With her years of sustainable building experience, she will play a pivotal role in achieving complex sustainability certifications like LEED Platinum Certification, Living Building Challenge, Passive House and Net Zero Energy on notable Consigli projects including, but not limited to, Harvard University’s David Rubenstein Treehouse, Columbia University’s 611 West 112^th Street Renovation, the Williams College Museum of Art and the Initiative for Digital Engineering and Life Sciences (IDEALS) Roux Campus.

“Kena’s commitment to sustainability, environmental social governance planning and advancing a greener future for the communities where we build, live and work is unmatched,” said Todd McCabe, Vice President of Project Services. “We’re thrilled to have her join the Consigli team. Her innovative expertise will enhance our projects and contribute to our commitment to sustainability and ESG initiatives, driving real change in our jobsites and offices.”

In addition to holding LEED AP, ID+C, WELL AP and Fitwel Ambassador credentials, she has served as a WELL Faculty member since 2018 and provides education and training on the WELL Building Standard for other industry professionals. She successfully led sustainability efforts for the first LEED v4 commercial interiors project in the world to achieve Platinum certification, and she has received various industry awards in recognition of her professional achievements in sustainability and green building.

Consigli is consistently ranked as a Top Green Contractors by Engineering News Record and is a member of BuildingGreen’s Contractor’s Commitment to Sustainable Building Practices. Consigli continuously explores and applies new ways to reduce the environmental impact of our projects, including the implementation of alternative energies, high-performance building systems, sustainable material selection and comprehensive jobsite circularity.

To learn more about Consigli’s commitment to sustainable building practices, click here.

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“Ed’s expansive experience in the clean energy sector provides our energy division with an opportunity to bolster the group’s leadership and further grow our operations,” said Todd McCabe, Vice President of Project Services. “As we continue to prioritize energy efficient systems and work toward a more sustainable future in the construction industry, Ed’s knowledge and expertise will be an asset to both our team and our clients as they strive to meet their decarbonization goals.”

White brings nearly three decades of diverse energy and utility industry experience, with a demonstrated track record of success implementing innovative clean energy programs focused on energy efficiency, renewables, smart grid and electric vehicles for large organizations and communities throughout the Northeast. He most recently served as the National Grid Foundation’s Executive Director and Vice President of Social Impact.

“As Director of Operations, I look forward to working alongside Director of Energy, Kailash Viswanathan, to help provide decarbonization solutions that will build on Consigli and the Arch Energy division’s commitment to creating a more sustainable and resilient future,” said Ed White.

An active member of the community, Ed serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors for the United Way of Central Massachusetts. He is also a member of the American Red Cross of Massachusetts Board of Directors and serves as the Chair of its Philanthropy Committee. Previously, White was a board member of the Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnership (NEEP), New York Smart Grid Consortium (NYSGC) and the Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE).

Arch Energy, a division of Consigli, empowers organizations to meet their decarbonization and electrification goals and future-proof their operations with energy efficient, waste-reducing solutions. As cities throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic begin applying and enforcing carbon emission requirements for new and existing buildings, the Arch Energy team is uniquely qualified with highly specialized knowledge and strategic vision to support clients navigate their decarbonization journeys.

To learn more about Consigli’s energy division, Arch Energy, click here.

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The initiative signals the industry’s commitment to accelerating the transition of construction sites to allow for greater use of electrified vehicles and equipment. The pledge also requests that signatories include at least one exterior NEMA 14-50 commercial grade electric vehicle charging receptacle at their places of businesses and at all construction sites.

Steven Burke, Director of Sustainability, serves on the AGC of MA Sustainability Advisory Committee, which is sponsoring the initiative.

“As leaders in the Commonwealth’s construction community, it is on us and our partners in the industry to drive necessary change, like the prioritization and installation of electrified vehicles and equipment, on our jobsites to help accomplish our shared sustainability goals,” said Steven Burke, Director of Sustainability at Consigli Construction Co., Inc. “Consigli is committed to working collaboratively with AGC MA and our fellow EV pledge cosigners to do our part and lead the construction industry toward a greener, more sustainable future.”

The EV Charger Pledge is part of a wider effort to increase the use of electrified vehicles and equipment in the construction process. In addition to the installation of EV charging stations, as a pledge signee, Consigli commits to promoting the use of battery powered vehicles, heavy equipment and power tools.

“We are proud of the impactful work that is being accomplished by our Sustainability Committee, and by the commitment of our member firms to this important effort,” said John Ferrante, AGC MA CEO. “The local construction sector is dedicated to building a brighter and better future for all.”

