Next Month: Our COP21 Unconference

By Ryan Duffy, Communications Fellow

Next March, the USGBC MA chapter will be hosting a special COP21 Paris Climate Talks Unconference, being put together by Advocacy Fellow Anthony Lucivero.  

This is a unique opportunity to discuss the historic 2015 United Nations Congress of the Parties (COP21), held this past December in Paris, France.  The provisions and commitments reached in the agreement have global implications for sustainability, climate change, and green building, and certainly warrant a closer examination, extensive analysis, and more discussion.

For this reason, we have put together a half-day event featuring a community of experts from a variety of organzations and firms. Panelists who attended the Paris climate talks will be present, with break-out groups led by local issue experts.


More about the Event:

More than 30 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions are buildings-related, and emissions could double
 by 2050 if we carry on business as 
usual. Inaction increases risks and vulnerability of countries, regions and local communities from climate change. Yet:

  • The buildings sector offers one of the most cost-effective and economically beneficial paths for reducing energy demand and associated emissions while at the same time supporting adaptation and resilience to climate change.
  • Many low-energy, renewable and deep- renovation solutions are available. Proven policy, finance and technology actions exist.
  • The economic, health, and social benefits of sustainable buildings are significant. Buildings provide shelter, places to live, work, learn and socialize, directly affecting our daily lives.
  • Buildings are long-term ventures. Today’s new buildings are tomorrow’s existing stock. Failure to act now will lock in growth in GHG emissions for decades.

Here is how the morning will pan out:

8:30 – 9 Registration and networking
9 – 9:15 Keynote and opening
9:15 – 10:30 Breakout (unconference)
10:30 – 10:40 Break + Networking
10:40 – 12:00 Paris Panel with questions from audience

Both the panel and breakout sessions will focus on the following topics and will provide perspectives from various professional backgrounds:

  • Value Chain Transformation: is the building sector capable of massive deployment of low emitting buildings and deep renovations? How will building sector stakeholders better work together to scale up solutions adapted to local circumstances?
  • Bridging the investment gap: how ready is the finance sector to increase investment in building efficiency?  How will we address the critical need to scale up the public and private financing of EE and sustainable buildings. We will explore how buildings and EE can contribute to realizing MA's carbon goals and how the financial sector can help support that.
  • Public Policies: what is the readiness to implement long term action plans to address the key role of local jurisdictions to organize and facilitate integrated policy packages and collaborative approaches that shift to a low carbon and resilient built environment. 
  • Building rating & reporting systems: how do they support the COP21 momentum?  

Please join us as a community of advocates and practitioners as we explore how to leverage the public awareness and policy momentum generated by COP21 to drive policy gains in Massachusetts.

Earn GBCI Credits at Upcoming Webinars about LEED v4

By Derek Newberry, Advocacy Fellow

Start the new year off right by getting up-to-date with LEEDv4, while stocking up on GBCI credits. Sign up for one of these upcoming in-person webinars, offered at various locations in January.

Erosion Control, Part 1: An Introduction

January 18th, 6:00-6:30pm at the Sustainability Hub in Worcester, MA (don't forget to sign up for Part 2, immediately following Part 1)

This course covers the basics about erosion, sedimentation and their respective control measures, relating how LEED v4 acts as a tool to encourage the implementation of an erosion and sedimentation control plan before starting earthwork of a project. Causes of erosion and subsequent problems for humans and the environment are explained, highlighting the need for preliminary studies and analysis of active and passive forces of the site before designing solutions.

Examples of control measures and slope stabilization practices along with their technical drawings and materials are shown, describing their functions, objectives and maintenance procedures. Additionally, the LEED v4 categories, prerequisites and credits related to erosion and sediment controls are explained.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Define causes and problems of erosion
  2. Recognize the importance of erosion and sedimentation control (ESC)
  3. Identify general ESC practices
  4. Explain the benefits of ESC practices for LEED certification

Who should attend: LEED professionals, architects, engineers, designers, contractors, consultants, investors, developers.

