Announcing the second round of sponsors for Greenbuild Tours!

By Rebecca Collins


Our preparations for Greenbuild are kicking into high gear. The conference is now less than two months away! But we'd like to take a moment to thank our second round of Greenbuild Tours sponsors!

We are excited to add the following bronze sponsors: ZeroEnergy Design (tour TM03 – Net Positive Revolution), Perkins + Will (tour TS10 – Therapeutic Green: Helping People Heal), Gorman Richardson Lewis Architects (tour TF07 – Driving to be Green) and Humanscale (tour TS04 – Seaport Interiors and Social Justice).

For more information about our other Greenbuild Tours sponsors click here. For a full list of tours and to register visit greenbuildexpo.com. If your organization is interested in joining our growing group of tour sponsors you can find more information on our Greenbuild Tours page!

Thank you to our current sponsors!


Biomimicry New England – RGBC Meeting September 11th, 2017

By Molly Cox


The Residential Green Building Committee gathered on September 11th, 2017. We had some new faces, so it was great to meet folks in the green building space, working towards the same goal.

We had a guest presentation from Peter Lawrence, President and co-founder of Biomimicry New England, a nonprofit organization. He presented on biomimicry and how bioinspired buildings come to fruition and remain resilient.

First off, what is biomimicry? It is about learning from nature, as Peter explained. He gave a formal definition of “Conscious emulation of natural forms, processes and systems to solve problems.”

Peter mentioned Sir Joseph Paxton, an exemplary figure who practiced biomimicry through his building design, most notably the Crystal Palace. He was inspired by what he had witnessed in the natural world, during his work as a gardener for the 6th Duke of Devonshire.

Peter continued to list some examples of existing technology, with its origination based on the nature that surrounds us. See below for examples of innovative companies, practicing biomimicry:  

  • Take bees for instance, as they instinctively act in such a way that benefits the entire swarm they are part of. Encycle has created a product based on this swarm intelligence, via Swarm Logic. This technology allows RTU units on buildings to communicate independently, just like the bees communicate without direction from their queen bee.
  • Sharklet Technologies, Inc. is another firm, that produced a product that mimics the way sharks keep algae from collecting on their coats, and applies it to hulls of submarines and ships.
  • NBD nano manufactures a coating, that replicates the same sensation that occurs on the back of the Namib Desert Beetle. The beetle has a hydrophobic surface that rejects water, and as a method of hydration for the beetle, the surface of the beetle’s back allows water to roll down and into its mouth.
  • Brent Constantz at Blue Planet, created a carbon mix which uses less energy than manufacturing the conventional concrete we use so much in buildings. This carbon block production emulates coral in the ocean, which harvests Carbon Dioxide naturally.

 

 

Peter went on to tell us about projects he is working on. Biomimicry and Resilience is a course his company ran earlier in June, and are looking to expand their courses and teacher base. Feel free to reach out to someone on the RGBC committee or Peter directly, if you would like to learn more.

Peter noted that understanding nature’s process is integral to biomimicry, especially when creating product based on this practice. We should not be fighting nature, but rather learning how to live like the natural world around us.

The Living Building Challenge is a leading example of biomimicry practices at its finest. Speaking of, come join us for the “Introduction to the Living Building Challenge” on September 28th (register HERE). Also, come join the chapter for the “September Greenbuild Mixer with JLL” on September 21st (register HERE).

Catch you at our next RGBC meeting on October 16th!

 


A New Building Is Born!

By Louis Areniello

Skanska announced that Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has signed a 150,000-square-foot lease for its state-of-the-art, elliptical office tower, 121 Seaport.  Alexion will move its headquarters from New Haven, CT, to Boston.Since launching its commercial development business in the U.S. in 2009, Skanska has invested nearly half a billion dollars to self-finance smart, sustainable developments in Boston. The company has two additional developments in the Seaport: 101 Seaport, the North American headquarters for PwC; and Watermark Seaport, a 300,000-square-foot, LEED Gold residential building with ground-floor retail, which is more than 95 percent leased. Skanska also developed 150 Second Street, a lab and office building in Cambridge, MA, and is currently developing The Harlo, a luxury residential tower at 1350 Boylston Street in the Fenway, where both Tatte Bakery & Café and Oath Craft Pizza will be opening this fall.

