USGBC Live: Boston Forum is the must-attend East Coast green building event of the year. Registration is open for all events, and USGBC is excited to announce the keynote speaker and education sessions for the April 5 event in Boston.
Keynote speaker Donnel Baird, Founder and CEO of BlocPower, is a leading voice at the intersection of climate, equity, and technology. In 2022, Fast Company named BlocPower the fourth most innovative energy company in the world for its work developing clean energy retrofit opportunities and connecting communities with investors seeking social, environmental, and financial returns.
Under Donnel’s leadership, BlocPower has emerged from community organization to climate technology innovation and is rapidly greening the financially underserved neighborhoods of the U.S. through healthier, smarter, and more valuable buildings. His highly anticipated opening keynote is the perfect kickoff to USGBC Live: Boston Forum.
Education Sessions
Here are just a few of the great sessions available. Check out the full agenda.
Partnering to Build a Diverse Green Workforce
The green building and clean tech sectors are growing rapidly, and so is the need for a skilled 21st century skilled workforce—one that is sustainability-literate, resilient, and representative of all sectors of society.
- Alison Stanton, Regional Director of Community and Citizenship, Turner Construction
- Chris Donnelly, Environmental Science Career and Technical Education Lead Teacher, Boston Green Academy
- Daryl Wright, Chief Strategy Officer, Emerald Cities Collaborative
- Janel Granum, Program Manager, Mass Clean Energy Center
- Jennifer Lawrence, Executive Director, Sasaki Foundation
Renovate or Build New: A Case Study and LCA Comparison of Two Academic Buildings
This two-building comparative life-cycle assessment will help provide real numbers to continue an embodied carbon debate: Build new or renovate?
- Alexandra Gadawski, Architect, Associate, HMFH Architects
- Carrie Havey, LEED Fellow, SITES AP, Fitwel Amabassador, Senior Sustainability Consultant, The Green Engineer
LEED Project Showcase
This rapid-fire showcase features four impressive LEED-certified case studies from the region: MGM Springfield Resort, The Hub on Causeway, 75 Pleasant Street and Two Newton Place, and The Javits Center Expansion.
- Alan Steel, President and CEO, The Javits Center
- Christian Klehm, LEED Fellow, President, Energy and Environmental Solutions
- Emma Van Lieshout, Sustainability Engineer, The RMR Group
- Heather Henriksen, MPA, Chief Sustainability Officer, Harvard University
- Robert Svedberg, Principal, TVS Design
A Circular Economy Framework for Zero Waste and Zero Carbon Buildings
This comparison of two similar buildings, new and renovated, will review impacts of materials and decisions associated with reducing operational energy with a comparison to effects on embodied carbon for each building.
- Eric Corey Freed, RA, LEED Fellow, EcoDistricts AP, LFA, Senior Vice President and Director of Sustainability, CannonDesign
- Kyle Ritchie, LEED AP BD+C, ID+C, WELL AP, EcoDistricts AP, TRUE Advisor, Sustainable Design Lead, CannonDesign
Source: USGBC