scalable infrastructure master plan to address Union Point’s zero-carbon future and guide the stewardship of its natural water and energy resources. Solar collectors and heat pumps will be part of the power system. Storage batteries will save electric power for future uses, and streets will be designed for pedestrians and bicyclists, as well as our vehicular (autonomous) car future. At least 90% of the roofs without mechanical function, such as solar collection sites, will be green, planted to provide garden spaces that reduce heat-island effects and address stormwater runoff, graywater re-use, and green wastewater treatment solutions.
Union Point is unique. Elkus Manfredi Architects has been committed to an agenda of sustainability since our founding in 1988, but this is an opportunity to think about those issues at scale, and to move them beyond sustainability to a more regenerative vision. This is not just one building or block of buildings; this is a new city that includes offices, residences, retail, technology, and more.
LStar Ventures, Union Point’s developer, has made a commitment to see Union Point through to completion, an undertaking that requires vision, a talented team of experts, steely determination, and considerable resources. An example of LStar’s singular commitment: early in the process, LStar, unlike previous would-be developers, invested extensive time and energy in winning the consensus of the three towns in which Union Point is located.
Nurturing a community will be an important test for this forward-thinking development. Union Point is about trying to make places that change people’s experience and therefore their behaviors. Elkus Manfredi believes that the quality of our environment affects the quality of our lives. When you walk and bike instead of sitting in cars, your lifestyle is healthier and you are more connected to your neighbors. Union Point envisions an enhanced human experience in which a culturally rich environment can educate and inspire a community, igniting the collective potential.
Curiosity is one essential element that makes good architecture and urban planning: you have to look, listen, and learn. It is extraordinarily hard to put together a project that is as large as Union Point and only 20 minutes from Boston with access to public transportation and the cooperation of three towns. In order to design and build Union Point, the team of LStar Ventures, Elkus Manfredi Architects, and Sasaki Associates has undergone a process of intense looking and listening. We have learned a great deal.
Union Point is a living laboratory for what we believe in: a community that can serve as a paradigm for other forward-thinking cities around the world. More than technologically and sustainably innovative, Union Point will inspire other developments to address the future as a community built on respect, inclusivity, and shared learning. At Union Point, our hope is to ensure that people, individually and collectively, can positively adapt to and embrace the accelerating changes in the world around us.
Did you know indoor air sensors can be used to not only provide higher indoor environmental quality, but also improve energy efficiency and reduce utility costs as well?
In the face of growing energy costs, the University of Cambridge’s Hutchison/MRC Research Centre was met with the unsettling prospect of reducing life-saving cancer research to pay utility bills. After implementing a unique airside solution that allows ventilation to vary based on laboratory conditions, Hutchison/MRC reduced total natural gas costs by approximately 41 percent in the first year, and by 54 percent in year two. The total electricity bill was reduced by 9 percent. The new system, which had a payback of less than 2 years, also helped reduce carbon emissions.
The new solution would modify the center's traditional variable air volume (VAV) control in lab spaces with the demand-based Aircuity system, which allows the ventilation to vary based on conditions in each laboratory. With numerous installations at U.S. university laboratories, the Aircuity system proposed for the Hutchison/MRC Research Centre would be the first in the United Kingdom.
Aircuity, a USGBC MA Chapter Sponsor, is the smart airside efficiency company providing building owners with sustained energy savings through its intelligent measurement solutions. By addressing the inherent deficiencies in conventional approaches to energy efficient building ventilation, Aircuity's smart solutions deliver significant energy savings for a wide range of commercial, institutional and lab building applications without sacrificing occupant comfort, productivity or safety.
Aircuity's mission is to be an industry leader in the optimization of building ventilation for sustainable energy efficiency, safety, and operational performance.
SMMA is excited to announce that one of the 2017 Nobel Laureates in Physics is none other than Rainer Weiss, a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and former SMMA client. In 1997 SMMA took on a laboratory relocation project for MIT and Weiss's Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) team. Their former location at MIT's Radiation Lab Bulding #23, now the Historic MIT Radiation Lab Plaque, was set to be demolished and re-designed by architect Frank Gehry, leaving Weiss and his team searching for new lab space.
Radiation Lab #23 was set inside of an old mill-style building dating as far back as World War II. With top secret radar research being conducted there at the time, the building was not efficient enough to meet the needs of the researchers. When it was decided that an artificial intelligence lab would go in its place, LIGO lab ended up relocating to Albany Street inside of the MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center.
The SMMA team for the project, made up of Ara Krafian, Phil Poinelli, Parker Symmes, Mark O'Brien, Mike Powers, Paul Livernois, and Richard Croswell, consistently met with researchers in order to understand the needs of the lab, and properly fit out the space with the equipment necessary for gravitational-wave research.
“The biggest challenge in this project was vibration control, especially with there being a train spur on the opposite side of the building,” explained Phil Poinelli, FAIA, ALEP, LEED AP, and MCPPA. “The trains that used to run through were freight trains serving East Cambridge, so it was important for us to create the kind of isolation necessary for a piece of equipment (such as the interferometer) that could be disturbed by outside vibration.”
In 2016 Weiss was also awarded the Special Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics, the Gruber Prize in Cosmology, the Shaw Prize in Astronomy, and the Kavli Prize in Astrophysics for his shared work with Ronald Drever and Kip S. Thorne, co-founders of LIGO.
