November 2016 Newsletter

 This is a creative community. And competitive.


Greetings, all!

I hope no one was too freaked out last night. I was on red alert all day. It is fun to get a little "out there" and get in the swing of the holidays, keeping us bright as the temps drop.

What are you working on at the end of the year here? 

How are you contributing to net positive outcomes through the built environment? 

At the USGBC MA, we are exploring what it means to make a difference. How can we help you push the envelope? How can we help you lead your firm or organization to more audacious goals?

There's a lot of momentum in our community. A lot of goodwill.

Our Emerging Professionals (EPMA) recently held a fun networking event (at Peabody Office thanks to the Behr team for a great presentation). There was some mad ping-pong and the jenga-scraper was consistently high before crashing.

The EPMA was also busy earlier this month producing a tour of the new UMass Boston: University Hall complex. An awesome new green building! Thanks to Pare Corporation for sponsoring and the whole team for guiding us and teaching us. It is awesome to spend time with our emerging pros - the up-and-coming and super energetic principals of the future!

We continue to convene a leading conversation to inspire, educate and nurture our movement.

The Healthy Materials Summit drew together over 150 people to engage on that important topic - read the review below.

Pretty soon our community will come together at ABX - make sure you are registered. And register for our sessions in the "green building" track - what an amazing collection of instructors. Truly leaders in our work.

And if you want to help us lead, please come out and join us. The next big event is our All-In Party on 12/15 at Nitsch Engineering. This will be your opportunity to step onto the stage and work with our organizing team to host the most wicked green Greenbuild EVER!

Thanks for your support, your energy, and your commitment to transforming the built environment for net positive benefit.

Thank you,
Grey



The Healthy Materials Summit Was Awesome!


It's energizing to see people geek out about the components that go into creating a high-performance building, and that's what made the Healthy Materials Summit so special. In only half of a day, everyone in attendance engaged on the minutiae of healthy materials, why we should care about them, and what we can do to make more green buildings from start to finish.

If you didn't get to go to the Healthy Materials Summit, get informed here and try to go to next year's event!

See pictures from the event here.

 

 

 
Sign up for our next LEED and WELL AP Exam Prep Courses



As 2016 quickly comes to a close, we should begin to consider personal development leading into 2017. Whether you're looking to get further in your career, or to become a stronger academic, becoming LEED and/or WELL AP accredited is a great way to become more of a leader in your field. We're holding a WELL AP exam prep course November 22nd, and a LEED course November 29th.



 
ABX Pre-Mixer Nov. 14 - Living Building Challenge


We invite you to join Amanda Sturgeon and ILFI's Boston Collaborative for drinks and appetizers at our pre-ABX reception at Skanska in the Seaport. 

Amanda (E.D. of the International Living Future Institute) will give a brief overview of the Living Building Challenge (LBC) and will be available to answer questions.

See full ABX details here and below.

Monday, November 14th, 2016
5:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Skanska Boston HQ
101 Seaport Blvd.
Boston, MA, 02210

ABX 2016 November 15th-17th


The Northeast's largest building industry expo is coming up November 15th-17th - just two weeks away! We're sponsoring multiple panels, so please come attend these informative, innovative meetings. Join your peers to become stronger leaders in your industry.

We are collaborating with the Quebec Government to host a reception on the Tuesday evening, 6-7:30pm at the BCEC, to show off the winners of our recent Green Building Showcase. It will be a great gathering to see some awesome projects and to enjoy the best provisions and victuals from our neighbors of the Nord!

See full ABX details here and below.
Coming up

 



Wednesday, November 9th
6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

The Sustainability Hub
912 Main Street
Worcester, MA

Learn the 10 most important features that green building professionals need to know about one of the latest building certification rating systems. 
 
Click here to learn more and to register!



Saturday, November 19th
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

27 Centre St.
Boston, MA, 02119
 
USGBC MA is teaming up with YouthBuild Boston for our give back day project this year. Volunteers will help some low-income seniors. The homes will all be in the Mattapan/Hyde Park neighborhoods. 

Click here to learn more!
 

Thursday, December 1st
5:30 PM - 7:15 PM

516 E 2nd St
Boston, MA, 02127

Tour an old rum brewery that will be soon certified as a Passive House.
Click here to learn more and to register!
 
