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Upcoming Events
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September 10, 2013, 5:30 pm
Networking Night at Knoll with Karl Brown in Boston
September 11, 2013, 4:00 pm
Honoring Our Heroes: Greater Boston Real Estate Industry Gives Back
September 18, 2013 8:00am
PACE Clean Energy Forum at District Hall in Boston
October 17, 2013
6:00pm-8:00pm
Massachusetts LEED Project Showcase at Google in Cambridge
See our website for a full list of upcoming events.
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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 &
Blogging,
Event production,
Membership growth, and
Graphic Design If you are interested in getting involved, please contact Grey Lee |
| 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 Cape & Islands 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.
Sponsoring Partners gain access & exposure to our membership and subscriber base.
You can show your stakeholders that you are directly involved with the heart of green building advocacy and professional development in Massachusetts!
Donations are tax deductible and a great way to support our green building education, advocacy and outreach programming efforts throughout the Commonwealth!
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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
Knoll
Bronze:
NStar
Mark Richey Woodworking
Robinson & Cole
The Green Engineer, Inc.
Structure Tone
SMMA
New Buildings Institute
Sterritt Lumber
Re-Stream Inc.
SGH
Blu Homes |
| Chapter Newsletter & Website |
Interested in writing an article for the Massachusetts Chapter newsletter?
Interested in contributing educational content or graphics for our website?
Please email Carrie at carrie@greenengineer.com |
| Join Our List |
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Greetings!
Although we are sensitive to the Equinoxial delimitation of Summer some weeks hence, something about this late August week makes us all feel like it's...coming to an close. Labor Day indicates that back-to-school and back-to-work excitement. I hope you've all had good summers.
The USGBC MA Chapter has been working hard on a lot of upcoming events and projects. I hope to see you at one of these things in the near future: our Networking Night at Knoll on 9/10/13 and our PACE Clean Energy Finance Forum on 9/18/13.
The centerpiece in the works is our inaugural Massachusetts LEED Project Showcase on 10/17/13. We are reaching out to every project team that has attained certification in the past year and a half to submit the story of their project on our website. We are looking at firms to sponsor the showcasing of these projects at the event - whether as a project display board or otherwise, on up to a live presentation. This will be a fabulous way to connect the many people involved in green building project to the Chapter, and grow our community.
Don't forget to help out on a Green Apple Day of Service Project at the end of September - the big day is September 28th and projects will be cropping up around that weekend but also into the following weeks. Learn more about these events in our Green Schools Update.
I want to thank the many volunteers who continue make things come together for the Chapter. Our upcoming events, the study groups, our service projects, and our advocacy campaigns depend on involvement of people like you to make a difference. Thank you for your contributions of time and energy into the green building movement through the USGBC MA Chapter!
I look forward to seeing many of you at our upcoming events. I would love to hear from you about projects you're working on - whether LEED or "beyond" - which we could highlight on our website or otherwise.
Thank you again for staying tuned in, and for making more green buildings happen throughout Massachusetts and beyond!
Grey Lee
Executive Director
USGBC MA Chapter
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| USGBC MA Cape & Islands Interest Group | |
Over the last year the USGBC Cape & Islands Interest  Group focused on core goals of education, networking, and experience as decided by its members. Keeping these goals in mind, the group's events are curated to offer significant value to attendees. Our next event is "A LEED for Homes Under-Construction Tour". Come view a new house currently under construction in Brewster, and review sections of the LEED checklist. Targeting LEED Gold, the home is weather tight and nearing insulation installation. Designed by Jill Neubauer Architects and built by Cape Associates, staff from each will be on hand to discuss project challenges, the LEED checklist, and specific LEED credits. Event sponsored by Jill Neubauer Architects. The date is September 24th at 5PM in Brewster, MA. RSVPs are required. Please email aprince@zeroenergy.com and property address will be shared upon RSVP confirmation.
Event curation is in process for a winter event held in partnership with the Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Cape Cod, as well as a future tour of a mixed use (residential & commercial) project seeking LEED-NC certification.
Read more about the Cape and Islands Interest Group...
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| Green Schools Update | |
by Steve Muzzy
 Green Apple Day of Service is almost here. The
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Image credit: mygreenapple.org
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USGBC has compiled a list of registered projects to help volunteers engage with events in their communities. Use the RSVP link in the compiled list to learn more about the event and to register and lend your support. Remember, it's not too late to organize an event. Green Apple Day of Service projects don't need to happen on September 28th - there is flexibility in choosing a day. With the new school year set to begin, now is the time to coordinate a Green Apple project, please contact me for support. To help with funding, you may be interested in the Center for Green Schools Visa gift card give away to support Green Apple activities through their Green Apple Day of Service Facebook Contest.
