2016 Green Labs Symposium

Green Labs Symposium

Bringing together lab experts from the higher education, health care, and biotech sectors to explore challenges and solutions to making our labs more sustainable.

Hosted by the Boston Green Ribbon Commission Higher Education and Health Care Working Groups. With generous financial support for the event provided by Eversource.

Presentations and video

The journey toward lab sustainability through ventilation strategies and energy conservation efforts

Mark Howe and Ellen Sweet

Engaging Harvard laboratories in data-driven energy reduction campaigns

Quentin Gilly and Anthony Michetti

The elephant in the room: A nationwide study on laboratory plug loads

Allison Paradise

MassSave updates on lab efficiency efforts

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New Construction Panel

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MIT.nano - High performance research fueled by efficient design and operation

Travis Wanat

The importance of process in high performance building design

Betsy Isenstein

Introduction of the ISEC project and An integrated approach to design and programming maximizes energy savings

Steve Spear and Barry Shiel

The Green Ribbon Commission's Lab Benchmarking Study

Alison Farmer

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Existing Buildings Panel

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Whole building retrocommissioning at BU's Photonics Center

Elijah Ercolino

Biogen building 8 retrocommissioning project

John Kelliher

Albert Sherman Center: Achieving predicted energy use

David MacNeil and Suzanne Wood

AstraZeneca R&D Boston Energy Reduction Initiative

Bruce MacGregor

Northwest Lab Building

Tom Tribble

Conference highlights

An in-depth case study featuring Cornell University’s Lab Ventilation Management Program, presented by Mark Howe and Ellen Sweet of Cornell.
Other best-in-class local success stories, with a technical focus on energy efficiency, lab design, and HVAC strategies, for both new construction and renovation projects.
Presentations and discussion around occupant engagement, plug loads, and lab benchmarking.
Utility updates on lab efficiency programs.
Ample time for participants to discuss shared challenges and best practices.
Lunch and an evening networking reception.

Agenda

This schedule is tentative. The final agenda will be updated and posted closer to the event date.

8 am	Registration and coffee
9 am	Welcome addresses
9:15 am	Lab ventilation management program case study Mark Howe, Campus Energy Manager, Cornell University Ellen Sweet, Lab Ventilation Specialist, Cornell University The journey toward lab sustainability through ventilation strategies and energy conservation efforts Incorporating strategies in laboratories that enhances the long term ability for organizations to support science is a challenge that is often seen to compete with health and safety. A balanced approach to managing energy usage by reducing heat generation and proper chemical management allows the organization to lower ventilation rates and maintain the health of occupants of the laboratory. This presentation will discuss this approach to sustainability that resulted with the development of a Green Labs program to engage the campus community and further these efforts.
10:25 am	Coffee break
10:40 am	Occupant engagement strategies Quentin Gilly, Senior Sustainability Coordinator, and Anthony Michetti, Sustainability Coordinator, Harvard University Engaging Harvard laboratories in data-driven energy reduction campaigns Data-driven behavior change campaigns and competitions at Harvard University laboratories have resulted in significant energy reductions and cost savings across campus. Measurable impacts from data collection and analysis facilitate directed outreach and engagement to the laboratory community that improves behavior and changes culture. The Green Labs Program utilizes sub-metering to track and analyze data for successfully implementing freezer incentives and lab equipment plug load studies. Occupant engagement competitions, including the Shut the Sash and Lighting Competitions, also use sub-metering data to encourage reductions in energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. Based on this success, Harvard is currently piloting an energy incentive program combing these opportunities to drive occupant engagement and improve behavior within labs at Harvard while building a more sustainable campus community. Allison Paradise, Co-Founder and Executive Director, My Green Lab The elephant in the room - A nationwide study on laboratory plug loads The results of a recent nationwide study on laboratory plug loads revealed a significant opportunity for energy savings. Over 1500 scientists responded to questions about thirty-two pieces of equipment across seven product categories. Data about the average number of pieces of equipment per lab and the operating hours for the equipment were used to calculate a total estimated energy consumption of plug loads in labs. This work was done as part of a larger project to establish a center for independent, objective 3rd-party energy testing and benchmarking of laboratory equipment.
11:50 am	Lunch and networking
1 pm	MassSave updates on lab efficiency efforts John Kibbee, Supervisor of C&I Implementation, Eversource Energy Massachusetts Tom Coughlin, Manager of Technical Policy, National Grid
1:30 pm	New construction panel Travis Wanat, Department of Facilities, Massachusetts Institute of Technology MIT.nano – High Performance Research Fueled by Efficient Design and Operation When construction is complete is 2018, MIT.nano will house world-class research in nanotechnology. The new building is designed with an infrastructure that meets the demanding energy requirements of a cleanroom facility, while allowing for energy efficient operation by incorporating numerous conservation measures. Betsy Isenstein, Director of Facilities Technical Services, Tufts University The importance of process in high performance building design True high performance buildings are the result of a process that is as carefully designed as the building itself. Central to that process is a collaborative team with a shared vision of the project’s goals, a schedule that allows ample time in the early design phases to research unconventional approaches, and a decision making process in which competing strategies are openly debated and informed choices are made. But, can this work in the real world? Learn about the process and expected results for a local high performance science and engineering building currently under construction. Steve Spear, Sr. Project Manager, Northeastern University Introduction of the ISEC project (First project of our approved master plan) Barry Shiel, Associate Principal, Payette Associates An integrated approach to design and programming maximizes energy savings
2:30 pm	Coffee break
2:45 pm	Lab benchmarking study Alison Farmer, PhD, Senior Engineer II, kW Engineering The Green Ribbon Commission’s lab benchmarking study: Possibilities and preliminary results from a data gathering exercise among Boston's higher education institutions Energy benchmarking – ranking a building’s performance against that of similar facilities – is the building owner’s first step on the path towards improving energy efficiency. With the advent of building energy disclosure ordinances like Boston’s BERDO, benchmarking can also provide much-needed context for energy data released to the public. Lab facilities present a benchmarking challenge, not least because of the unique and energy-intensive features of labs that complicate comparisons between facilities. The Boston Green Ribbon Commission has initiated a major energy benchmarking study, encompassing lab buildings at all seven member schools of its Higher Education Working Group. The high-quality, consistent, and detailed information supplied by the member colleges will form a dataset of unprecedented quality that will be used not only to place each building’s performance in context but also to assess the potential for a national energy efficiency score for lab buildings. This presentation will present the study’s preliminary findings and potential impact.
3:15 pm	Existing buildings panel Elijah Ercolino, Director of Building Automation Services, Boston University Whole Building RetroCommisioning at BU's Photonics Center Discussion of an integrated approach to RCx involving engineering study, design changes, and utility support in order to improve thermal comfort, operational capability, and plan for future lab expansion. Measures investigated and pursued included not only RCx but the full design and sequence of the mechanical system and it's controls. John Kelliher, Senior Plant Engineer, Biogen Biogen building 8 retrocommissioning project Over a two year period Biogen undertook a large retro-commissioning project of one of their largest laboratory buildings to reduce airflow demands, energy consumption and regain lost redundancy. This project took place with the building fully occupied and delivered substantial reductions in airflow consumption and energy usage while maintaining comfort and ventilation efficacy. David M. MacNeil, Sr. Mechanical Project Manager, UMass Medical School Suzanne Wood, Sustainability & Energy Manager, UMass Medical School Albert Sherman Center: Achieving predicted energy use David MacNeil and Suzanne Wood will discuss efforts at the University of Massachusetts Medical School to reduce energy usage in the Albert Sherman Center to levels predicted during design. Successful strategies included: reducing ventilation during occupied hours, fine tuning energy recovery wheel operation, adjusting building pressurization, and implementing temperature setbacks. Bruce MacGregor, Facilities System Specialist, AstraZeneca R&D Boston AstraZeneca R&D Boston Energy Reduction Initiative AstraZeneca Boston’s five year plan to reduce campus energy use by 30% using technology and teaming with local utility companies. Tom Tribble, Senior Facilities Manager, Harvard University Northwest Lab Building
4:30-6 pm	Informal discussion time and networking reception

