If you’ve been following the movement towards renewable energy, you probably know that Europe is way ahead of us. And you might feel that we’ve got a long way to go if we’re ever going to catch up.
NESEA is hoping to change that with a new international collaboration.
We’re proud to announce an exciting new development with the German Consulate. This year, our BuildingEnergy Conference will feature a session on Sustainable Urbanism with representatives from the City of Hamburg, Germany as part of the Transatlantic Climate Bridge. The German delegation will include Senator Jutta Blankau who will present at the conference Closing Forum on March 8th, and Mr. Uli Hellweg, who will speak at the Thursday session titled “How Hamburg Will Generate 100% of Heat and Electricity from Local Renewable Resources.”
The Transatlantic Climate Bridge is “a joint commitment to invest in newer, cleaner sources of energy can create new jobs and world-class industries, clean up the environment and protect the climate, improve standards of living and enhance global security.” The German Consulate considers their involvement with NESEA to be “one of our major projects“, and given the similarities between Boston and Hamburg and the popularity of BuildingEnergy, it’s easy to see why. Both cities share a similar climate, and as port cities, Boston is ideally suited to channel materials and ideas from Hamburg into the Northeast. BuildingEnergy is the next step, the distribution hub from which the ideas brought over from Germany can be acquired and disseminated throughout the Northeast. And the sustainability industry is ready for them.
Says Mr. Galen Nelson, Director of Intergovernmental Partnerships at the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (and BuildingEnergy Session Chair) “The City of Boston and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts share a strong interest in strengthening our clean energy industry and helping the private sector adapt to a low carbon economy. The German experience in Hafen City, coupled with Boston’s vibrant clean energy eco-system and the state’s cutting edge renewable energy policies and programs create a perfect opportunity to explore district heating systems in the Commonwealth.”
BuildingEnergy is the place to be for new ideas, new friends, and new business prospects. we’re very excited by this new partnership with the German Consulate, and look forward to expanding our international connections.
So, will we see you at BuildingEnergy? I do hope your answer is “Ja!”
Name: Travis
Bio: Communications & Development Coordinator for NESEA
Do stay in touch! "Like" us on Facebook, or Tweet at us @NESEA_org
Great news from the NESEA membership! Congratulations to Dietz & Company Architects on receiving the LEED Gold Certification for their work on a project with the YWCA! This is especially exiting news because Marc Sternick, VP of Dietz & Co, is on our Board of Directors and the firm is a local, NESEA business member.
The full press release is included here:
Springfield, Mass. – Dietz & Company Architects, Inc. has received LEED for Homes Gold certification from USGBC (the U.S. Green Building Council) for the recently completed units at the YWCA’s Campus of Hope. These new units provide housing that serves to transition women from domestic violence shelters to longer-term living facilities. The 32,000 square foot project is made up of 20 apartments and eight congregate housing units within its walls. This project was part of the larger Campus of Hope initiative
that was started more than 10 years ago for which Dietz & Company Architects was the master planner. Dietz & Company Architects also
designed the first phase of this campus: a 60,000 square foot building that includes administrative offices, meeting and classrooms as well as an on-site shelter.
In the finest tradition of the YWCA, this project features cutting edge technology in Green construction, women-owned partnerships and the
overwhelming support of the community it seeks to serve. The project, originally designed to achieve LEED for Homes Silver certification level, exceeded that level by achieving Gold certification.
Several factors that supported the LEED for Homes Gold Certification include: super-insulated walls and airtight construction, efficient mechanical systems that include roof-mounted photovoltaic panels for electricity, sustainable site design and the use of green construction materials. A healthy indoor environment, pollution reduction and lower utility/maintenance costs are also key elements of this certification. This highly efficient building is expected to reduce water and energy consumption by 20 to 30 percent over typical code compliant construction.
NL Construction was the general contractor for this project and the project was supported by the LEED for Homes Provider, CET. The LEED
(Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System™ is a voluntary, consensus-based national standard for
developing high-performance, sustainable buildings.