To learn more and join the effort, click here.

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Weighing in alongside other industry experts, Burke in particular emphasized the utility of mass timber as a building material, and how its use as a low embodied carbon material offers significant sustainability benefits to construction projects.

“The use of wood, and specifically mass timber, can have a considerable advantage when it comes to achieving environmental goals when the wood is harvested and utilized sustainably. Inevitably, materials sourced from our built environment like steel and concrete generate greenhouse gas emissions while they are produced, whereas the use of wood stores carbon even after the trees have been cut down. Additionally, by utilizing wood, we are able to leverage existing, naturally occurring materials in a project’s design and construction.”

Consigli has championed the use of mass timber in the industry, and its teams have coordinated and managed its use in more than fifteen projects incorporating timber solutions in design and construction. While often used in higher education, the use of mass timber continues to expand to wider-ranging, and larger-scale projects in various markets sectors.

Additionally, Consigli collaborates with research institutions, universities and testing laboratories locally and globally to continue the advancement of mass timber as a building material.

Read the full article here.

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How does Consigli—which has planned and built more than fifteen projects incorporating timber solutions—coordinate and collaborate with our project partners to plan and deliver high-quality timber structures? With extensive experience analyzing, procuring and installing mass timber, Consigli’s interdisciplinary approach supports our clients—like Bowdoin—in making cost-effective, schedule-driven decisions when planning a mass timber project.

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Rigorous pre-construction planning is a must when it comes to mitigating potential cost, schedule and quality impacts associated with a mass timber structure.

• Early Detections of Issues: The smallest details matter when it comes to achieving the desired look and function for such a specialized finish product. Incorporating design intent into early models helps guide crucial design considerations to be incorporated into fabrication documents and allow for timely timber release.
• Structural Reviews: Structural drawing reviews help analyze column spacing, spans of timber elements, choices of direction of primary girders and varying strategies for mechanical ductwork and plumbing routing. The review process can potentially result in cost saving through elements including reducing beam sizes and floor plate thickness.
• Cost Competitiveness: In today’s ever changing and challenging materials market, mass timber has remained relatively steady in pricing. This certainty allows mass timber to be priced early with greater assurance of costs as the project progress. Depending on the application, mass timber pricing can be very cost competitive when compared to steel and concrete and has additional cost benefits in terms of fit-out costs. Mass timber can also remain exposed, reducing the costs of expensive interior finishes on a project.

Selection & Sourcing

Timber species selection can affect the mass timber manufacturer. The right decision-making can support early internal estimates and analyze specific species for the best fit.

• Wood Species & Material Finish: Material selection has a significant impact on the choice of timber manufacturers. From aesthetic to strength of structural design to lengths of members, Consigli can help evaluate timber species and offer options that satisfy aesthetic and structural need.
• Deep Knowledge of Supplier/Manufacturer Market: A strong list of suppliers, both domestic and foreign, ensures competitive pricing for initial bidding during earlier phases of design. As the mass timber is fully designed and released for fabrication, a well-established market knowledge is crucial in bidding installation.

Coordination & Release

Coordination model completion ahead of Construction Documents is critical to final fabrication shop drawings for mass timber. With timber lead times ranging from 16 to 24 weeks from final drawing approvals, time is of the essence.

M/E/P coordination for a mass timber structure.

• M/E/P/FP Coordination: Mass timber penetrations for M/E/P/FP systems must be carefully planned and integrated into fabrication documents. Coordination models for these penetrations allow all pathways to be designed and manufactured in shop in lieu of in field; this is crucial as field cutting is prohibited for this level of finished product.
• Design-Assist Engagement: Engaging design-assist partners for M/E/P/FP systems and mass timber allows the project team to coordinate within the working design model. Creation of CD-level documents through design-assist, even as the rest of the design is in early stages, supports completion of building systems and architectural features for a release of timber well ahead of CDs, mitigating the challenge of timber long lead times.

Delivery & Installation

Careful attention must be paid to the handling, installation and protection of mass timber to maintain the material’s integrity. Hands-on installer experience is imperative when planning a successful mass timber project.

Mass timber logistics & installation considerations.