Erosion Control, Part 2: The Tropics

January 18th, 6:30-7:00pm at the Sustainability Hub in Worcester, MA

This course aims to explain the fundamentals of erosion control in a tropical setting, and how LEED v4 can have an impact on its development. Erosion problems in the tropics are described, and the appropriate erosion and sedimentation control (ESC) practices related to LEED certification are explained in detail. Technical drawings and examples are shown to facilitate comprehension of the proper implementation of ESC best practices, along with their functions, required materials and maintenance procedures.

Two case studies of erosion and sediment control practices in Panama guide the technical implementation process of slope and soil stabilization.

Among engineers, architects and urban planners, this course is intended for anyone interested in learning more about the tropics and innovative soil bioengineering and ESC practices in Central America, in relation to LEED.

Participants should have a basic knowledge of ESC practices as requirements for the LEED v4 Sustainable Sites Prerequisite: Construction Activity Pollution Prevention, which is covered in the course “Erosion Control Part 1: An Introduction” in this series.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Recognize the severity of erosion problems in the tropics
  2. Identify best management practices (BMP’s) for construction in tropical areas
  3. Explain the challenges and benefits of implementing erosion control practices for LEED certification in Central America
  4. Acquaint the technical implementation process of slope and soil stabilization

Understanding and Improving Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) — VOC eating drywall

January 20th, 4:30-6:00pm at 50 Milk St., Boston MA

Sustainable buildings now address indoor air quality (IAQ) to enhance the comfort of building occupants. The course focuses on airborne pollutants and chemicals associated with adverse health effects. Participants who complete this course will be able to identify common contaminants and design appropriate remediation strategies, as well as identify emerging product capture technologies.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Understand the relationship between indoor environmental quality (IEQ) and indoor air quality (IAQ)
  2. Identify common indoor air contaminants and describe their adverse effects
  3. Describe how to improve IAQ using different remediation strategies
  4. Describe how to improve IAQ using different remediation strategies

 Certified Wood & Green Building

(available either to watch remotely, or in-person with the opportunity for group discussion)

January 26th, 12:00-1:00pm at 50 Milk St., Boston MA

As part of our global policy efforts, the Institute has partnered with Greenwash Action to develop a suite of advocacy trainings for our network of members, practitioners and volunteers. This series of webinars will explore hot topics in the green building industry and lay the foundation for local policy and advocacy efforts.

Certified wood and forest certification have long been lightning rods in the green building advocacy arena. In this webinar, we will examine the big picture of forestry and timber production and provide an overview of forest certification, examining the history of and the key differences between the main competitors in forest certification, FSC and SFI. We will explore how each of these certifications is considered within various certification programs, including the Living Building Challenge, LEED and Green Globes. This webinar will also discuss the potential impact of burgeoning interest in cross-laminated timber production with a particular emphasis on the Cascadia bioregion.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Outline the history of political debate that surrounds sustainable forestry and emerging trends of timber specification within the green building industry.
  2. Explain how various green building certifications are driving sustainable timber practices with a particular focus on LEED® and the Living Building Challenge.
  3. Identify techniques that practitioners can use to incorporate sustainably sourced timber into Living Building Challenge and other sustainable building projects.
  4. Discuss how participants can play a role in promoting market uptake of certified wood through specification and other advocacy tools.

You Are What You Breathe: Taking Action on Chemicals of Concern

(available either to watch remotely, or in-person with the opportunity for group discussion)

January 28th, 12:00-1:00pm at 50 Milk St., Boston MA

One of the most important trends in green building in recent years has been growing market demand for transparency and avoidance of toxic chemicals in building materials. This webinar will provide a primer on chemicals of concern in the built environment, an overview of the tools that are driving the development of healthier building materials and will contrast the approaches of Living Building Challenge, LEED and Green Globes to this important issue. We will also explore how webinar participants can play a role in inspiring increased uptake of healthy materials through specification, contracts and other advocacy tools.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Outline the history of political debate that surrounds ingredient disclosure of building materials and emerging trends of toxic chemical avoidance within the green building industry.
  2. Explain how various green building certifications are driving healthy material specification with a particular focus on LEED® and the Living Building Challenge, including its related Declare label.
  3. Identify techniques that practitioners can use to incorporate healthy materials into Living Building Challenge and other sustainable building projects.
  4. Discuss how participants can play a role in promoting market uptake of ingredient transparency through specification and other advocacy tools.