We are honored to announce Consulate General of Canada as our newest Advocate Level sponsor.
The Consulate General of Canada in Boston provides useful support to over 60 Canadian companies from a variety of industries including biotech, manufacturing, security, and building products. Their office connects Canadian companies to the New England states of Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
Welcome to our sponsoring partner community, Consulate General of Canada in Boston. We are proud to have you as a partner and look forward to accomplishing great things together.
Linnean analyzed four design scenarios for the Martin Luther King School, designed by Perkins Eastman, to identify the design that would produce the least amount of embodied and operational emissions throughout the life of the building.
Linnean conducted a life-cycle analysis of the building’s materials to determine the carbon emissions from embodied carbon, and analyzed annual operating emissions from each design scenario. We examined whether retrofitting the existing building would save carbon over time, or whether tearing down the building and designing an entirely new facility would be more energy and carbon efficient.
The final analysis concluded that tearing down the original building (a brutalist concrete structure built in the 1960s) and replacing it with either of the three new designs would produce fewer emissions than retrofitting over time. Even considering the emissions resulting from the demolition and waste of the existing structure, the existing envelope and mechanical systems were so inefficient that they would cause significantly higher annual emissions than constructing one of the new designs proposed.
Image of Cambridge’s Martin Luther King, Jr. School.
Often overlooked, the design of a building can make a significant impact on health, accessibility and safety. Today, many architects, designers, planners, engineers and construction teams are looking to specific improvements to build or rennovate in ways that improve both indoor and outdoor environments of buildings.
The Northern Essex Community College (NECC) community recently celebrated the newly renovated $18 million, 80,000 SF Spurk Building, one of the most widely used academic buildings on the college’s Haverhill campus. RDK Engineers, an NV5 Company, worked alongside the project architect, DiMella Shaffer Associates, providing MEP/FP engineering design services for transforming and renovating the classroom building which plays a critical role in the success of NECC students.
Building improvements included:
Air Quality Improvements: The entire building will have a central ventilation system and air conditioning.
Accessibility Upgrades: Accessibility changes included new and renovated entrance ramps, proper door clearance, extension of the accessible parking lot toward the building, and new chairs, wheelchair spots, and companion seats.
Safety Advances: Life safety changes will include additional fire protection, a sprinkler room, and stairwell improvements including the enclosure of the central stairwell.
Congratulations to USGBC MA Chapter Sponsor RDK Engineers and the entire project team on the completion of the Spurk Building renovation! These upgrades will contribute to an enhanced learning environment for the entire NECC community.
Annie is widely regarded within the marketplace as an expert in third-party verification and sustainable program development. She previously held positions like Vice President of Certification Services at GreenCircle Certified, LLC until starting her own independent organization in 2017. She sits as a technical advisor to: the US Green Building Council’s Materials and Resources TAG, the International Living Future Institute (ILFI), Clean Production Action and the GreenScreen Program, the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council, the ASTM E 60 Committee, and the Collaborative for High Performing Schools National Technical Committee.
LAUREN HILDEBRAND
Sustainability Director, Steven Winter Associates
Lauren Hildebrand is a Sustainability Director at SWA. Her work focuses on sustainable and high performance residential and commercial building design, construction, renovation, and operation. Ms. Hildebrand’s expertise includes: sustainable design integration; indoor air quality and energy performance testing; and implementing project certification for both commercial and residential programs, such as LEED®, ENERGY STAR®, NYSERDA, NJ Clean Energy, and Enterprise Green Communities. Awards presented to her clients include the 2013 USGBC NJ Urban Green Project Award. Ms. Hildebrand works as a LEED® for Homes Green Rater and verifies implementation of the LEED® for Homes criteria. She is an integral part of the initial strategic planning sessions and workshops with builders, architects, and homeowners based on the LEED for Homes program. She also partners with and implements criteria for Enterprise Green Communities (EGCC), NYSERDA’s Multi-Family Performance Program, and the ENERGY STAR® Multi-Family High-Rise Program Certification. Ms. Hildebrand also has experience with a variety of commercial and mixed use projects, including LEED® for New Construction, Commercial Interior, Core and Shell, and Schools. In addition to her project experience and program guidance, Ms. Hildebrand manages classroom training and curriculum development for architects, owners, developers and building management staff on green and high performance building design strategies, cost effective building system operation, and energy-saving maintenance practices.
MICHAEL GRYNIUK
PE | Associate, LeMessurier
Michael Gryniuk, PE is a Structural Engineer at LeMessurier in Boston. As the leader of LeMessurier’s Sustainability practice, he is responsible for strategy, project consulting, and education for LeMessurier. He is currently on the Steering Committee of Structural Engineering Institute (SEI) Sustainability Committee of ASCE and currently serves as Chair of the Structural Engineers (SE 2050) Commitment Program Working Group whose aim to establish a national commitment program for structural engineers for the purpose of achieving net zero embodied carbon in structural systems by 2050. Mike taught for many years at the Boston Architectural College. His current projects include the 2 million square foot Hub on Causeway development as well as upcoming developments of Kenmore Square. Mike has also led several other projects for institutions including Boston College, Holy Cross, RISD and UNH. Mike attended Syracuse University and Tufts University.
