Our Speaker Series will be held on Wednesdays at 6:30 PM in Behrakis Hall 325.
NUSBO hosts the SBSY (Sustainable Building Systems) Speaker Series, a seminar series where members of the building industry share their experiences with students to connect academia to the ‘real world.’ This provides exposure to the field and helps create relationships between current practitioners and eager students who will be the future of the industry.
It is required for SBSBY students to attend at least six seminars in the semester, however, the speakers are also open to ANYONE and ALL undergrad/graduate students.
THIS WEEK’S SPEAKER:
Speaker: Christopher Schaffner, PE, LEED Fellow – Founder and CEO of The Green Engineer, Inc.
Date: January 29, 2025
Title: Green Buildings – What’s Next
Bio: Christopher Schaffner, PE, LEED Fellow, is part-time faculty at Northeastern, teaching courses on building energy systems in the Sustainable Building Systems Master Program in the College of Engineering. He holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from M.I.T. and is a registered professional engineer in Massachusetts, California, and Vermont. In addition, he is the founder and CEO of The Green Engineer, Inc., a sustainable design consulting firm located in Concord, MA.
Abstract: This presentation will explore current trends in green buildings, with a particular focus on electrification and the impact of buildings on human health. It will address the future trajectory of the industry, considering the influence of emerging technologies like AI and the evolving US political climate. Additionally, the discussion will examine how these factors may shape sustainability practices and regulations in the coming years.
Below is a list of last semester’s Speaker Series to provide some insight.
FALL 2024 SPEAKERS:
Speaker: Kevin Hagerty – CEO
Speaker: Rick Smith – Regional VP of Business Development
Date: November 13, 2024
Title: Decarbonizing the Cities of Boston and Cambridge with eSteam™
Bio: Kevin Hagerty is the CEO of Vicinity Energy, the largest owner and operator of district energy systems in North America. Kevin is joined by Rick Smith, Regional VP of Development for Vicinity.
Abstract: eSteam™ is the country’s first commercial net zero steam service and has been transformative for the more than 800 district energy systems across the United States. Through eSteam™, Vicinity will be able to decarbonize more than 70M square feet of space across Boston and Cambridge area without any changes to the buildings themselves. It’s an interruptive and transformative transition that will shape how the United States reduces its carbon emissions in the decades leading up to 2050.
Speaker: Colleen Soden
Date: November 6, 2024
Title: ISEC LEEDv3 GOLD to EXP LEEDv4 PLATINUM
Bio: Colleen has over 20 years’ experience in the sustainability sectors of planning, architecture and landscape architecture. Her project experience encompasses large-scale, mixed-use urban developments, office buildings, multifamily housing, retail, institutional, and healthcare facilities. Colleen’s previous work in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors has provided the rounded perspective that assists in her current green consulting work. Colleen had championed over a hundred of LEED and beyond projects, with a focus on energy and natural resource conservation. Colleen’s educational experience includes years of delivering LEED and Sustainability trainings nationally in addition to numerous national conference appearances.
Abstract: Get ready to dive into the remarkable EXP as we explore the latest evolution of LEED and how ISEC helped Northeastern University leed the charge in creating a cutting-edge LEED Platinum Laboratory—defying the odds to achieve the pinnacle of sustainability in high-energy environments!
Speaker: Hannah Payne
Date: October 30, 2024
Title: Decarbonizing Buildings Across Boston
Bio: Hannah Payne is the Director of Carbon Neutrality in the City of Boston’s Environment Department. She leads Boston’s work on building decarbonization and greenhouse gas accounting. Her team is responsible for implementing Boston’s building performance standard for large buildings and developing equitable building decarbonization programs for smaller buildings. Prior to joining the City of Boston she worked on climate change policy, programs, and planning for the City of Somerville. Hannah earned a Master’s in City Planning from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and holds a bachelor’s degree from Bryn Mawr College.
Abstract: Hannah Payne, the City of Boston’s Director of Carbon Neutrality, will talk about the City of Boston’s building decarbonization goals and strategies, including the Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance (BERDO). BERDO is a local law that requires large buildings in Boston to reduce their emissions over time and achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
Speaker: Jose Velazquez Avila
Date: October 23, 2024
Title: Building Controls & Automation
Bio: Full time Energy Engineer for WS development and Part-Time Graduate student at NEU. I have over 6 years of experience operating and commissioning MEP equipment. I also worked for Dr. Michael Kane’s Automation for the Built and Living Environment (ABLE) Laboratory. I graduated with a B.S in Energy Systems Engineering from Massachusetts Maritime Academy.
Abstract: We’ll talk about Building Controls, how we design and install them, and a live Demo of the Building Automation System (BAS) of a real building.