• Logistical Planning Handling & Installation: Development of the right logistics plans for efficient installation—accounting for any potential double handling and required special care—is paramount to creating schedule certainty through installation. The right project partners develop proper delivery, loading and sequencing unique to each site.
• Protecting your Investment through Insurance & Temporary Protections: Consigli’s in-house Job Site Insights platform allows our clients to protect their investment through floor-by-floor detection of potentially damaging elements to the timber structure, including water, fire or any other elements that may stain or mar the finished product. Additionally, temporary protection is often required and includes the use of hard walls held off the timber columns for UV and moisture protection, floor plate protection from UV, moisture and foot traffic, maintenance of humidity and temperature post close-in. The most effective timber structure protection is speedy building enclosure to reduce environmental impact on the timber itself. Once enclosed and final systems are brought online, maintaining proper humidity levels is critical to keeping the timber looking and functioning at its best.
• Self-perform Capabilities: Consigli self-performs mass timber installation and protection, giving us added control over schedule, quality and continuity of installation because we are that much closer to the product. Our 650 in-house craftspeople share our standards for quality and are a strong additional resource to call upon to get work done on time.

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Our 2022 ESG Year in Review is a summary of Consigli’s internal and external areas of focus as a company. It measures progress, achievements, and opportunities for growth in key areas integral to ESG performance.

Consigli’s 2022 ESG highlights include:

• Over 63% of our projects pursued sustainability certifications, earning a #14 ranking on ENR’s list of Top Green Contractors
• 43% of our 2022 new hires were from underrepresented groups
• Increased available employee volunteer time to 24 hours annually
• Celebrated our first class of 100% vested employee-owners, sharing in stock prices that have increased over 550% since 2018

Using our ESG mission as a guide, Consigli will adapt, innovate, and grow, creating opportunity for meaningful change.

To learn more about Consigli’s approach to ESG, click here.

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In this video series, Consigli looks at components of net zero carbon construction and implementation with our partners. Our first feature is Hotel Marcel, a certified historic renovation that repositioned a former office building into a hotel, targeting Net Zero Energy, Passive House and LEED Platinum certifications.

Sustainable Energy Production

Looking at operating costs over a five-year period, the investment in net zero operations ultimately pays for itself.

As a net zero energy building, the hotel generates 100% of its own electricity, heat and hot water with a rooftop solar array and solar parking canopies—totaling over 1,000 solar panels—with no fossil fuels used for the building’s power or heat. Hotel Marcel is its own energy island, supported by a battery-equipped solar microgrid to power the hotel, feed power to the grid during peak times and maintain power to the building during grid outages. The building’s Energy Use Intensity (EUI) rating is projected to be 34 kBtu per square foot, which is 80% less energy than median EUI for hotels in the United States.

Building Electrification

Technology, like lighting through an ethernet system, allows what was historically one of the least energy-efficient building operations to greatly reduce energy use and operational costs.

Hotel Marcel houses all-electric kitchen and laundry facilities—some of the largest energy-use areas in hotel operations—and utilizes low-voltage Power over Ethernet (PoE) technology to significantly reduce energy use across the entire building. Building-wide PoE powers and controls all lighting and window shades, enhancing operational control and reducing lighting energy use by over 30% compared to conventional lighting systems.

High-efficiency Mechanical Systems

The right mechanical systems can reduce monthly heating and cooling expenses while fostering improved indoor environments through ventilation and exhaust air heat transfer without direct air mixing.

Carefully selected mechanical systems at Hotel Marcel, specifically Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) air-source heat pumps and Energy Recovery Ventilation (ERV), support energy-efficient heat recovery and improved indoor air quality in the hotel. The VRF systems at Hotel Marcel can recover heat from cooled spaces for use in heated spaces and vice versa, enabling multiple indoor zones to operate on the same system from the same main compressor unit. The ERV recycles heat energy from the building’s exhaust air to pretreat outside air, reducing load on the HVAC unit and the required capacity of the mechanical equipment. ERV operations are essential for achieving great indoor air quality in high-performance, airtight buildings like Hotel Marcel.

Airtight Envelope Design & Moisture Control

Historic restorations requirements and regulations are not an end-stop for sustainable construction. Innovative building strategies can maintain a building’s historic integrity and deliver solutions for a more sustainable future.

Key to an energy efficient building is a well-insulated envelope with interior and exterior insulation, especially when targeting Passive House. However, at Hotel Marcel, the historic concrete façade could not be modified. Through interior spray foam insulation, the project team created an airtight, high-performance envelope while leaving the exterior untouched, aside from minor caulking improvements. Great care was taken in selecting an environmentally preferable spray foam with low embodied carbon and minimal off-gassing. Coupled with the installation of high-performance window, multiple layers of spray foam insulation ensure an airtight envelope protected from the impacts of outdoor moisture.