11/23 Advocacy Breakfast on Building a Clean Energy Future

By USGBC MA Chapter

Start off your Thanksgiving holiday week by filling up on GBCI credits. Come to our breakfast meeting to discuss the complexities of net-metering, the Acadia Center's solar policy framework for Massachusetts, and their plan for reaching 2020 greenhouse gas emission targets.

Join us at 50 Milk St. on Monday, November 23, 8:30-10:00am for a discussion about the legislature's hot-button net-metering issue. The Acadia Center's Tyler Soleau will discuss his organization's Next Generation Solar Policy Framework, which the USGBC MA Board endorsed this summer. Soleau, a former Beacon Hill staffer and lawyer, will share his inside views on how to best approach the legislation and lift these caps–and what other policy areas should be targeted.

Learn about Acadia Center's EnergyVision and Next Generation Solar Policy Framework. Developing more renewable energy is key for building a clean energy future. Come understand and join our Chapter's push for lifting the state's net-metering caps to support the sustainability of the solar industry

Questions for discussion at this presentation include:

  • What is the real obstacle to net-metering reform?
  • How can we ensure the most vigorous continued growth of the solar industry and other renewables?
  • Can we identify new synergies to ensure that Massachusetts gets the most sustainable grid possible?
  • What policy reforms are necessary to reach the state's greenhouse gas emission reduction targets?

This comprehensive outline for the state will help preserve and sustain the solar industry in Massachusetts. Read more about the Acadia Center's Framework on our website, and learn why our Chapter supports this comprehensive policy approach, and the lifting of the net-metering caps, in our recent blog post.


Although Speaker DeLeo said that he intends for the legislature to resolve net-metering by November 18, this coalition needs to plan next steps to ensure the sustainability and growth of the solar industry. Moreover, members of the green building industry and our Chapter's peer organizations are instrumental in advancing renewable, energy efficient policies in the state. Come learn about these issues and what role you and your company can take in helping the state reach these important goals.

Register for the Nov. 23 breakfast here. See you soon!

About the Speaker

Tyler Soleau is Acadia Center’s Energy and Climate Outreach Director. He came to Acadia Center from the Massachusetts House of Representatives where he served most immediately as Staff Director and Counsel for the House Committee on Climate Change. Tyler holds a JD magna cum laude from Vermont Law School and BA from Hamilton College.

Defining Zero

By Derek Newberry, Advocacy Fellow

A formal definition can give a movement serious traction—and that day has come for net-zero buildings. 

In mid-September, the DOE released their definition for zero-energy buildings, campuses and communities. The purpose of this year-and-a-half long process was to create a definition that could be used universally across the building industry, to increase clarity across the industry and promote more zero-energy buildings. With a clear, accessible definition of net-zero, it will be easier than ever for communities, businesses and developers to work towards achieving this zero-emission standard.

It is through the critical mass created by the millions of Americans in the green-building industry that the DOE was moved to formally define “net-zero. According to Energy.gov, “A zero-energy building produces enough renewable energy to meet its own annual energy consumption requirements, thereby reducing the use of non-renewable energy in the building sector. This definition also applies to campuses, portfolios, and communities.”

Besides clarifying the net-zero goal across the industry, the DOE's publication provides measurement and implementation guidelines. These guidelines specifically explain how the definition can be used for building projects. Brendan Owens, Chief Engineer at USGBC National, emphasized the value of net-zero. “Reducing energy use in buildings must be a major part of the solution as we work to combat the escalating costs and impacts of climate change.”

Owens praised the DOE for this milestone in building a zero-emission society. “While we are making significant progress to save energy in buildings, this Zero Energy Building definition developed by DOE helps increase expectations and orient the buildings industry towards even greater achievements. USGBC applauds DOE's effort to define zero energy buildings and we look forward to continuing to champion the cause of building efficiency and renewable energy applications to meet the ambitious goals of this definition.”

