Decarb MA Higher Education
🌟 Presented in partnership with Celsius Energy, Envelope LLC, Gilbane, and SGH.
The location SGH 480 Totten Pond Rd, Waltham, MA 02451
This Summit will highlight best practices for retrofitting existing building stock to comply with Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS) and Boston’s BERDO requirements, while addressing how to reposition and convert older assets for new uses and long-term flexibility. We will also dig into building envelope compliance, and the rapidly evolving landscape of geothermal systems and Thermal Energy Networks (TENS) projects across the region.
Summit Focus
We’ll explore:
How higher-ed institutions partner with developers and local governments to fund, entitle, and deliver new campus projects.
Strategies to navigate complex procurement and align with BERDO, and new energy standards.
Practical pathways to building envelope compliance and risk mitigation under emerging codes.
How geothermal and Thermal Energy Networks (TENS) are being planned, financed, and delivered for campus-scale decarbonization.
Summit Agenda & Speaker Lineup
8:00 - 8:50 AM – Registration & Networking
8:50 - 9:00 AM – Opening Remarks
Scott Donachie (moderator), CEO at Decarb Summits
- Connecting decision-makers across real estate, finance, and technology to drive sustainable impact, leading over 170+ organizations in transforming the built environment. LinkedInJoshua Kivela, Principal at Simpson Gumpertz & Heger (SGH)
- He specializes in high-performance building enclosures that improve energy efficiency, durability, and long-term performance. With over two decades of experience, he leads enclosure design, assessment, and forensic investigation on complex glazing, roofing, and wall systems, helping project teams deliver resilient, low-carbon building solutions. LinkedIn
9:00 - 9:50 AM – Resilient Building Envelopes: Designing And Delivering Envelope Systems That Support BERDO And BEPS Compliance
Ryan David Ewell (Moderator), Founder and Director at Envelope LLC
- He leads Envelope LLC, delivering high-performance, low-carbon building envelope solutions that reduce energy use, cut embodied carbon, and improve long-term resiliency across university, government, healthcare, and multifamily projects. LinkedInJohn Myers, Preconstruction Executive, Gilbane Building Company - Preconstruction Executive John Myers advises clients on optimizing building energy strategies to meet New England's evolving new energy codes, strategizing with owners, designers, and stakeholders to achieve carbon goals, analyze the most effective and cost-efficient options in emerging technology fields. Early decisions on equipment sizing, balancing first costs with lifecycle costs, laying the groundwork for a robust training program for future building operators will impact the cost and future efficiency of facilities. LinkedIn
Jennifer Hardy, Principal, Goody Clancy - Jennifer is a design principal with broad experience leading large, complex projects that push the boundaries of innovation, design and performance with a focus on positive impact to people and planet. Jennifer is currently working on the campuses of Boston College, Dartmouth College, Morehead State University and SUNY Stony Brook University. LinkedIn
Rebecca Hatchadorian, the Director of Sustainable Built Environment at Harvard University, where she leads initiatives to advance decarbonization and sustainable design across campus projects. With a focus on measurable impact, she collaborates with academic and industry leaders to drive innovation in building performance and environmental stewardship. LinkedIn
Mary Arntzen, P.E.Senior Project Manager, Simpson Gumpertz & Heger Inc Mary C. Arntzen is experienced in designing, investigating, and rehabilitating building enclosure systems. She serves as a project manager for various large and complex projects, often working directly with owners, architects, construction managers, and developer clients, as well as subcontractors, manufacturers, and other consultants. Her experience also includes reviewing glass-and-metal curtain wall systems, windows, roofing, plaza waterproofing, cladding, and below-grade waterproofing systems. LinkedIn
9:50 – 10:20 AM – Coffee & Networking
10:20 - 10:50 AM – The Future of Thermal Energy Networks (TENS) for the MA Region
Innovative approaches to integrating geothermal energy and TENS into campus infrastructure.
