Built Environment Plus News
December 31st, 2020
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Board of Director Nominations Due Jan 7th.
Nominations for the BE+ Board of Directors is Open. There are 7 open seats with four incumbent directors up for re-election. Nominate yourself or someone you think would be great! Nominations are due on January 7th.
With a BE+ Membership you can help select who will make it on our board during the election. This is one of the special benefits for being a committed participant in our group. Invest in your BE+ Community and become a member today.
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Calling all members! Annual Meeting Jan 28th.
Jan. 28th | 4:30pm - 6:30pm EST | Virtual Event | Membership
It’s that time of the year again, when we join together at the Annual General Meeting to celebrate the members, volunteers, and successes that make our BE+ community amazing! We're ringing in the new year with the 2021 Board of Director's election and an award ceremony for our members.
We look forward to seeing you!
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FREE and Exclusive to BE+ Members. With paid entry you get a year of membership!
For current members: enter your discount code for free entry. We encourage new members to sign up early to ensure they can cast their vote in the election! USGBC National Firm member employees, Government or Non-Profit employees, Emerging Professionals, and Students should join here for discounted rates.
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UPDATE: Bill to eliminate Toxic Flame Retardants makes it through the Legislature!
Next up: Governor Baker.
December 24th - Last night the Massachusetts House and Senate passed a ban on toxic flame retardant chemicals and sent it, just under the wire, on to the Governor’s desk, as the end of the two year legislative session approaches. Firefighters, environment and health advocates and others hailed the bill as a critical move to protect public health and called on Governor Charlie Baker to sign the bill into law.
Over 100 Individuals signed our community letter that is now being sent to Governor Charlie Baker asking him to finally support this bill. This is in additional to an incredible amount of other responses through our community partners and the state's own website.
As of this Newsletter going out there is no update. We encourage you to do any of the following below. Though, depending on when you are reading this, there may now be a result!
- Retweet this tweet from bill sponsor Marjorie Decker:
- Call Governor Baker and get others to also: (617) 725-4005. Tell him: My name is [name] and I’m calling from [town]. Please sign the Children and Firefighters Protection Act into law without any amendments. This is important to me because…
- Social media - Tag the Governor in social media posts with photos of families, and/or children holding signs that say "We want to be flame retardant free". Here's a toolkit for taking and posting those photos, with instructions, sample posts, and everything else you'll need! If you have kids - we hope that you'll do this! If you don't, please invite other families in your life/organization/network to join in!
A big thank you to members Lisa Carey Moore and Lisa Goodwin Robbins for leading BE+, and to our partners at Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow, Clean Water Action MA, Environmental League of Massachusetts, MA Breast Cancer Coa, Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group, MassCOSH, Safer States, Sierra Club, Silent Spring Institute, & The Professional Fire Fighters of MA.
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JUST IN: Baker-Polito Administration Releases Roadmap to Achieve Net Zero Emissions by 2050.
Reports Lay Out Strategies to Achieve Net Zero Equitably and Affordably - Building on its ambitious commitment to achieve Net Zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the Commonwealth by 2050, the Baker-Polito Administration, on December 30th, 2020, released two reports - the Massachusetts 2050 Decarbonization Roadmap Report and an interim 2030 Clean Energy and Climate Plan (CECP) – that detail policies and strategies to equitably and cost-effectively reduce emissions and combat climate change. To maximize the Commonwealth’s ability to meet its 2050 target, Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Kathleen Theoharides set an interim 2030 statewide emissions limit of 45% below 1990 levels.
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Public comment on the 2030 Clean Energy and Climate Plan (CECP) will open on January 7th. Keep your eyes open for BE+ facilitated opportunities to engage!
Exciting Highlight: Amongst the strategies that you will find in this document is Net Zero Stretch Codes! Find this on page 30.
Read it here.
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Be sure to also check out the Buildings Sector Report.
This is one of 6 supporting technical reports on the MA Decarbonization Roadmap. Find the others here.
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50% OFF! for all first time sponsors at all levels...
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...or Consider adding value back into your BE+ community with a donation.
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LEED Green Associate Exam Preparation
Jan. 25th | 9:00am - 5:00pm EST | $699 per person or FREE* for Companies
The LEED Exam Prep Course is a comprehensive course which will prepare attendees for the LEED Green Associate Exam. Registration opening next week.
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Secrets of Success: Better, Faster and "stickier" strategies for implementing change
2021 is bringing new challenges to everyone, from both a design and a business perspective. We still face a lot of uncertainty but at the same time, can not waste/lose time if there is resistance to changes that need to be made. This session focuses on how you can implement any new changes in your org more effectively, with faster buy-in and adoption and as efficient as possible.
Registration opening in early January 2021. Prepare by submitting your company for *FREE training through SBDAP described below.
Managing Change
Feb. 3rd | 1:00pm - 5:00pm EST | $350 per person or FREE* for Companies
This first course (Part One) is on Establishing Fundamental Principles and Approaches
- Deep dive into change management frameworks and case studies
- Outlining high-level approaches to implementing the changes they desire.
Managing Change Advanced
Feb. 10th | 1:00pm - 5:00pm EST | $350 per person or FREE* for Companies
Part two focuses on Developing Specific Implementation Strategies, Metrics and Feedback Loops to Track Progress. Part One is a required pre-requisite.
- Building on high-level approaches, develop more specific and detailed plans and strategies for specific initiatives
- Developing feedback loops, mid-course correction strategies, and understanding how to manage failure or challenges.
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BE+ awarded additional $150,000 in funding
for Free Education! Qualify and you can take our upcoming courses for FREE.