ANNE PECK
Vice President, AEW’s Architecture & Engineering group
As Vice President in AEW’s Architecture & Engineering group, Ms. Peck is responsible for physical property inspections, engineering and mechanical system evaluations and environmental audits on potential investments for all commercial property types. She is also responsible for the review and analysis of energy audits and LEED gap analysis with respect to acquisitions, and oversees the scope and results of third-party due diligence reports on property acquisitions. For development projects, Ms. Peck is responsible for the evaluation of construction documents to assess the constructability and recommend sustainable products and practices. She is responsible for overseeing the construction of new development projects from AEW’s initial involvement through closeout and warranty completions. Ms. Peck assists asset managers with large capital improvement projects or physical problems at various properties. In addition, Ms. Peck Co-Chairs AEW’s Sustainability Committee and provides guidance and assistance with most sustainability initiatives with the objective of reducing operating costs, improving indoor air quality and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions. She sits on the GRESB Real Estate Benchmark Committee in North America and assists with all sustainability reporting for AEW. Ms. Peck is a licensed Massachusetts Construction Supervisor with LEED AP Certification, and passed her FE exam towards a mechanical engineer/registered professional engineering license.
ANDREA ALAOWNIS
Interior Designer, Jacobs, Boston
Andrea Alaownis is an Interior Designer with the Jacobs, Boston, MA office. After graduating from Radford University, she has concentrated on commercial projects through all phases of design and construction. As a WELL Accredited Professional, she participated in assisting the Jacobs Boston office to achieve WELL V1 Gold, Fitwel 3 Stars, and LEED V4 Gold certifications and continues to educate the design community and clients on wellness through design.
KIMBERLY LEWIS
Senior Vice President, Market Transformation and Development U.S. Green Building Council
As Senior Vice President for Market Transformation and Development in North America, Kimberly Lewis knows better than anyone that market transformation begins with community. Kimberly is laser focused on diversity, inclusion, equity and advancing transparency and excellence. By honing our community’s focus on collaborative impact, Kimberly incorporates people‐centric strategies to provide the organization and movement with a strong foundation of stakeholder based support.
Kimberly’s efforts encourage innovation in the market and challenge all of our community members to go above and beyond what was possible yesterday, to define the built environment of tomorrow. Kimberly knows that when we celebrate our leaders and advocate for growth across sectors, regions, and programs, taking care to bring our best to underserved populations and communities, we achieve real and lasting market transformation of the highest order.
To this end, Kimberly directs all of USGBC’s local communities, volunteers, and emerging professionals around the world, delivering on the USGBC mission to improve the quality of life for all through more sustainable cities and communities worldwide.
Kimberly was the founder of the Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, which is now globally represented in five international markets. She has served on the advisory boards of Starwood Hotels, Marriott International Hotels and the convention and visitors bureaus in New Orleans, Atlanta, and Denver. She is a member of the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE), the Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC) and the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), where she has served on the CSR task force.
Kimberly serves on the board of directors for Groundswell and is the former chair of the board of trustees of the Green Building Foundation. Committed to healthy communities and equitable access to green buildings regardless of income level, Kimberly has been recognized with numerous awards. In April 2011, Kimberly received prestigious recognition as the White House Champion of Change for Clean Energy. She was also named Glamour Magazine 70th Anniversary 70 Women Leaders to Know in Sustainability. Most recently Kimberly was recognized with GB&D Magazine’s 2018 Women in Sustainability Leadership Award.
JIM STANISLASKI
AIA LEED AP BD+C | Senior Associate, Gensler Boston
Jim Stanislaski, AIA LEED AP BD+C is an Architect at Gensler in Boston. As co-leader of Gensler’s northeast region Design Resilience practice, he is responsible for strategy, project consulting, and education for over 1,000 staff in four offices. He is currently a Director on the Board of USGBC MA and a member of the Architecture Boston Magazine Editorial Board. Jim is a former President of AIA MA and has served on two National Academies research panels for renewable energy and energy efficiency at airports. As a past co-chair of the Boston Society of Architects Committee on the Environment (BSA/COTE), Jim led the AIA 2030 Professional Series at the BSA, serving to educate local designers on strategies to achieve net positive energy goals for buildings. Jim has also testified before state and city government committees to advocate for environmental legislation and regulation. Jim started his career as a US Air Force officer and attended Syracuse University.
CARLIE BULLOCK-JONES
LEED Fellow, WELL AP | Founder and Principal, Ecoworks Studio
Carlie Bullock-Jones, LEED Fellow, WELL AP, is the founder and managing Principal of Ecoworks Studio and has dedicated her entire career to bringing about a greener, healthier built environment. As a nationally known expert in sustainability, Carlie has facilitated on numerous award-winning projects. With a passion for green sports, Carlie has spearheaded LEED certification efforts for several stadiums, arenas, and training facilities for the NFL, NHL, NBA, MLS and higher education projects. Most notably, Carlie was the LEED consultant for the new home of the Atlanta Falcons, Mercedes-Benz stadium, which achieved the highest LEED Platinum score of any sports facility in the world.