Name: Travis
Bio: Communications & Development Coordinator for NESEA
Do stay in touch! "Like" us on Facebook, or Tweet at us @NESEA_org
In November, you learned about the process to reach net zero, now it’s time to learn more about the mechanical systems that help make net zero possible!
Join us January 10th, 2012 at the Mitsubishi Training Center
in Southborough, MA.
RSVP here!
Due to overwhelming demand for a more technical session to follow-up our recent NZB meeting at the Mitsubishi facility, Susan Pickett and Rick Nortz from Mitsubishi Electric are offering a presentation to discuss the types of inverter driven heat pump products that can benefit your high performance buildings.
The presentation will include residential, light commercial, and larger commercial solutions for carbon neutral heating and cooling in all climates and they will discuss product attributes, design considerations, energy savings, LEED, and controls.
There will be dinner following the presentation. And guess what… It’s still free!
Here is the essential info:
What: Mitsubishi Technical Follow-Up (to the Net Zero Energy event in the fall)
When: January 10th, 2012 – 3PM – 5PM, dinner to follow
Where: Mitsubishi Training Center, 150 Cordaville Rd. (RT. 85), Southborough, MA 01772
How? RSVP HERE or contact 413.774.6051 ext. 20, or rheldt@nesea.org
Bio: I (officially) joined NESEA staff as the Membership Coordinator after working for NESEA on an informal basis for about a year. I am interested in the connection between people, culture and the environment, and at NESEA, I see the relationship between people and their built environment as a key to securing environmental and economic sustainability. You can reach me at rheldt@nesea.org or at 413.774.6051, ext. 20.
This is a more personal post, but I promise it’s relevant to NESEA!
In 2008, the 200 year old Putney General Store caught fire and was severely damaged. The Putney Historical Society and town rallied to purchase the property and start to rebuild. In 2009, an arsonist set fire and obliterated the store completely. The Putney Historical Society and town again set about to rebuild. Maclay Architects, Bill Maclay’s (you may remember him from our recent Net Zero Event at Mitsubishi) architectural firm is one of the companies working on the general store’s resurrection.
Read more... »
The Putney General Store was so important to me in my childhood. I was in Dummerston, VT nearly every summer growing up and continue to visit every winter with my family. These visits to Dummerston always involved a trip to the Putney General Store for sandwiches, Matchbox cars, and penny candy.
I was devastated when I found out about the 2008 fire, but relieved to know that there were efforts to rebuild. When I checked in to see its progress a year later in 2009, I was devastated again to learn that it had been incinerated in an intentional fire.
Flash forward to just a month or so ago when I was learning more about Bill Maclay’s firm in preparation for the Net Zero event at Mitsubishi. I was browsing their website to see their current projects. I knew they had done a project for the Putney School (on the cover of the Fall 2011 Northeast Sun), but I was pleasantly surprised to see that they were part of the team working to rebuild the General Store. They have designed it to be a high performance, energy efficient multi-use building (retail and business). (You can read about the project at the Maclay Architects website)
I stopped in Putney last weekend on a whim and saw the (nearly) finished product. It looks almost exactly like the store we lost. While I know the interior won’t have the old, worn labyrinthine aisles and that 200 year old musty barn smell, I take comfort in knowing that it has been improved upon and respected by all those who worked to rebuild it. When I saw the architects’ rendering, I was struck by how well they kept its historical integrity, and in person, how well the rendering translated to the real building. While it looks shiny and new, it doesn’t look out of place or out of sync.
Its grand reopening is this weekend, Saturday Dec. 10th. (Information about the reopening is available
here).
I just wanted to take a moment to congratulate Maclay Architects on reviving such an important structure and institution in Putney, while undoubtedly incorporating updates and design elements that will make it more resilient in an uncertain energy future.
NESEA members, your work has a significant impact on so many levels. I think that this is an aspect of the ‘whole system’ that we talk about. The built environment occupies more than just physical space. Beyond (or underlying) the building system, the environmental/ecological systems, there are the socio-cultural systems. This project touches on all of them – as I imagine the work all of you do does in one way or another.
