Built Environment Plus

Proposals for Building Tech Forum 2026 are due May 29th! 🚨 If you have an innovative product, technology, or approach shaping the built environment, we want to hear from you! This is your opportunity to share your work with the local green building community and be part of one of the most dynamic building tech events in the region. The evening will feature 45 x 5-minute lightning talks spotlighting the building technologies, innovations, and products transforming how we build, renovate, and operate. Building Tech Forum 2026 will welcome 350+ attendees, with one dedicated track focused on Existing Building Upgrades & Interventions, highlighting real solutions for decarbonizing our current building stock, as part of the Building Performance Exchange. A big thanks to everyone who has already submitted proposals. The lineup is already shaping up to be something special. 👉 Download the Call for Presentations and submit your proposal by May 29th, link in bio! 🎟️ Attend BTF’26 and get your Super Early Bird tickets, link in bio!

We’re excited to share that our Education Director, Lilli Markle, has joined the Board of @passivehouseri ! Lilli brings over a decade of experience across the nonprofit, built environment, technology and wellness sectors, with a focus on advancing high-performance, human-centered buildings. In her role at BE+, she leads workforce training and community-building initiatives that support the adoption of standards like Passive House and LEED, working closely with architects, engineers, builders and policymakers to translate building science into real-world impact. “I’m thrilled to support PHRI’s mission and help expand access to the tools, training, and partnerships needed to scale Passive House adoption. I see a powerful opportunity to connect practitioners, strengthen the workforce and improve building performance so that the spaces where we live, work and gather are not only energy efficient, but healthier and more resilient,” Lilli shared. Please join us in congratulating Lilli on this leadership role!

Over 100 industry leaders and changemakers gathered at the first Carbon Experts Summit, part of Boston Climate Week, to engage in one of the most pressing conversations facing the built environment today: turning carbon commitments into measurable, actionable outcomes. The room was packed with bold ideas, real-world project examples, policy insights, and candid conversations about what it actually takes to accelerate carbon reduction and low-carbon design at scale. The level of expertise and collaboration in one space was unmatched. As Michelle Lambert of the Carbon Leadership Forum shared, “It’s nice to be reminded of how many incredible experts we are fortunate to have right here! I think we could have a carbon summit in Boston every month and never run out of insights to share!” Thanks to @oneclicklca for partnering with us to bring this event to Boston! 📸 View more photos in our Flickr album!

We had a great turnout for our first hybrid training of the year, thank you to everyone who attended! 📚 During our “Designing for Impact in Mind” course, participants dug into the Common Materials framework and its five pillars: Climate Health, Human Health, Ecosystem Health, Social Health + Equity, and Circularity, to make more practical, impact-aligned material decisions and reduce waste through everyday choices. One takeaway was to break down the often overwhelming world of product certifications and disclosures to make better informed decisions easier. Thank you to Laurel at LOOM & LEVER for leading an interactive course, and to @hmfharch for hosting and creating a space for collaboration! We’re looking forward to more in-person and hybrid trainings this year! 🔗 Check out our upcoming trainings on our website!

Earlier this month, Vice President Kevin Lennon led a tour of @lyrikbackbay . Hosted by @builtenvplus ’ Health & Wellness and Emerging Professionals communities, the visit showcased this 650,000 SF mixed-use project, which has earned triple Gold certification in LEED, WELL, and WiredScore. Lyrik isn’t just a workplace—it’s helping reshape Boston’s urban fabric. As the city’s first successful air-rights development in over 40 years, it reconnects neighborhoods while supporting a more flexible, modern work environment. Designed with sustainability at its core, Lyrik prioritizes energy efficiency, low-emitting materials, water conservation, and seamless access to transit, walking, and biking—creating a healthier experience for both people and the city. #ElkusManfrediProject w/ Samuels & Associates, @suffolkbuild , @mcnamarasalvia , @vhbnow , @wsp.usa , @castellidesignnyc , @leblancjones , @rwdiwestcoast , Gordon H. Smith, @sghengineering , and Haley & Aldrich. #lyrikbackbay #builtenvironmentplus #emergingprofessionals #healthandwellness

Last week, our board directors, community chairs, and staff convened at the BE+ Board Retreat to define stronger impact and how to raise the bar. 🏙️ Through candid discussions and breakout groups, we identified opportunities to grow engagement, strengthen our community, expand our influence, and better serve the built environment. Thank you to @cityscapes_boston for welcoming us into their incredible green workspace in Boston—an inspiring space that set the tone for a day of collaboration! 🌱 We’re excited to see these ideas come to fruition and drive meaningful progress together! Get involved with BE+ and explore our upcoming events!