ABX 2016
 
A05: Good Medicine: the WELL Building Standard

Tuesday, November 15th
8:00 AM - 9:30 AM
 
 This session provides a deeper review of the WELL Building Standard and the certification process. The medical basis for the concept categories is explored along with design and construction strategies to create healthy buildings.
 
Click here to learn more and to register!
A25: Integrative Design (LEEDv4 IP): Where the rubber meets the road

Tuesday, November 15th
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
 
 This workshop is a practical and applied look at how your firm can capture the value provided by institutionalizing IP. Successfully implementing IP requires a clear, shared understanding of what integration means in your firm culture, 

Click here to learn more and to register!
A44: Beyond Inspiration: Implement a successful biophilic project

Tuesday, November 15th
 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
 
 How do designers go above superficial references to nature and use of natural materials to design environments that are truly connecting, inspiring, and regenerative?

Click here to learn more and to register!

B04: Ask the Experts: Live up to the Living Building Challenge

Wednesday, November 16th
 8:00 AM - 9:30 AM
 
Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the Living Building Challenge-a philosophy, advocacy tool, and certification program that addresses development at all scales.

Click here to learn more and to register!
B25: Transforming Inertia

Wednesday, November 16th
 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
 
There is a huge opportunity for practitioners to learn how to change firm culture and overcome inertia in order to pursue sustainability in their projects. The presentation will cover the insight of those outside of a firm but working on this issue with firms, as well as the perspectives of those in an architecture and engineering firm.

Click here to learn more and to register!
B44: Mapping the Materials Universe: Lessons and Strategies

Wednesday, November 16th
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
 
We explore the hardest specification sections and the most opaque market sectors, inviting discussion and exploration of the greatest challenges. 

Click here to learn more and to register!

B49: Thriving in an Age of Rising Seas

Wednesday, November 16th
1:00 PM - 2:30 AM
 
The City of Boston's Living With Water Design Competition called for international teams to submit designs to increase Boston's climate change resiliency and overall sustainability. 

Click here to learn more and to register!
B68: Designing for Net Positive Water and Energy 
Wednesday, November 16th
 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
 
 Net positive energy is a key component in the battle against climate change. Buildings emit nearly 50% of carbon emissions, and architects can play a leadership role in moving beyond incremental reductions to regenerative design now. 

Click here to learn more and to register!
C21: How Green Building Make Your Clients Smarter - Harvard Study

Thursday, November 15th
10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
 
Green Buildings have measurable positive effects on brain function. The ability to provide data on how design impacts occupant productivity is key to moving client towards valuing and advocating for green building features.

Click here to learn more and to register!

C51: Introduction to the JUST Program

Thursday, November 17th
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
 
 Program acts as a "nutrition
 label" for socially just and equitable organizations. Learn how this system ties into LEED, WELL, LBC and other certification systems.

 

 Click here to learn more and to register!

 
C66: The New Corporate Accounting and Existing Buildings

Thursday, November 17th
3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
 
This workshop will explore options such as LEED EBOM and Building Energy Audits as well as compliance pathways to achieve a higher level of performance and branding from your portfolio.
  
 Click here to learn more and to register!
December Holiday Parties & Networking Events
 The road to Greenbuild 2017 here in Boston is starting already, so the next year will feature plenty of parties and networking events to get you even more stoked for going All-In next November.

Come to Boston's Evolution to Green to learn more about the city's quest towards carbon neutrality December 7th. Register here.

Amp up for next year at our Greenbuild Kick-Off Party December 15th. Register here.


Greenbuild 2017 is coming to Boston!
 
While Greenbuild was in Los Angeles this year, it will be coming to Boston next year! Stay tuned for all of the updates for Greenbuild 2017 in Boston in the upcoming months.

Greenbuild is expected to bring over 20,000 visitors and $32 million in business to the Boston area. This is a tremendous opportunity for us to showcase projects and talent throughout the region and expertise while bringing attention to issues of particular importance to our region. 

While Greenbuild is a meeting of national and international experts in the field during one week in November 2017, our goal is to leverage the event to engage the broader local community in discussions and activities that raise awareness around sustainability and the built environment throughout the year leading up to the event.

Let's stay in touch!

Stay tuned for upcoming updates!
Get in touch with our planning team, please email info@usgbcma.org. We welcome any communication relating to content or event support.
Follow us on Facebook here, on Twitter here, and at our new Instagram here.


Celis and Grey took a stroll through a newly-green-ified building - who knows this one? Who was part of the project team? We love seeing your work, and hearing from you!