This Valentine's Day, Show Your Sweetie You Truly Care
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Next Saturday, February 14, bring your sweetie to our NEXUS Second Saturday Event to find out how to reduce or eliminate toxic hazards in your home, yard or garden as well as how to make your own recipes for green cleaning products.
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| Green Roundtable Events |
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February 12
5-7pm
Saturday, February 14
10am-2pm
February 19
12-2pm
February 26
5-7pm
LEED AP Study Group
March 3
12:30-1:30pm
Saturday, March 14
10am-2pm
NEXUS Second Saturday: Green Your Home, Green Your Life
March 18
12:30-1:45pm
State of the State Roundtable
April 3-5
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USGBC
MA Membership Forum Events |
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The Forum Corner*
As part of GRT, The Forum offers opportunities to get involved
with your local green building community. This month we highlight The Forum's Innovation in Green Design Award and becoming a member.
2ND ANNUAL INNOVATION IN GREEN DESIGN AWARD
The Forum announces the 2009 Innovation in Green Design Award to promote, publicize, and recognize exceptional sustainable practices in Massachusetts. The aim of this award is to further advance and stimulate innovation in green building. Entries are due April 6, 2009.
BECOME A FORUM MEMBER: LEARN, SHARE & NETWORK TO GREEN OUR COMMUNITIES
The USGBC MA Membership Forum (The Forum) leadership is excited for a new year full of excciting events, activities and opportunities for the sustainable building community in Massachusetts.
The Forum works to enable individuals to participate and support local USGBC acticities across the region. Join The Forum today to become connection to the fast-growing green economy, new career opportunities and cleaner, healthier, more energy-efficient communities. Become Forum member today!
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| EGB Corner* |
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The Forum's Emerging Green Builders Committee offers numerous ways for students and young professionals to get involved with the green building community. This month we highlight EGB's upcoming elections.
Open Postions:
-Co-Chairs
-Treasurer
-Secretary
-Events Committee Chair
-Design Competition Committee Chair
-Membership Committee Chair
*Learn more about how you can get involved on the EGB website. |
| Community Events |
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February 10
Location TBD
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| Massachusetts Sustainable Building Community Newsletter
February 2009 |
Greetings!
Welcome to the newsletter for the Massachusetts Sustainable Building Community!
This edition features news about the east coast's first wave energy converter, a letter from The Forum's new advocacy committee, USGBC working with Obama Administration to promote green jobs and news at The Green Roundtable.
Menino proposes federal funding for clean energy...
Recently, Mayor Menino submitted updated recommendations for the federal economic recovery package. Over $100 million of the City of Boston's proposals are related to clean energy and green infrastructure. The recommendations are a combination of broad-scale federal initiatives, state-centered programs, tax credits, public transportation projects, investing in green research and development, and job creation programs. Through the Mayor's Office of Jobs and Community Services, over $350,000 in grants have already been targeted for green jobs and workforce development training programs in Boston.Read the Press Release.
(Courtesy: City of Boston) |
Green Heroes
Magical Gail Lindsey
by Barbra Batshalom, Executive Director, Green Roundtable
The green building community--and more so, the world, has lost one of its visionaries and leaders this week. Gail Lindsay, FAIA passed away after a two year battle with cancer on February 2nd. Anyone who had the tremendous honor of knowing her or being her friend would attest to Gail's inimitable spirit, her compulsion to be positive and joyful and her beautiful smile. To me, Gail was more than a visionary and an inspiration.
Gail was magic.
Read the full article 'Magical Gail Lindsey.'
(Photo credit: Building Green) |
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Feature Article
Wave-Powered Energy Converter Deployed Off Newburyport Coast
by Amy Bauman
Arctic temperature wind whipped off shore, reminding a small group of green tech enthusiasts what they are willing to endure in the service of cutting edge gadgetry. The group was witness to the deployment of a monster, self-sustaining air compressor. The 40-foot buoy-like structure will be anchored off the eastern coast of Plum Island, slowly compressing air as waves create tension between the bobber and the body of the wave energy converter. Read the full article 'Wave-Powered Energy Converter Deployed.'(Photo credit: Bryan Eaton, The Daily News, Newburyport) |
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Event Highlight
LEED 2009 Roundtable Clarifies Changes to Rating System
Last month, Dee Spiro (GRT), Matt Root (CSG) and Neil Angus (Devens E.C.) presented at and Colleen Soden (GRT) facilitated a roundtable discussion on LEED 2009. With nearly fifty people in attendance, they discussed everything from the new regionalization credits to the changes to specific rating systems to the new requirements for LEED Accredited Professionals to retain their AP status. An informational handout and additional resources can be found here. On February 19, energy modeler Mike Andelman (Andelman & Lelek) will be delivering 'Engineering for Architects: Energy Modeling Seminar.' The presentation will provide the fundamentals of energy modeling; an overview of eQUEST energy modeling program; recommendations for integrating energy modeling into the design process; a brief description of baseline energy modeling using ASHRAE Appendix G; recommended strategies for reducing energy use; how to review energy modeling results; and common problems and how to avoid them. Designed for architects, this seminar will provide a solid foundation about energy modeling and how to use it most effectively in the planning and design of your new building. Mike has more than 30 years' experience in HVAC system design and energy modeling. Learn more about upcoming GRT events.
