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Become a Member
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Help us accelerate change and further our mission to advocate, educate and promote sustainable development in Massachusetts.
Join as a member today!
Organizations that share our goal of a more sustainable built environment should consider becoming a USGBC national member or partner of USGBC MA.
Learn more here
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Looking for Volunteers
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The Chapter is looking for volunteers interested in getting involved. Some of the areas we are looking for help in are: Chapter Website, Newsletter, Speakers Bureau, Membership Campaign, and Graphic Design.
If you are interested in getting involved, please contact Grey Lee
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Did You Know?
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In 1913 gasoline cost $0.15/gallon while the Boston subway charged $0.05/ride. One hundred years later, the price of gas has increased 2200% while the cost of the Boston subway has increased by 3900%.
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| Chapter Committees |
Make a Difference.
Network.
Build Your Resume.
Become involved with a Committee!
Education
Communications
Membership Advocacy
Fundraising
Special Events
Emerging Professionals (EPMA)
Green Schools Residential Green Building
Regional & Statewide Outreach
Central MA Group Western MA Branch To find out more about the committees and how to get connected, go to our website or send an email to info@usgbcma.org
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Sponsoring Partnership
Benefits |
Is your company interested in being a Sponsoring Partner with the USGBC Massachusetts Chapter?
Click here to find out the benefits you'll receive as a Chapter partner.
Donations are tax deductible and a great way to support our green building education, advocacy and outreach programming efforts in MA.
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| Our Chapter Sponsoring Partners |
Platinum:
National Grid
Gold:
Boston Properties
Silver:
Citizens Bank; Nitsch Engineering; AHA Consulting Engineers; Vidaris; P&G Gilette
Bronze:
NStar; Mark Richey Woodworking; Robinson & Cole; The Green Engineer, Inc.; Structure Tone; SMMA; New Buildings Institute; Sterritt Lumber
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| Chapter Newsletter & Website |
Interested in writing articles for the Massachusetts Chapter newsletter?
Interested in contributing educational content or graphics for our website?
Please email Carrie at carrie@greenengineer.com
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| Join Our List |
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Greetings!
Thank you for tuning in to the US Green Building Council - Massachusetts Chapter. I would like to see more of you at our events! I really enjoy meeting the diverse crowd who are working in the green building profession throughout the state. Building projects are always connecting teams across disciplines and our Chapter events are a great way to expand your contacts and also to re-connect with peers. Take a look at our calendar to see our many opportunities to come together to learn and to socialize.
Connect to us on facebook, through LinkedIn and tweeting @usgbcma - we have ongoing conversations, trade hot tips, and post cool links.
Our next major event is our Earth Day Celebration on April 10th - please save the date, and I will see you there!
Thank you for your ongoing work to transform the built environment toward sustainability.
Grey Lee
Executive Director
USGBC MA Chapter
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| Call for Entries - The 2013 USGBC MA Award Competition | |
The call for entries is now open! Enter your most innovative and exciting projects or technologies. All submissions will be displayed at the Chapter's Earth Day Party, where the winners will be announced. The deadline for submissions is Friday, March 29th at 5pm. Click here
to learn more about the award categories.
We have three Categories this year:
Entry criteria and project submission requirements differ for the Innovation in Green Design Awards (IGDA) and the Massachusetts Green Building of the Year Award (MGBY). IGDA entries should be presented on a single 24" x 36" board of recycled or recyclable material. The MGBY award includes providing a 1-2 page executive summary and the project's current ENERGY STAR rating. Submit your project in the next two weeks and your entry fee is waived!
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MBTA Constructing Six New Stations in New England's Densest City
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By Chris Liston
Nine months after breaking ground on a new orange line
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Photo credit: www.umcycling.com
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station in Somerville, the MBTA has also broken ground on Somerville's green line extension. The two projects will add six new MBTA stations to a city with one existing MBTA station and more residents per square mile than any other city in New England.
The Assembly Square orange line station, which broke ground in April 2012, is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2014. Two-thirds of the $57M project has been funded through state and federal sources while the remaining third has been being funded by a private developer. Federal Realty Investment Trust is leading construction efforts on a $1.6B mixed-use development which is expected to generate $17M in annual tax revenue.
By contrast the Somerville green line extension, which broke ground in December 2012, still has many unanswered questions related to the project's $1.3B estimated cost.