Despite the clarity of the new DOE definition, there are challenges to be seen. While this is an important step, the next steps are not necessarily clear-cut; this DOE net-zero definition refers to source energy, while many zero-net-energy buildings use site energy as their basis for determining energy efficiency. 

Download the DOE's full report here to read about how these guidelines may apply to your green buildings.

Our Chapter's Advocacy committee will be reviewing the new DOE definition in-depth to see how it aligns with our goals of achieving net-zero in Massachusetts. Stay tuned for more updates!

Our State is Greener than Your State

By Derek Newberry, Advocacy Fellow

For the fifth year in a row, Massachusetts ranks as the #1 Energy Efficient state in the nation! According to a press release from our Chapter ally The Acadia Center, Massachusetts has been recognized by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), a national nonpartisan organization, for its continued commitment to energy efficiency in the 2015 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard.

After surpassing California in 2011 (CA is behind MA by only half a point in this year's rankings), Massachusetts has achieved this recognition especially through its Green Communities Act of 2008. Over the last 5 years, our state has been saving a large and growing percentage of energy every year through efficiency measures, and delivering over $11.5 billion in economic benefits and energy savings for ratepayers.


Looking ahead, Massachusetts' next 3-year plan (2016-2018) is being evaluated by the Energy Efficiency Advisory Council, a stakeholder board. This draft plan, which reflects the state's history of prioritizing energy efficiency, is expected to deliver $8.13 billion in economic benefits and energy savings over the 3-year period. It also sets savings goals (2.93% of electric sales, 1.24% of natural gas sales) which are currently believed by the board to be the highest savings goals in the nation, once again.

Massachusetts' ambitious 3-year plan will translate to major environmental benefits, equivalent to removing ~408,000 cars from the road.

“Maximizing efficiency is a major step toward securing a clean energy future,” said Amy Boyd, Senior Attorney for the Acadia Center, and member of the Energy Efficiency Advisory Council. “Massachusetts is showing that the principle of deploying least-cost, non-polluting measures to reduce demand really works. It's a triple-win for the environment, the economy and the end-users who enjoy lower costs and more effective energy use.”

Although Massachusetts' incredible #1 ranking on the Energy Efficiency Scorecard, the state and region need to continue creating new or improved incentives, financing tools and strategies to include inefficient homes and commercial buildings.

Congratulations to everyone in the Massachusetts green building industry for your hard work to continuously raise the bar for energy efficiency throughout the US!

Thanks to our Chapter ally, The Acadia Center, for their press release about this important issue.

You're Invited! Halloween Party after NEU Energy Conference

By Derek Newberry, Advocacy Fellow

The leaves across New England are changing colors, but Boston's buildings are as green as ever. Come learn about the advancements in energy efficiency and celebrate the industry's accomplishments at our USGBC Chapter's Annual Halloween Costume Party! This year, the festivities will follow the Northeastern University Energy Conference.

Buy event tickets here.

Please come dressed in a costume. We encourage all party-goers to combine their industry expertise and creative spirits by following the optional costume theme of TRENDS IN GREEN DESIGN.

Join the next generation of building energy engineers and accomplished panel speakers for Halloween festivities after the event.

  • WHO: Green Building Industry Professionals
  • WHAT: USGBC Halloween Party
  • WHEN: October 30th, 4:00-6:00 PM 
  • WHERE: 346 Huntington Ave. Boston, MA 02115

See you there!

Remember last year?




 

Arlington County, VA: A Leader for Energy Efficiency Incentives

By Derek Newberry, Advocacy Fellow


An article from the USGBC National site recently highlighted Arlington County, VA, for their commitment to improving their constructed environment. Arlington got a head start by updating their Green Building Incentive Program and adopting LEEDv4 a year before the “sunset date” for LEED 2009 project registration.

Starting on October 1, developers had to begin seeking certification under “v4,” the latest version of the LEED green building rating system. Arlington implemented these higher environmental standards because they align with the County's Community Energy Plan. Their framework has set a specific milestone for the energy performance of new buildings, which notably ensures that energy efficiency is an ongoing priority.