Thank you for doing what you do.
Bio: I (officially) joined NESEA staff as the Membership Coordinator after working for NESEA on an informal basis for about a year. I am interested in the connection between people, culture and the environment, and at NESEA, I see the relationship between people and their built environment as a key to securing environmental and economic sustainability. You can reach me at rheldt@nesea.org or at 413.774.6051, ext. 20.
Robert (Bob) Chew, founder of Alteris Renewables, is launching his own renewable energy consulting company! Here is his press release below:
Alteris Renewables founder Bob Chew starts new company
BRISTOL, RI, November 1, 2011 – Bob Chew, renewable energy entrepreneur has launched a consulting firm that provides creative strategies and solutions to clients exploring options in the ever emerging renewable energy field. R.W. Chew, LLC, DBA as R.W. Chew Consultants, based in Bristol, RI, focuses on offering expert guidance using best practice gained from 30 years in the renewable energy field, to individuals, 
businesses, municipalities, schools and government agencies seeking viable and cost effective energy choices. “It is becoming increasingly difficult for the average consumer to navigate the growing number of renewable energy technologies and energy efficiency options available today,” states Chew. The design, implementation, and integration of sustainable energy solutions necessitates the need for a long range plan or ‘road map’ that incorporates variables specific to a particular project. There is no one size fits all in the renewable and energy efficiency field. By generating designs, specifications and project oversight, the company functions much the same as an architect in the building industry.
R.W. Chew Consulting is already working with Bryant U. on a grant to help public high schools in Rhode Island determine what energy retrofits and renewable energy technologies can help them get as close to net zero as possible. View the press release shared on the Bryant U. blog.
I also had the opportunity to interview Bob about his new company and his lifelong experience working with renewables.
Click here to hear more about Bob and his new company »
In your press release, you mention, “there is no one size fits all in renewable and energy efficiency field.” Where do you start in determining what might work in a given location for a particular client?
For wind turbines, it is wind speed, interconnection challenges and site conditions that include shadow flicker, noise, safety and view shed issues. For photovoltaics on roofs, it is finding unshaded areas on flat or south facing roofs and confirming if the roof is in good condition and if the roof can handle the additional weight. For hot water systems, we need to size the system to the amount of hot water used and if there are any seasonal issues such as a school where they don’t use hot water during the summer. For wood chip boilers on commercial buildings, we need to make sure that there is room for the new boiler and that there aren’t any issues with tying this system into the existing heating system. For methane digesters and geothermal systems, we have the same issues. A common challenge is to determine which technology is cost effective due to many factors including the cost of the installation, O&M costs, incentives and grants.
NESEA advocates whole systems thinking in approaching renewable or energy efficiency issues. What does the whole systems thinking mean to you? Does this inform how you proceed in your work?
I received a degree in Environmental Science from New England College in 1973 and learned about whole systems and ecology. As a consultant, I understand how the design of a new building has the opportunity to either have a minimum impact on the environment or have a very large impact is determined at the design stage and I look forward to consulting with clients and their architects or builders to make sure that the latest technologies and design strategies are incorporated.
In the 34 years you have been doing this work, what have been your great epiphanies? Have there been some mistakes, breakthroughs, events or conversations that have changed your practice? What were they?
I spend a lot of time looking ahead and have prided myself in foreseeing trends before the competition becomes aware of them. I have seen the solar energy industry grow rapidly under President Jimmy Carter and seen it disappear under President Reagan. Obviously, as I look back, this was a huge mistake and allowed our country to lose its monopoly in the solar industry. I have also been involved in the rapid growth of the solar and wind industry, and wish that Washington would remove incentives to the fossil fuel and nuclear power industry and require that pollution from these technologies is properly accounted for. What had bothered me is the focus on photovoltaics while other solar technologies such as passive solar design and solar hot air systems and solar thermal systems have been neglected by many of the larger solar companies in the country. I’m also bothered by the many LEED certified projects that don’t take advantage of photovoltaics, solar hot water, solar hot air and passive solar design including isolated passive solar sunspaces. In my new business, I hope to revive and popularize some of these technologies such as solar hot air systems and isolated passive solar sunspaces.
