Webinars + Forums
This session attempts to connect building decarbonization measures with initiatives that affordable housing owners can take to make their communities more climate resilient, with a focus on extreme heat.
This presentation discussed the climate risks associated with extreme heat, the dangers they pose to Massachusetts communities, specific measures that affordable housing owners can take to mitigate these risks in their properties, and existing initiatives and resources for building community resilience locally.
The cohort presentation featured Alexander Jarrah from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), and Mia Mansfield, from the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA).
Held on October 28th, 2024.
Massachusetts has one of the most aggressive energy codes in the US including the Opt-in Specialized code, which requires all multifamily buildings greater than 12,000 square feet to be Passive House certified. This presentation provides a summary of the three tiers of energy codes available to communities in Massachusetts and how each tier affects new construction of multifamily housing with a closer focus on the Stretch and the Opt-in Specialized codes. Held on June 11, 2024.
Join LISC Massachusetts, the Boston Housing Authority (BHA), and Resonant Energy as they unveil a streamlined approach to identifying solar potential across your housing portfolio. Using case studies from a recent analysis of the BHA's solar potential, you will learn simple rules and criteria to help you develop your next (or first!) solar project. We also explore financing options to help you maximize state & federal incentives, including the upcoming EPA Solar for All grant. Held on May 23, 2024.
Join us for an interactive session with the City of Boston’s Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance (BERDO) team to get all your questions answered. Learn how to comply with Boston’s new building performance standards, reporting timelines, flexible compliance options, and resources available to building owners to support equitable decarbonization. Held on May 21, 2024.
The Boston Green Ribbon Commission has developed a multi-organization process to support the development of an organizational Climate Action Plan alongside other enterprises. Guest presenters Rebecca Herst (Boston Green Ribbon Commission), Dallase Scott (Trust for Change), and Ari Sugerman and Nick Pittman (Fenway CDC) share how this peer learning and technical assistance program works and their experience participating. Held on April 23, 2024.
Decarbonization resources are here, including several new and updated green tax credits. Guest presenter Jerome Garciano from Polsinelli shares how owners can take advantage of green tax credits for both high performance new construction and retrofit projects. Held on November 30, 2023.
Utility allowances are the value of utilities such as electricity, gas, and water costs that are included in one's gross rent. Learn how utility allowances interact with resident-paid utilities and owner-collected rents, how federally- and state- financed properties structure utility allowances differently, and how this can affect utility cost impacts in deep energy retrofits. Held on June 28, 2023.
This session overviews Mass Save's new Income-Eligible Deep Energy Retrofit Incentives. Learn how you can access these resources to help you decarbonize an existing property approaching a major rehab. Held on April 6, 2023.
This presentation overviews several actionable tools and strategies that affordable housing owners can use as they develop new construction or retrofit existing buildings for greater climate resiliency. Held on March 23, 2023.
The new energy code is a leap forward in building energy efficiency and in efforts to decarbonize the building sector in Massachusetts. Learn about the updated Stretch Code and the new Specialized Opt-In Code when New Ecology presents a brief history of the code and summarizes the changes with focus on new construction and major renovations of multifamily buildings. Held on February 16, 2023.
The Energy Cohort cohosts a webinar with RMI on how the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) can help your multifamily retrofit project. We discuss the renewable, electrification, and efficiency rebates and tax credits that might apply to housing retrofits. We apply the applicable potential benefits to a retrofit project example to show how the IRA can provide valuable funding to projects. Held on January 13, 2023.
Affordable housing owner Cascap discusses its zero-carbon-emissions-over-time renovation of Nonantum Village Place Apartments, a 35-unit senior affordable housing community in Newton. Learn more about the steps taken to identify energy and carbon savings opportunities, the technologies used, and the investments needed to make the building decarbonization upgrades. Held on December 8, 2022.
DHCD recently required that all projects seeking Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP) sustainability points must be in compliance with the mandatory criteria of Enterprise Green Communities. Enterprise Green Communities is a holistic green building standard that results in healthier indoor and outdoor environments for residents and community members. Join us for an interactive session by the Enterprise team on the latest Criteria and how your team can proactively plan to incorporate them into your next project. Held on September 29, 2022.