presenters

Speakers

Meredith Weenick ’90, M.B.A. ’02, joined Harvard University in 2014 as the Vice President for Campus Services. Weenick is responsible for a department comprised of 1,600 employees and a wide portfolio that covers most of the critical operations of the campus, as well as such major University initiatives as the development of the Smith Campus Center and the Common Spaces program. The vice president for campus services oversees a multifaceted group of operating service departments, including facilities services and property management, sustainability services, real estate management (both residential and commercial), dining and hospitality, event planning, engineering and utilities, transportation and parking, global support services and international student services, environmental health and safety, emergency management, and the campus service center.

Previously, Weenick served in various capacities at the city of Boston, joining in 2002 as an
HBS Leadership Fellow. She served for five years as a policy adviser to former Mayor Thomas M. Menino, working on citywide policy implementation in the areas of budget, finance, and performance management. In 2010, she became the city’s chief financial officer, overseeing its $2.6 billion operating budget and $1.8 billion capital budget, as well as its debt and investment management, financial auditing and reporting, and risk management. As a member of the mayor’s cabinet, she played a strategic role in citywide organizational management and policy development.

Prior to joining the city, Weenick spent more than 10 years in management positions in community service and workforce development, including service as the director of operations at City Year Boston and the deputy director of the Massachusetts Service Alliance, where she was responsible for the daily operations of the Massachusetts Governor’s Commission on National and Community Service. Active in a variety of volunteer efforts, Weenick currently serves on a number of boards of directors of community-based organizations, including the Children’s Advocacy Center, a Suffolk County-based non-profit that supports child abuse victims and their families.

Heather Henriksen is the Director of the Harvard University Office for Sustainability.

Heather leads a University-wide initiative that brings together students, faculty, and staff across Harvard’s 13 Schools and dozens of central administrative departments to set and achieve goals for a healthier, more efficient, and sustainable campus. Working with the Executive Vice President, and an Executive Committee commissioned by President Drew Faust, she and her team have built a robust stakeholder engagement and governance structure responsible for implementing Harvard’s science-based Greenhouse Gas Reduction Goal and the creation of the first five-year Sustainability Plan. By cultivating partnerships with faculty and researchers, they are focused on using the campus to develop scalable solutions that enhance the well-being of the entire campus community.

Heather co-chairs a working group of the International Sustainable Campus Network (ISCN) and the Sustainability Working Group for the Council of Ivy Presidents, and serves on the Executive Committee of Solution Generation. In coordination with Harvard’s Executive Vice President, she manages the Higher Education Working Group of the Boston Green Ribbon Commission and serves on the City of Cambridge’s Compact for a Sustainable Future Steering Committee and Net Zero Task Force. Outside of Harvard, Heather is a partner of Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2), a member of the Board of Trustees of Phillips Brooks House Association, and previously served on Secretary Napolitano’s Sustainability and Efficiency Task Force, Department of Homeland Security. She holds a Master in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School.