As a LEED Faculty mentor for the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and the first external WELL Faculty for the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), Carlie is a highly sought-after speaker and writer for national events and publications. She has been extensively involved in the development of LEED standards over the years, serving as a Subject Matter Expert for USGBC and GBCI, assisting in course curriculum, exam development and reference guide creation. In 2012, Carlie was inducted by USGBC as a LEED Fellow, one of 77 in the world at that time. Carlie is also one of the first WELL Accredited Professionals on the planet, demonstrating expertise and extensive knowledge of human health and wellness in the built environment. As an early adopter of the WELL Building Standard, Carlie facilitated WELL certification efforts for the 27th, 37th and 100th WELL certified projects in the world (Silver, Gold and Platinum respectively). Most recently, Carlie was the recipient of the 2018 Inaugural IWBI WELL Leadership Recognition Award.
KOMAL KOTWAL
AIA, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP
Komal Kotwal is a Sustainable Design Leader and Project Manager at HOK with over 13 years of experience. Komal has led sustainable design and LEED Certification efforts for over 2M square feet including 1+M sf. of LEED Platinum projects and two Net-Zero projects. With the intent of bringing the human connection to sustainability, Komal currently focuses on intentional design to address human behavior and foster physical, mental, and emotional health. As a WELL AP, Komal is one of HOK’s leads in promoting and practicing health and wellness in architecture. Komal has served on the AIA Houston Chapter’s Board of Directors, Texas USGBC Regional Council and on USGBC’s Greenbuild Program Committee among others. A strong advocate for equity and inclusivity, Komal serves on HOK’s firm-wide Diversity Advisory Council and is a recent addition to HOK’s Management Board.
Speaking Engagements
TSA Convention 2016: Design for Healthy & Livable Communities
Gulf Coast Green Conference 2015: Integrating LEED ND Communities
CSI Chapter Annual Meeting 2014 : 2030 Commitment and how to get there
American Society of Indian Engineers ( ASIE) 2016: Getting to LEED Platinum
University of Houston, 2018: Staying Ahead of the Commercial Energy Code
Texas A&M University, 2016: Integrating Sustainability: A path to Net-zero
ANITA SNADER
LEED AP BD+C | Environmental Sustainability Manager, Armstrong World Industries
Anita Snader is the Environmental Sustainability Manager of Armstrong World Industries in Lancaster, PA. She manages the sustainability strategy for Armstrong Ceiling and Wall Solutions, and serves as an internal environmental advocate, and environmental spokesperson. She is a LEED accredited professional, and well versed in the LEED rating systems and USGBC initiatives. As co-chair of Armstrong’s LEED EB team, she led the corporation to a LEED EB Platinum for their Headquarters building in Lancaster, PA in June 2007, and served on the team obtaining LEED EB recertification in 2014.
Recently, Anita has led Armstrong in a new initiative focusing on the Health and Wellbeing of occupants called Better Spaces. She drives the material health and transparency efforts, and created and manages Armstrong’s commitment through our SUSTAIN™ portfolio of high performance ceiling systems.
Anita joined Armstrong in 1997. Her experience is in Marketing, Research, Product Development and Customer Satisfaction both in the consumer goods, hospitality, building products and advertising industries. Her passion centers in developing strategies for reducing our impact on the environment through product and process innovation, and is always looking at opportunities to share knowledge and innovation with others.
Speaking Engagements: • Mindful Materials Series (2018 – NYC, Chicago)
• USGBC Central PA – 2017 – Green Con – Healthier Buildings
• USGBC GreenBuild – 2016 – Los Angeles, CA – LEEDv4 and Material transparency
• Living Future – Seattle 2016 – Declare and Living Building Challenge
• Costa Rica Green Building Congress – May 2015 – Materials and LEEDv4
• Canada Green Building Conference – June 2015 – Panel on Material Transparency
• USGBC GreenBuild – 2014 New Orleans, PA – two sessions
• State of Green Business – 2011
• PA Green Growth Partnerships, Pittsburgh, PA 2009
• PennTap, Green Workshop, Harrisburg, PA 2008
• Central PA USGBC Chapter Construction Waste Workshop, 2008
• LEED for Existing Building Workshop, Lancaster, PA, November 2007
• NeoCon East, Green Building Workshop, Baltimore, MD, October 2007
• ICA International Conference – Madrid- Acoustics and Green Building, September 2007
• ASHRAE ‘007 Conference – Long Beach, CA – Acoustics and Green Building, May 2007
• GreenBuild 2006 – Got LCA?, November 2006
• Local Green Building Council of PA –LEED for Schools Workshop, October 2006
• Various Recycling Summits throughout the nation
• Customer and sales presentations each month
Tune in:
Listen to a podcast interview with Anita Snader here.
DR. JOSEPH ALLEN
Assistant Professor of Exposure Science | Director of the Healthy Buildings program
Dr. Allen researches community and occupational exposures and health risks related to a broad range of chemical, biological, physical and radiological stressors. In particular, he focuses on the built environment, emissions from building materials and consumer products, and building system performance, each of which has the potential for both positive and negative impacts on human health, well-being and productivity. He is the Director of the Healthy Buildings program at the Harvard Chan School of Public Health and faculty director of the Harvard Sensors for Health research group. Dr. Allen teaches a class on the Impact of Buildings on Human Health, and is the faculty advisor for a new initiative out of Harvard’s Office for Sustainability – the Harvard Healthier Building Materials Academy.
