The intent of the ordinance is to ensure that property owners, managers, and operators are aware of their energy and water usage, and how it compares with similar buildings in the city.  Buildings will be required to have an energy audit performed once every five years if they are unable to show significant improvement in energy consumption, or achieve an ENERGY STAR score of 75 or higher that would make them eligible for ENERGY STAR Certification.

Buildings will report usage by uploading utility data and pertinent building information to the EPA’s ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager.  A score from 1-100 will be generated, with higher scores indicating greater energy efficiency.

Building owners that do not report usage will be subject to fines, but will not be held responsible for tenants that fail to provide energy and water usage.

The previous 12 months of usage will need to be reported for the following building types before the listed dates below:

May 15, 2013 - City of Boston buildings.

May 15, 2014 - Non-residential buildings greater than 50,000 sf.

May 15, 2015 - Residential buildings with greater than 50 units.

May 15, 2016 - Non-residential buildings greater than 35,000 sf.

May 15, 2017 - Residential buildings with greater than 35 units.

If you own, manage, or operate a building in Boston and would like assistance complying with this ordinance, contact Spencer Lawrence at slawrence@ebiconsulting.com from EBI’s Energy & Sustainability group today!

The most notable change in the framework is the removal of the controversial and often misunderstood A-B-C rating system, and a greater focus on materiality. The application levels, were never intended to reflect the quality of GRI reports, but were often misconstrued as measures of success and comprehensiveness by corporations who wished to “be the best” by reporting shallowly on a wide variety of topics. Under G4, businesses will be required to focus more closely on materiality, and report more extensively on issues that are more critical to their operations. For example, a consulting services company will be encouraged to spend more time exploring their human resources practices, rather than getting bogged down in “required” supply chain disclosures that are less applicable to firms not producing a tangible product. Similarly, a manufacturing company will be required to investigate its supply chain and greenhouse gas inventory, rather than reporting about the installation of energy efficient light bulbs in office buildings. The goal of this change is to create reports that are shorter and more relevant to the day-to-day impacts of a business and contain fewer “fluff” disclosures that clog the communication process and distract from the overall intention and impact of the report.

Other modifications have been made as well to help streamline the reporting process. External Assurance procedures have been modified to account for industry-specific service providers, Disclosures on Management Approach can now be treated individually via a three-step process of materiality, management, and mechanisms, and Sector Supplements are being converted into Sector Disclosure Tables.

Stepping back to observe the changes as a whole, it seems clear that GRI’s goal was to create a more effective and accessible reporting framework. Naturally, there will be pushback for any new systems, but it seems that GRI has successfully balanced the various concerns of its stakeholder groups. The changes that have been made appear to be effective upgrades on a system that was often criticized for procedure over performance. In theory, they should be able to drive businesses to develop reports that are not only more succinct, but also more effective and transparent.

In addition to regional concerns over safety and quality of life, there have also been rumblings in the scientific community regarding the true sustainability of natural gas as a “bridge fuel”. At the beginning of the gas boom, much of the marketing appeal came from the fact that natural gas, when burned, emits a fraction of the greenhouse gases that coal does. However, researchers are now looking upstream of the actual combustion processes, and fear that natural gas has essentially the same environmental impact as coal due to leakage and higher emissions early in the extraction and production lifecycle.

This news comes at an interesting time for ExxonMobil, as the energy giant recently released a report claiming that natural gas soundly defeats coal on a lifecycle emissions basis. The Exxon report is difficult to assess, primarily because it compares a single gas drilling field to the entire United States coal industry. Due to the low sample size, the general assumption that gas leakage varies from site to site, and Exxon’s vested interest in seeing the gas continue its recent dominance over coal, it stands to reason that the Exxon results deserve some skepticism. This is duly confirmed by a recent Harvard study which reflects that fracking transparency initiatives such as FracFocus.org appear to be falling well short of their intended purpose, and often contain incorrect, late, or completely missing disclosures of fracking field operations.

Ultimately, the debate over fossil fuels and fracking will continue to rage until a clear winner can be crowned, or renewable technologies become widely accepted and available. For the time being however, it appears that natural gas and fracking will remain in the core of the public debate until the new methods can be effectively accounted for and understood.

On April 6, 2013, a team of EBI employees volunteered their time on a beautiful Saturday morning to take part in EBI’s Habitat for Humanity Build day.

A team of 15 volunteers showed their support to the local New England community by assisting Habitat for Humanity of Greater Lowell with their projects on Rock Street in Lowell, MA.