Amy P. Longsworth is an executive consultant with more than 20 years of experience helping corporate senior leadership teams shape their sustainability and business strategies to minimize risk and grow opportunities. She also has extensive background in the nonprofit sector and with multi-sector projects and initiatives. She currently serves as Director of the Boston Green Ribbon Commission (a group of 35 business, philanthropic, and civic leaders who support the City’s Climate Action Plan) and consults independently on sustainability-related business projects. Amy was formerly a Managing Director in PwC’s Sustainable Business Solutions practice, where she led the Retail & Consumer and Hospitality industry teams.

With an emphasis on effective business planning, marketing, branding, and communications, Amy has served clients in the apparel, beauty, grocery, retail, hospitality, media and entertainment, transportation, and household products industries. She joined PwC in 2012 through the acquisition of Viridis Strategy Group, a sustainability-focused management-consulting firm, where she was a founding partner. Previous roles include ten years in marketing with The Nature Conservancy, most recently as Vice President Corporate Programs, and numerous environmentally related consulting projects and board service.

From 2009-2011, Amy led Viridis’ participation in the global Green Brands survey, providing insight into consumer perceptions of companies and brands. She also managed the Sustainability Innovators Working Group, a thought-leadership forum for corporate sustainability management. She holds a BA in English from Wesleyan University and an MBA from Harvard University.

Tilak Subrahmanian, Vice President, Energy Efficiency for Eversource, oversees one of the largest energy efficiency portfolios in the industry. He leads a team that is focused on scaling energy efficiency to drive aggressive reductions in energy use. Eversource’s energy efficiency programs serve more than 3.5 million electric and natural gas customers in three New England states. Eversource’s Energy Efficiency team also works closely with business partners and communities to help shape strong, environmentally sound energy policy.

In support of the scaling efforts, Tilak led discussions with Massachusetts banks and credit unions to roll out financing mechanisms to encourage customer investments in energy efficiency. That effort has resulted in roughly $250 million of private financing capital being invested in energy efficiency in the state in just the last three years. Tilak has also been a judge of the MIT Clean Energy Prize (CEP), a business plan competition focused on significantly accelerating the pace of energy innovation and entrepreneurship.

Previously, Tilak was at Arthur D. Little and at Thomson Reuters. He has an extensive background in Corporate Strategy and New Business ventures, working with executives in different industries to drive top-line growth and performance. He also has successfully launched and operated new business ventures for several companies. Tilak earned an MBA from the University of Michigan, a MS Engineering from the University of Washington, and B.Tech Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras.

Roshan Bhakta is an Energy Efficiency Consultant at Eversource. His focus is on new construction projects in the biotech, pharmaceutical, healthcare, and higher education sectors. He also assists in developing new statewide programs to support new construction and net-zero designs. Prior to joining Eversource he provided energy efficiency master planning to the US Army MEDCOM, serving as the subject matter expert on their hospital and laboratory facilities. He is a graduate of Boston University in mechanical engineering and a Certified Energy Manager.

Thomas Coughlin is National Grid’s Manager of Technical Policy. For over 25 years he has been involved in the design, implementation and evaluation of residential, commercial, industrial and government energy efficiency programs. Currently Tom oversees National Grid’s overall technical strategy and policy team . He has been a member of the Energy Advisory Committee for the Mass. Board of Building Regulations and Standards and the US DOE’ss Appliance Standards AND Rulemaking Federal Advisory Committee. He holds a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from the University of Maine.

Elijah Ercolino, CEM, is the Director of Building Automation Services at Boston University where he is leading the efforts to reduce energy and water consumption through the use of controls which allow buildings to operate more efficiently with improved occupant comfort and reduced maintenance costs. Before joining BU, Elijah spent several years working in venture-backed cleantech startups in player/coach roles as an Energy Engineer/Senior Program Manager for Commercial/Industrial/Federal clients. Prior to this, Mr. Ercolino spent six years at a boutique Intellectual Property Law firm focused on securing the rights of independent inventors. Elijah graduated from University of Idaho and received his Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Boston University where he founded the BU Energy Club.

Alison Farmer is a physicist with a deep dedication to energy efficiency in buildings. Alison has extensive experience as an energy efficiency consultant for lab facilities, from strategic planning to detailed energy savings calculations, and has chaired the I2SL Lab Benchmarking Working Group since its inception in 2014. Alison holds Bachelors and Masters degrees in physics from the University of Cambridge and a PhD in astrophysics from Caltech.

Quentin Gilly is a Senior Sustainability Coordinator at Harvard University’s Office for Sustainability where he partners with lab managers and researchers to improve the energy efficiency of laboratories through occupant engagement programs and building upgrades. Previous to his role in the Green Program, Quentin spent seven years working as a lab manager and automation specialist in the Department of Genetics at Harvard Medical School. While working at the Medical School, Quentin earned a master’s degree in Environmental Management & Sustainability through the Harvard Division of Continuing Education.

Mark J Howe, PE, CEM, is the Program Manager for the Energy Conservation Initiative program, a program of re-commissioning, studies and conservation projects throughout the Cornell University Ithaca and Geneva campuses. Prior to managing the Energy Conservation Initiative, Mark led the Energy Conservation Controls Team (ECCT) in the Cornell University Control Shop and before that provided design services for Facilities Engineering. Mark is the Campus Energy Manager in the Energy Management department at Cornell University and lives in Ithaca with his wife and family.

Betsy Isenstein is the director of Facilities Technical Services at Tufts University. Facilities Technical Services supports Tufts University’s three campuses by ensuring safe, efficient, durable, maintainable and sustainable buildings and utility systems. Previous to this position, she was the energy manager at Tufts. Prior to joining Tufts in 1995, Ms. Isenstein managed energy programs for General Electric Company in Lynn, MA. Ms. Isenstein holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from Tufts and an M.B.A. from Northeastern University.