We had an incredible time participating in @neseaorg ’s 2026 BuildingEnergy Boston: Don’t Stop Us Now, and we’re ready to keep the momentum going! It was an energizing gathering, honing in on our collective potential, lessons learned, and scalable strategies to push our industry forward through thick and thin. A big thanks to Conference Co-Chair Clay Tilton for helping bring together such an impactful conference! And shout out to @masscec , Meredith Elbaum, Robert Corsetti, Christopher Lewis, CEM, and Mike Marotta for the engaging discussion on “Scope vs. Carbon: Decarbonizing Multi-Family Housing.” We’re grateful for this opportunity to connect and collaborate with like-minded, mission-driven professionals who are working towards a sustainable and regenerative built environment. Let’s keep it going together! 📸 Explore our Flickr album for more event photos, link in bio! #nesea #bebos2026

🏆 Massachusetts is #1 again! @usgbc announced that MA ranked #1 in the Top 10 States for LEED Certifications for 2025—and that recognition belongs to the incredible community making high-performance buildings possible. A huge shout out to the architects, engineers, consultants, developers, and organizations whose innovation and collaboration continue to move Massachusetts, and the nation, forward. In total, MA achieved 121 LEED-certified projects, representing more than 29.7 million square feet of sustainable development. USGBC also noted a significant growth in innovation-focused sectors including life sciences, data centers, and advanced manufacturing, reinforcing the state’s forward-thinking leadership! 🔎 Take a look at all the great LEED-certified projects on 𝘉𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵 𝘌𝘯𝘷𝘪𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘊𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘴! #greenbuilding #aec #sustainabilty

We are proud to partner with Grace Farms for the 2026 Design for Freedom Summit on March 26th, 2026, in New Canaan, CT! Join hundreds of leaders in design and construction dedicated to creating lasting change toward a more ethical built environment. Leave inspired and ready to take action to bring responsible sourcing into your practice. @dffmovement @gracefarmsct 🔗 Register for the 2026 Summit–a recognition of the past 5 years of partnership, innovation and dedication to creating a more humane future, link in bio! #DesignforFreedom #2026DFFSummit #DesignforFreedom2026

Our 2025 Annual Report is live! Despite a challenging landscape, 2025 marked a pivotal year for the BE+ community—one defined by collaboration, momentum, and impact. From launching the Building Performance Exchange, to securing more than $250,000 in workforce training grants, engaging 2,400+ individuals and 700+ companies, and growing our staff by over 50%. We’ll continue to expand the resources, connections, and opportunities for the BE+ community. And importantly, we want to thank our members, partners, and community for your collaboration, leadership, and commitment to shaping a more sustainable and regenerative future. We’re energized by this ecosystem and am excited to keep pushing what’s possible. 🔗 Read the full Annual Report, link in bio!

The BE+ community came together at our Annual Meeting & Volunteer Celebration to celebrate the people and organizations driving transformation in the built environment. We reflected on a year of meaningful impact, collaboration, and progress—honoring standout leaders and officially welcoming new and returning members of the BE+ Board of Directors. 🏆 Congratulations to our award recipients: Company of the Year: @thorntontomasetti Net Zero Hero: John Dalzell, Boston Planning Department Living Future Champion: Jacob Bloom, @cambridgeseven BE+ Member of the Year: Tammy Ngo, @brplusa Health & Wellness Champion: Carrie Havey, The Green Engineer BE+ Community Leader: Kena David, @consigliconstruction Emerging Professional of the Year: Cameron Burkacki, @consigliconstruction Women in Green Warrior: Joytika Bhargo, @cmtainc Education Company of the Year: @bhplusa We’re also excited to welcome our new and re-elected Board Members: Elsa Mullin, Elijah Ercolino, Chad Laurent, Neetu Siddarth, N. Jonathan Unaka, and Rebecca Rahmlow. 👏 Congratulations to everyone and to all who continue to push our work forward. Here’s to another year of progress toward a more sustainable and regenerative built environment. 🌎 📸 Explore our Flickr album for more event photos, link in bio! 👉 Stay tuned for our 2026 events! Link to our website is in our bio.

Happy New Year from Built Environment Plus! 🎉 As we look back on 2025, there is so much to celebrate and we want to express our gratitude to you. Together, we continue to move meaningful work forward—decarbonizing the built environment, strengthening professional collaboration, and accelerating progress toward a more sustainable and resilient built environment. For highlights, keep an eye out for our 2025 Annual Report, or better yet, join us at our 2026 Annual Meeting & Volunteer Celebration on January 22nd. We’re incredibly grateful for your support, participation, and partnership. Let’s continue building on this momentum in 2026! 🔗 Register for the 2026 Annual Meeting & Volunteer Celebration, link in bio! 👉 Free for BE+ Members, so become a member! 👊 Join as a Company Member, 50% off for First Years. Learn more on our website.