IES Blog

Ok, blog time again. I am going to take this opportunity to follow up from my blog before about plastic bags. I’m sure some of you will want to use one to suffocate me but I need to get it out there ok? Anyway.. so I am an active member of my local green group, The Beacon Hill Green Committee, meeting once a month or so to discuss and brainstorm ways to improve the “greenness” of the neigbourhood. This month, I was put in charge of an investigation into plastic bag policy. Now, lets look at what other countries have done.

Some countries just decide on an outrite ban but that means they need an alternative and paper bags aren’t much better. However, China did this and saved 37million barrels of crude oil per year though – if they can do it, why can’t everyone? (politics) Ireland chose a different approach, introducing a tax on the bags – 33 cents or so per bag (not sure about the number), but it was high enough to deter people from taking them resulting in a 94% decrease in plastic bag consumption. The accumulated tax then subsidised the cost of a pint of Guinness (in an ideal world).

So, to get back to my meeting. I looked into it for Boston, and there was talk about bringing in a ban or a tax but these things take time (politics), so I took it upon myself to do it another way – through education and awareness of the impacts that they can cause. I think my poster does that quite nicely – straight to the point, shocking and truthful…

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Tags:Boston, recycle, recycling

I’ve been considering opting into the new LEED AP program. See my previous post that explained my process of evaluation and final decision… for now. Part of the evaluation included figuring out what was needed to maintain my credentials. If I became a LEED AP BD+C (aka LEED AP with Specialty) I’d have to participate in the Certification Maintenance Program. There are two options in the program:

1. Collect 30 hours of continuing education hours, over a two year period
2. Retake the LEED AP BD+C exam

After spending what felt like 30 hours sifting through what counts towards the 30 hours of continuing education hours needed and trying to figure out what would qualify for me, I’ve come to a quasi-decision.  But first, here’s what I found out:
1. There’s two variables:
• Activities [8]
• Categories [7] – only needed the first time you opt in
2. There are a lot of restrictions.
3. Requires self-reporting online - more paperwork.
4. GBCI likes to keep things complicated.
5. Spending my working hours and a lot of my spare time on sustainable work doesn’t equate to 30 hours over two years unfortunately.

It boils down to the limits the GBCI puts on some of the activities that qualify for hours.  These are my notes on the activities.  For the full document, “How to Earn Continuing Education (CE) Hours”, (https://www.gbci.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=3675) visit the GBCI site.

*Hours earned as an instructor cannot exceed 50% of your total CE hours.

For me, I already have some of the hours, or plan to in the next two years. These are the items highlighted in green. But doing the math, I’m still short 6 CE hours. Unfortunately my PE doesn’t count as I’ve had it for awhile. The good news is that IES is already an approved provider and will be offering ERB approved trainings later this year. So this can count for you if you plan to attend one of our approved trainings, or are one of the presenters.

For me, I could work on my professional development and take a few ERB-approved courses ($). Or I could publish two articles (time). Or I could take advantage of living in Boston, “the Athens of America” with its 100 plus college and universities and just take a college course (time and $). Or I could just take the test. I like tests. Note: in case you don’t do well on tests, be forewarned, you only have up to three tries per calendar year.

For now, I’m waiting to see where the market goes in the coming years. I’m leaning towards the test taking option. Did I mention I like tests? In the meantime, I can sleep soundly knowing that my “LEED AP without specialty credential is held in perpetuity and does not have any credential maintenance requirements or fees.”

Next Time: LEED AP: What to Study and How to Study.

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Tags:Boston, LEED

If someone asked me what my carbon footprint was 10 years ago, I probably wouldn’t have had any idea what they were talking about.  Now, I can find that answer rather quickly on a number of different websites including carbonfootprint.com and the Nature Conservatory’s website.  Just by imputing a few estimations about my home energy use, recycling, and transportation choices I am given a number in tons of carbon/year.  Most sites will also show you how you compare you to the US national average and the global average and show recommendations on how to lower your green house gas emissions.