John Kelliher is a senior plant engineer at Biogen Inc and joined the company in 1999. His responsibilities include the safe, reliable and efficient operation of the utility systems and infrastructure serving the Biogen Cambridge Campus. This campus consists of approximately 1.4 million square feet of manufacturing, laboratory and general administrative space. Mr. Kelliher is also responsible for the operation of Biogen’s On-Site CHP Facility that provides steam and power to the campus. John is a recognized energy efficiency lead and sustainability champion within Biogen. John is a 1997 graduate of Northeastern University and holds a degree in chemical engineering. He is also a member of ISPE, AFE and AEE.

John Kibbee is the Supervisor of C&I Implementation at Eversource Energy Massachusetts. John has a BSChE from Northeastern University and a CSS from Harvard Extension School and has earned LEED AP and CEM Accreditation. After 16 years in the chemical business, he has spent the last 16 years in HVAC maintenance, design build and controls industries, including this his sixth year working to bring energy efficiency initiatives to Eversource's customers statewide in Massachusetts.

Bruce MacGregor has been working in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries for the past 27 years. He has been employed at AstraZeneca R&D Boston for 17 years and is currently the Facilities System Specialist where he is responsible for project management and technical support within the facilities and engineering departments. His background is in HVAC, Building Automation, and Central Utility Plants. Bruce leads the AstraZeneca Boston site energy team and is a member of the AstraZeneca North America energy team. During the past few years Bruce’s focus has been developing and executing a five year energy reduction plan to reduce site energy use by 30%. To achieve this goal required installation of gas and electric metering, a middleware energy dashboard, and a team approach that included partnering with local utility companies and engineering consultants.

David M. MacNeil, PE, is a Senior Project Manager in the Facilities Engineering and Construction Department at the University of Massachusetts Medical School University Campus. He has over 20 years of experience in the design of mechanical systems for a wide range of building types including; hospitals, laboratories, museums, libraries, academic and commercial buildings. David currently oversees approximately 5,000,000 ft2 of building area which includes two research laboratories 350,000 ft2 and 500,000 ft2 respectively. Mr. MacNeil is a member of the Better Building Alliance Laboratories Project Team and has been a registered professional engineer in Massachusetts since 2000. He is also a LEED Accredited Professional.

Anthony Michetti is a Sustainability Coordinator at Harvard University’s Office for Sustainability where he supports behavior change programs that conserve resources, and reduce energy and waste. He works both in lab buildings and academic and administrative buildings at the University. Prior to his role at Harvard, Anthony worked for an environmental consulting firm and a civil engineering firm. He has his Master of Science in Environmental Studies with a concentration in Sustainable Development and Climate Change from Antioch University New England, and his Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from Trinity College.

Greg Muth is the founding president of the New England chapter of the International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (formerly Labs21). He is a Lab Planner at Tsoi/Kobus & Associates with more than 30 years of experience designing science and technology projects for Universities, Institutions and Corporate Clients. He is an acknowledged thought leader in the area of sustainability for laboratories and other research facilities as well as the author of numerous articles on laboratory design and a regular speaker at conferences on this topic.

Allison Paradise co-founded My Green Lab to bridge the pervasive, inexplicable gap between sustainability and science. Combining a long-held passion for environmental stewardship, a belief in the power of collective action, and the knowledge afforded by her experiences as a scientist, Allison maintains a unique appreciation of the vast potential to make research methods more sustainable. Motivated by that opportunity, Allison works to unite scientists, vendors, institutional executives, and entire organizations in the bringing of innovative and engaging sustainability programs directly to laboratories. Also under her leadership, My Green Lab has established widely-used standards for sustainable laboratory practices, and is currently guiding an effort to dramatically improve precision in the analysis of laboratory energy consumption.

As a scientist, Allison’s research focused on using a systems approach to studying complex biological processes. She subsequently applied systems thinking to address a variety of complexities in the lab, including sustainability. She holds undergraduate degrees in neuroscience and Spanish literature from Brown University, and a graduate degree in neuroscience from Harvard University. She is a 2015 recipient of the International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories’ Go Beyond award, and is frequently engaged to speak on topics related to sustainability in research.

Barry Shiel, AIA, is an Associate Principal at Payette. Since his arrival in 1985, Barry has led the design teams of several of Payette’s major research projects for universities including the Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Complex at Northeastern University. He has over 30 years of experience at Payette and brings terrific project management skills and relevant science and technology experiences to each of his projects. Barry has a proven track record managing the design process for complex science projects with challenging programmatic and MEP systems requirements. Barry received his B.Arch from the University of Notre Dame.

Stephen A. Spear AIA, LEED AP, is Sr. Capitol Project Manager at Northeastern University. Stephen Has been at the University for 3 years, coming to us to work on our Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Complex (ISEC). He has over 30 years of combined Architectural and Construction experience and brings a high level of relevant technical experience. Stephen has completed a wide variety of projects including Educational, Master Planning, and before coming to Northeastern worked on the New Honors College for the University of Massachusetts (Amherst Campus).

Ellen Sweet has a Master’s degree from the Rochester Institute of Technology in EHS Management and is a Certified Chemical Hygiene Officer. She had over 10 years of lab experience as a technician and lab manager before joining the Research Safety Section at Cornell in 2010. Ellen is responsible for the Laboratory Ventilation Management Program (LVMP) which is a comprehensive management system that balances health and safety with energy conservation strategies for research and teaching labs. She is also an active volunteer with the American Chemical Society, Division of Chemical Health and Safety.