HEATHER HENRIKSEN
Managing Director, Harvard University Office for Sustainability
Heather Henriksen has served as Harvard University’s chief sustainability officer since 2008, advising the President and senior leadership on strategy and building an organizational change enterprise. Heather leads the Office for Sustainability which oversees the implementation of the Harvard’s comprehensive Sustainability Plan (co-created with faculty and students in 2014) and the University’s ambitious new Climate Action Plan (to be fossil fuel-free by 2050 and fossil fuel-neutral by 2026) which builds upon the 2016 achievement of Harvard’s initial science-based climate goal.
The Office for Sustainability has expanded a multi-disciplinary living laboratory research program that partners with faculty and students to use the campus as a test bed for piloting and sharing innovative solutions to real-world sustainability challenges. A nationally recognized leader in healthier building materials, Heather is leading an effort with faculty within Harvard to translate research into practice related to heath in the built environment including a focus on addressing the use of chemicals of concern in common building products. Through this work, Harvard is partnering with business and non-profit leaders as they strive to transform the marketplace for a healthier built environment. Heather also advises courses throughout Harvard College and the professional graduate schools and speaks nationally and internationally on sustainability.
Heather is on the Board of Directors of the Health Product Declaration Collaborative. Heather serves as Advisory Committee Co-chair of the International Sustainable Campus Network (ISCN), and she is a member of Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2). Heather holds a Master in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School.
LAUREN M. WALLACE
Principal & Director of Certifications and Consulting, Epsten Group, Inc.
Lauren M. Wallace is a Principal and the Director of Certifications and Consulting at Epsten Group, Inc., where she has helped facilitate sustainability and wellness measures for thousands of projects around the globe. Ms. Wallace is a USGBC and WELL Faculty member, WELL AP, LFA, LEED AP BD+C, LEED Project Reviewer, BREEAM USA In-Use Assessor, Fitwel Ambassador, Parksmart Advisor, and TRUE Advisor. With a background in Architecture, Ms. Wallace has more than ten years of experience in sustainability. She speaks regularly to audiences with varying expertise about implementing change in the building industry, focusing on technical information and application.
BECCA RUSHIN
Vice President of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility, Jamestown
Becca Rushin is the Vice President of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility at Jamestown where she leads ESG initiatives through the Jamestown Green program and the Jamestown Charitable Foundation. Prior to joining Jamestown in 2012, Ms. Rushin worked as a local government consultant for Clark Patterson Lee, where she served as Community Development Coordinator and Sustainability Commission Staff Liaison for the City of Dunwoody. She is a Certified Energy Manager (CEM) and holds a LEED AP O+M credential. Ms. Rushin is an active volunteer with the Urban Land Institute (ULI) and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and Environmental Policy from Sewanee: the University of the South and a Master of Science in Sustainable Development: Environmental Policy and Management from Utrecht University.
JODI SMITS ANDERSON
Director of Sustainability Programs, DASNY | LEED AP BD+C
Jodi Smits Anderson is the Director of Sustainability Programs for DASNY, an architect, LEED AP BD+C, AIA member, lifetime member of NESEA, past regional and national U.S. Green Building Council committee member, wife, mom, hiker, kayaker, knitter, and storyteller. She has spoken at the ILFI unconference in Seattle, WA, at the NACUBO conference in Austin, TX, at the first Wellness in Design conference in San Diego, CA, and several times each at Greenbuild, NESEA’s Building Energy Boston, and the NYS Green Building Conference, and has been a guest teacher at SUNY ESF, RPI, Ithaca College, NYU, Cornell, and SUNY Albany. She is a NY Energy Code trainer, the 2018 recipient of the Green Building Advocate award, and has assisted in research and writing for Project Drawdown, which cites the 100 market-proven ways we already have in our toolkit to reduce CO2 in our atmosphere. She has a featured article appearing in the Journal of Green Building’s V14 N3 in July of 2019, on Excellence in Building Envelopes, and is currently working on a ZNE renovation to an existing residence hall, a project intended to change how we do renovation projects in New York state. Jodi’s goal is to understand and incorporate informed sustainable practices into design, construction, and living, and to share whatever she has learned and learn still more from whomever will talk with her.
JIM NEWMAN
Founder and Principal, Linnean Solutions | LEED AP, O+M; EcoDistrict AP
Jim is the Founder and Principal at Linnean Solutions, a mission-driven firm that helps local governments, organizations, and communities reach sustainability and resilience goals. Jim’s twenty years of experience includes carbon mitigation planning and life cycle assessment; sustainability and resilience building certification; climate action and adaptation planning for municipalities, agencies, and organizations; resilience analysis, policy, and design standard development; EcoDistrict planning and management; and stakeholder engagement processes to strengthen communities. As a Living Environments in Natural, Social, and Economic Systems (LENSES) Facilitator and Trainer, Jim regularly leads community planning workshops, and trains others in becoming effective facilitators.
Previous to Linnean, Jim worked with BuildingGreen as the Director of Strategy, where he led the development and introduction of most of BuildingGreen’s online products including LEEDuser.com, BuildingGreen Suite, and the High Performance Buildings Database. Jim is a founding board member of the Resilient Design Institute, and a key author of several influential resilience reports and tools—including the Building Resilience in Boston report and
the Enterprise Community Partners’ Ready to Respond: Strategies for Multifamily Building Resilience manual. He is a member of the RELi/USGBC Steering Committee, where he has worked to bring a social equity lens to the development of the new certification standard for resilient buildings.