Speaker: Torrey Spies – Planning Real Estate & Facilities (PREF)
Date: October 16, 2024
Title: Decarbonization Planning at Northeastern University
Bio: Torrey has been at Northeastern since 2019 and currently serves as the Senior Sustainability Strategist with the Climate Justice and Sustainability Hub. While earning a Masters in City Planning at MIT, Torrey learned about scale of the emerging climate crisis and the role of the built and natural environments in contributing to climate change, reducing the impacts of climate change, and adapting to climate change. With nearly two decades of experience as a planner and environmental professional, she is thrilled to be working with a cross-disciplinary team to identify the best path for Northeastern to decarbonize its Massachusetts campuses.
Abstract: Northeastern is creating a decarbonization and resilience plan to strengthen its sustainability leadership. In this session, we’ll explore the planning process, discuss technologies like geo-exchange and heat recovery, and address the complexities of existing conditions. We’ll ask what’s important to consider in a decarbonization plan from resilience, decarbonization speed, and life cycle costs, to campus disruption, and environmental justice. Bring your questions and ideas!
Speaker: John Dalzell
Date: September 25, 2024
Title: Proof of Practice; Transitioning to Green Zero Net Carbon Buildings
Abstract: From the City of Boston’s first steps in greening buildings to today’s zero net carbon buildings, the journey has challenged leaders and practitioners to prove the feasibility of future practices before adoption. Uniquely, of great fortune Boston, we are home to some of the nations best developers, architects, engineers, builders, and civic leaders. Join us for a brief review of green building practices at key miles, amazing highlights from 2023, newly proven practices, and a discussion of the opportunities ahead.
SPRING 2024 SPEAKERS:
Speaker: David Fannon
Date: April 10, 2024
Title: Professor Fannon: Beyond Northeastern
Abstract: What does it mean to integrate research, teaching, and practice as an architect and building scientist? Attend this talk to learn about some of Prof. Fannon’s consulting projects and design work outside his faculty role at Northeastern.
Speaker: Chris Schaffner
Date: April 3, 2024
Title: The Electric Grid is Getting Cleaner – Now What?
Abstract: Massachusetts is targeting Net Zero Carbon by 2050. As the electric grid gets cleaner, all-electric buildings will reduce their emissions, while fossil fuel-based heating systems will become an albatross around their owner’s neck. For this reason, we’re seeing a push for electrification of building systems by owners and by industry regulations such as the new MA Stretch Energy Code. And with the promise of clean electricity reducing operational carbon, there is increased emphasis on reducing embodied carbon in construction. In this session we’ll explain the changes we’re seeing in the industry, and what this means for existing buildings and new construction.
Speaker: Sachin Patel
Date: March 20, 2024
Title: Distributed Generation Opportunities
Abstract: The future of electricity is not in building mega scale power plants, but in developing small renewable energy projects on rooftops, parking lots, backyards, landfills and gravel pits etc. The speaker will discuss how to identify these opportunities and what it takes to develop such distributed generation projects.
Speaker: Nicole Voss
Date: Wednesday, March 13th
Title: Resilient Design for Facilities, Communities and Climate
Abstract: In October 2022, Boston Medical Center opened an 82 bed behavioral health center unlike any other. We’ll explore how a former 1960’s nursing home was transformed into an NZE inpatient facility that engages both physical and social resilience strategies. This case study illustrates how designing for the dignity and safety of all occupants, along with back-up power systems and robust programmatic flexibility, combine to benefit the building’s community and healthcare ecosystem.
Speaker: Rob Durning
Date: Wednesday, February 21st
Title: Energy Efficiency and Building Performance Strategies
Abstract: GreenerU is a design-build climate action firm providing institutions with planning, engineering and construction management services to deliver on their energy efficiency, deferred maintenance and decarbonization goals. This seminar will cover the types of challenges institutions face when seeking to decarbonize their existing building stock, and the solutions GreenerU develops to help them achieve their goals – from tried and true low-hanging fruit like lighting and controls up through electrification and building envelope improvements.
Speaker: Amey Patil
Date: Wednesday, February 7th
Title: Passive house – The new normal in Massachusetts
Abstract: Since the launch of the Passive house multifamily offering in 2018, there has been a consistent rise in the number of developers opting to explore the benefits of an energy efficient development. We currently have 161 projects enrolled in the Mass Save High Rise & Passive House path that are considering or committed to Passive House certification, nearly 40% of those projects are low income. How did this transformation happen and what were the major catalysts for this change?
Speaker: Michael Orbank
Date: Wednesday, January 31st
Title: Be Loud and Question Norms – Implementing Sustainable Innovation In Construction
Abstract: As one of the largest sources of carbon emissions across the globe, the construction industry struggles to tackle the climate crisis and reduce their staggering carbon impacts. This doesn’t need to be the case though, and simplifying long held beliefs around sustainable construction can oftentimes lead to surprising progress. Come hear how persistent action, a focus on collaboration, and a passion for circularity has helped Michael Orbank (NU ’15, ’18) inject innovation into the construction process, and how students and professionals can help move the needle in the fight to decarbonize the built environment.