This active-learning workshop will explore the challenges of sustainable design in developing countries.  Following a brief presentation and discussion of recent projects, participants will be divided into small groups for a charrette focusing on two current projects where resilient design and energy independence are critical.  One project is at the very beginning stage while the other is further advanced, leading to a variety of design challenges to address.  The workshop will conclude with group presentations and an open discussion.

LEED v4 For Schools is the mandated rating system for new school projects in Massachusetts, according to the MSBA. Is your firm up-to-date on the new LEED? This course will enable your teammates to have confidence in approaching school projects in Massachusetts. You will learn the essential differences related to prerequisites and the new credits that are changing the game for green buildings. Come learn with experienced implementers of LEED projects in academic settings. This is a must-attend program for all practitioners in the academic realm. Sponsored by the USGBC MA Chapter.

LEED v4 is here - you can register your projects in the latest innovative rating system brought to you by the USGBC. How do you define all those new acronyms? How much will performance matter? How much will LCA and health issues matter? How can you and your team navigate the credits to find the optimal path through to a successful LEED v4 project? Come hear from seasoned LEED veterans as they present an all-new deck and an all-new script to get you up to speed and ahead of the competition. Sponsored by the USGBC MA Chapter.

The Living Building Challenge Materials Petal is intended to induce a successful materials economy that is non-toxic, transparent and socially equitable. In this workshop, participants will gain an understanding of how to meet the material-related Imperatives of the Living Building Challenge: I-10 Red List, I-11 Embodied Carbon Footprint, I-12 Responsible Industry, I-13 Living Economy Sourcing, and I-14 Net Positive Waste as well as introduce and explain the Declare Program.

The Living Building Challenge Energy Petal is intended to signal a new age of design, wherein the built environment relies solely on renewable forms of energy and operates year round in a pollution-free manner. In this in-depth review of the Energy Petal, participants will gain an understanding of how to create Net Zero Energy buildings. This interactive session will present detailed case studies of several Net Zero Energy certified buildings - identifying the design and operational challenges these projects had to overcome to meet their Net Zero Energy goals.

This workshop will review the new climate specific passive building standards developed by Building Science Corporation and PHIUS through a DOE grant as a possible new baseline for the Zero Energy Ready Home program. Out of all the measures that can take a building to zero energy performance, passive building measures were identified as having the best economic potential. The workshop will identify the sweet spot between supply (renewables) and demand (conservation) based on climate and economic conditions.

Over years of collecting and analyzing building performance data, these experts have gained key insights into drivers of building energy and water usage. How big of a problem are split incentives? What engages owners and tenants in efficiency? Are there disparities between modeled and actual usage? How well do scoring systems reflect performance? How much can retrofits really save? The presenters will address these questions and more, and invite you to pose your own questions.