Who do you look to continue learning in this field? Where do the new ideas come from?
I have had the good fortune to know many of the experts in the renewable energy field and seek out their expertise as needed in my new company. Currently, I have brought in Everett Barber as a consultant on a concentrating solar thermal project I am involved in. Everett has extensive knowledge in solar thermal and his recent book titled “Converting Your Home to Solar Energy” is in my opinion the best book on solar energy that I have read. I still read newsletter, books and magazines and attend as many trade shows as I can to keep abreast of the changes in the renewable energy and energy efficiency industries.
What advice do you have for emerging professionals in this field?
I am asked by many students and people looking to get into the renewable energy industry what they should do. First, I encourage them to enter into the field since it not only has a great future but it is such an important industry. It also provides a great deal of satisfaction knowing that you are making a positive impact on the environment and helping our country move towards energy independence. I strongly believe that you should do what you enjoy. For many years, I was out in the field and loved the hard work and being outdoors and strongly encourage those who like working outdoors to become a green builder, solar installer or a plumber or electrician who specializes in the renewable energy field. Some people love selling, designing or the engineering of renewable energy systems. They need to find a niche where they can do what they love. I have been lucky to have been able to spend over thirty years doing something that I love.
What is most exciting to you about your new consulting firm? What do you love about what you do and what do you hope to accomplish?
First, I loved running a solar business, but now that I’m sixty, I wanted to have more flexibility to do some of the things that I have always wanted to do. Beth and I were able to spend five weeks in New Zealand last winter and are planning another exciting trip this winter. To have the flexibility to do these things was very hard when I was running SolarWrights or Alteris. I also love being able to get involved in some of the different renewable energy technologies that I was unable to do in the past.
We wish Bob the very best with his new company, and our sincerest thanks for his thoughts.
Bio: I (officially) joined NESEA staff as the Membership Coordinator after working for NESEA on an informal basis for about a year. I am interested in the connection between people, culture and the environment, and at NESEA, I see the relationship between people and their built environment as a key to securing environmental and economic sustainability. You can reach me at rheldt@nesea.org or at 413.774.6051, ext. 20.
I wanted to share with you all an email exchange that took place earlier this week that I believe goes to the heart of NESEA’s role as a membership organization.
Earlier this week we sent the following invitation out to all of our Green Buildings Open House hosts and prior years’ entrants to the NESEA Zero Net Energy Building Award:
“Greetings Green Buildings Open House hosts!
I wanted to take a moment to pass the information below to you all, as I know that many of you have indicated that you would like other opportunities to share your knowledge. If you would like to participate in this program offered by Energy Sage, feel free to contact them using the information below. Thank you for your time, and have a wonderful day!
Would you like to help others make the move to renewable energy?
EnergySage.com is an online resource that helps people to navigate the clean energy system research and purchase process. They are interested in showcasing case studies on their website of home and business owners who have already purchased clean energy systems. They would include information about your specific system, why you decided to make the investment, your decision process, your costs / benefits and any advice you might have for potential consumers.
EnergySage’s research suggests that while most consumers are interested in clean energy systems, they don’t actually make the move because they feel they have incomplete or inaccurate information.
By participating, you will be helping others make the move to renewables. If you are interested, Please contact Energysage at: info@energysage.com or at 617.398.0045. They will follow up with a questionnaire and by phone or email.”
We received feedback from several recipients asking why we were promoting the services of a for-profit company, and whether it was appropriate for us to endorse the services of one provider over another. In the interest of transparency, I’d like to share my response — because I feel like this type of member promotion is exactly what we should be doing:
Dear _____,
Thanks for your email. I wanted to respond directly to the concerns you addressed about the request we sent out on behalf of Energy Sage.
Energy Sage is a for profit business that is a NESEA member. As a membership organization, part of our mission is to connect our member – who are primarily practitioners in sustainable energy – to each other, to the ideas and information that they need to improve their practice, and to consumers. And we routinely share member news and/or help them make the types of connections you see here.