On July 30th a number of Green School Committee members participated in the Department of Education's 'Education Built to Last' Facilities Best Practice Tour of Manchester Essex Regional Middle High School and Quincy High School, two MA Green Ribbon Award winners.
Read more...
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| Water Quality on the Cape |
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By Paul Brown
Why is water quality particularly important on Cape Cod?
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Image credit: wikipedia.org
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Because groundwater is the only source of fresh water on the Cape; and most areas of the Cape have no municipal sewage treatment or sewers. Most homes and many commercial properties treat their waste in on-site septic systems. If these systems are improperly designed, or poorly maintained, or otherwise performing badly, they risk pumping high levels of nitrates into the groundwater, and even possibly other more dangerous bacterial contaminants. The groundwater aquifer on Cape Cod is recharged solely by rainwater. It feeds the many freshwater ponds on the cape, and ultimately flows to the sea. Nitrates can feed algae blooms in the water, which can consume the Oxygen in the water, negatively impacting marine life.
What steps can individuals take to protect water quality on the Cape? Read more...
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| Wellfleet Solar |
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An Energy Committee strategy that seeks to maximize the solar power generation for the Town of Wellfleet.
By Marcus Springer, Linnean Solutions, Springer Architects, Town of Wellfleet Energy Committee
The fundamental purpose of Wellfleet Solar is to drastically  lower or eliminate Wellfleet's carbon footprint. Through maximizing the solar power generation in town, Wellfleet can realize a zero net energy future. This will serve to greatly reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and our use of fossil fuels. This in turn will have a positive effect on our shellfish economy, watershed and financial stability.
The strategy to maximize and expedite solar installation is to create a Solar Map of the town of Wellfleet. We are doing this through a privately funded project, performed by Mapdwell (www.mapdwell.com). In conjunction with the obvious benefits of a totally solar powered town the result will serve to educate and inform the residents, businesses and Town government of the benefits of renewable energy and the efficiencies that are created by its adoption ranging from the environmental to the economic.
The image above is of a LIDAR map of Wellfleet illustrating the potential town roof structures. Image courtesy of Mapdwell.
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Cape Cod Hurricane Category 3 Flood Model
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Image Credit: John Gravelin, Linnean Solutions
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by John Gravelin, Linnean Solutions
This image of Cape Cod represents a Category 3 Hurricane flood model under 'perfect' storm conditions during an average (mean) tide. The flood layer was obtained from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Hurricane Research Division Atlantic Oceanographic & Meteorological Laboratory. The hurricane model is referred to as Sea, Lake and Overland Surges from Hurricanes (SLOSH). The SLOSH models account for several variables of hurricanes, including the intensity of a storm, forward speed, storm trajectory, and initial tide levels based on observations from previous events. Read more...
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Cape Wind
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By Carrie Havey
Cape Wind Associates LLC, is about to begin construction on
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Image credit: wikipedia.org
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their wind farm in Nantucket Sound. Cape Wind has secured all its permits and is putting together financing for the project. Cape Wind plans to have 130 turbines with a maximum production of 454 megawatts, 5.6 miles from Cotuit on Cape Cod. The average expected production will be 174 megawatts, which is almost 75% of the 230 megawatt average electricity demand for Cape Cod and the Islands of Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket.
A second wind project is now on the scene. Deepwater Wind has won a competitive lease auction to develop two offshore wind energy sites. This was the first-ever auction held by the US Department of the Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management for commercial offshore wind development. It will total more than 164,000 acres and will be located approximately 17 miles south of the Cape. Deepwater's sites will produce enough energy to power approximately 350,000 homes and displace over 1.7 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually. Most of Deepwater's turbines will be located 20 to 25 miles from land.
To learn more, see http://www.capewind.org
and http://www.dwwind.com
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Community Health Center of Cape Cod - Mashpee, MA
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Mashpee, MA. J.K. Scanlan Company, LLC completed
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Image credit: NEREJ.com
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commissioning, punchlist, and awaiting DPH licensure survey for the addition to the Community Health Center of Cape Cod. The $7 million project consists of a 22,000 s/f outpatient facility located adjacent to and connecting the existing health center. The completed center will provide a range of medical, behavioral health, and dental services and will be designed to serve the towns of Mashpee, Sandwich, Bourne, and Falmouth, as well as the surrounding communities. Preconstruction services began on January 22, 2011 for J.K. Scanlan and the mechanical, electrical, fire Protection and HVAC design/build team. The project team worked closely and expeditiously to achieve the required Cape Cod Commission and Town Permits as well as DPH Plan Review. In addition, the team worked together to achieve the most value possible for the Health Center to ensure that this addition would be a flexible, technologically advanced, calming to their patients with maximum natural light, while maintaining the overall project budget. The environmentally conscious building will achieve a Silver rating with the Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) criteria.
Read more at NEREJ...
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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.