Eric Bosworth, Principal Consultant at Thermal Energy Insights
- Eric is the Principal Consultant at Thermal Energy Insights. With 15 years of energy industry experience from upstream O&G to renewables, he provides technical consulting services to utilities, municipalities, government agencies, and private companies on a wide range of energy and policy topics. Prior to this role, he was responsible for the implementation of projects for the Clean Technologies team within the Eversource Energy portfolio including the Framingham Networked Geothermal Pilot. LinkedInJoshua Soble, US Country Manager at Celsius Energy
- He leads U.S. operations for Celsius Energy, deploying shallow geothermal systems that reduce building emissions and improve energy performance. With experience in renewable energy project development and clean-tech financing, he specializes in scaling geothermal and efficiency solutions across the built environment. LinkedIn
10:50 - 11:30 AM – Higher Ed Case Studies
Real-world lessons in deep energy retrofits and BERDO-aligned strategies from Boston’s institutional sector.
Scott Donachie (moderator), CEO at Decarb Summits
- Connecting decision-makers across real estate, finance, and technology to drive sustainable impact, leading over 170+ organizations in transforming the built environment. LinkedIn
Dano Weisbord, Chief Sustainability Officer & Associate VP for Campus Planning at Tufts University
- He leads sustainability and campus planning at Tufts University, overseeing a multi-campus decarbonization master plan and major energy, infrastructure, and capital planning initiatives. A national leader in higher-ed climate strategy, he integrates planning, policy, and organizational change to advance deep decarbonization across the university. LinkedInErinn McGurn, Associate Vice President for Sustainable Capital Programs at Smith College
- Registered architect with 25+ years in strategy, design, and project management. She oversees campus planning and capital project delivery at the intersection of sustainability and operations, advancing decarbonization and resilient, human-centered design across the institution. LinkedInShirine Boulos Anderson, Lecturer at Wenwoth Institute of Technolgy - Shirine is a Lecturer at Wentworth Institute of Technology, specializing in architecture with a focus on health sciences, STEM facilities, and sustainable design for universities. Her expertise bridges academia and industry, advancing innovative and impactful solutions in the built environment. LinkedIn
Benjamin Galuza, Ops Manager, Energy Infrastructure at Turner Construction Company - Benjamin Galuza specializes in MEP and energy infrastructure design management, with a focus on integrated design, energy systems integration, and net-zero energy and carbon strategies. His experience spans LEED, Living Building Challenge, WELL, and Fitwel projects, with deep expertise in high-performance, healthy, and sustainable building design. LinkedIn
11:30 - 11:50 AM - Lessons from Sustainable Solutions for Aging Infrastructure At & Beyond MIT
Susan Murcott ( moderator), Lecturer at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) D-Lab
- A civil and environmental engineer, Susan has been teaching at MIT for the past 27 years. Courses include Climate/Health, Water/Sanitation and recently, the first academic course in North America on Thermal Energy Networks. She leads a MIT alumni group (MIT Alumni for Climate Action) focused on MIT campus decarbonization. LinkedInRick Clemenzi, PE, CGD, Principal Engineer, Co-Founder at Geothermal Design Center Inc. - Rick is an MIT alumni systems engineer, licensed engineer and licensed commercial HVAC contractor specializing in geothermal systems, Certified GeoExchange Designer (CGD), Accredited Geothermal Installer, Thermal Energy Network researcher and new product developer, and a member of both ANSI/CSA standards and ASHRAE geothermal technical committees. After many years designing and installing geothermal heat pump systems, Rick and co-founder Judy Siglin formed Net Zero Foundation for pro bono work to advance rapid and cost-effective decarbonization. LinkedIn
11:50 - 12 PM – MIT's Geothermal
Megan Lim – MIT, Co-Founder of GEO@MIT
- Megan is an MIT 2024 who conducts cross-sector and intergenerational collaboration. She has competed in Department of Energy competitions with geothermal solutions to decarbonize MIT, which led to co-founding Geo@MIT, a student TENs consulting group. Megan works with The GreyEdge Group and Run on Climate on sharing TENs best practices to various stakeholders. She sits on the Cambridge Climate Committee, and co-leads an initiative to build a community of Boston-area students to contribute to campus and city climate goals. LinkedIn
Closing Remarks
Scott Donachie (moderator), CEO at Decarb Summits
- Connecting decision-makers across real estate, finance, and technology to drive sustainable impact, leading over 170+ organizations in transforming the built environment. LinkedIn