Welcome to 2015: It's going to be a big year for Green Buildings in Massachusetts!

Happy New Year, Everyone!

Thank you for being a part of our community. I have a few notes regarding the past year, the upcoming year, and the usual list of events coming up.

Quick Request: We are surveying our people again this year. Please take a few minutes to answer our (under 20 questions) survey. We'd like to hone our programming to meet your needs.

Thank you to our dues-paying members: we are now over 500 members strong, up from 410 at this time last year. It is wonderful to see the organization grow, and for more and more people to find a role in our movement through this Chapter.

Thank you to our sponsors: we have 20 Sponsoring Partners in addition to over 50 event sponsors who help drive our mission throughout the marketplace - from major utilities and real estate developers, to innovative engineering and architecture firms, to other vendors and suppliers who all have a role to play in creating sustainability in our communities and in greening our built environment. Thank you to you all (see below for the roll call)!

Last year, the Chapter grew our ability to influence legislation, we increased our subscriber base, and we raised our profile in the industry. We raised our fundraising totals by 34%, and our membership income by 17%. We connected with twice as many lawmakers and are following over a dozen legislative issues. Thank you for your help with service projects, advocacy and promoting our mission of sustainable communities and green buildings for all within a generation.

I am really looking forward to the coming year where we will continue on this trajectory of enhanced capacity to make a difference for our stakeholders. Thank you for being a part of this!

Board Elections:

We are seeking a few candidates for our Board of Directors. You can nominate a colleague or yourself, and apply through this link. Serving on the board connects you with the leaders of Massachusetts' green building community and gives you an opportunity to shape the strategy of the organization. It is also a lot of fun, I've been told, and a great place to learn the inside scoop on the industry. Nominations are due by 1/8/15.

Upcoming Activities:

Board of Director Elections: Nominations due Thursday, 1/8/15 at 5pm

Residential Green Building Committee - Monday, 1/12, 5:45-8pm

Advocacy Committee on Beacon Hill - Wednesday, 1/14, 10am-1pm

Annual Meeting, Board Election & Volunteer Recognition Ceremony - Thursday, 1/22 5-8pm at Wentworth Institute of Technology

At NESEA's Building Energy 2015 conference, during the first week of March, we have two workshops:

The Arrival of LEEDv4 - 3/3/15 10-1pm w/ Chris Schaffner, Andrea Love, and Jim Newman

LEEDv4 for Schools - 3/3/15 2-5pm w/ Martine Dion, Steven Burke, and Jim Newman

Thank you for subscribing to our mailing list, and don't forget to check us out on LinkedIn, twitter and facebook!

Grey Lee

Executive Director

GPRO is Coming to Massachusetts!

We are hosting a presentation from the creators of GPRO to introduce the program to professionals in Massachusetts in mid-February. Contact Steve Muzzy at smuzzy@usgbcma.org to learn more about this opportunity.

GPRO, the contractor and operations professional training system for green building expertise, is coming to Massachusetts.

The USGBC MA is partnering with New York City's Urban Green Council to make available this innovative training system for professionals in our state. It is especially useful for people not interested in the design-focus of LEED but who need to be more adept with green building concepts and practices.

Take a look here to learn more about GPRO, and let us know if you're interested in either taking a course or becoming a trainer.

Credential Maintenance in-person Webinars:

Beyond Buildings: LEED for Neighborhood Development in Massachusetts: Wednesday, 1/7 12-1pm in Boston - this was produced by our own volunteers, led by Neil Angus, from a program the Chapter presented in May of 2014.

LEED - A New Look at Materials: Thursday, 1/15 12-1pm in Cambridge

LEEDv4 - A General Contractor's Role on a LEED NC Project: Tuesday, 1/20 12-1pm in Cambridge

The Pursuit of Net Zero Energy: The Walgreens Experience: Wednesday, 1/21 4:30-6pm in Boston

GBRI's Ten Things You Need to Know about LEEDv4: Thursday, 1/22 6-7pm in Worcester

Top 3 LED Myths

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are the most exciting development in energy-efficient lighting. The technology is advancing rapidly, and its use continues to grow. With so much information available about this ever-changing technology, even industry experts can have difficulty separating fact from fiction.

Read about the 3 biggest myths related to LED lighting, as provided by our sponsor, National Grid.

Thank you to our Platinum Sponsor:

Thank you to our Gold Sponsor:

Thank you to our Silver Sponsors:

Thank you to our Bronze Sponsors:

Connect With Us

The U

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.

For more information visit: www.usgbcma.org