Travis Wanat is a Senior Project Manager for the Department of Facilities at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. With over 17 years of experience in the construction industry, Travis oversees and manages the programming, design, and construction of capital projects. These days his time is dedicated to shepherding the construction of MIT.nano, which will house state-of-the-art cleanroom, imaging, and prototyping facilities supporting research with nanoscale materials and processes.

Suzanne Wood is the Sustainability & Energy Manager for UMass Medical School. In her current role, Suzanne is responsible for tracking and reporting on key performance indicators for energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions at 20 sites and assists in the execution energy efficiency projects including energy retrofits and existing building commissioning activities. Additionally, Suzanne is tasked with increasing recycling and waste diversion rates at over 50 UMass Medical School and UMass Memorial Medical Center facilities. Prior to her appointment as Sustainability & Energy Manager, she worked for the universities Environmental Health and Safety Department concentrating on chemical and laboratory safety.

Location

The event will take place at the Knafel Center at Harvard's Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Studies.

Knafel Center
10 Garden Street
Cambridge, MA 02138

Enter through the courtyard, registration will be on the ground floor, and the event will take place on the second floor in the Knafel Gym.

Transportation

MBTA

Harvard’s Knafel Center is conveniently located within a ten minute walk from the Harvard Square T stop.

A number of buses also service the area:

1, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 72/75, 73, 74, 75, 77, 78, 83, 86, 96

Hubway

The Knafel Center is also conveniently located within a five minute walk from three Hubway stations: (1) Harvard Square at Brattle Street at Eliot Street (2) Harvard Square at Mass Ave and Dunster Street, (3) Harvard Law School at Mass Ave and Jarvis Street. Check out the map of all Hubway locations.

Motor vehicle

Participants are strongly encouraged to use public transportation, car-sharing, biking, or any other form of sustainable transportation to come to the event. However, if you need to use a car, some public parking facilities are available for a fee in the area:

Holyoke Center parking Garage
Harvard Square parking Garage
University Place Parking Garage
Charles Square Garage
Church Street Parking lot
Harvard Square Hotel

More information on parking location and fees

About the Boston Green Ribbon Commission

The Boston Green Ribbon Commission is a multi-sector group of business, institutional and civic leaders in Boston working to develop shared strategies for addressing climate change in coordination with Boston’s city leadership and Boston’s Climate Action Plan. The two key areas of focus for the group are GHG emissions reductions and climate preparedness.

Boston Green Ribbon Commission Higher Education Participants

Boston College, Boston University, Emerson, Harvard University, MIT, Northeastern University, Tufts, UMass Boston

Boston Green Ribbon Commission Health Care Participants

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston Medical Center, Cambridge Health Alliance, Boston Children's Hospital, Covenant Health Care, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Heywood Hospital, Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary, MetroWest Medical Center's Framingham Union and Leonard Morse Hospitals, Partners HealthCare, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Faulkner Hospital, McLean Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital, Newton Wellesley Hospital, North Shore Medical Center, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and Network, Steward Health Care, Carney Hospital, Saint Elizabeth’s Medical Center, Tufts Medical Center, UMass Memorial Medical Center

Contact

Please contact Caroleen Verly at caroleen_verly@harvard.edu with any questions or concerns.

Thank you to our sponsors and partners.

2014 Green Labs Symposium

WATCH VIDEO

Welcome address

Smart Labs Keynote: Wendell Brase

Part 1 Smart Labs Workshop: Matt Gudorf

Part 2 Smart Labs Workshop: Marc Gomez

Part 3 Smart Labs Workshop: David Kang

Part 4 Smart Labs Workshop: Fred Bockmiller

Part 5 Smart Labs Workshop: Matt Gudorf

John Kibbee and Joe Ranahan

David MacNeil and Fran Boucher

Read Event White Paper

Green Labs Symposium Summary

Presentations

Smart Labs Workshop (Part 1)

Smart Labs Workshop (Part 2)

Conference Highlights

A workshop and detailed case study presented by the Smart Labs team at UC Irvine, which has realized energy savings of 50% or more in existing and new laboratories. Featuring technical presentations from personnel in UC Irvine’s Facilities Management and Environmental Health & Safety organizations.
Other best-in-class success stories, with a technical focus on energy efficiency, lab design, and HVAC strategies.
Ample time for participants to discuss shared challenges and best practices.
Opportunities to provide input on future events and other resources.
Presentations from NSTAR and National Grid about optimizing the rebate process.
Lunch and an evening networking reception.

Conference Agenda

8 am

Registration and coffee

8:45 am

Welcome address

Video welcomes from Katie Lapp, Executive Vice President at Harvard University and Chair of the Boston Green Ribbon Commission Higher Education Working Group and Kate Walsh, President and CEO of Boston Medical Center and Co-Chair of the Boston Green Ribbon Commission Health Care Working Group, Introduced by Heather Henriksen, Director of the Harvard Office for Sustainability
Tilak Subrahmanian, Vice President of Energy Efficiency for Northeast Utilities

9 am

Keynote Speakers

Wendell Brase, Vice Chancellor, Administrative & Business Services at UC Irvine
Phil Wirdzek, Founding President and Executive Director of the International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I²SL), Introduced by Greg Muth, President of the new Boston Chapter of I2SL

Walking with Owners

Not only must a new or existing laboratory or related high technology facility be designed and engineered for energy and environmental sustainability, it must be built to accommodate that intended performance. Similarly, the design, the engineering and construction must be undertaken to enable the owner and facility occupants to maintain and operate the facility to achieve the investment for performance. This presentation will simply define the need for efficient communication of standardized information that is at once understandable and comprehensive, and support behavior that will remain consistent throughout the expected life of the facility. Without meaningful and clear communication of relevant information to all facility stakeholders, sustainability may be unachievable and the performance investments wasted.
Allen Aloise, Director of Laboratories and Co-Director of Graduate Studies in the Harvard Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology

What Does A Student Gain by Working In An Efficient Academic Lab?

