How Sustainable Are COVID-19 Mitigation Strategies for Buildings?

A conclusion to our conversation series New Perspectives on Health & Well-being features a discussion between Dr. Joseph G. Allen (Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health) and the series’ building industry experts. 

Over eight weeks of early Tuesday morning conversations, industry experts presented an overview of a specific COVID-19 mitigation topic, through a sustainability lens. The conversations with attendees that followed addressed issues like what building owners are asking for, which solutions are proving most effective, and how these strategies measure up against various sustainability imperatives. In addition to the priority of human health through reduced viral transmission, we discussed the long-term impacts on health (like ozone and UV exposure), the environment (like GHG emissions from increased energy use), and the economy (capital as well as operational cost). 

Optimally, building industry professionals in practice look holistically at all aspects of impact when making decisions. So to close the conversation series, we are bringing back all of our industry expert presenters for a final 90-minute discussion. Dr. Allen will begin with an introductory 15-minute presentation to set the stage for over an hour of discussion with the previous presenters and the building engineering and design community at large. Please join us as we debate the merits of various COVID-19 mitigation strategies, their sustainability impacts, and suggestions for moving forward addressing health and sustainability in the built environment.

This Panel Will Feature…

Air Filtration: John Swift, Principal, Buro Happold Engineering

Fresh Air: Patrick Murphy, Director of Sustainable Design, Vanderweil Engineers

Humidity Control: Nora McCawley, Mechanical Engineer, Buro Happold Engineering

Pressurization: Paul Tsang, Director of Engineering, Jacobs

UV Light: Eric Edman, Senior Associate, BR+A Consulting Engineers

Air Monitoring: Kathleen Hetrick, Sr. Sustainability Engineer, Buro Happold Engineering

Antimicrobials: Monica Nakielski, Dir., Sustainability and Enviro. Health, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts

Cleaning PracticesTim Conway, Vice President Sustainability, Shaw Industries

Thank you to the DLR Group for sponsoring this event.

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* If there is a financial hardship and you are interested in attending, please reach out to us at communications@builtenvironmentplus.org *

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Conversation Series: New Perspectives on Health & Well-being | Cleaning Practices

Join our community for a series of early morning conversations with coffee in hand. Each discussion will be led by an expert who will dive deep into one aspect of health and well-being in the built environment with a sustainability overlay. As we adapt our built environment to address virus mitigation we must ensure that the solutions are sustainable. We are stronger and wiser together. Please add your voice to the conversation.

Our goal is to summarize the conversations in a series of brief white papers that will help inform the building industry.

This session will  focus on “cleaning practices”, particularly examining the sustainability of COVID-19 cleaning practices, and the long-term impact cleaning products can have on both building occupants and materials. Heather Henriksen, Harvard University’s chief sustainability office, will be facilitating the conversation and Tim Conway, Vice President Sustainability of Shaw Industries, will be speaking.

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Conversation Series: New Perspectives on Health & Well-being | Antimicrobials

Join our community for a series of early morning conversations with coffee in hand. Each discussion will be led by an expert who will dive deep into one aspect of health and well-being in the built environment with a sustainability overlay. As we adapt our built environment to address virus mitigation we must ensure that the solutions are sustainable. We are stronger and wiser together. Please add your voice to the conversation.

Our goal is to summarize the conversations in a series of brief white papers that will help inform the building industry.

This session will focus on “antimicrobials” – Monica Nakielski, Director of Sustainability and Enviro. Health | Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA, will be facilitating the conversation and Lisa Carey-Moore, Sustainability Analyst at Integrated Eco Strategy, LLC, will be speaking.

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