The climate benefits of using timber are becoming better understood by owners committed to sustainability goals, but the procurement and implementation process still present challenges. Hear from practitioners from three newly constructed Mass Timber projects: the Dept. of Unemployment Assistance building in Brockton, MA; a 7-story Passive House multifamily building at 11 E. Lenox, Boston; and the Bristol County Agricultural High School.

The virtual power plant - aggregated, behind-the-meter solar, energy storage, and building loads dispatched in concert to meet grid needs - is a new model that has been pioneered in New England and is now being adopted by forward-looking utilities and policymakers across the country. This session will explain why the virtual power plant is the future of energy storage, how states can create virtual power plants using existing programs and budgets, and why this is an important new paradigm that will benefit customers and communities.

Many cities in New England and beyond have carbon neutrality goals and are actively addressing new construction to hit the goals. What about all the existing buildings? How will those be addressed to reduce energy and carbon? What creative enclosure approaches can be used to achieve these goals? Preservation of Affordable Housing has new construction projects in design to PHIUS standard. POAH also has rehab projects that never hit a passive house standard but go as deep as possible.

Beach Green Dunes I and Beach Green Dunes II are two of the largest multifamily Passive Houses in the country. They are adjacent to each other in the Rockaways in NY (in the flood zone) and were completed two years apart. Although they look almost identical, they are very different under the hood. Each has a different structure, envelope (ICF vs Block), ventilation strategy (Unitized vs Centralized), and heating and cooling system (VRF vs. ground source heat pumps) along with several other differences due to changes in city regulations and varying site conditions.

What factors contribute to optimizing human health both indoors and outdoors within the built environment? Creating equitable and healthy communities is a product of multi-level interventions in policy, places, and people. This panel discussion will feature Steven Winter’s Sustainability Director & LEED/WELL/EGC expert highlighting public health research implementation into project designs throughout the building sector.  With “boots on the ground” experience, she will present key strategies for protecting and promoting health in a socially equitable and cost-effective manner.

Boston’s proposed building emissions performance standard would set carbon emissions targets for existing large buildings that decrease over time. The targets align with the City’s 2030 goal of a 50% reduction in emissions from 2005 and its 2050 goal of net zero emissions.

Two very different projects – Oak Bluffs Town Hall and The Graphic Lofts – share a common goal to create a passive-house-inspired high-performance building. One building utilizes conventional construction techniques, the other building employs off-site construction strategies. These case studies will review decisions made and lessons learned following each project’s approach. The speakers will compare and contrast the challenges and benefits of on- and off-site construction to realize this common goal.