In response to the ongoing COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak and increased action by public health officials and private businesses, all gatherings planned for 35 or more people will be canceled or postponed. This policy will remain in effect through March 29 or until further notice. The BSA is committed to protect the health of our members and staff while continuing to offer you the best service possible. We thank you for your continued partnership, support and flexibility as we all work through this health challenge together.

In 2019, New York City Council passed the Climate Mobilization Act (CMA), which places firm limits on building carbon emissions. Boston’s 2019 Climate Action Plan identifies a need to move in a similar direction, by “shifting to zero net carbon (ZNC) new construction by 2030, and retrofitting and electrifying at least 80% of our existing buildings over the next 30 years.”

What will this shift towards carbon neutrality mean for day-to-day design and construction? What are the challenges and opportunities for deep retrofits, particularly for historic buildings? What steps can the design and construction industry take to meet current expectations and prepare for the standards and targets of the future?

On March 26, join the Boston Society for Architecture to hear Dr. John Straube speaking on low-carbon design and retrofits for Boston’s larger buildings. An eminent building scientist and educator, Dr. Straube will touch on examples from other jurisdictions and discuss challenges and solutions for a range of complex projects—including real-world projects submitted by attendees.

Dr. Straube has agreed to address specific real-world concerns during his presentation. If you are an architect, engineer, building owner, property manager, engineer, or other interested party —submit specific details regarding your building in relation to meeting carbon targets. Please email each detail as a single-page pdf by 9 PM ET on March 24 and include up to 3 questions with your submission*. A selection of submissions will be incorporated into the program by Dr. Straube to address specific real-world concerns.

* By submitting a project detail, you confirm that you have authority to give permission for use, and thereby grant permission for use by the Boston Society for Architecture and other participants of this event.

Speaker:
Dr. John Straube, Ph.D., P.Eng., Principal and Senior Building Science Specialist, RDH Building Science

Moderator:
Robert Blount – New England Architectural Manager, ROCKWOOL North America

Dr. Straube is a principal at RDH Building Science, where he conducts forensic investigations, assists with the design of new high-performance buildings, and leads research projects in the areas of low-energy building design, building enclosure performance, hygrothermal analysis, and field performance monitoring. A prolific writer and researcher, Straube Is the author or co-author of over 100 published technical papers, the author of the book High Performance Enclosures, and the co-author, with Eric Burnett, of Building Science for Building Enclosures.

Learning Objectives

After completing the training, participants will be able to:

Describe key elements of municipal climate action plans and related legislation as they apply to new buildings and retrofit projects
Recognize unique challenges and opportunities for retrofits, in particular for buildings constructed before 1950
Discuss specific details in terms of performance criteria such as water control, airtightness, and thermal performance
Define and compare low-carbon vs. low-energy design strategies, for example in relation to material selection
Understand the role of electrification in meeting carbon-reduction targets

Presented by the BSA Building Enclosure Council, Committee on the Environment, and Passive House Massachusetts, with a very special thanks to Rockwool and RDH Building Science for sponsoring this event.