I’m sorry if the email below came across as an endorsement of Energy Sage’s products and services. It was not intended to be that. But Energy Sage is looking to develop case studies of consumers who have successfully adopted renewable energy features. They will, of course, use these case studies as part of their marketing. But NESEA may benefit as well, because as they build the online platform for these case studies, we may be able to use the platform for our Green Buildings Open House program. In other words, this is a first step in potentially co-developing a new online platform for GBOH.
I’m sorry you found the original email upsetting. Hopefully this helps shed some light. I acknowledge we could have been clearer and more transparent. Thanks!
Jennifer
As always, I welcome feedback from the NESEA community – what do you think?
Name: Jennifer
Email:
I was excited to learn that our newest business-level member, Boston-area Distributed Energy Research & Solutions, Inc (DERS) has concurrently released EnergySage.com , the latest, greatest tool for researching renewable energy solutions.
EnergySage, in brief, is a web platform designed “to make the case for clean energy” by helping everyone from home owners to facilities managers determine the costs and savings associated with renewable energy solutions.
This is an absolutely vital (and arguably long-overdue) tool. As we’ve covered in previous posts, renewable retrofits, upgrades, etc often involve several contractors or installers and a half-dozen different funding sources, making the whole process seem like an insurmountable task. EnergySage aims to smooth this process, and while it is only a day old, it already delivers.
I took EnergySage for a spin, and let me say, it’s wicked easy. Visitors have the choice of learning about clean energy, why to invest in clean energy upgrades for their properties, and options to get advice from professionals or from the EnergySage.com community. I tried out the wizard, and was greatly impressed by the options and level of detail it offered. Be sure to have your utility bills on hand (or a rough estimate, if you’re just test driving it) so the site can help you determine what services are best for you based upon your needs and energy usage. You answer questions based upon your interest (saving money, etc), property type, and energy needs. And you’re not just limited to one type of renewable energy. EnergySage covers solar PV, solar thermal, wind, geothermal, biomass and biofuel. When you’ve answered all questions, the site reveals the options that are best for you, initial cost of investment, return on investment, and local financing and installation options. You are required to login for advanced options, but you can use your Facebook or Twitter login, further simplifying the process.
In short, EnergySage.com is a powerful, informative and visually appealing way to simplify your clean energy installation and financing decisions, and it’s truly great to be able to count them as a NESEA member. If you’ve been considering a renewable solution for your property, you need to check them out.
And once you’ve used EnergySage to find what renewables are best for you, go see them in action through NESEA’s Green Buildings Open House tour.
Let us know what you think about EnergySage in the comments below.
Name: Travis
Bio: Communications & Development Coordinator for NESEA
Do stay in touch! "Like" us on Facebook, or Tweet at us @NESEA_org
This was brought to our attention by a long-time BuildingEnergy exhibitor, Consulting Engineering Services.
Gaylord Hospital is the first in the state of Connecticut to receive state funding through a Connecticut Clean Energy Fund grant for a solar-thermal hot water system. The $323,000 from the Energy Fund will be a tremendous boost to the hospital, which is a non-profit institution. The project is slated to begin soon.
Consulting Engineering Services and partner firms will be installing 70 Solarus Evacuated Tube solar hot water panels.
An evacuated tube solar hot water panel works by converting sunlight into heat, which is transferred to propylene glycol (a gel found in common products like hand sanitizer). The propylene glycol is pumped to a heat exchanger in the system’s water storage tank. The system to be installed at Gaylord Hospital will feed at 3,750 gallon tank that will supply 65% of the hospital’s hot water. This is a huge step – the system is expected to cut the hospital’s fuel consumption by 7,000 gallons a year and reduce annual carbon output by 135,000 lbs.