JULIE JANISKI
Associate Principal, BuroHappold Engineering
Julie Janiski leads integrated teams of engineers, designers, analysts, and subject-matter experts at BuroHappold Engineering for projects with ambitious goals related to design innovation, building performance, and the health, wellbeing and experience of building occupants and community. Julie’s recent work includes: Cornell Tech’s new Verizon Executive Education Center with Snohetta; Glenstone Museum with Thomas Phifer and Partners, St. Ann’s Warehouse theatre in Brookyln with Marvel Architects; a number of U.S. Embassy projects internationally for the U.S. State Department; a new corporate headquarters campus in Baltimore for Under Armour; an integrated “roadmap” plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 80% by the year 2050 (80×50) for the City of New York; and The House at Cornell Tech – a residential high-rise in New York City which is certified Passive House. Julie also teaches at Columbia University’s GSAPP in the first-year core studio, and has been a guest critic/lecturer at other universities including MIT, Tulane, and NYU.
SARA NEFF
Senior Vice President, Sustainability at Kilroy Realty Corporation
Sara Neff is Senior Vice President, Sustainability at Kilroy Realty Corporation. Sara took Kilroy from having no sustainability program to being named the #1 publicly traded real estate company on sustainability in North America by GRESB, and under her leadership the company recently committed to becoming the first carbon neutral real estate company in North America by the end of 2020.
At Kilroy, she oversees all sustainability initiatives such as solar and battery deal-making, the implementation of energy and water efficiency initiatives throughout the existing and development portfolios, the integration of sustainability standards into annual financial reports, the launch of the Kilroy Innovation Lab, and the award-winning green leasing program. She holds a BS from Stanford and an MBA from Columbia Business School.
TRISTAN ROBERTS
Co-Founder, Facilitator at The Laurentia Project | LEED AP BD+C, LFA
Tristan Roberts is responsible for leading staff support for HPDC’s Technical Committee, education programs, and the evolution of the HPD Open Standard. Mr. Roberts is a leader in the advancement of green building practices. Prior to joining HPDC in May 2018, he was part of BuildingGreen, Inc. for eleven years, where he most recently served as Chief Strategy Officer, moderating and leading the community development of LEEDuser forum which supports over 10,000 users. He is the author of hundreds of articles and in-depth reports on building industry trends and technologies, and is a frequent speaker and educator in the areas of green building and sustainable design. His objective stance and focus on practical tools has earned him the trust of a wide spectrum of stakeholders in the industry, including architects, sustainability professionals, manufacturers, and nonprofit groups. Mr. Roberts has taught sustainability and building science at the Boston Architectural College.
TIM CONWAY
Vice President of Sustainable Development, Shaw
As a flooring industry expert, Tim Conway is focused on the positive affects that sustainable flooring products have on our buildings, and more importantly, the people that occupy and live in the spaces we design. Tim has worked closely with Bill McDonough and the internal team at Shaw for the past twelve years developing and maintaining Shaw’s Cradle to Cradle certifications, HPDs and EPDs. His unique role at Shaw enables him to drive the communication between clients’ requirements and the product development team at Shaw. He has presented at GreenBuild, Living Future, and Design Future Council and has been an integral part in the development of healthy carpet specifications for clients all over the world. Tim is passionate about collaborating with clients to develop flooring specifications that are safe throughout a product’s entire supply chain, from raw material chemical building blocks to end of life replication. He has a unique ability to translate complex systems like Cradle to Cradle and HPDs into simple stories that empower change and deliver buildings that have positive intent for the future of our people and our planet.
BILL WALSH
Founder and President, Board of the Healthy Building Network
Bill Walsh is the Founder and President of the Board of the Healthy Building Network (HBN). Since 2000 HBN has been defining the leading edge of healthy building practices that increase transparency in the building products industry, reduce human exposures to chemicals in building materials, and create market incentives for healthier innovations in manufacturing. He has been Visiting Professor at Parsons The New School for Design, is a Fellow of the Lowell Center for Sustainable Production at the University of Massachusetts, and a founding board member of the Health Product Declaration (HPD) Collaborative. Bill and HBN have been awarded the Design for Humanity Award by the American Society of Interior Designers (2019); WEACT for Environmental Justice Leadership Award (2018); Healthy Schools Network Hero (2013); US Green Building Council’s Leadership In Advocacy Award (2012). Previously he served as a national campaign director at Greenpeace USA, and held staff attorney positions with the US Public Interest Research Group and the Institute for Public Representation at Georgetown University Law Center. He holds a J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law and LLM in Public Interest Advocacy from Georgetown University.
BRENT TRENGA
Building Technology Director, Kingspan North America
Brent has truly run the construction industry gamut serving in various roles including Architect, Construction Manager, Developer and even project owner, allowing him to fully understand the sustainability ecosystem. As Building Technology Director for Kingspan North America, Brent is committed to reducing the environmental impact of business operations, products and services through continuous improvement and environmental transparency.
JENNIFER TARANTO
LEED® AP ID+C, BD+C, USGBC Faculty, WELL® AP, WELL Faculty and Fitwel Ambassador Structure Tone, Director of Sustainability
Jennifer Taranto ensures the principals of sustainability, wellbeing, and Lean construction are incorporated into client projects and everyday work practices throughout the STO Building Group.
