USGBC MA Cape & Islands Interest Group

by Adam Prince

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. 

Date: September 24th at 5PM in Brewster, MA.  RSVPs are required. Please email aprince@zeroenergy.com and property address will be shared upon RSVP confirmation.  

PAST EVENTS

Passive House Tour. After a viewing one of the few certified Passive Houses in the US, architect Steve Baczek presented an overview the home's design, construction, and performance attributes. Event Partners - Green Drinks Cape Cod & Sotheby's International Realty.  Event Sponsor - Cape Cod Five.

Beyond Energy Audits. Cape Light Compact presented on the organizations residential and commercial energy efficiency initiatives, including energy monitoring, heat pump hot water heaters, and the newest incarnation of the deep energy retrofit program. Event Partner - BSA Cape & Islands Network. Event Sponsor - Cape Associates.

IFAW Tour.  A guided tour and presentation was provided by Boston-based designLAB architects of the LEED Gold certified International Foundation for Animal Welfare Headquarters Building. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and its Committee on the Environment selected IFAW’s headquarters building as one of the 2009 top ten examples of sustainable architecture and green design. Event Partners - BSA Cape & Islands Network, and Green Drinks Cape Cod. Event Sponsor - A.W. Hastings.

FUTURE EVENTS

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. If you have suggestions for future events for the USGBC Cape & Islands Interest Group, please email mhcole@capeassociates.com oraprince@zeroenergy.com.

(Excerpted from the USGBC MA August 2013 Newsletter)

Department of Education Visits Two Schools in Massachusetts for Their ‘Education Built to Last’ Facilities Best Practice Tour

Special Advisor to the Secretary Donald Yu and U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools Director Andrea Falken visited U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools in Massachusetts on Tuesday, July 30th, to see and discuss the ways school facilities can enhance the conditions for learning.  

A large group of government and state officials, community members, green building professionals, students, teachers, and green school advocates attended tours at Manchester Essex Regional Middle High School and Quincy High School to see how they are incorporating sustainability into the built environment and the educational experience of their school communities. More information about the Green Ribbon Awardees is found below. 

Manchester Essex Regional Middle High School

Manchester Essex Regional Middle High School, a Collaborative for High Performance Schools building, constructed with recycled materials and energy-efficient design principles, is home to a 650 gallon rainwater collection tank and over 100 donated plants and trees.  The school achieved a 90 percent reduction in waste through the installation of a state of the art Lucidomatic waste sorting system and the implementation of a printing limits program through PaperCut software.  Manchester Essex, which has reduced its heating per square foot by nearly 58 percent over three years, meets 5 percent of its energy needs through on-site solar panels.  The edible schoolyard is a community-building and educational tool that offers students and parents the opportunity to work with the garden during the summer to raise awareness about local food and organic gardening.

Manchester Essex Regional School Green Scholars and their mentor Eric Magers

Quincy High School  

At Quincy High School, a career and technical school, the building’s design allows for collaboration among AP biology and environmental science students and their peers who are pursuing Nursing or Applied Medical Technology specialties.  Quincy collaborated with the city’s planning department to participate in the USGBC Center for Green Schools Green Apple Day of Service, which provided real-world instruction about the importance of energy reduction and implemented a National Wildlife Federation Cool Schools Energy Audit.  The school’s STEM wing is home to a greenhouse, where students are actively involved in learning how to grow their own food.  Culinary students are responsible for front- and back-of-house service at the wildly popular President’s Café, where student-grown herbs are used in recipes.  The school was certified by the Massachusetts Collaborative for High Performing Schools in 2009 and EPA ENERGY STAR in 2008.  The school has continued its efforts by retro-commissioning the building to ensure that it performs as intended. Quincy High School was designed by USGBC MA Chapter sponsor SMMA.

QHS's 66Kw Solar Array

Platinum Tour of the UTEC in Lowell

In June 12th, the Emerging Professionals (EPMA) hosted a green building tour and networking night in Lowell.

United Teen Equality Center (UTEC) was the venue and provided a great opportunity to see a LEED Platinum facility. It is actually the oldest building to go through to LEED Platinum.

[more commentary is coming, but here are some pictures:]