Not only was it a great teambuilding event for EBI employees, but it was also a great way for EBI employees  to give back to the community and to be a part of the revitalization in the Lowell community. 

EBI team members took part in various building projects, including interior framing,  strapping & caulking, digging a utility trench and digging 4 ft. holes for the porch supports.

The event  was a great success; everyone agreed it was an afternoon well spent and with EBI teamwork, we made great progress (although we never want to see another shovel again)!

EBI Consulting would like to thank Habitat for Humanity of Greater Lowell for all of the work they do to better our community.  We are honored to have been a part of building this home for deserving families.

To view photos from our build day, please visit our Facebook page or check out the album here.

For more information on Habitat for Humanity of Greater Lowell, or how you can get involved,  please visit their website at http://lowellhabitat.org/

Mr. James Greskovich as Director of Business Development for the Life Sciences Industry (Press Release Here)

Ms. Wendy Meschkow Gross, Registered Architect (R.A.), as a Senior Architect in the Real Estate Services Group (Press Release Here)

Mr. Peter Pratt, LEED AP, as a Program Director in the Acquisition/Equity Due Diligence Services Group (Press Release Here)

The general outlook at the event was positive, with information and analysis stating that rents and vacancies have improved over the last quarter, and that Orange County, CA, in particular has been experiencing good growth in this sector.   A press release by Sperry CRE was published, summarizing the event and stating “The panelists agreed that this is the opportune market to buy in, with banks now letting go of the non-performing notes that they had been holding onto for the past five years.  Many brokers in attendance admitted that they were presently in contact with a lot more people who are eager to buy commercial real estate now than even from a year ago.”

To read the full press release about the event, please click here.

Although these sustainability frameworks are not in competition with one another, it is certainly worth noting the marked difference in how they have been received thus far amongst business leaders. The LEED system has largely been applauded for its macrosystem approach. GRI however, has recently come under criticism. Corporate Sustainability experts have expressed concern regarding the potential requirements to map the entire value chain for an organization, as well as unclear discussion of what is required, as opposed to what is recommended for inclusion in a G4 certified report. Furthermore, GRI is considering a pass-fail type of certification system, and an increase in the number of required performance indicators, both of which may discourage firms from reporting.

Fortunately for GRI, it is an organization based strongly around the premise of stakeholder engagement, and as such, there will be a three-day summit held in Amsterdam (GRI’s global headquarters) next month to air concerns and address potential issues with the new system. Similarly, beginning June 1, those in the LEED community will have the opportunity to vote on the new rating system (if they register to vote prior to April 30). Based on the discussions that have taken place to date, it seems likely that GRI will listen to the concerns of its reporting community and adjust their strategy accordingly. LEED on the other hand, with its new market sectors, technical revisions, and streamlining of the online reporting system, looks poised to pass its vote with flying colors.

Ultimately, both systems will undergo significant changes by the end of 2013 in order to adjust to market trends. Naturally, as with any system update, there will be growing pains and complaints from various stakeholder groups, but in the end both G4 and LEED v4 should lead us further down the path toward more sustainable business operations and development.

1: http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=2360

14^th Annual Earth Day Charles River Clean Up, various locations around the Boston area, Saturday April 20^th

Party for the Planet, Franklin Park Zoo, 10 am to 5 pm, Boston, MA Sunday April 21^nd

EcoTarium’s Earth Day Celebration, 10 am to 5 pm, Worcester, MA Friday April 19^th

Blue Discoveries Family Day: Earth Day Celebration at the New England Aquarium, 11 am to 3 pm, Sunday April 21^st

The New York City Green Festival at Javits Center North from April 20^th -21^st.

The State of New Jersey’s various Earth Day events and festivals from April 13^th- 22^nd. 

The 32^nd Annual 5K Run for Clean Air in Philadelphia on April 20^th.

The National Constitution Center’s Earth Day Celebration in Philadelphia on April 22^nd.

The WorldFest 2013 Earth Day Festival in Lake Balboa, CA on May 19^th.

The 16^th Annual Earth Day Restoration and Clean Up at one of California’s state parks on April 23th.

. . . And find many more local events by visiting the Sierra Club’s  GET OUT! Earth Day website where you can use their interactive tool to search by zip code for events in your area!  So get out and enjoy the Springtime & celebrate Mother Earth!

In case you missed it… there was a serious oil spill in Arkansas last week, forcing the evacuation of several homes in the area.  ExxonMobil is reporting that up to 10,000 barrels of oil could have been released into the environment.  Although the leak only lasted about 3 hours, this is still considered a major spill and will require extensive cleanup to protect and repair the surrounding environment.