(Photo credit: The Green Roundtable) |
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Project Spotlight
Staples in Roslindale, MA Seeks LEED Gold Certification
by Dee Spiro, The Green Roundtable
The 19,300 ft² Staples store in Roslindale, MA, which is seeking LEED Gold certification, was designed to incorporate innovative green features and to minimize the store's environmental impact. The store is targeting an annual energy saving of 35.3% by cost, and the majority of these energy savings are the result of an efficient lighting design and the use of an innovative skylight system that directs sunlight into the store using mirror and lens assemblies. These 39 skylights will reduce artificial lighting use by an estimated seven hours per day compared to a store without skylights. Additionally, windows are tinted to eliminate excessive heat gain but to allow for maximum levels of natural daylight.
(Photo credit: Main Street Architects.) |
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Advocacy Alert
New Advocacy Committee Focuses on Zero Net Energy Buildings and Green Schools Opportunities
by Marcus Springer
Late in 2008, the USGBC MA Membership Forum established the Advocacy Committee. Chaired by Marcus Springer, the goal of the committee is to have a voice and be more effective with current and upcoming legislation. The committee will further the goals of the USGBC to shift the "emphasis from individual buildings toward the built environment and broader aspects of sustainability, including a more focused approach to social equity." Also the committee will advocate for "strategies to reduce contribution of the built environment to climate change."
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USGBC News
USGBC to Obama Administration: Yes We Will
USGBC- In his first full week as president, President Barack Obama is moving swiftly and boldly with the full support of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to chart a new course for our struggling economy - a path that invests in our buildings, from our homes to our schools, and that creates millions of new green-collar jobs and saves Americans billions in energy.
Read the full article 'USGBC to Obama Administration.'
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What's New at GRT?
New Staff, Saturday Event & More
The Green Roundtable and its NEXUS Green Building Resource Center provide you with services and resources to green your projects, firms, homes, communities and lifestyles. 'What's New at GRT' keeps you up to date about the innovative services and resources we offer.
Support Your Green Building Resource Center
A donation to NEXUS supports the local green economy and helps to make your city and life greener. Support NEXUS and our free resources and programming. The NEXUS Annual Fund Drive has been extended through the February 16! Donate $100 and get a ticket to a VIP Event with GRT Executive Director Barbra Batshalom. Thank you for supporting NEXUS!
GRT Welcomes Green Building Consultant Mark Sevier, PE
GRT is happy to announce the addition of Mark Sevier as a Green Building Consultant. Mark joined GRT on January 19th and will serve as a project manager in ouir Technical Assistance program. Learn more about Mark.
Host Your Next Event at NEXUS
As a resource to the green building community, NEXUS offers its green space for organizations, institutions, and companies to host your special event. This can include meetings, workshops, product presentations, networking events, and more. We'll also offer you a tour of our resource center and share the story of the green building strategies and products used in the renovation of NEXUS. Learn more or contact Aaron to host your event at NEXUS.
Saturday at NEXUS: Green Home Maintenance
Want to green your home, life or community but can't visit NEXUS during the week? Come to NEXUS Second Saturdays! Next Saturday's event features our Green Home Maintenance Seminar. Invite your friends and neighbors to learn how you can reduce or eliminate toxic hazards in your home, yard or garden! Sign up for a free Green House Doctor consultation while you are here. Saturday, February 14, 10am-2pm.
GRT Welcomes Five New Interns for Spring
This week, staff at The Green Roundtable welcomed our spring 2009 team of interns. They join us with impressive backgrounds in design, law, policy, web development, environmental studies, and most importantly, a true dedication to advancing sustainability. We are grateful for everything they will donate to GRT this semester in knowledge, skill, and energy! For more information on our intern program, email Annie or visit our website.
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Visit the 2009 New England Home Show presented by Comcast to make your dream home an affordable reality. This year's show, February 26-March 1 at the Seaport World Trade Center in Boston, features over 500 of the newest products, experts, cost saving options, and innovative ideas to inspire visitors all over New England. Don't miss celebrity green expert Josh Foss with the top 10 ways to go green to save green in 2009!
Buy online and save at www.newenglandhomeshows.com.
New England Facilities Expo
 New England Facilities Expo is an exclusive event designed to attract building management decision-makers. Known for 14 years as an annual showcase, attendees rely on Facilities Expo to access products and services to emphasize facility best practices. This year Managing Green Buildings was created in responseto the ever-growing push for facility managers to "green" their buildings. These decision makersare looking for products that are sustainable, energy-efficient,effective and low-maintenance.
For exhibiting information, contact Sue Blumberg, Matt Leaf or Steve Northrop at 800.827.8009. To register to attend for FREE, visit www.FacilitiesExpo.com, enter priority code: GRTNL. | |
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Thanks and keep up the great work to mainstream green!
Sincerely,
Jim Newman, The USGBC MA Membership Forum
Caroline Havey, Emerging Green Builders Committee |
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