A business-friendly option

Arlington County moved to LEEDv4's baseline with the aim to incentivize higher levels of energy efficiency. Officials pointed to the importance of incentives in overcoming barriers, such as split incentives between developers and future tenants or owners.

“Arlington's voluntary green building incentive program is a business-friendly option designed to speed the transformation to green and energy efficient construction,” said Arlington’s Green Building Program Manager, Joan Kelsch. “Arlington’s move to LEED v4, with a specific focus on energy efficient design and performance, is the newest tool available to guide that transformation.”

These laudable green building benchmarks established by Arlington County raise the bar for energy efficiency expectations across the nation. Towns & cities in Massachusetts should follow Arlington's lead, and lead the charge of raising the green building standard for the US and the world.


Have an Energy Efficient Commercial Property? DCAMM is Now Signing Tax Deduction Applications!

By Derek Newberry, Advocacy Fellow

Another day brings another incentive that's available for green buildings!

Do you have a DCAMM project that was completed since 2011, or is scheduled to be completed? Massachusetts' Division of Capital Asset Management & Maintenance (DCAMM) has announced that it will sign off on allocation applications for deductions under IRS Code §179D.

Contrary to their previous announcements, now the DCAMM will not seek any compensation, fees, sharing, deduction from design fee, etc. for granting this to the designer. Although the deduction is intended for the primary designer of the property (or the general contracter, for projects procured for c. 25A), if the primary designer doesn't seek the benefit and it is sought by another party, such as the subconsultant, the DCAMM will still consider these situations on a case-by-case basis.

Access the application here. 

A letter of intent is also available at the link. Designers should submit this if they want a commitment from DCAMM to allocate their deduction, before getting the required third-party certification that their property qualifies under §179D.  

The application clarifies that for this form's purpose, “property” refers to an “energy efficient commercial building property satisfying the requirements of 26 U.S. Code §179D, which has been installed in a Commonwealth building as part of a DCAMM project.”

DCAMM will prioritize the applications submitted for buildings put into service in 2011, considering that the final filing amendment deadline is quickly approaching. However, if your firm is facing another deadline, please let the agency know so that they can try to process your paperwork more quickly. In general, these applications will be considered in due course.

Please note that these specific forms are not required. If designers submit an application for allocation in any other form, it will still be consideredas long as it includes all the necessary information for §179D. Although DCAMM is now helping designers who are seeking this tax deduction, the agency will not be able process forms with extra paperwork, which includes more information than they need to allocate benefits to the designer (such as additional waivers, rights' reservations, indemnity provisions, etc.).

If you have any questions about this program, please contact Jack Keleher at Jack.Keleher@state.ma.us or Elizabeth Eromin at Elizabeth.Eromin@state.ma.us.

Thanks to our Advocacy Committee member Jerome Garciano, LLP with Robinson & Cole, for sharing this update!

GRESB 2015 Results Presentation at EnerNOC

By Grey Lee

The power of data:

The Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) was created in 2009 by a team of economists and statisticians from the Netherlands. Co-founded by Nils Kok at the University of Maastricht, GRESB was developed as a way for asset managers to more complexly assess real estate assets to uncover greater territories of value for owners.

GRESB is a process – not a certification, not an analysis, but a process of assessment which enables the multi-faceted aspects of property to be tracked over time in greater detail than has ever been done before. Through the GRESB process, an asset is rated in a new way, and the management entity is evaluated in a new way, which creates new data about the underlying asset. With this data, and with the identification of component processes, asset managers can see into real estate and how non-financial aspects affect their financial performance.

 


Yesterday evening, EnerNOC hosted a discussion and networking event with Boston commercial real estate developers and investors, featuring a presentation and conversation centering around GRESB (Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark) data. GRESB is committed to assessing the sustainability performance of real-estate portfolios around the globe. This useful tool encourages better management, more action and improving outcomes.