 



USGBC Emerging Professionals MA 2017 Bike Tour: Allston/ Brighton Sustainable Development

By Moira Cronin

August 26th, the USGBC Emerging Professionals MA Bike Team selected the Allston/Brighton neighborhood of Boston for this year’s tour because of the area’s influx of new, sustainable development. The route varied from public and private community spaces, to mixed-use, mixed-income, transit oriented developments (TOD) in the post construction, lease-up phase. All stops on the tour were chosen to highlight Allston/Brighton’s vibrant and unique neighborhood as well as compliment team member’s professional backgrounds and interests.

The first stop of the Bike Tour was Boston Landing’s Warrior Ice Arena, 90 Guest Street, a state of the art ice rink facility. Both The Boston Bruins and the public can use the gorgeous rink, hours of use are listed on their website.


Pictured Above: Warrior Ice Arena

Facility manager, Marissa Marwell, gave an enlightening tour of the rink explaining the science behind the rink and the igloo-like window design.  The rink also recycles the heat distributed from the chilling process under the ice and distributes that warm air into the function rooms and other areas of the facility that require heat.  All the equipment used in the facility is electric to improve the indoor air quality.

Warrior Ice Arena opened one year ago this month and is open for public skating on the weekend.  Check out the “Rock n’ Skate” on Fridays from 8-10pm or some of the other fun events on the master schedule!


Pictured Above: The Bike Tour group at Warrior Ice Arena

Marissa also detailed the growth of Boston Landing including the adjacent New Balance Headquarters, new Boston Landing Commuter Rail Station, 280+ condominium units at the Residences at 125 Guest Street, restaurants, retail and upcoming track for the New Balance Running Team.  The New Balance Headquarters is attaining LEED v2009 Platinum and is the only building in the US to achieve all IEQ credits.  There are several unique features to this building that can be viewed during one of the Greenbuild building tours. Learn more about the TM11 – Developers Changing the Status Quo tour!

Next we biked to Allston’s newest condominium community, Trac 75. Addressed 75 Braintree Street, Trac 75 is a LEED silver, 80-unit condominium building.  It has an expansive roof deck, with views of the City and surround area.  The new building also has a landscaped dog park named Bark Park, dog spa and on-site fitness center.


Pictured Above: The Bike Tour group at 430 Cambridge Street

Then we rode over to 430 Cambridge Street. A mixed-used, mixed-income rental apartment style building in Lower-Allston.  Minutes from the Pike, numerous bus lines and Harvard Square, Cambridge.  This building is in the final construction and lease-up stages.  Designed to have almost as many bike spots as there are vehicle spaces- reflecting the City’s urge to reduce vehicle dependency.

 


Pictured Above: The Bike Tour group at Continuum

Next we learned about the sustainable design of Continuum, located at 219 Western Ave, from a previous EP Ryan Montoni, Project Manager at The Green Engineer.  Continuum is v2009 LEED Gold mixed-use, mixed-income rental apartment complex adjacent to Harvard University’s Business School and athletic facilities.  There is a large, beautifully lit terrace between the two buildings, as well as a large bike storage facility and fitness center on site.  A Trader Joe’s, coffee shop and Jewish deli, Our Father’s Deli is opening in Continuum’s retail space.


