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Greenbuild 2015
Greenbuild 2015 in Washington DC was as busy as ever this year. From a conversation with James Cameron to educational sessions to checking out new products on the expo floor and school building tours, I was able to make great connections with all that is happening in the world of green building. As the COP21 climate talks begin today in…
Edward Mazria at the BSA
Monday night, I attended a talk by Edward Mazria hosted by the Boston Society of Architects. Mazria is the founder of Architecture 2030, an organization which has created a path to reduce carbon emissions so that we do not reach the point of no return on climate change. Architecture 2030 promotes solutions to climate change through the design of the…
USGBC Green Breakfast Club
On July 30th, I spoke at the Green Breakfast Club at the USGBC MA chapter. The theme of this breakfast was green building advocacy. I discussed two topics at the event, Net Zero Energy Building Codes and PACE Financing. The purpose of this breakfast was to educate about the specifics of each topic and the chapter’s position on how the…
This Week in Green
This week has been a busy one in the sustainable design community! On Wednesday night, I enjoyed some great weather and a barbecue while discussing a very hot topic right now—the future of the solar industry in Massachusetts. Specifically, I was on hand as co-chair of the Advocacy Committee to discuss the Net Metering legislation currently on the floor of the…
Green Building Policy Forum
As the Advocacy Co-Chair of the USGBC MA Chapter, I participated in the Green Building Policy Forum at the Massachusetts State House this June. My remarks focused on Net Zero Energy (NZE); specifically its importance and a proposed NZE building code for the Commonwealth. We cannot address climate change without addressing carbon pollution from the building sector, which contributes nearly half of U.S….
Daylight Hour 2015
On Friday, Arrowstreet will be participating for the second year in international Daylight Hour. This is a global campaign organized by Building Energy Exchange to raise awareness for energy efficiency by highlighting the fossil fuels used for office lighting during peak times even when it is not needed. Turning off electric lighting during a summer afternoon (peak demand time) can…
Arrowstreet Office Gets the Gold!
Our new office has achieved LEED ID+C: CI 2009 Gold certification! This signifies Arrowstreet’s commitment to sustainable design as well as a great studio environment for our staff. When Arrowstreet was considering a relocation of our offices, one of the things that we considered was the sustainable opportunities presented with relocatiing. Moving to downtown Boston allows for roughly 60% more…
Cambridge Net Zero Task Force
On Wednesday night, I attended the Cambridge Getting to Net Zero Task Force’s public presentation a draft of their final report. For a little bit of background I’ll explain what the task force, which has been working for the past 15 months, is all about. In 2013 there was a petition to the city to create a new zoning ordinance…
USGBCMA Advocacy Forum
As co-chair of the USGBC Massachusetts Chapter Advocacy Committee, I get to collaborate with people from various aspects of the building industry and legislators on ways which policy can support the operation and growth of the industry and the built environment. The advocacy committee is currently working to support proposed legislation on issues like PACE, net zero energy and net metering for the new MA legislative session. I invite you to join us for a green breakfast forum outlining our efforts March 19th. I encourage you to attend whether you are interested in getting involved or want to learn more about these legislative issues, the committee, or the chapter.
Community Strategies Followup
As a member of the BSA Committee for the Advancement of Sustainability, I had the good fortune to help plan the Forum on Sustainable Public Policy last June. The summary of this event is available now to view and download on the BSA website, here. The intent of the forum was to share with community leaders, citizens, and practitioners the current public and private sector policies that foster and promote sustainable endeavors including buildings, infrastructure, transportation, and planning. Presenters described how these policies and efforts on several fronts cultivate, encourage, and nurture a societal shift toward a more sustainable Massachusetts. The event was jointly sponsored by USGBC Massachusetts and AIA Massachusetts and has been presented to the Massachusetts candidates for governor…