While measuring my personal carbon footprint takes a few minutes, how would someone go about measuring the carbon footprint of an entire city like Boston?  Calculating this footprint has a great deal more variables including measuring the exhaust of the commuting traffic daily, energy consumption for both commercial and residential and consideration of photosynthesis in the city. Recently Nathan Philips from Boston University received a grant to take on this task.  The National Science Foundation and U.S. Forest Service are financing the precursor to this project which will measure carbon footprint around one of Boston’s busiest streets, Commonwealth Ave.  

Their calculations will cumulate to create a map of Boston that will display the largest carbon emission spots and uptake zones. Philip’s hope is that policy makers in the city will use this to address the serious problems that the city and other cities worldwide are currently facing.

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Tags:Boston, carbon footprint, recycle, recycling

The Boston Architectural College/Worcester Polytechnic Institute Advanced Studio Course Comes to an End

In a previous blog, I had written about a class that I was assistant teaching during the Spring 2009 semester, along with Andreas Savvides AIA, AICP of Boston Architectural College and Alan Quinn of Sasaki Associates, Inc., Masters and Bachelors of Architecture students have been teamed with, Worchester Polytechnic Institute, cost estimating students to evolve their creative designs into affordable, energy efficient structures.

Through the use of the VE-Ware, Revit plug-in, and the VE-Toolkits, students were able to explore their designs in a way they had not experienced before. Perhaps the most surprising thing to the students was how badly their buildings performed initially before making changes to the building envelope, heating and cooling system, orientation, etc., especially when compared again CBECS (Commercial Building Energy Consumption Survey) data. Once students had successfully translated their Revit models to IES, the initial results were noted and became the starting point for a competition. The student who could make the greatest impact on their building energy consumption, looking at the variable of “design building energy use intensity”, would receive a year student license of IES’ full suite of software, as well as a write-up on the IES Blog.

Craig W. Herrmann, a student at Boston Architectural College in the Bachelor of Architecture program and a Project Coordinator at Jacobs Engineering, employed multiple strategies to reduce his building’s energy consumption. By incorporating roof overhangs, external shading devices, a very energy efficient building envelope, and the most appropriate heating and cooling system, Craig was not only able to win the contest, but was also able to cut the energy consumption almost in half. As you can see from Craig’s presentation, the resulting structure was both aesthetically appealing and thoughtful to its environmental impact.

You can view the full presentation here

In the next few years, courses that include energy modelling are becoming more and more prevalent at architectural colleges around the country. The Boston Architectural College pushes to stay at the forefront of this technological movement, and I will be back to teach more courses like this in the future.

However, I need to finish my own Master’s thesis first. Wish me luck!

Michelle

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Tags:AIA, Boston, Engineers, plug-in, plug-ins, reduce, Revit, VE-Toolkits, VE-Ware

From goats to green roofs and organic composting to affordable green housing, cities across the states are working on creative ways to save the planet.   People are used to recycling programs and the promotion of public transportation, but some cities are going above and beyond those steps to ensure that our planet fights global warning.

These cities are rated in the Natural Resource Defense Council’s top 10 smart cities.  The ranks were defined by a number of different categories including alternative energy, affordable housing, energy efficiency, and public transportation.  Topping this list was Seattle, Washington who has begun using goats instead of pesticides to clear away unwanted shrubbery. 

Austin Texas made the list at number 6 for their energy saving insulation and sealing.  The city of Austin, provides free installation for the energy conserving upgrades for low and moderate income homes.  They are also running a program that allows residents to sell excess energy from their solar panels back to the city.

My home city of Boston ranks as number 8 on the list of smart cities for their implementation of one of the largest public transportation systems.  Boston is adding to their bicycle structure adding new bike lanes and more racks.

To find out more, or see how your city ranks, please see the Natural Resource Defense Council’s website, http://www.nrdc.org/about/ or http://green.yahoo.com/blog/greenpicks/249/top-10-u-s-cities-of-the-future.html

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Tags:Boston, cycling, free, recycle, recycling, Sustainability, Texas, USA