Jenn is a passionate advocate for reducing environmental impact of the built environment and enabling organizations to improve people’s health and wellbeing while reducing the construction and operating costs of facilities. She gets involved in the early stages of client projects to define the needs and the overall sustainability goals in order to create an internal road map to team success.
Jennifer brings more than eighteen years of experience in the commercial real estate and construction industry, and joined Structure Tone in 2001. Her previous roles included superintendent and project manager prior to becoming Structure Tone’s Director of Sustainability in 2008.
As a founder of the USGBC Massachusetts Chapter and the former Chair of the Chapter’s Board of Directors she is recognized as a leader in the sustainable built environment. She has lectured at Wentworth Institute of Technology and Boston University and spoken at Labs21 Conference (I2SL), Delaware Valley Green Building Council’s Sustainability Symposium, Living Futures and Greenbuild. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Construction Engineering from North Carolina State University.
Jennifer has a Bacon number of 2.
LEIGH STRINGER
Workplace Strategy Expert and Researcher, EYP
Leigh Stringer is a workplace strategy expert and researcher whose work has been covered recently by BBC News, The Globe and Mail, Fortune, CNN and Good Morning America. She works for EYP, an architecture and engineering firm. She is the author of two best-selling books, The Green Workplace and The Healthy Workplace. Leigh is currently collaborating with Harvard University’s School of Public Health on a new Health and Human Performance Index and the Center for Active Design in New York on their Fitwel building certification program to create new tools, connect like minds and blur the boundaries across industries in order to advance our improve our well-being at work. Leigh is on the board of directors of a new non-profit, Global Women for Wellbeing, an organization that aims to give women a voice to create better health and wellbeing for themselves, their businesses, and their communities.
CHARLEY STEVENSON
Principal, Integrated Ecostrategy
Charley Stevenson has been delving deeper and deeper into healthier building materials since beginning work on his first Living Building Challenge project in 2011. With the team at IES, he has developed process and software to integrate better materials selections into all project types and to transform the market as quickly and easily as possible. The Red2Green platform has reduced Red List research and documentation effort by a factor of three while building up a library of over 10,000 products screened for compliance.
PETER SMITH
Senior Vice President, International WELL Building Institute
Peter is engaged with leading organizations and institutions seeking to transform their real estate portfolios to enhance health and business metrics. As Senior Vice President at IWBI, he leads a team driving the global growth and adoption of the WELL Building Standard, the first performance-based building standard to exclusively focus on human health. Peter is also an active speaker and educator, promoting health in the built environment through industry events and technical workshops. Previously, Peter served as Vice President of Delos Solutions, a team of consultants and subject matter experts incorporating health and wellness strategies into the pioneering WELL Certification projects. Working closely with Delos Labs, an internal research group, he identified best-in-class design solutions, products and technologies to improve the built environment and optimize for human health, well-being and environmentally sustainability. Peter has an extensive background in building science and energy efficiency. Prior to joining Delos and IWBI, he worked as a Sustainability Consultant at Steven Winter Associates, an industry leading green building consulting firm. Focusing on affordable housing in the greater New York City area, Peter worked with multifamily developers to implement sustainable design principles and energy efficiency measures into new construction projects and validate high-performance building criteria. Peter holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a Bachelor’s degree from Colgate University in Environmental Economics. He also maintains accreditations for WELL AP™ and WELL Faculty™.
JASON JEWHURST
Principal, Bruner/Cott
Jason’s passion for reconnecting with the natural environment informs all of his work as a specialist in sustainable and high-performance building design. With a strong technical background in building systems, technology, and sustainability, Jason is driven by a deep respect for craftsmanship and the art of making and by the possibilities created by merging tested traditions of construction with new fabrication technologies and material production. He leads design teams to explore possibilities inspired by a shared set of values and goals to create high-performance contemporary architecture that is beautiful and inspiring. He is a recipient of a 2017 Living Hero Award.
BLAKE JACKSON
Architect, Associate, and Sustainability Design Leader, Stantec Architecture and Engineering
Blake Jackson is an architect, Associate, and Sustainability Design Leader with Stantec Architecture and Engineering in Boston, Massachusetts. His work focuses on the nexus between sustainability, wellness, and resiliency, and he has over fifteen years’ experience in planning, retail, hospitality, labs, healthcare, commercial, higher-education, and multifamily projects. Blake is a prolific author and speaker on his three main areas of focus, is an adjunct faculty at the Boston Architectural College and at Mount Ida College, and he currently serves as the Vice President for Advocacy for the Boston Society of Architects. He was named a national top “40 Under 40” built environment professional by Building Design and Construction Magazine in 2015.
ANNE HARNEY
FAIA, LEED Fellow, Long Green Specs
Anne Hicks Harney has over 30 years of experience, focusing on high quality design imbued with a solid technical and sustainable foundation. Formed in 2016, Long Green Specs provides sustainability focused construction specifications and building science material expertise to Architectural firms across the country. She is a member of the AIA COTE Advisory Group. She was a founding co-chair of the Baltimore – Building Enclosure Council, chair of the AIA Materials Knowledge Working Group, and a member of the USGBC Materials & Resources Technical Advisory Group. In 2016, Ms. Harney was awarded fellowship by the AIA and became a LEED Fellow.
Speaking Engagements
Living Future unconference 2019 – Using the AIA COTE Toolkit to Elevate Every Project –
Living Future unconference 2019 – Entering the material pool – deep end jump or shallow slide?