Pictured Above: The Bike Tour group at Library Park

We rode over to the Raymond V. Mellone Library Park, on North Harvard Street, to take a sustainable lunch break in the serene gardens of Allston.  Located behind Allston’s Public Library, this lesser-known park is an oasis from the ever busy streets of Allston.  As part of the Harvard University Lower Allston Master Plan vision, this 1.75 acre of reclaimed green space serves as an anchor to the future green corridor to connect Lower Allston to the Charles River.  The park highlights many sustainable features including salvaged material use, native plantings and stormwater mitigation through groundwater recharge and an extensive rain garden. Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates designed this park with funding from Harvard University.


Pictured Above: The Bike Tour group at HBS Tata Hall

With refueled energy, we road to the Harvard Business School Tata Hall.  Built in 2013, Tata Hall is LEED Platinum and a mixed- use building.  It has thick glass sidings to maximize natural light and transparency to the green spaces surrounding the building, providing panoramic views of the Charles River.  Tata Hall provides 48% water saving compared to an Energy Policy Act of 1992 baseline.  Also a notable 43% reduction in energy costs compared to the baseline standard (ASHRAE 90.1-2007), estimated via energy modeling.


Pictured Above: The Bike Tour group at the Warrior “#selfiestick”

We closed out our bike tour riding along the Charles Esplanade, enjoying the views and knowledge gained from our tour guides and friends at Boston Landing and Continuum. Thank you to Jenna Dancewicz, Ben Silverman, Aminah McNulty and Moira Cronin, for planning the tour!  Thank you once again to our sponsor, NB Development Group!

Join in on the fun next year!

 

Welcome Embue as our Newest Sponsor!

By USGBC Communications

We are honored to announce Embue as our newest Advocate Level sponsor!


Embue is a group of engineers and entrepreneurs that are obsessive about making apartments work more efficiently through automation, remote control, and alerts. Embue delivers solutions to owners, managers and residents that meet expectations of the smartphone culture for speed, information, and mobility. The Embue team is highly engaged in creating what it means to live in, manage or own tech automated apartments.  

Embue's mission is to make apartment building operations more efficient, comfortable, and cost-effective.

The company's goal? Intelligent buildings that automate management tasks, optimize resource use, and protect against loss, while providing a healthy comfortable environment tailored to residents’ individual needs.

Embue aims to transform multifamily portfolio, property management and resident experience in all segments of market through thoughtful application of technology. Embue’s cloud platform delivers building automation and analytics with a portfolio-wide dashboard and in-building network of smart devices. The Embue Sensor replaces the home thermostat and can adjust household temperature according to weather, humidity, occupancy and energy use patterns. The benefit? Cut a monthly bill by up to 25 percent, by not supplying energy where, or when, it’s not needed.

With experience in real estate tech, HVAC, energy efficiency, system/network architecture, full stack engineering, hardware supply chain, and scaling internationally, Embue has 6 patents issued to date and currently works in the Boston, New York, and Washington D.C. markets.

Welcome to our sponsoring partner community, Embue. We are proud to have you as a partner and look forward to accomplishing great things together.

Boston Properties to Participate in the Barclays Global Financial Services Conference

By USGBC MA Communications

During the conference, Mr. Thomas may discuss the Company’s current operating environment and strategy; development, redevelopment, acquisition and disposition activity; and other business and financial matters affecting the Company.

Mr. Thomas’ participation in the panel discussion will be webcast live in audio-only and available in the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website at www.bostonproperties.com under the heading “Events and Webcasts.” A recording of the panel discussion will be archived and available through Saturday, March 10, 2018 in the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website.

Boston Properties is a fully integrated real estate investment trust that develops, redevelops, acquires, manages, operates and owns a diverse portfolio of primarily Class A office space totaling 48.4 million square feet and consisting of 164 office properties (including six properties under construction), five retail properties, five residential properties (including three properties under construction) and one hotel. The Company is one of the largest owners and developers of Class A office properties in the United States, concentrated in five markets – Boston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Washington, DC.

