This year was the 30th year of USGBC and GreenBuild was located in the place where the organization was created. Once again there was a big push in embodied carbon, electrification, and resiliency.
This year I attended a few sessions on the WELL rating system which is a rating system for the interiors of buildings. There was a specific session where each table had to discuss what makes their work environment comfortable and enjoyable. It was great to see that daylighting & views, food options, and indoor air quality were all at the top qualities that our table wanted in a work space.
Another interesting fact was that Boston College installed geothermal in their newest building with the boreholes at a 1500 feet depth, where normally a borehole is 500-800 feet deep. With the Inflation Reduction Act, there has been a lot of buzz with future tax credits that are waiting to be used. https://www.rewiringamerica.org/app/ira-calculator a website that was shared during a session to help determine what tax incentives can be used for an individual.
The EPA and GSA also announced new funding for Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) research and creation which is some of the best news for the manufacturing industry.
Manufacturers are also asking for more clear and concise information from the market, as in using the same wording and rating systems universally so they can continue to provide greener products.
Cannot wait to see what is in store for next year as the conference is planned for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
