Sep 14, 2020 | Articles, Homepage
USGBC’s recently announced economic recovery strategy and vision, Healthy People in Healthy Places equals a Healthy Economy, articulates the interconnected role buildings and communities play in people’s health and the economy at large.
To make this strategy actionable, USGBC’s Healthy Economy Forum, held August 4-5, 2020, convened industry experts and frontline practitioners to provide insights and strategies for making our spaces healthier and more resilient.
At the forum, Brenna Walraven, President and CEO of Corporate Sustainability Strategies, together with Simon Turner, Owner and Founder of Building Cognition, Henry Chamberlain, President and Chief Operating Officer of BOMA International, Ben Myers, Vice President of Sustainability of Boston Properties, and Alex Spilger, Senior Vice President, Director of Sustainability of Cushman & Wakefield presented The Business Case for Healthy Buildings in a Post-COVID Era.
Notable references in the report include:
Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)
- Simon Turner, Owner and Founder of Building Cognition, noted productivity is highest when room temperature is set to 70-73 degrees and proposed building occupants will start to demand better ventilation with an increased cost of $14-$40 per person each year.
- Technology can play a key role in building trust. As Brenna Walraven, President and CEO of Corporate Sustainability Strategies, said, “There is an app for everything, and that includes indoor air quality.”
Active Design
- According to Walraven, inactivity results in $54 billion in health care costs and $14 billion in lost productivity.
Resiliency – Intersectionality
- Boston Properties’ Sustainability Program approaches this definition from an intersectional lens, combining climate action, resilience and social good, while prioritizing human health. This approach has been and continues to be shaped by watershed moments, whether it be the 2012 Superstorm Sandy to this year’s pandemic.
- Ben Myers, Vice President of Sustainability at Boston Properties, explained how they convened thought leaders and specialists to develop a plan of action for four phases of these events: retreat, return, restore and resilient. Grounded in science, their plan lays out five durable changes: physical distancing enablement, contact transmission elimination, IAQ management and expertise advancement (engineering expertise, monitoring mechanisms), cleaning and disinfection enhancement and shared responsibility and discipline for mitigation and containment (health screening, communication, testing, etc.).
Technology
- Henry Chamberlain, President and Chief Operating Officer, BOMA International, spoke about the use of sensors and cleaning, touchless or hands-free workplaces and virtual technologies as the new normal.
The Report summarizes the forum’s discussion and is the first step to a longer roadmap for the implementation of our healthy places for a healthy economy vision.
Full Healthy Economy Forum Report
Jun 24, 2019 | Events, Homepage
Corporate Sustainability Strategies is pleased to announce Brenna Walraven has been asked by The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to speak at the 2019 Better Buildings Summit. Walraven was selected because she has demonstrated leadership and forward thinking in energy efficiency, sustainability, and resiliency for the real estate industry.
Resilience Roundtable
Learn how local governments can work with private building owners to ensure the resilience of their building stock. Commercial real estate fund and asset managers will share how investment decision-making around resilience is informing investments in commercial developments. Local government representatives will share their organizational strategies to enhance community resilience. Enjoy a lively facilitated discussion between private and public Better Buildings Challenge partners! This session is part 2 of 2 in a series around public and private sectors working together to meet resilience needs.
Panelists
- Chris Castro, Director of Sustainability & Resilience, City of Orlando, FL (LinkedIn)
- Eric Friedman, Director, Leading by Example Program, Commonwealth of Massachusetts (LinkedIn)
- Marta Schantz, Senior Vice President, Greenprint Center for Building Performance Urban Land Institute (LinkedIn)
- Brenna Walraven, President and CEO, Corporate Sustainability Strategies (LinkedIn | Twitter)
Date and Time
Wednesday, July 10
3:30 PM
About U.S. Department of Energy Better Buildings Summit
The 2019 Summit will be held in the Washington, D.C. metro area (Arlington, VA) July 10-11, with pre-conference activities starting on July 9. This annual event for Better Buildings, Better Plants Partners and other key stakeholders provides the opportunity for professionals to explore emerging technologies and share innovative strategies in energy and water efficiency. Attendees can expect two days of interactive sessions with industry experts and market leaders as well as many opportunities to network with peers.