2019 AIA Women’s Leadership Summit – Go Forth and Prosper, While Changing the World
Greenbuild 2018: Chicago IL, November 2018 – Closing the Transparency Loop: Collaboration in Action
AIA Conference on Architecture 2018, New York NY: Holding Ourselves to Higher Standards – Healthy Materials Every Time
BRENT EHRLICH
Products & Materials Specialist, BuildingGreen
Brent is the products & materials specialist at BuildingGreen, where he has been researching and writing about green building products, materials, and their health and environmental impacts for more than a decade. He brings a nuanced understanding of materials, their constituents, and lifecycles to his work as a consultant and speaker and leads a team of editors that selects products for the company’s BuildingGreen Approved database and annual Top 10 Products Award.
Speaking Engagements
• Annual BuildingGreen’s Top 10 Products award at Greenbuild (8 years as presenter)
• Northeast Sustainable Energy Association: NESEA 2014: The Forest and the Trees
• NESEA 2011: Materials Track Chair + Cool New Products presentation
MATT EDLEN
Director of Acquisitions and Development
Matt Edlen oversees acquisitions and development in the Midwest and East Coast for Gerding Edlen’s various investment funds. Matt is responsible for sourcing, negotiating and executing on investment opportunities across key urban markets within those regions.
Prior to his role in acquisitions, Matt was focused on the development and management of the firms internal multifamily marketing and sales platform. His efforts have helped the firm invest over $1 billion worth of real estate across the country in cities such as Seattle, Los Angeles, Portland, San Francisco, Boston, and Chicago.
Matt currently serves as national chair of the board for Design Museum Foundation and as a board member for Boston’s NOAH (Neighborhood of Affordable Housing), and The Oregon Sports Authority. He has also served as board member and chair of the site selection committee for PHAME Academy, board member and co-chair of the Arts Connector Program of Business for Culture and the Arts, and alumni board member of Young People’s Theater Project. Matt earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Loyola University of Chicago.
MIKHAIL DAVIS
Director of Restorative Enterprise, Interface
Mikhail Davis is Director of Restorative Enterprise at Interface, a world-leading modular flooring company with a fully integrated collection of hard and soft flooring. Interface’s mission, Climate Take Back™, invites industry to commit to making a profit in a way that is restorative to the planet and creates a climate fit for life. Mikhail is responsible for advancing Interface’s mission in the Americas by building internal leadership capacity, facilitating strategic alignment of efforts, and creating external partnerships that shift the marketplace toward sustainability. He leads Interface’s product transparency efforts in the Americas and was lead author and editor of Interface’s Radical Industrialists column at GreenBiz.com for two years.
An expert in sustainable materials and NGO collaborations, he represents Interface in many organizations focused on sustainability innovation, closed-loop systems, recycling, and chemicals of concern, including serving as 2016-18 Chair of the US Green Building Council’s Technical Advisory Group on Materials and Resources (MR TAG), Co-Chair of the Materials Working Group of BizNGO and Program Advisor to the Next Generation Bio-based and Sustainable Chemicals Summit.
STEVEN BURKE
Sustainability Manager, Consigli Construction Company
Steven is a Sustainability Manager at Consigli Construction Co., Inc., an 800+ person construction firm based in Massachusetts. His position involves management of company sustainability processes and sustainable construction projects at Consigli. He has a Master of Science in Sustainability Management from Columbia University, and has delivered many presentations on how to integrate health and wellness into the design and construction of the built environment.
Global Head of Sustainability, Superior Essex
Sustainability Director, Steven Winter Associates
PE | Associate, LeMessurier
Vice President, AEW’s Architecture & Engineering group
Interior Designer, Jacobs, Boston
Senior Vice President, Market Transformation and Development U.S. Green Building Council
AIA LEED AP BD+C | Senior Associate, Gensler Boston 
LEED Fellow, WELL AP | Founder and Principal, Ecoworks Studio
AIA, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP
LEED AP BD+C | Environmental Sustainability Manager, Armstrong World Industries
Assistant Professor of Exposure Science | Director of the Healthy Buildings program
Managing Director, Harvard University Office for Sustainability
Principal & Director of Certifications and Consulting, Epsten Group, Inc.
Vice President of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility, Jamestown
Director of Sustainability Programs, DASNY | LEED AP BD+C
Associate Principal, BuroHappold Engineering
Senior Vice President, Sustainability at Kilroy Realty Corporation
Co-Founder, Facilitator at The Laurentia Project | LEED AP BD+C, LFA
Vice President of Sustainable Development, Shaw
Founder and President, Board of the Healthy Building Network
Building Technology Director, Kingspan North America
LEED® AP ID+C, BD+C, USGBC Faculty, WELL® AP, WELL Faculty and Fitwel Ambassador
Workplace Strategy Expert and Researcher, EYP
Principal, Integrated Ecostrategy
Senior Vice President, International WELL Building Institute
Principal, Bruner/Cott
Architect, Associate, and Sustainability Design Leader, Stantec Architecture and Engineering
FAIA, LEED Fellow, Long Green Specs
Products & Materials Specialist, BuildingGreen
Director of Acquisitions and Development
Director of Restorative Enterprise, Interface
Sustainability Manager, Consigli Construction Company