Significant progress has been made in the design and equipping of academic laboratories to minimize energy consumption and conserve resources. The fiscal and environmental benefits of these actions for the buildings and universities these labs reside in have been well documented. Yet when our students are unaware of these benefits and are not engaged in efficient laboratory operations, they can be left to wonder: What will I gain by working in an efficient lab? Will my experiment progress more quickly? Will I achieve additional publications in more prestigious journals? While students’ immediate paybacks are less tangible than an improved reaction, they are perhaps more significant in the long run. In the Harvard Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, when researchers, from undergraduates to post-docs, are included in the design, equipping, and operation of efficient and sustainable laboratories, they gain knowledge and and learn principles that will inform the decisions they make as they embark in their professional careers around the world. This learning process is consistent with Harvard’s educational mission and is now considered an essential part of our curriculum.

10 am

Break

10:30 am

University of California, Irvine, Smart Labs Workshop Part 1

Marc A. Gomez, Assistant Vice Chancellor, EH&S and Facilities Management at UC Irvine
Matt Gudorf, Campus Energy Manager at UC Irvine
Fred Bockmiller, Manager, Engineering Group at UC Irvine
David Kang, Industrial Hygiene Energy Specialist at UC Irvine

12 pm

Lunch sponsored by NSTAR and National Grid

1:15 pm

University of California, Irvine, Smart Labs Workshop Part 2

2:15 pm

Additional presentations

Balancing the Demands of Facility Cost, Redundancy, and Energy Efficiency—When Designing and Constructing a LEED Gold Medical Device Cleanroom Facility

Paul Lukitsch, Regional Facilities Manager at EMD Millipore

This presentation will highlight a project that was recently completed at EMD Millipore to design and construct 2 LEED Gold Certified Cleanrooms to manufacture medical device assemblies. This project applied innovative techniques to design, construct, and operate this production space efficiently and cost effectively, while building in critical redundancy and robustness. The company’s philosophy on Green Building projects such as LEED, along with the performance results will be presented.
Partners Healthcare Strategic Energy Master Plan for Labs

Chris Longchamps, Senior Facilities Engineer at Partners HealthCare

Partners has been involved in an aggressive Strategic Energy Master Plan (SEMP) for the last several years. Lab Buildings are by far the largest consumer of energy per square foot. We will discuss a case study on one specific lab building and how we made some relatively simple changes in its operation and saved tons of energy and lots of money. In addition, we have been able to maintain the savings with a constant commissioning program that is ahead of the curve.
Optimizing Building Performance while Reducing Energy at Northeastern University's Egan Research Center

John Kibbee, Program Manager at NSTAR Electric & Gas, Joe Ranahan, Energy Manager at Northeastern University

Northeastern University's Egan Research Center represents a small portion of NEU's footprint, but a very high percentage of it's energy use. In 2012, plans were put into motion to get the building to perform well while reducing it's energy utilization. Like most comprehensive projects, the work at Egan, required a team in order to accomplish. Commissioning work, Balancing work, Engineering calculations, Sequence design, Field modifications, and follow through to completion as well as user satisfaction post installation. Work continues on the building's mechanical systems to further reduce but the bulk of savings has been achieved in the early phases.
Large-scale ventilation efficiency retrofit project recently completed with the help of National Grid

Fran Boucher, Energy Efficiency Program Manager at National Grid, David MacNeil, Senior Mechanical Project Engineer at UMass Medical School

UMass Medical School has recently completed a large scale ventilation efficiency project with National Grid for retrofit of existing lab facilities. They are currently considering additional projects for biomedical lab buildings. They will share their experience with working with utilities, in terms of both technical assistance and financial support. In addition they will provide a quick insight into the benefits they received beyond energy savings and the level of effort that was required to sell these ideas internally and carry out the work.

3:30 pm

Break

3:45 pm

Small group discussions

5 pm

Wrap up and networking reception sponsored by NSTAR and National Grid

Presenters

Keynote Speakers

Allen Aloise is the Director of Laboratories and Co-Director of Graduate Studies in the Harvard Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology. As the administrative executive for CCB, he is responsible ensuring that 32 Faculty members have the staff, facilities, financial and grants management support necessary to conduct world class research and teaching. He has overseen the construction and renovation of tens of thousands of square feet of research space, with a focus on safe, efficient, and sustainable laboratories that enable new discoveries. As Co-Director of Graduate Studies, Allen administers the academic program for approximately 175 graduate students and serves as a resource and mentor for those students. He has served as a Lecturer, Science Safety Officer, and Associate Director of Technical Services previously at Harvard. Allen has a Ph.D. in chemistry from Harvard University and a B.S. in chemistry from Pennsylvania State University.

Wendell Brase chairs the University of California’s Climate Solutions Steering Group and leads an award-winning sustainability program in his role as Vice Chancellor for Administrative and Business Services at the University of California, Irvine. Under his leadership, UC Irvine was recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency with a 2014 Climate Leadership Award for Organizational Leadership for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and addressing climate change. The campus also received California’s highest environmental award, the Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award, in 2008 and again in 2013; has earned numerous accolades for sustainability, including a 2009 EPA Environmental Leadership Achievement Award; and has been on Sierra magazine’s Top 10 list of greenest campuses for the past four years, coming in at No. 3 in 2013. The campus currently has 11 LEED Platinum and eight LEED Gold buildings, among the most at any campus in the U.S. Wendell holds two degrees (S.B., S.M., 1970) from the Sloan School of Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Before joining UC Irvine, he was Vice Chancellor for Finance, Planning, and Administration at UC Santa Cruz from 1978 to 1991. Prior to that, he served as Associate Director for Administration for the Laboratory for Laser Fusion at the University of Rochester from 1973 to 1978.