There have been some big policy changes in the solar landscape, with especially significant implications for affordable housing developers. LISC, MACDC, and Resonant Energy offer a special bonus extension to our summer series of webinars covering what you need to know about solar and the federal Inflation Reduction Act, including environmental justice and affordable housing targeted incentives. Held on September 8, 2022.
LISC, MACDC, and Resonant Energy are hosting a series of webinars exploring different topics relevant to installing solar for new construction affordable housing projects. This third webinar discusses zoning and green certifications available to new construction including Passive House, BERDO, E+ and more. We also provide a recap of the solar process for new construction affordable housing. Held on August 11, 2022.
LISC, MACDC, and Resonant Energy are hosting a series of webinars exploring different topics relevant to installing solar for new construction affordable housing projects. This second webinar covers how you can design your building to be solar-ready by Resonant's detailed definition which will fully prepare your building for cost-effective clean energy integration. Held on July 14, 2022.
LISC, MACDC, and Resonant Energy are hosting a series of webinars exploring different topics relevant to installing solar for new construction affordable housing projects. This first webinar discusses the basics of solar for affordable housing and the different financing options available for these organizations. Held on June 9, 2022.
This session overviews Boston's Building Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance (BERDO) 2.0 with guest presenter Brenda Pike from the City of Boston. Held on December 16, 2021.
This session overviews all-electric building systems technical options (for space heating and cooling as well as domestic hot water) with guest presenter James Petersen from Petersen Engineering. Held on November 9, 2021.
Moran Square is one of the first affordable, Passive House, Historic Tax Credit projects in the US. The site includes a historic firehouse, a vacant lot, and historic three-story building. Guest presenter Heather Clark (Rocky Mountain Institute) illustrates how the team managed to meet rigorous historic requirements of the Federal Historic Tax Credit program, while achieving ambitious Passive House and low carbon construction goals. Held on July 15, 2021.
This session features guest speakers Aaron Gunderson (Passive House Massachusetts), Julie Klump (Preservation of Affordable Housing), and Michelle Apigian (ICON Architecture) and provides a detailed look at Passive House for Affordable Housing covering what's different during design and construction, roles on the project team, conducting feasibility studies, and lessons learned from practice. Held on June 24, 2021.
In this session, presenter Tom Chase from New Ecology discusses actionable ways to improve the climate readiness of your buildings and organization. Held on March 3, 2021.
Guest presenter Isaac Baker from Resonant Energy overviews the suite of solar options available to affordable housing owners based on organizational goals and housing portfolio characteristics. Held on January 12, 2021.
This session covers opportunities and challenges associated with the electrification of heating and cooling - a timely topic as a hot summer comes to a close. Presenters Lauren Baumann of New Ecology and Beverly Craig of the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) discuss air source heat pumps and other options for keeping multifamily buildings cool in a warming climate. Held on September 10, 2020.
This webinar shows new solar + storage economic analysis for actual affordable housing properties, conducted by American Microgrid Solutions (AMS) for LISC's partner Clean Energy Group (CEG). Presenters from CEG, AMS, and 2Life Communities explain how to combine MassSave's ConnectedSolutions Battery Program, MA DOER's SMART Program, and other available incentives to achieve projects with strong returns that support enhanced resilience. Held on May 1, 2020.
This webinar is part of our 4-part webinar series with Massachusetts Climate Action Network (MCAN) and the Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance (MSGA) to learn more about why affordable housing is a part of the climate solution, and what action we can take to create more highly efficient, Net Zero affordable housing in our communities. Held on January 28, 2020.
This webinar gives an overview of LISC’s updated green + healthy resource toolkit, and discuss promising program design, policy recommendations, and learning networks that can help support affordable housing owners in achieving greener and healthier buildings for themselves and their residents. Held on December 12, 2018.
Thank you to the 100+ community members who joined us for a conversation on innovative financing strategies for high-performance affordable housing. You can find all speaker presentations here. Held on June 10, 2019.
Thank you to the 200+ community members who joined us for a conversation on climate and social resilience in Massachusetts' affordable housing portfolio. You can find all speaker presentations here. Held on May 10, 2019.
Thank you to the 250+ people who joined us. You can find all speaker presentations and related training resources here. Held on January 29, 2018.