 

Join this year’s Green Apple Day of Service

By James Robe, Outreach and Communication Manager


Join this year’s Green Apple Day of Service

Green Apple Day of Service kicks off this month! The Day of Service is an opportunity to join schools across the world in celebrating the central role that schools play in preparing the next generation of global leaders. Since 2012, more than 790,000 volunteers in 73 countries have participated in events, affecting the learning environments of over 7 million students and teachers. With 1 in 8 people around the globe attending a school every day, there is more work to be done!

Every event is chance to give students hands-on experience with sustainability and to strengthen civic leadership, environmental literacy, and project management skills.

This year, participants make a commitment at the start of school and name their own project date for any time throughout the school year. To help with fundraising, Green Apple Day of Service is using the DonorsChoose.org platform to drive donations to schools, and the Center for Green Schools and its partners are providing thousands of dollars in match funding to projects that receive donations from their communities. Projects receive tailored guidance for their specific project date and project type, and they are eligible for prizes just by keeping up with planning and executing their project.

You can learn more about Green Apple Day of Service and sign up at greenapple.org.

 

Information and questions you may have

What is it?
Green Apple Day of Service is a unique moment to join schools across the world to celebrate the central role that schools play
in preparing the next generation of leaders in sustainability. A school’s event is an opportunity to give students hands-on
experience with sustainability, strengthening civic leadership, environmental literacy, and project management skills. Since it
began in 2012, the Day of Service has inspired almost a million people in over 70 countries to act in support of sustainability
at their schools.

How does it work?
Green Apple Day of Service is your day of action on a specific day that you choose during the school year. Starting on
September 1, schools register their project on greenapple.org and name their date. Day of Service projects commit to making
measurable change on one or more of the three pillars of a green school: environmental impact, health and wellness, and
environmental and sustainability literacy. Projects make this impact at a school in a way that directly and positively affects
the students.

What’s in it for our school?
Green Apple Day of Service provides direct value to teachers and schools that sign up to participate. Participants will receive
tailored guidance for their specific project date and project type, and they’ll be rewarded with prizes for keeping up with
planning and executing the project. Green Apple Day of Service is also using the DonorsChoose.org platform to catalyze
donations to schools, promoting local projects through our volunteer network and providing thousands of dollars in match
funding to projects that receive donations from their communities.

Top 10 Green Roofs in Massachusetts

By Elise Simons

A Green Roof is a layer of vegetation added to the roof of a building. Green roofs absorb and filter rainwater, improving water quality and reducing the risk of flooding. They also improve air quality, lower building heating and cooling costs by mitigating the urban heat island effect, provide valuable green space in densely developed areas, and serve as a habitat for birds and other species. Because of its many environmental and energy-savings benefits, a green roof can be an important component of a green building’s LEED certification.

Green roofs come in all shapes and sizes, and can be found on commercial buildings, residential homes, parking garages, and university rooftops. Some are private gardens or workplace retreats; others are museum showpieces or urban farms. Some are planted with thin, lightweight plants and are intended to improve a building’s energy efficiency while being enjoyed from afar. Others are built like parks with trees and benches, and are meant to be enjoyed up close.

Because of the many environmental, social, and economic benefits of adding vegetation to rooftops, green roofs (also called living roofs or roof gardens) have risen in popularity over the past several years. Here are 10 of the best green roofs in Massachusetts.

 


10: The Burnham Building, Downtown Crossing, Boston


The half-acre roof of the Burnham Building provides environmental benefits for the neighbors and visitors in the streets below. (Source:Recover Green Roofs)

As part of the new Millennium Tower development at Downtown Crossing, the historic Burnham Building was retrofitted with a half-acre, multi-level sedum rooftop. Designed by renowned 20th-century architect Daniel Burnham, this former site of the Filene’s department store was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. The green roof and other building efficiency improvements were therefore incorporated into the building with great care. Besides creating an enjoyable view for nearby offices and apartments, these green rooftops decrease wind speeds and reduce flooding and water polluting during rain storms, creating a more enjoyable outdoor experience for Downtown Crossing shoppers, commuters, and sunny-day-strollers below.