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Becker + Becker Associates, Inc.’s historic rehabilitation of the Marcel Breuer designed Pirelli Building transformed a long-vacant icon into the net zero Hotel Marcel—the country’s first Passive House designed hotel.

All electric, the hotel is powered by renewable on-site energy. Among other sustainable measures, variable refrigerant flow air-source heat pumps and energy recovery ventilation mechanical systems create a uniquely energy-efficient building.

Operated by Chesapeake Hospitality, the hotel hosts 165 guest rooms and suites, restaurant and bar, lounge and meeting spaces and penthouse-level courtyard and galleries.

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“Consigli is committed to setting an example for how the construction industry should approach sustainability,” says Director of Sustainability Steven Burke, LEED & WELL Faculty. “We have a significant opportunity to change how our projects impact the environment. Our participation in The Contractors’ Commitment will help define the framework for others to make those adjustments, too.”

The Contractors’ Commitment provides guidance in five categories: carbon reduction, jobsite wellness, waste management, water management, and material selection. Each category provides actionable items that contractors can implement, along with clear, measurable ways to track progress. It uses a tiered approach with recommended tactics for achieving “Good,” “Better,” and “Best” management practices.

tipico sportsbookConsigli’s participation in the pilot program will also require sharing of successes, challenges, lessons learned, and opportunities to ensure other contractors are able to build a strong foundation for their own sustainability programs.

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The global Coronavirus pandemic has undoubtedly caused us to rethink indoor environments. At this point, the average person understands that viral transmission happens through breathing contaminated indoor air. And if they’re spending a significant amount of time indoors, they probably have some questions.

As we prepare for re-entry into our buildings at pre-pandemic capacity and use, people want to know what has been (or is actively being) done to make their space healthy and safe. Many building owners have already made investments, while many are still weighing which measures to take to ensure occupants feel comfortable.

As building owners are navigating their options, let me help clear the air: there are some good ways to spend money to accomplish these healthy and safe indoor spaces, and some ways where the value is in question.

Let’s start with where there is still debate: Ionization Technologies

Many building owners have likely already put money into these systems, and we are currently installing them on some of our projects.  And, it’s completely understandable as to why.

The marketing behind these products is compelling: install a device at reasonable marginal cost, flip a switch, and get instant air purification removing viruses, bacteria, and other unwanted contaminants. Applicable in both new construction and existing buildings. Allows for cleaner air without the same energy penalty of increased outdoor air introduction. Win-win-win, right?

However, as much as we really want these devices to be the perfect solution (and maybe someday they will be), we are currently seeing a variety of sources questioning the effectiveness of electronic air purification applications. Some of the biggest issues with these technologies claimed by their opponents include:

• Lack of endorsement by the EPA, CDC, or ASHRAE as effective;
• Lack of independent, third-party verification from groups like Underwriters Laboratories (UL) that these devices do not produce ozone or other harmful byproducts;
• Lack of verification that these devices are as effective in the field as they are in the lab;
• Lack of peer-reviewed research studies; lack of understanding of the long-term system performance and impacts to the indoor environment.

The airplane manufacturer Boeing just released a 20-page report evaluating the effectiveness of ionization technologies tested in an airplane environment. The results? Ionization was proven to be not effective, didn’t meet manufacturers’ claims, and produced unwanted ozone. This open letter from health and building industry professionals also advocates against the adoption of the technology until we have more information. This letter was written specifically to caution school districts from using any of the $176 Billion of COVID relief funds for K-12 schools on what they describe as unproven and potentially harmful technology. The Education Department is even currently drafting new guidance on these “electronic air cleaning devices that are scientifically unproven and could produce harmful chemical byproducts.”

Ultimately, we want ionization technologies to be a go-to solution, and we will continue to monitor the research and progress in this space. But, for the moment, we recommend staying away from them—especially because there are other solutions that we know work well.

As a side note, if you have concerns about electronic air purification, almost all air purifiers you can buy off the internet will come with this technology installed, oftentimes disguised under some proprietary marketing name. If you’re going to buy an air purifier, make sure you’re purchasing one that does the cleaning just by passing through a HEPA filter, and not additional technologies if you don’t want the ionization component.