Phil Wirdzek is the founding president and executive director of the International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I²SL^®). Mr. Wirdzek was responsible for creating the Laboratories for the 21^st Century (Labs21^®) program, a U.S. public-private partnership promoting sustainable design and engineering of laboratories. Through his leadership, I²SL is expanding that mission both within the US and internationally, creating new tools and services, through I²SL chapters and partnerships. Mr. Wirdzek’s experience covers environmental risk assessment, industrial microbiology, wastewater systems, facility management, energy efficiency and sustainable environmental policy. He served as chair of Carnegie Mellon University’s Center for Advanced Building Systems Integration and Diagnostics for nearly a decade and is presently an adjunct faculty member for the Sea Grant Institute at the University of Hawaii, Manoa HI. Mr. Wirdzek has received numerous awards, is a frequent speaker at many national and international events, and has published in various trade journals.

Senior Leadership

Katie Lapp, Executive Vice President at Harvard University and Chair of the Boston Green Ribbon Commission Higher Education Working Group. Ms. Lapp oversees all aspects of the University’s financial, administrative, human resources, campus services, planning and project management, development in Allston, health services, information technology and diversity functions. She works closely with Harvard’s senior leadership team to ensure that Harvard’s financial, capital, and operational resources are optimally deployed in support of Harvard’s mission.

Kate Walsh is President and CEO of Boston Medical Center, a health system with annual operating revenues exceeding $2.3b. The system is comprised of the hospital, a health plan—BMC HealthNet Plan, Medicaid Managed Care plan, and Boston HealthNet, an affiliated network of 14 community health centers. BMC is a full service academic medical center and the primary teaching affiliate of the Boston University School of Medicine. Walsh has previously served as executive vice president and chief operating officer of Brigham and Women’s Hospital, as chief operating officer for Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, and as senior vice president at Massachusetts General Hospital. With a bachelor’s of arts degree and a master’s degree in public health from Yale University, Walsh is a member of the Boards of Trustees of Emmanuel College, the YMCA of Greater Boston, the Boston Public Health Commission, the Massachusetts Hospital Association, the Council of Teaching Hospitals, and the Dean’s council of the Yale University School of Medicine. Walsh, a native of Brookline, is married and has two children.

Tilak Subrahmanian, Vice President of Energy Efficiency for Northeast Utilities, oversees one of the largest energy efficiency portfolios in the industry. He leads a team that is focused on scaling energy efficiency to drive aggressive reductions in energy use. NU’s energy efficiency programs serve more than 3.5 million electric and natural gas customers in three New England states. NU’s Energy Efficiency team also works closely with business partners and communities to help shape strong, environmentally sound energy policy. In support of the scaling efforts, Tilak led discussions with Massachusetts banks and credit unions to roll out financing mechanisms to encourage customer investments in energy efficiency. That effort has resulted in roughly $150 million of private financing capital being invested in energy efficiency in the state in just the last two years. Previously, Tilak was at Arthur D. Little and at Thomson Reuters. He has an extensive background in Corporate Strategy and New Business ventures, working with executives in different industries to drive top-line growth and performance. He also has successfully launched and operated new business ventures for several companies. Tilak earned an MBA from the University of Michigan, a MS Engineering from the University of Washington, and B.Tech Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras.

Additional Speakers

Fred Bockmiller is Manager of the Engineering Group in the Facilities Management Department. He is actively involved in all aspects of Facilities Management from initial planning through final acceptance, to operation, maintenance, and renovation of the entire campus and its extensive utility infrastructure. He graduated magna cum laude from the California Maritime Academy and has completed graduate certificate programs in supervision, management and executive leadership through UC Irvine and the John F. Kennedy School of Government. He is a Professional Engineer, Certified Energy Manager, and a LEED® Accredited Professional. In addition, Mr. Bockmiller holds unlimited operating licenses in steam, diesel, and gas turbine engineering. During the last 25 years, Fred has been a major part of nearly tripling the size of the Irvine campus building area and the creation of its award-winning energy systems.

Fran Boucher, is currently a Program Manager for National Grid's Commercial and Industrial Energy Efficiency Group. His focus covers; sustainable design for new construction, lab and biotech energy efficiency plus data center efficiency. He is a Certified Energy Manager and a LEED Accredited Professional. He has over 25 years’ experience in energy efficiency, facility management and commercial construction. He is currently developing lab efficiency projects for several clients valued at over $4.0 million. He was the Sustainability Coordinator for the design and construction of National Grids 318,000 s.f. LEED Platinum Corporate Office in Waltham completed in 2009. He is the recipient of the 2007 Association of Energy Engineer's Region One Energy Professional Development Award. Projects under his direction have recently won a National Grid Chairman’s award plus awards from the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnership, Boston Business Journal, the Mass. Environmental Business Council and the New England Association of Energy Engineers. He is a frequent speaker and professional trainer for programs for Build Boston, Boston ASHRAE, and New England Association of Industrial Hygienists.

Marc Gomez is the Assistant Vice Chancellor for Facilities Management and Environmental Health & Safety at UC Irvine. He has more than 30 years of experience working in private industry, health care, and the academic environment. Marc holds certifications in Industrial Hygiene, Safety and Risk Management. He has a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor of Science degree from Tulane University. Marc has served in many leadership positions for the Campus Safety, Health and Environmental Management Association as well as the American Industrial Hygiene Association. Marc enjoys facilitating partnerships and identifying synergies to bring different groups together.

