Green Schools Update (May)

by Steve Muzzy

I've been at the Chapter for nearly three weeks and have been getting up to speed with operations and meeting members of the Chapter network. It is inspiring to learn about all the activities the Chapter is involved in to advance green building. As Grey mentioned last month as the Green Schools Program Manager I will be focusing on the following activities:

• Establishing & Coordinating a Multi-Disciplinary, Massachusetts “Green School Building Coalition”
• Expanding the LEED Education & Practice Program
• Developing & Managing The Green Schools Project Matching Service

I will also be developing a Green Schools webpage on the Chapter website that will include resources to support green building retrofits and construction and highlight completed and current school projects. It will also provide data on the number of LEED projects at K-12 and higher education campuses across the State.

In the meantime, please feel free to contact me with questions or resources to share. Finally, I’d like to pass along some recent reports that may be of interest - highlighting how the education sector is supporting and advancing green building. 

New & Retrofit Green Schools: The Cost Benefits & Influence of a Green School on its Occupants

Published by McGraw-Hill Construction, this report reveals feedback from K-12 and higher education occupants and green school design and construction professionals, resulting in data and intelligence on the green education market and how it will evolve over time.

The Green Schools Investment Guide for Healthy, Efficient & Inspiring Learning Spaces 

From the Center for Green Schools, a free downloadable resource for K-12 schools and communities that demonstrates how schools can implement healthy and resource-efficient building improvements.

State of Our Schools 2013 Report

From the Center for Green Schools and their partners the “State of Our Schools” report estimates that it will take approximately $271 billion to bring public K-12 school buildings up to working order and comply with laws. These preliminary findings are a call for an updated survey on the condition of America’s schools.

(Excerpted from USGBC MA's May 2013 Newsletter)

Get Your LEED (Green Associate) On!

For those interested in sustainability with a specific focus on green building, getting LEED certified is the way to go. The best place to start is with the LEED GA (Green Associate) exam, a two-hour, computer-based test covering the essentials of green design, construction, and operations. Individuals in a variety of occupations--from real estate to planning to education and beyond--take the exam every year to grow their knowledge and boost their careers. If you're thinking about going for your LEED GA, we at the USGBC MA Chapter are here to help. Our next LEED GA study group kicks off at 281 Summer Street, 5th Floor, Boston, MA 02210, on Thursday, April 4, from 5:45 PM – 7:30 PM, and then meets for the following five Thursdays at the same time and place. The best part is that each session with be led by a seasoned green building professional such as Erik Ruoff or Tom Hardey. Here's the agenda for each meeting:

• 4/4: USGBC Programs: General LEED GA knowledge, GBCI, Rating Systems
• 4/11: Sustainable Sites and Water Efficiency
• 4/18: Energy and Atmosphere and Indoor Environmental Quality
• 4/25: Materials and Resources, Innovation in Design, Regional Priority, & upcoming LEED v4
• 5/2: Green Building Jeopardy
• 5/9: Wrap-up and Green Associate Exam Prep

Hope to see you at the next meeting!

LEED Core Concepts for GA Exam w 6h GBCI

 

When: March 6th, 2013 8:30 AM through 5:00 PM
Where: Seaport World Trade Center, 200 Seaport Boulevard, Boston, MA 02210

Register Now

The USGBC Massachusetts Chapter is presenting a live, hands-on course for green building professionals who are pursuing the LEED GA or LEED AP credential, and those who would like to understand better the basics of the LEED system, esp. the new version, LEEDv4, arriving in June, 2013.

Attendees will be provided with study materials and lunch and snacks are included. The cost is $95 ($125 for non-members of the USGBC MA Chapter). Registrants will also gain a Trade Show pass for both 3/6 and 3/7 and qualify for a $50 discount for registration to NESEA BuildingEnergy13 Conference. Register for this workshop to gain the discount code.

The program starts at 8:30 on March 6th, and lasts until 5pm with multiple breaks and opportunities to network with other attendees. The course is scheduled to be held in the World Trade Center Auditorium, on level 3.

LEED 201: Core Concepts and Strategies

This course is intended for anyone who wants more than a basic understanding of LEED - including those with a stake in their company's or community's building practices, those directly involved in green building projects, and those pursuing GBCI's LEED Green Associate credential. The course provides essential knowledge of sustainable building concepts that are fundamental to all LEED Rating Systems. It begins with an introduction to the benefits and integrative approach to green building, and a brief background on the U.S. Green Building Council and LEED, including basics of the building certification process. The core of the course presents LEED intents and concepts at the credit category level - across building types and rating systems - touching on strategies, syner gies, and specific examples that are reinforced by real project case examples.

The course will provide you with 6h of GBCI LEED-specific credits and/or 4h of AIA CES (LU).

Objectives

Upon successfully completing this course, you should be able to: 

• Describe the structure of the LEED rating system and the overall LEED certification process
• Describe key green building intents and concepts associated with LEED
• Recognize successful LEED strategies and measurements for achieving goals
• Describe the central role of integrative design in sustainable building design, construction, and operations
• Identify and explain synergies between LEED credit categories and strategies
• Describe case studies that represent LEED best practices in action across the range of building markets

Instructor Bio

Chris Schaffner, PE, LEED Fellow is the Principal and Founder of The Green Engineer, Inc., a sustainable design consulting firm located in Concord, MA. He is past chair of the LEED Energy and Atmosphere Technical Advisory Group. He has been a member of the LEED Faculty since 2001, and has trained more than 9300 professional in the use of the LEED Green Building Rating System. 

Register Now