Here’s what we can recommend: Filtration, Ventilation & Monitoring

Filtration

In the summer of 2020, ASHRAE released a review of how efficient air filters are at capturing viruses, and how much they decrease air flow pressure downstream of the filter. What did they find? MERV 13 filters (MERV = minimum efficiency rating values for air filters) are incredibly effective—89% on average for a single passthrough—at filtering particles down to 0.3 microns. That’s very close to the effectiveness of an N95 mask. Virus particles go down to .1 microns or slightly smaller, but they hitch rides on larger particles that get snagged by filtration equipment. So, making sure you have good filtration is not only very important, but also very effective, both from a cost and efficiency point of view.

And, what about the dreaded “pressure drop” of suppressing downstream airflow when passing it through a thicker filter media? The ASHRAE study showed an average pressure drop at MERV 13 comparable to lower MERV-rated air filters, which don’t have the same efficiency at viral capture. So, perhaps we should look at the viability of upgrading to MERV 13 in existing buildings more closely.

As an added precaution (especially in classrooms or office spaces), you can purchase a portable HEPA filter. It is important to note that when purchasing a HEPA filter, you have to pay attention to the CADR (Clean Air Delivery Rate); use that value and add it to the air change calculations.

Ventilation

Here’s a fun fact: ASHRAE, the industry group responsible Tipico promo Codefor setting ventilation standards, created their threshold for “acceptable” indoor air quality based on the amount of ventilation air needed to control for body odors. Essentially, how much air would you need so that you don’t smell your co-worker?

That, unsurprisingly, does not necessarily equal a healthy indoor air environment. And, while increasing the amount of outdoor air introduced into a space might mean additional energy is used, in new construction, the Passive House model of continuous, balanced ventilation circulating through an energy recovery system allows us to have the best of both worlds: energy efficiency and healthy indoor air quality.

Retrofitting an energy recovery system into an existing building can be much more challenging than new construction. The solutions in retrofits, even in climates with large seasonal swings, may still present many opportunities throughout the year where additional ventilation can be brought into the building without extensive energy penalties (at night, during shoulder seasons, etc.).

In March of 2021, the World Health Organization released a report, “Roadmap to improve and ensure good indoor ventilation in the context of COVID-19” that may be helpful. Individual building strategies on ventilation air may vary slightly whether the overall goal is general healthy indoor air quality versus infection control, but many of the concepts will have overlap.

Monitoring

Monitoring can fall into two related buckets: the monitoring of your systems and maintenance schedules to ensure building systems are operating as expected, and monitoring indoor conditions with an indoor air quality sensor.

When it comes to monitoring your building systems and maintenance schedules, this is absolutely critical and should be priority #1. Making sure outdoor air dampers are properly functioning, air filters are being replaced according to schedule, and systems are not malfunctioning in a way that would compromise indoor air quality are the lowest hanging fruit there is. Even the best designed system can deliver poor indoor air quality if it isn’t functioning properly.

For air quality monitoring, there is a certification program called RESET which focuses exclusively on indoor air quality (and was around pre-COVID), which can be helpful for guidance and how to deploy monitoring. They also have approved hardware lists that anyone can view. These devices do not need to be integrated into the building management system (BMS) to still provide a tremendous amount of value, and even devices that are as cheap as $150 can monitor temperature, relative humidity, carbon dioxide, particulate matter, and volatile organic compounds in the air with a great deal of accuracy.

Other Thoughts
If you want to get your entire space certified as healthy or safe in some capacity, there are programs out there. The WELL Building standard has created the WELL Health-Safety Rating; Fitwel has created a Viral Response Module; and UL is offering a Verified Healthy Building, program to name a few.

In areas that are high risk and/or difficult to retrofit, distributed air purification devices can be a simple solution to consider. If you are going to go with air purification and monitoring devices, make sure that you buy from reputable brands that are likely to be around in five years. Otherwise, you might get stuck with purification devices for which you cannot find replacement filters, or air monitoring devices with software that is no longer functional. And again, take care to ensure that the air purification device does not contain ionization technology.

The options are seemingly endless as more and more companies are jumping on the ionization technology buzzword train. With the world re-opening and people going back to their pre-pandemic routines, let’s keep it simple—make sure your building systems are monitored and operating properly; open windows whenever conditions are suitable; and use MERV 13 filters.

Steven Burke, LEED & WELL Faculty, Director of Sustainability
As one of only two professionals to hold Certified Passive House Consultant (CPHC), LEED and WELL Faculty designations, Steven spearheads Consigli’s sustainability programs at the corporate, departmental and project levels. He is responsible for establishing metrics for sustainability reporting, providing training and guidance for Consigli’s staff and consultants, and collaborating with teams to integrate advanced energy and net zero strategies into projects through his involvement in Consigli’s energy division, Arch Energy.

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