Matt Gudorf has led UC Irvine's energy management group for the last four years. He graduated from The Ohio State University with a degree in electrical engineering and is a Certified Energy Manager. Under his leadership, UC Irvine completed a record number of energy-efficiency projects under the UC/CSU/IOU Energy Efficiency Partnership in 2012 and 2013. The University of California (UC), California State University (CSU), and California's four large Investor-Owned Utilities (IOU) – Pacific Gas & Electric, San Diego Gas & Electric, Southern California Edison, and Southern California Gas Co. – established this Partnership in 2004 to provide a sustainable and comprehensive energy management program for the 33 UC and CSU campuses. Matt's work as the Campus Energy Manager has focused on all aspects of energy management including energy procurement, self-generation, renewable generation, energy efficiency, and life cycle energy impact from new construction. His commitment to sharing his team's best practices and lessons learned has helped raise the profile of professional energy management and challenges peer institutions to follow in UC Irvine's footsteps.

Heather Henriksen, Director, Harvard Office for Sustainability. Heather oversees a team of change agents that works across Harvard's 12 Schools and multiple administrative departments to set and achieve Harvard’s university-wide sustainability vision and goals, including the goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 30% by 2016, including growth. She manages working groups and committees that leverage the unique knowledge of students, faculty and staff to develop innovative and replicable models for cost-effective and lasting environmental change. In addition, she coordinates external sustainability partnerships with higher education peers, businesses and government agencies.

David Kang is an Industrial Hygienist in the Environmental Health and Safety Department. He helps to ensure that all energy projects on campus are done safely and in compliance with safety and health regulations. He has 12 years of experience working as an EH&S professional in various settings such as biotechnology, construction, energy efficiency, consulting, and government. He has a Master of Public Health degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Physics from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. He is also LEED® Accredited Professional.

John Kibbee is a graduate of Northeastern University, BS Chemical Engineering and also holds a Certificate in Special Studies from Harvard Extension School. He has been credentialed as a LEED AP O&M since 2010 and a CEM since 2012. John presently is a program manager at Nstar, where he oversees projects within the College and University Sector with some of his time going toward the Biotech sector. In addition to his personal passions, John does much charity work on behalf of brain cancer research at the Dana Farber.

Chris Longchamps, Senior Facilities Engineer at Partners HealthCare, has an Electrical Engineering Degree from the Wentworth Institute of Technology, however he is equally proficient in Mechanical Engineering. He has worked for Partners Healthcare for 20 years as a Senior Facilities Engineer. His focus over that time has been to update MEP infrastructure in various hospital and lab buildings dating back to 1811. Over the years he has managed to save over $40 Million dollars in energy savings. He is currently developing on an energy conservation model that can be monitored and tracked using the building automation system as a continuous commissioning tool.

Paul Lukitsch is the Regional Facilities Manager and World Wide Energy Manager for Millipore Corp in charge of 14 Facilities and over 1 Mill sq ft of production, research, laboratories, cleanrooms, warehousing, and office space. In this role he manages the World Wide Energy Team, manages a team of 30 Facilities Professionals, and is a member of the Millipore worldwide Corporate Sustainability Steering Team. Since 2007, the company has implemented savings projects including a 18% reduction in energy usage, installation of an onsite 310KW solar system, changeover to a hybrid vehicle fleet, and product design for sustainability programs. Millipore was recently recognized by the AEE New England Chapter for best Corporate Energy Management Program, and Paul was recognized as Energy Manager of the Year. Prior to joining Millipore, Paul was with Teradyne Inc., where he managed facilities and production equipment and maintenance at 11 international sites and oversaw high technology equipment transfers to Mexico and Southeast Asia. Paul has a Plastics Engineering Degree from the University of Lowell, Ma, is a CEM- Certified Energy Manager, and additional Six Sigma Leadership training. He is also a Total Quality Management program instructor.

David MacNeil is a Senior Project Manager in the Facilities Engineering and Construction Department at the University of Massachusetts Medical School University Campus. He has over 18 years of experience in the design of mechanical systems for a wide range of building types including; hospitals, laboratories, museums, libraries, academic and commercial buildings. David currently oversees approximately 5,000,000 ft2 of building area which includes two research laboratories 350,000 ft2 and 500,000 ft2 respectively. Mr. MacNeil is a member of the Better Building Alliance Laboratories Project Team and has been a registered professional engineer in Massachusetts since 2000. He is also a LEED Accredited Professional.

Greg Muth is a Senior Laboratory Planner and Project Manager for Wilson Architects in Boston, MA. He has over 25 years of experience planning and designing laboratories and other science and technology facilities for university and commercial clients. He has been involved in the construction and renovation of over 15 million square feet of Science and Technology facilities all over the world. Greg has always been at the forefront of sustainable design having managed the design of what is on track to be one of the largest LEED Certified projects in the world, Princess Nora University for Women. He is a LEED AP and the founding president of the New England Chapter of the International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories.

Joe Ranahan is the Energy Manager at Northeastern University and has worked at the university since 2001. Some of his work on campus includes reducing energy and water consumption on campus through conservation and cost-effective retrofit projects, energy procurement and energy data management. Joe is a graduate of the Northeastern University College of Engineering, earning a Bachelors of Science in Computer Engineering and is currently working towards a Master’s degree. Professional Certifications include Certified Energy Manager (CEM), Certified Demand-Side Management Professional (CDSM), Certified Energy Auditor (CEA), Existing Buildings Commissioning Professional (EBCP) and Certified Building Energy Simulation Analyst (BESA).