Annual Meeting: Survey Results

One of the fun things we announced at the Annual Meeting were the results of our Action Plan Survey. Thank you to all 148 of you who were able to complete the survey this year. We feel this is a good sample of our most active participants. Adrian Charest, Chair of our Membership Committee, was thrilled to hear the results (below).

Neil Angus, our Vice Chair, summarized the findings as follows. Thanks Neil!

2014 Chapter Survey - 2014 Action Plan

Feedback and Input from you our members on existing programs, offerings and advocacy – what is working and what is not or needs improvement.

What direction should we be going in the future – what you, our members, would like to see - educational programming, advocacy, communications, networking.

Great response rate - over 140 responses (thank you!!)

We're still analyzing details but here’s a few highlights of preliminary findings:

Main Reason for Joining: Networking, support the Chapter mission and learn more about green buildings and communities.

Great feedback on events we currently put on and level of interest for new events we are considering – even some great recommendations on how we might improve our current offerings

Huge interest in: Net Zero and Positive energy building.

Lots of interest in higher level training in NC and interest in EB and ND

Wanted: new programming on energy management, green products and LEED vs other sustainability rating systems

Great feedback on the timing, duration and delivery methods of our programming. People wanted to see programs on climate change, building resiliency & affordable green buildings for everyone!

Excellent feedback on our existing communications tools (website, LinkedIn twitter, facebook) and suggestions for improvements to those tools.

Many respondents are LEED APs or GAs and are interested in GBCI continuing education credits – we are working on improving our programming offerings to include more GBCI approved programs so stay tuned!

Thanks again for all your feedback – it truly will help us provide more value to you and further our mission of green buildings and communities for all!

The 2014 Massachusetts Green Building Awards

We want you! Actually, we want your buildings and your green building innovations!

We have streamlined the process and the categories of our event. We hope to see dozens of entries in both the Green Building of the Year award and the Green Innovation award. The contest will culminate with our Earth Day Gala on April 17th, 2014. We look forward to seeing you there!

Since 2008, USGBC Massachusetts has recognized the most innovative green buildings, products, processes and technologies in the Massachusetts real estate community. Past winners have demonstrated ingenuity, replicability, and scored well on the triple bottom line - an important concept in sustainability that considers the building’s overall impact on economic prosperity, environmental quality, and social equity.

This year’s entry deadline is March 15, 2014 and winners will be announced in April 2014.

2014 Entry Categories:

• 2014 Massachusetts Green Building of the Year Award - This category recognizes the project or building that best exemplifies the Chapter’s passion for sustainability in the area of design, construction and operations.
• 2014 Massachusetts Green Innovation Award - This category recognizes  a product, process or technology that best exemplifies the Chapter’s passion for sustainability in the area of design, construction or operations. 

Why Should I Enter?

• Local Recognition: submissions will be put on display at the Earth Day Gala as well as at various USGBC MA events. Award entrants will be highlighted on the USGBC MA website and in the media surrounding the Earth Day Gala.
• Regional Recognition: one existing building will advance to a regional EBie competition held in NYC in June 2014
• Feedback: the submissions will be judged by a panel of 3-5 judges and a  summary of responses will be available to entrants upon request.
• Inspiration: the awards are designed to highlight Massachusetts’ innovation in green design and operations. They recognize buildings that best live up to their green design potential and help raise the bar for future buildings.

What are the Entry Criteria?

Click here for the 2014 Massachusetts Green Building of the Year Award.

Click here for the 2014 Massachusetts Green Innovation Award.

If you have any questions after reading the criteria, please contact the Awards Committee.

Living Buildings are On Their Way

The Living Building Challenge (LBC) raises the bar on the level of sustainability pursued in green building projects.

The Chapter hosted a presentation on the LBC by Shawn Hesse of emersionDESIGN. Shawn is a Living Building Challenge Ambassador and member of the Cambridge Net Zero Taskforce. He is also a loyal member of the USGBC MA Chapter! Thank you to Shawn for presenting and to Laur Fisher for organizing the event, held at the MIT Center for Collaborative Intelligence in Kendall Sq, Cambridge.

About 25 people came out to hear the in-depth introduction to the Challenge. There was a considerable contingent from Harvard University...could there be something in the works? Maybe, as an organization, we can support a friendly little contest between a few of the campuses around here. There is already a Living Building coming together at Williams College in Berkshire County. Others came from architecture practices, the City of Boston, the State of MA, and other institutions. Thank you to all who could make it, even with the "snow emergency" bells ringing.

The Living Building Challenge is a philosophy, advocacy tool, and certification program that addresses development at all scales. The one hour introduction by Shawn reviewed the seven performance areas, the certification process, and reviewed project examples. What if every single act of design and construction made the world a better place? It is really an inspirational system.

The USGBC MA Chapter looks forward to working with the LBC community to facilitate greater adoption of the principles of the Living Building Challenge into our industry. Let us know if you are interested in learning more, and/or advocating for more Living Buildings!

Cape Cod Materials Dinner: Cost Effective Selections For Everyday Construction Projects

The USGBC MA Cape & Islands Interest Group (USGBC MA Cape) co-hosted an event last night in Hyannis with the Home Builders and Remodelers Association of Cape Cod (HBRACC) where a panel of founders from USGBC MA Cape presented "Cost Effective Green Materials for the Everyday Construction Projects". 

The event drew the largest crowd HBRACC had seen in years with over 110 attendees. The crowd network for the first half hour, and then sat down for the full dinner and presentation.

After a preliminary introduction to USGBC MA Cape and its goals from Adam Prince, the expert panel of material suppliers discussed what defines green materials, how they are beneficial, and easy opportunities for integrating green materials into typical construction projects.

Presenters included:

Craig Fischer, Shepley Wood Products Architectural Window Specialist, provides Andersen window expertise to builders and architects from design to project completion on Cape Cod.  Shepley Wood Products has been providing quality lumber, building materials and services to building professionals since 1978.  Shepley is a certified FSC material supplier for Southeastern Massachusetts.

Nicole Goldman, founder of 'g' Green Design Center, has been an entrepreneur in the design industry for thirty years, now serving a growing community throughout the Cape, Islands and Southern coast of Massachusetts providing interior design, green materials and a vast array of healthy products for residential and commercial renovation and construction.

Richard McLaughlin, owner of Fresh Interiors in South Yarmouth, has been working to provide design oriented interior finish options for kitchens, baths, flooring and finishes that promote a healthy living environment for residential and commercial projects, working from Boston to Provincetown, for the last 5 years.

USGBC MA Cape is working now to plan future events, content, and tours, which typically happen every two months. Be sure to visit our website for notifications or contact communications@usgbcma.org to request to be on the Cape & Islands mailing list. You can read more about the group at their webpage.