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| Welcome New USGBC MA Board Members and Thank You to Our Former Members | |
The work of a non-profit board is never done and depends on perennial contributions from dedicated organizational advocates. Our chapter is lucky to have no shortage of passionate participants. As of late last night, we have chosen new officers:
- Chair: Greg Sampson of Robinson & Cole LLP
- Vice Chair: Neil Angus of Devens Enterprise Commission
- Secretary: Sandy Brock of Nitsch Engineering
- Treasurer: Emily Greenstein of RBS Citizens
- At-Large: (former Chair) Phoebe Beierle, USGBC Fellow at Boston Public Schools
- Regional Representative: (former Vice Chair) Jennifer Tarranto of Structuretone
Recently elected board members include: Carolyn Day, architect at SMMA, David Straus, transportation program manager at A Better City, Erik Ruoff and Chris Schaffner, both of The Green Engineer, Inc.
Thank you to the many wonderful people who ran in the elections in late January but were not elected this time, and thank you again to the many dedicated volunteers who have shown their commitment and provided valuable strategic guidance as Board Members. Thank you, again, to departing members: Pat Cornelison, Bob Brooks, Carl Fletcher and Andrea Atkinson. Good luck with your new ventures!
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LEED Core Concepts and Strategies -
6 hours of GBCI LEED-specific credits
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This is a serious bargain! The USGBC MA Chapter is presenting a live, hands-on course for green building professionals who are pursuing the LEED GA credential, and those who would like to better understand the basics of the LEED rating system.
The workshop occurs during NESEA's annual BuildingEnergy13 conference at the Seaport World Trade Center. Chris Schaffner, PE, LEED Fellow and the Principal and Founder of The Green Engineer, Inc. will be the instructor for this course.
When: March 6th, 2013 8:30AM- 5:00PM 
Location: Seaport World Trade Center, 200 Seaport Boulevard, Boston, MA
Learn More and RSVP: On our Chapter Website
Cost: $95 or $125 for non-members of the USGBC MA Chapter. In addition to a Trade Show pass for both 3/6 and 3/7, registrants will also qualify for a $50 discount for any portion of the actual NESEA BuildingEnergy13 Conference.
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Driving Home: Boston and Cambridge Work to Change Driving Culture
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By Jim Newman
The transportation of people plays a large role in the story
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Photo credit: www.cambridgema.gov
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of energy use and carbon emissions for a city. "Transportation Energy Intensity", as the issue is called by Alex Wilson of BuildingGreen, or "Location Efficiency" as it is called by the US EPA has a large effect on overall carbon emission. The cities of Boston and Cambridge, in Massachusetts have recognized this problem as an opportunity, and have created a number of programs to reduce transportation energy.
The primary strategy of these cities is something called "Transportation Mode Shift". The idea is that the city can lower overall carbon emissions by encouraging residents and commuters to use their cars less and use other, less energy intensive forms of transportation more. Cambridge and Boston want us to ride our bikes, walk, and ride public transportation, rather than drive.
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Envision a Car-Free Future
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By Paul Brown
Envision a car-free future for Boston. Why not? Take a
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Photo credit: http://usefularts.us
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deep breath, open your mind, and envision a car-free Boston in 2020. Can you see what it looks like? The streets of the past, where cars used to be, are now transformed into open air cafes, patches of green lawn, fenced dog parks, fountains and sculpture gardens, and places for kids to play. Remember when Boston had no public restrooms? Now, in 2020, there are clean, safe, inviting public restroom facilities on every block. Upkeep of these facilities is financed by a small portion of the licensing fees for the cart and booth vendors that enliven the streetscape.
Where is your car? It is probably at home, or else it may be in one of the many convenient multi-story parking facilities located adjacent to the new 'urban ring' transportation route.
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| Upcoming Events | |
West Branch Green Eggs: Point of Use Energy Technology Presentation
When: March 5th, from 7:30 AM - 9:30 AM
Location: David R. Northup Electrical Contractors, Inc.
73 Bowles Rd, Agawam, MA
RSVP on the Chapter website
Energy Modeling and the Whole Building Approach to Energy Efficiency
When: March 12th, 2013 8:00 AM - 9:30 AM
Location: 290 Congress Street, Payette Offices, Atlantic Wharf Building, Boston, MA
RSVP on the Chapter website
LEED 259: Best of Greenbuild: Standard Practice, IgCC, CALGreen & LEED - an in-person webinar
When: March 14th, 2013 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Location: Bergmeyer Associates, Inc., 51 Sleeper Street, Boston, MA
RSVP on the Chapter website
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Facebook- USGBC Massachusetts Chapter
LinkedIn- USGBC Massachusetts Chapter
Twitter- @usgbcma
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SGBC Massachusetts Chapter is a non-profit organization serving the sustainable design community throughout the Commonwealth by providing a wide range of green building education, networking and advocacy services.