 


9: Twin Rooftop Patios: Residential Getaways in Cambridge


Two Cambridge homeowners prove you can have your green backyard and your city view too. (Source: Recover Green Roofs.)

It can be a tough call for city-dwellers: keep your city apartment with easy access to all the urban amenities, or retreat to that green suburban oasis and enjoy your own private backyard? Green roofs ask a different question: why choose? Thanks to a new zoning code easing restrictions on building developments, Cambridge is leading the charge on residential green roof patios. These two homeowners were the first in Cambridge to build green roofs on their homes for personal use. The two roofs include playspace for the kids, a vegetable garden, relaxing patio areas, and of course an excellent view of the city. Building a green roof as your own private city oasis in the city is the newest trend in green building development.

For examples of more residential green roofs in Massachusetts, visit the residential green roof pages for Recover Green Roofs and Apex Green Roofs.

 


8: Avigilon Offices at 450 Artisan Way, Assembly Row, Somerville


An Office Oasis overlooks the Mystic River at Assembly Square’s new transit-oriented development. (Source: Recover Green Roofs/Patrick Rogers Photography.)

 


Green roofs are good for the environment, improving water quality and reducing energy costs, but they are also good for people, improving health and morale: some green roofs, like this one, are able to accomplish both. Formerly a brownfield site, Assembly Row in Somerville is quickly developing into a booming mixed-use development featuring shops, offices, and apartments, alongside the Orange Line and the Mystic River. 450 Artisan Way, the first LEED Gold office building in Somerville, is one of three rooftops in Assembly Row topped with energy-saving green roof technology. This green roof filters rainwater and contributes to the currently-underway clean-up and revitalization of the historically polluted Mystic River. Pedestrian paths and benches give visitors and office workers a place to relax and enjoy the view. Designed by Copley Wolf Design Group and built by Recover Green Roofs, this rooftop green space features shade and wind-tolerant plants and an excellent view of the river.

 


7: North Shore Community College Green Roof, Danvers


The green roof on the Health Professions & Student Services Building at North Shore Community College is one of many green roofs used as educational tools at Massachusetts schools. (Source: Recover Green Roofs.)

Colleges and Universities are excellent locations for green roof installations. Their large institutional buildings offer ample roof space for greenery, and energy efficient buildings with rooftop gardens make for an attractive and enjoyable campus environment. Most importantly, green roofs in educational spaces serve as research and educational tools for students and raise awareness about the technology in the general campus population. The North Shore Community College Health Professions and Student Services Building, the first state-owned zero-net energy building in Massachusetts, was built with a green roof not only to qualify for LEED Gold Certification but also to act as a teaching tool for students. Designed by Copley Wolff Design Group and maintained by Recover Green Roofs, the building’s green rooftop features modular trays with different green roof species plantings. These trays are intended to serve as teaching and research tools for students in biology and plant science courses. Other Massachusetts universities and colleges that have installed green roofs for educational and research purposes and general student and faculty enjoyment include Smith College, Tufts University,  Simmons College, MIT, Harvard University (see #3), and many more.

Honorable Mention: Holyoke Community College Kittredge Center, the first public green roof in the state.

 


6. Atlantic Wharf


Atlantic Wharf’s Green Roof Terrace overlooks Fort Point Channel. (Source: Halvorson Design/Ed Wonsek.)

Situated on the Boston Harborwalk, Atlantic Wharf is the first skyscraper in Boston to achieve LEED Platinum Certification.  With help from a green roof terrace on the 8th floor, Atlantic Wharf uses 33% less energy and 69% less water than other downtown office towers. The green roof terrace tops the historic Tufts building, which was restored and incorporated into the Atlantic Wharf complex. Not only do the rooftop plants provide an enjoyable view for building visitors and office workers, but the roof also features crushed stone paths to welcome visitors right on the roof.

Honorable Mention: The Prudential Center Roof Garden provides residential and retail access in an urban center.