COO Chris Pyke presented recent survey data, highlighting global trends and explaining their impact on investors, GRESB survey participants, and the green building market. The 707 Participants–whose institutional capital represents $2.3 trillion of property value–have made many great strides in sustainability since 2014. The in-depth survey focuses on 7 thematic targets. This survey impressively revealed an average improvement from GRESB participants in each category:

Management: 96% have a specific person with responsibility for implementing sustainability objectives
Disclosure & Assurance: 92% report having specific sustainability objectives
Tenant & Community Engagement: 60% now have best-practice lease clauses 
Health and Well-Being: 84% increase in new construction measures to support health and well-being
Climate Risk & Resilience: -3.04% reduction in GHG emissions
Water & Waste: -1.65% decrease in water use
Energy: -2.87% reduction in energy consumption



Of the 155 North American participants in this globally diversified survey, the highest-ranking REIT on the East Coast was Boston Properties, which was represented in the event Q&A by Amy Gindel, SVP of Finance & Planning, and Ben Myers, Sustainability Manager and USGBC Board member. Dan Winters, Head of N. America for GRESB, asked panelists to elaborate on the value of GRESB data for Boston Properties' sustainability goals. They emphasized the importance of a comprehensive plan initiated from the top-level management. Jon Hartnett, EnerNOC's Commercial Real Estate Team Lead, detailed how the EnerNOC – Boston Properties' partnership helped developers and engineers immediately realize the impact of their efforts.


In summary: GRESB data provides participants and investors with evidence-based, actionable targets to increase real estate asset values. Check out www.gresb.com for more information, and to download the full 2015 report.

Thank you to Dan Winters and Chris Pyke for coming up from Washington DC to present, and to Lisa Park and the team at EnerNOC for hosting this great event!




Mid-Summer Advocacy Roundup

By Cherie Ching, Advocacy Fellow

August 6, 2015

The past two months have been a hot period for advocacy efforts in our Chapter and State, both with regards to our warm summer weather and the green bills on Beacon Hill! Hosting a Green Building Policy Forum at the State House in mid June, our Chapter provided legislators, staff members, constituents, and many others in the green community with important information on our top priorities to create awareness and promote green education. Our priorities included Net Metering improvements, Net Zero Energy Building codes, and Property Assessed Clean Energy financing. Secondary priorities included Healthy Materials and Toxics, Revenue-Neutral Carbon Tax, and local-levelincentives for LEED certifications.

Our advocacy efforts did not stop there! We continued the momentum by attending and presenting our support at the Energy Efficiency Hearing at the State House at the end of June, showing support for Bills S.1761, S.1771, S.1774, and H.2857. Not only were we able to take action on our current priorities, but we also highlighted many of our secondary priorities. With the help of members of our Advocacy Committee, Residential Green Building Committee, CABA, MA PACE Coalition and headquarters’ staff, our Chapter was well represented at the hearing and we strengthened our advocacy efforts for the weeks ahead.

In addition to our presence on Beacon Hill, our Chapter made time to have a little “fun in the sun” at the Emerging Professionals (EPMA) Summer BBQ event, co-hosted by the Advocacy Committee. This could not have been planned at a more appropriate time to celebrate the sun, as the net metering issues were once again taking up attention at the State House. Having reached many caps in the State, the net metering bills would have to be addressed if the State wanted to continue to support renewable energy, particularly solar. The Advocacy Committee, along with Zapotec the event sponsor, presented background information and strategies to steer the net metering issues in a positive direction. Senator Downing’s amendment to Bill S.1973 was proposed and passed in the Senate just one day later! We were even fortunate to be able host at the BBQ a 5th year civil engineering student from the Federal Technological University of Paraná, Brazil, who is writing his dissertation on sustainable development, certifications and technologies!

Finally, our Chapter ended a high-energy month with a Green Breakfast Forum dedicated to highlighting our Advocacy Priorities and the bills related to them. With six astounding presenters and more than 15 participants, the forum engaged all in a discussion around complicating energy issues and how we can support these bills from hereon in. After such a successful Green Breakfast Forum, we look forward to keeping our advocacy issues alive and relevant with more upcoming green events for our members to take advantage of!