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PHIUS+2015 Pre-Certified - Finch Cambridge
Finch Cambridge, a 120,000 sq ft 98-unit multifamily development in Cambridge, was completed in 2020 and is Passive House pre-certified. Its is 100% affordable housing, and received the 2020 PRISM Award for Best Affordable Community, as well as, the 2020 PHIUS Best Project by at Young Professional Under 35.
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Two Drydock - Photo by SGA
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LEED GOLD - Two Drydock
Two Drydock, a 230,795 sq ft mixed-use office building, received Gold Certification status on December 22nd under LEED BD+C: Core and Shell.
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LEED GOLD - Bower
Bower, a 341,679 sq ft Mixed-use Residential Development, received Gold Certification status on December 17th under LEED BD+C: New Construction.
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We want to better spotlight local projects, and you can help.
Join us in recognizing project accomplishments in the Commonwealth. This will hopefully be the first of many spotlights to come. Notify us of any updates we should share.
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Board of Directors Meeting
Jan. 7th | 5:30pm - 7:30pm EST | Free
Board meetings are meant to better understand and develop the the mission and objectives of Built Environment Plus. Meetings occur every first Thursday of the month, with some exceptions. Meetings are open to the public - please reach out about how to join.
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Emerging Professionals of Massachusetts Meeting
Jan. 18th | 6:00pm - 7:30pm EST | Free
The Emerging Professionals of Massachusetts (EPMA) Committee is a community of ascending professionals cross the green building industry and allied fields helping drive sustainable and regenerative design, construction, and operation of the built environment. Register
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Built Environment Plus Annual Meeting
Jan. 28th | 4:30pm - 6:30pm EST | Membership
The BE+ Annual General Meeting has been scheduled and planning is underway. We will be announcing the Board of Director election results. Register
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Empathetic Lighting: An Industry Snapshot of Material Transparency & Practices
Feb. 3rd | 4:00pm - 5:30pm EST
The session will open with a summary of Sladen Feinstein’s Sustainability Survey which gauged Lighting Manufacturers’ present and future practices regarding material transparency, climate impact, and social health and equity.
Registration coming soon.
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Achieving Healthy Materials
Feb. 11th | 8:00am - 9:30am EST | $10
Join your local Living Future Collaborative for a live-viewing of the International Living Future Institutes online course. Register
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Deep Dive Into Net Zero Water and the Water/Energy Nexus
Feb. 25th | 8:00am - 10:00am EST | $35
This session will explore how energy is involved with water by looking at the energy embodied in water infrastructure, and the energy available from water and how these can be utilized to contribute to an overall energy budget. The implications of embodied and operational carbon in the built environment water cycle will be addressed. Register
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COMMUNITY BOARD & EVENTS CALENDAR
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Cast your vote for the winner of the $10,000 People’s Choice Award in MassCEC’s Triple Decker Design Challenge.
There are 13 proposals for all-electric energy retrofits of these widely recognized, iconic residential buildings. As Massachusetts strives to meet its 2050 net-zero emissions goal, we will need to decarbonize the over 14,000 triple deckers in the state.
Join the Boston Society of Architects for a virtual event on January 13th at 6:00 PM EST where you can hear more about the proposals, ask questions, and share what your favorite idea is across all proposals.
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We want to share your news here!
BE+ is working to evolve the newsletter to be more newsworthy.
Please contact us about submitting for a future newsletter.
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The Lighter Side of Green: Celebrating our Community
January 23rd, 2021. 7:00pm - 9:00am EST | Virtual Event | FREE
Let's start 2021 off with optimism, hope and joy! Join us for a fun evening of music, comedy, art and community! Register.
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AIA 2030 Signatories: A cause for celebration!
January 20th, 2021. 12:00pm - 1:00pm EST | Virtual Event | FREE
27 Architecture firms successfully met the AIA 2030 Commitment targets in 2019. They will be sharing their stories and lessons learned. Register.
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From Footprints to Handprints: A Positive Approach to Carbon
Jan. / Feb. | Virtual Event | FREE
Expert LCA scientist, Greg Norris, shares his concept of “handprints,” an optimistic philosophy to address the challenge of sustainability. Register.
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NESSBE 2021: POWER of PLACE
Climate action and justice in the built environment.
Mar. 25 - 26th | Virtual Event
We have less than a decade to reverse current greenhouse gas emissions trends to avoid the most devastating effects of climate change. The intention of this summit is to explore the means and solutions for meeting this challenge in the built environment, while improving the quality of life for all CT residents, and lifting up our most vulnerable communities. Learn more.
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Placetailor is Seeking a Mechanical Engineer
Placetailor seeks a mechanical engineer to join their team at Roxbury Crossing. This would be the first in-house engineering position, intended to lead and grow our engineering services.
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EcoRise is Seeking Green Professionals for Internship Program
EcoRise is seeking inspirational green professionals to mentor student interns, serve as guest speakers, and/or volunteer. Green professionals will provide guidance, real-world work experience, and the professional framework necessary to cultivate a dynamic green workforce, particularly for those from underrepresented groups such as female students and students of color.
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Participation in our programs, membership, and sponsorship helps support the efforts of our staff members, Meredith, Vernette, and Ethan, especially now as we navigate these difficult times. Please consider sponsoring our organization, making a donation, and becoming a member if you are not already. If you have any questions, please reach out to Meredith@builtenvironmentplus.org.
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Be a part of our community!
Built Environment Plus is a member-based organization. Members are the force behind our initiatives. Membership dues help support our staff who are actively working to educate, advocate, perform research, and strengthen the community that drives the sustainability of the built environment.
All members get FREE/discounted admission to most of our upcoming events too!
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