 


5. Whole Foods Farm, Lynnfield


Produce grown on the roof of this Lynnfield Whole Foods Market is sold directly in the store below. (Source: Recover Green Roofs/Maureen White Photography.)

There is nothing quite like the sensation of buying food right where it was grown. With urban agriculture on the rise, many rooftops are now seen as prime real estate for food growing ventures. While some rooftop farms (see item #1) grow food in raised beds and nutrient-dense soil media, the Whole Foods Farm in Lynnfield, MA features crops grown directly in the soil on a 17,000-square-foot parcel of the grocery store’s roof. Designed and installed by Recover Green Roofs and farmed by Green City Growers, this rooftop farm uses locally sourced compost and soils to grow 10,000 pounds of produce each year. Amazingly, this “hyper-local” produce is sold in-store year-round (thanks to a solar tunnel) and at about the same price as other in-store vegetables.

 


4. 101 Seaport Roof Terrace, Seaport District


90 planting segments cover a 15,640 sq. ft roof terrace on top of Boston’s 101 Seaport Boulevard LEED Platinum Office Tower. (Source: Apex Green Roofs)

Green Roofs should be recognized not only for their environmental benefits, but also for the benefits they provide to human health and quality of life. In dense urban pockets where green space is hard to find, green roofs provide a much-needed respite from the urban lifestyle. Designed by Apex Green Roofs and Copley Wolff Design Group, the Roof Terrace at 101 Seaport Boulevard is one of many living roof decks in downtown Boston (see #8) that raises morale for the workers in the office buildings below. Office workers can spend their lunch breaks enjoying the view alongside two-dozen species of native plants adorning one third of their office building’s rooftop. This green roof is planted in single-species blocks unique to Apex Green Roofs’ design style, and has provided an opportunity for green roof designers to test which plant species are most suited to sky-high living conditions.

Honorable mention: Office rooftop at 75 State Street, Boston.

 


3. Harvard Business School Innovation Lab, Cambridge


Batten Hall Green Roof at Harvard Business School, Cambridge. Installed by Apex Green Roofs in 2014. (Source: Apex Green Roofs)


Originally the site of the WGBH-TV studio, Harvard University’s Batten Hall re-opened in 2011 retrofitted with a new green roof crown and a LEED gold certification. It is part of a larger Harvard green roof network that provides environmental benefits and cost savings while providing pleasant views for students from their dorms and classrooms. Of the five vegetated roofs at Harvard Business School, only Batten Hall’s roof is “intensive,” meaning it is built with enough soil depth to support multiple, deep-rooting plant species. What was once a plain, gravel-covered roof now boasts 19 wild plant species and plays host to several beehives. In addition to water savings, the roof insulates the building from the sun, reducing energy and money spent on building heating and cooling costs. With nearby solar panels providing the Innovation Lab with all its energy needs, it is no wonder that Harvard refers to Batten Hall as Harvard’s Greenest Roof.

Honorable Mention: The Harvard Business School McArthur/McCollum Building by Recover Green Roofs and Omni Ecosystems. Its unique design involving ultra-light soils and diverse native plantings is intended to mimic a natural meadow.

 

 

 

 

 

 


2. Norman B. Leventhal Park, Post Office Square


Norman B. Leventhal Park, a street level green roof on top of a parking garage, is enjoyed by patrons of Post Office Square. (Source: Halvorson Design, Ed Wonsek.)


OK, we know what you’re thinking: a park at ground level is hardly a roof. In fact, the centerpiece of Post Office Square was a parking garage until the 1990s, when Norman B. Leventhal and several community groups organized around the idea of moving the parking garage underground and topping it with a street-level park. With its flowing fountain, trellised benches, and glass café, this garage-roof park brings together tourists, commuters, city-dwellers, and office workers on their lunch breaks. The park even provides yoga classes, free sitting cushions, and a mobile library. The park also reduces air and noise pollution, and the bathrooms in the parking garage below run on recycled water. Good for the environment and good for the community – and you still have a place to park in the building below.