Learn more and register.
Feb 11, 2019 | Events
Corporate Sustainability Strategies is pleased to announce Brenna Walraven selected to participate as an industry leader for BOMA’s Water and Waste Challenge (W2): Elevating Sustainability to the Next Level discussion at the 2019 Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) Annual Conference and Expo.
Session Date and Time
Monday, June 24
9:30 – 10:30 AM
Location
Salt Lake Convention Center
Salt Lake City, Utah
About BOMA Annual Conference and Expo
Every Building Needs Its Hero, Every Hero Needs BOMA
Prepare for an event that will take your career to the next level. Meet the most important people in commercial real estate on June 22–25, 2019. See the latest innovative products and services designed to make your building run more efficiently and get your tenancy to max capacity. You’ll learn from the best by day, with plenty of opportunities for evening networking. In just three days, you’ll gain the momentum you need to optimize your building operations and elevate your career.
For more information visit www.bomaconvention.org.
About BOMA International
BOMA is a federation of U.S. associations and 18 international affiliates. BOMA represents the owners and managers of all commercial property types including nearly 10.5 billion square feet of U.S. office space that supports 1.7 million jobs and contributes $234.9 billion to the U.S. GDP. Its mission is to advance a vibrant commercial real estate industry through advocacy, influence and knowledge.
BOMA is a primary source of information on building management and operations, development, leasing, building operating costs, energy consumption patterns, local and national building codes, legislation, occupancy statistics, technological developments and other industry trends.
For more information about BOMA visit www.boma.org.
Jul 26, 2018 | Events
While environmental and financial benefits of energy-efficient buildings are undisputed, property professionals need a foolproof plan to execute a lease that achieves and maintains sustainable building operations. For more than 30 years, BOMA International has provided the industry with a model lease agreement that is considered the standard for commercial leases. Recently, it released the latest version of its model lease Green Lease Guide: A Guide for Landlords and Tenants to Collaborate on Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Practices.
Learn the latest in high-performance leasing and building a win-win for building owners and tenants. Hear how some of the industry’s Green Lease Leaders are successfully breaking down the barriers to achieve high-performance buildings. Discover how Boulder Commons and Sharp Development are achieving net-zero energy (NZE) and making a sound business case for NZE in multi-tenant properties.
Learning Objectives
- Find out the latest industry guidance for greening a commercial lease.
- Discover how the industry’s Green Lease Leaders are successfully implementing high-performance or energy-aligned leases.
- Learn how to execute a net-zero energy lease and build the business case for achieving net-zero energy in multi-tenant office buildings.
Panelists
- Alexandra Harry, Program Manager, Institute for Market Transformation (LinkedIn)
- Alisa Petersen, LEED AP BD+C, Senior Associate, Buildings, Rocky Mountain Institute (LinkedIn)
- Brenna Walraven, President and CEO, Corporate Sustainability Strategies (LinkedIn | Twitter)
Date and Time
Monday, August 13
2:00 PM-3:00 PM ET (1:00 PM CT, 12:00 PM MT, 11:00 AM PT)
Join us from your desk or anywhere with internet access.
Learn more about this webinar.
CPD Credits and Bonus
BOMA’s Webinars qualify for continuing professional development credits for the renewal of these industry designations: RPA, FMA, CPM, ARM, SMA/SMT and CCM.
Bonus: All webinar registrants receive a special promo code for a 20% discount when purchasing the BOMA Green Lease Guide before September 30.
Register now
About BOMA International
BOMA is a federation of U.S. associations and international affiliates. BOMA represents owners and managers of all commercial property types including nearly 10.5 billion square feet of U.S. office space that supports 1.7 million jobs and contributes $234.9 billion to the U.S. GDP. Its mission is to advance a vibrant commercial real estate industry through advocacy, influence and knowledge. BOMA is a primary source of information on building management and operations, development, leasing, building operating costs, energy consumption patterns, local and national building codes, legislation, occupancy statistics, technological developments and other industry trends.
Learn more about BOMA International.