Congratulations to Consulting Engineering Services and everyone working on this project, and kudos to Gaylord Hospital for making a sound economic and environmental decision to go solar! Anyone interested in learning more about renewable efforts in health care should head on over to the Health Care Track at BuildingEnergy 12
Interested in learning more about NetZero energy? Join us for a net zero event with Mitsubishi Electric in Southborough, MA on November 10th, 2011. Read more and RSVP here!
Name: Travis
Bio: Communications & Development Coordinator for NESEA
Do stay in touch! "Like" us on Facebook, or Tweet at us @NESEA_org
(Proxy) Guest Post from the wonderful Jo Lee of Greenmachine PR (and the NESEA Board)
Passive House Institute US (PHIUS) will unveil its new PHIUS+ Verification developed in partnership with the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) at the 6th Annual North American Passive House Conference on October 28, 2011. PHIUS+ represents the culmination of an alignment of Passive House energy modeling principles with the RESNET Home Energy Rating Score (HERS) used by Federal and local governments and other organizations to determine eligibility for tax incentive and rebate programs.
Up until now buildings built to passive house principles could not be rated on the HERS Index – a Federal requirement for LEED, Energy Star and other rebate and tax incentive programs. As a result, developers were forced to choose between cost-competitiveness and high performance.
PHIUS+ Verification is designed to overcome this discrepancy and enable developers that build to Passive House principles to rate on the HERS Index. The PHIUS+ verification process introduces an additional quality assurance and quality control (QAQC) component into Passive House construction processes to meet HERS QAQC requirements. PHIUS+ is also based on the development of conversion mechanisms that harmonize HERS energy models and Passive House principles. This modeling represents a major step forward on the Passive House front because – for the first time – it takes into account the wide-ranging and unique regional climate challenges across the United States.
PHIUS will begin to issue PHIUS+ in January 2012. In preparation for this date, PHIUS is working with RESNET to develop highly trained RESNET raters to evaluate Passive House projects. Builders and architects can already begin submitting new projects to PHIUS for full review from plans to completed projects. PHIUS is also working to offer a special, condensed review for projects that have previously received certification from Europe’s Passivhaus Institute (PHI), allowing builders of those projects to qualify for HERS-focused ratings and incentives.
To learn more about PHIUS Plus, please go to http://tinyurl.com/6jmfx89
DON’T FORGET! The Passive House US Conference is THIS WEEKEND, October 28t-29, in Silver Springs, MD.
To view the conference’s full schedule including Passive House building tours and pre-conference workshops, please go to: http://www.passivehouse.us/phc2011/
To register for the conference please go to: http://www.passivehouse.us/phc2011/about/
Name: Travis
Bio: Communications & Development Coordinator for NESEA
Do stay in touch! "Like" us on Facebook, or Tweet at us @NESEA_org
Well, this was certainly inspiring.
Friday’s Greenfield Recorder had a great article on a great local business, Real Pickles (they’re delicious) and their steps to cut their business’s carbon foot print. What’s even better? They used a local company to do it. Pioneer Valley Photovoltaics was contracted to install a 17kw array for real pickles, and it will satisfy the power requirements for the 6,500 square foot facility, which is expected to save $300-400 in bills, and of course, plenty of carbon.
The whole cost of this process was reported around $100,000 – a good chunk of change for a small business. How did they afford it? According to several press sources they received a 30% grant from the US Treasury and Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources solar/renewable credits to offset the costs, as well as loans and accelerated depreciation benefits to fund this endeavor.
Other upgrades to the Real Pickles facility include new lighting, furnaces, hot water heater, and passive cooling (vents that cut refrigeration costs in the winter by admitting cold air into the coolers .) The Western Massachusetts Electric Company helped out with these upgrades through their rebate program for light fixtures and a grant that paid for roughly 50% of the walk in coolers.
It is truly great to see a local company with scrumptious products making such steps towards sustainability, and equally exciting to see just how many financing and tax incentives there are to make these improvements possible.
Have you made upgrades to your home or business? Let us know!
Read the original Greenfield Recorder article here.
Name: Travis
Bio: Communications & Development Coordinator for NESEA
Do stay in touch! "Like" us on Facebook, or Tweet at us @NESEA_org