Honorable mention: the Rose Kennedy Greenway, an innovative tunnel-top park that runs through Boston, was the perfect green topping for the Big Dig project to move I-93 underground, and it makes a nice change from the busy highway that is now housed beneath it.

 


1. Fenway Farms: the Fenway Park Rooftop Garden


A 7,000-sq. ft organic farm overlooking Yawkey Way. Organic produce is available to Fenway Park patrons. (Source: Recover Green Roofs)

What better place to celebrate urban green space than atop Boston’s greenest landmark? What was once a boring, sweltering-hot black roof overlooking Yawkey Way is now a riot of plants and organic vegetables. Installed by Recover Green Roofs and tended by Green City Growers, the Farm at Fenway Park makes for a pleasant and delicious view for fans catching the game. Since it opened in 2015, Fenway Farms has improved air and water quality for the neighborhood, conserved energy for the Red Sox front offices, and provided 4,000 lbs. of organic produce each year for hungry fans at EMC Club and in the ballpark. All leftover produce is donated to the community group Lovin’ Spoonfuls. Next time you go to catch a game, don’t forget to check out this garden in the sky.

Honorable Mention: Boston Medical Center Rooftop Farm, a brand new 2017 installation by Recover Green Roofs, provides morale-boosting green views for hospital patrons.


These are ten of our favorite green roofs in the Commonwealth – but what are yours? Tell us about the great green roofs we may have missed or that you wish had been included in the comments below.

Additional information provided by Sadie Ide, Apex Green Roofs, and Serena Galleshaw, Recover Green Roofs

 

Announcing our first round of sponsors for Greenbuild Tours!

By Rebecca Collins


Excitement is growing for Greenbuild, which is now less than 70 days away. USGBC MA is especially excited about showcasing the region's most innovative and sustainable buildings to an international audience during Greenbuild Tours! Massachusetts has such an amazing green building community and we can't wait to show it off. We've planned more than 30 tours that cover 80 sites in the region. But we can't do it all alone, so we'd like to take this chance to give a special thank you to our first round of Greenbuild Tours sponsors!

We'd like to thank our bronze sponsors Wright Builders (tour TM01 – Green Day Out), Auburndale Builders (tour TM03 – Net Positive Revolution), Bruner/Cott (tour TM01 – Green Day Out) and Miller Dyer Spears (tour TS07 – Education for Environmental Stewards).

And special thanks to our gold sponsors VHB (tours TM06 – Monstah Green, TF07 – Driving to be Green, and TS11 – Some Assembly Required), ICON Architecture (tours TF05 – Reshaping Communities with Sustainable Affordable Housing and TM05 – Platinum + Passive Multi-Family) and Nitsch Engineering (tours TF01 – Seaport Sustainability and TS01 – Harvard Green).

For a full list of tours and to register visit greenbuildexpo.com. If your organization is interested in joining our growing group of tour sponsors you can find more information on our Greenbuild Tours page!

 

Thank you to our current sponsors!


 

Topping It Off!

By Louis Areniello


Skanska announced today that it has achieved the “topping out” milestone at 99M signaling the last pour on the roof level of the concrete, 11-story, 234,000-square-foot Class A office building currently under construction in Washington, D.C.’s Capitol Riverfront neighborhood.

Located at the corner of 1st and M Streets, SE, 99M is steps from both Navy Yard-Ballpark Metrorail entrances and seven blocks from the U.S. Capitol. It will include approximately 220,000 square feet of office space, with approximately 11,000 square feet of retail/restaurant space on the ground floor. Skanska has announced agreements with office tenants PYXERA Global and the Credit Union National Association, and two restaurant tenants, CIRCA and Open Road, of the Metropolitan Hospitality Group (MHG). The building will feature a green roof and rooftop terrace, a club-grade fitness facility, secure bicycle storage and four levels of underground parking.