Workplace sustainability programs are influencing employee’s habits outside of the office, according to a study reviewed here.  There is still work to be done, however.  The study reported that the majority of workers interviewed were unsure about their company’s sustainability efforts and about their company’s commitment to the environment.  Here at EBI, we’ve been making our own progress in corporate sustainability efforts, and encouraging our employees to go green in all aspects of their lives!

The 2013 Energy Start Partners of the Year have been announced.  Chosen from nearly 20,000 Energy Start Partners, these organizations are being recognized for their outstanding commitment to energy efficiency.  Here at EBI, our Corporate Headquarters in Burlington, MA, became Energy Star Certified just last year.

This press release from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announces that after a comprehensive survey, 55% of the country’s rivers and streams have been discovered to be in poor condition for aquatic life.  The information gathered in the survey will guide the EPA’s future decision making for improvements to these waterways. 

An unexpected after-effect of Hurricane Sandy is now coming to light in Rockaway, Queens, New York.  Properties affected by the hurricane are being sold at highly discounted prices.  This video discusses “The Great Sandy Sell-Off” happening in New York, and the pros and cons to this post-hurricane housing boom. 

Here is a full list of the 5 new National Monuments:

• San Juan Islands National Monument, Washington
• Rio Grande del Norte National Monument, New Mexico
• First State National Monument, Delaware
• Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument, Ohio
• Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad National Monument, Maryland

Here’s an article further describing the 5 monuments, and some great pictures!

If you are curious, Wikipedia has a list of all of the US’s national monuments.

This year the day is also dedicated to the theme of 2013 UN International Year of Water Cooperation and emphasizing that clean water is a valuable limited resource.   As our environment and our bodies are heavily dependent on water, good management of water sources is crucial to our own livelihood.

In the spirit of this environmental holiday, we are encouraged to promote water cooperation and do our part in protecting one of Earth's most valuable resources.  So in honor of today’s environmental holiday, we are urging everyone to search for ways to change your daily routines and limit your water use!

Check out the below links for some tips and tools for conserving water.

H2ouse – Tips and tools for saving water in your home

Water Use It Wisely – 100 Ways to Conserve

EPA’s Water Sense – Tips on Water Conservation

Ever wonder how much water is used in your home?  Check out Kohler’s Water Use Calculator  

Happy hunting for water savings!

Whole Foods, Trader Joes, and other supermarkets have announced they will not sell genetically modified salmon if it is approved by the FDA.  This article from GreenBiz talks about how the salmon is made, and what that means for consumers.  Currently, genetically modified organisms (GMO) sold in the US do not need to be labeled. 

Ever wonder where the energy powering your iPhone comes from?  Turns out, some of it is from the sun.  Apple has announced that their Data Centers, which power certain services to their products, are now running 100% on alternative energy.  Apple’s largest data center, in North Carolina, now has a 100-acre solar farm right next door, and there are plans to add another nearby later this year.  

Earth hour is tomorrow! Once again this year, the WWF is bringing attention to energy and the environment by encouraging people all around the world to turn off their lights for one hour on Saturday March 23.  Over 150 Countries are expected to participate

Earlier this week, we wrote about National Groundwater Awareness Week.  The International Bottles Water Association (IBWA) has come out in support of National Groundwater Awareness Week, stating that “Many public water systems draw at least a portion of their water supply from groundwater, so protecting this renewable resource also helps ensure municipal water supplies are safe and treatment costs are reduced.”

The nonprofit A Better City has created a Challenge for Sustainability in Boston, encouraging businesses and commercial real estate to reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.  In 2012, Boston businesses cut GHG emissions by 4% - better than the Challenge for Sustainability’s goal of 2% annual reductions.

In Chicago, affordable multi-family housing units are being retrofitted with rooftop solar arrays, providing the buildings with renewable solar energy.  The end goal of this project is to create zero-net-energy-capable buildings.  This project is bringing clean energy to over 600 people living in Chicago’s affordable housing developments.

For almost 20 years, the National Ground Water Association (NGWA) has been hosting this week to raise awareness about the importance of groundwater in our environment. 

Here at EBI Consulting, our field scientists are constantly aware of the effect that human processes can have on groundwater, and take care to make sure we are properly indentifying potential contamination sources and conducting groundwater testing and sampling as needed. 

Curious how groundwater plays a role at EBI?  Check out our Site Investigation and Remediation services on our website!

For more information on National Groundwater Awareness Week, please visit the NGWA website here.