波士頓僑教中心訂6月21、22日舉辦海外青年大使培訓

(Boston Orange) 中華民國僑務委員會的「海外青年文化大使協會 (FASCA)」，波士頓地區訂6月21 至22日在波士頓僑教中心 (90 Lincoln St, Newton Highland) 舉辦新生培訓，歡迎14至17 歲臺裔青少年報名參加。

波士頓僑教中心指出，「海外青年文化大使協會 」是僑委會為鼓勵海外青年成為頂尖國際人才，掌握領導技能，培養服務精神，開啟未來人生更多可能性而設計的組織。波士頓僑教中心作為「海外青年文化大使協會 」分佈於美國、加拿大、澳洲和亞洲等地的全球訓練中心之一，今年將於6月21、22兩日，辦理培訓。

參加者將在為期兩天，以「領導、服務、文化、傳承」為主軸的培訓中，親身體驗文化探索，實際參與團隊合作，結交志同道合朋友，拓展人際關係，演練領導能力。

完成培訓，加入「海外青年文化大使協會 」後，青少年大使們將有機會開拓視野，更深入了解東西文化差異，和全球各地的台灣青年建立聯繫，一起學習台灣傳統文化，增加對台灣人文地理的認識，消減身份認同焦慮，培養組織力，逐步奠定成為未來國際領袖基礎。

波士頓僑教中心「海外青年文化大使協會 」本年度的活動，將增加招募舊學員回流項目，並開設僑社經營、公眾外交等課程，鼓勵青年大使們將來投入僑社活動，成為僑社中堅幹部，並協助推動臺美國民外交。

「海外青年文化大使協會 (FASCA)」培訓課程完全免費，但參訓者須自行負擔餐費。結訓學員具有加入「海外青年文化大使協會」資格，將可參加僑委會提供的許多多元學習機會。

報名可上網: https://forms.gle/PH2HRCEnTyYzvKfb7。

WBUR 裁員 共31人約14%離職

               (Boston Orange 編譯) 波士頓著名廣播電台WBUR傳出裁員消息，共有31人選擇自動或被迫離職，約佔該廣播站人力的14%。

              根據該廣播站執行長Margaret Low發給員工的一則消息，包括4名資深經理在內，共有24人接受了公司提出的自動離職條件，另有包括兼職員工的7名職員，今日(週三)被裁。

              該廣播站因財務困難，已掙扎好幾個月，不但刪減了9個正在朝聘的職位，縮減外派開銷，還將在合約服務上花更少錢，或協商更低費率。

              Margaret Low表示，這些變動將可為該廣播站節省400萬元，而下一個會計年度，仍將是個有赤字的年度。

              2個月前，Margaret Low就已經通知廣播站員工，公司面對財政困難。上個月她發信告訴捐贈者，WBUR的廣播贊助過去5年來銳減40%。上一次WBUR裁員是在2020年時，裁減了10%左右。

              今年3月時，WBUR就已經向員工提出”買斷  (Buyout)” 合約條件，以刪減10%開支預算。

              在波士頓的媒體業中，WBUR並不是裁員的唯一企業。擁有89.7廣播頻道，一個電視台，公視節目等的公營媒體機構GBH，上個月在面對預算赤字中，也警告過員工，可能裁員。GBH的收入穩定，但開支卻增加了。

中華表演藝術基金會第33屆國畫書法比賽5月1至31日收件

(中華表演藝術基金會提供)

           (Boston Orange) 中華表演藝術基金會第33屆全美加青少年國畫書法比賽，從22歲以下，分4個年齡層，今年 (2024) 訂5月1日至31日收件，6月25日公佈評選結果。

            中華表演基金會創會長譚嘉陵指出，這項比賽已有32年歷史，旨在提高海外華裔青少年學習中國傳統文化的興趣，並鼓勵青年學習傳統中國國畫書法，培養成終身愛好。有不少學生把參加這比賽的成績作為申請大學的才藝資料，頗受重視。

            從2023年起改在網路上舉辦的這比賽，邀請美國和加拿大所有的 22 歲及以下學生參加。 分有四個年齡層：9 歲及以下、10 至 13 歲、14 至 17 歲、18 至 22 歲。每人可提交2幅國畫或書法作品，同時參加國畫與書法比賽者，最多交4幅作品。

            中華表演藝術基金會將邀請蔣宗壬博士，朱蓉博士，杜瑋醫生，以及林浩宗、馬清雄等藝文界書畫專家擔任評審。

            報名參賽，每人10美元，獎金最高250元。比賽簡章、報名表，1999到2023年的入選優秀作品，都可上網查看: http://www.chineseperformingarts.net/contents/competition/painting/2024/index.html

 

Foundation for Chinese Performing Arts Announces 33rd Annual All-American and Canada Chinese Brush Painting and Calligraphy Competition

(Boston Orange) The Foundation for Chinese Performing Arts is announcing the 33rd Annual All-American and Canada Chinese Brush Painting and Calligraphy Competition acceptance date set from May 1^st to May 31^st, 2024.

The result of this competition is scheduled to be announced on June 25^th, 2024 and winner will receive up to $250 in prize money.

This competition is an annual event, segmented into four age groups: under 9, 10 to 13, 14 to 17, and 18 to 22. Each participant can submit the most 2 pieces of work. If applying for both Painting and Calligraphy Competition, the number of works participants could submitted can increased to 4.

Judges of the 2024 competition this year, includes Dr. Edward Chiang, Dr. Doris Chu, Dr. Wei Du, Mr. Ho-Chung Lam, and Mr. Qingxiong Ma.

To apply, find out more information, download application forms, and to view images of award-winning art works from 1999 to 2023, please check on-line to: http://www.chineseperformingarts.net/contents/competition/painting/2024/index.html.

Shin-pei Tsay 出掌波士頓市新城市機制辦公室

MAYOR WU ANNOUNCES NEW LEADERSHIP FOR MAYOR’S OFFICE OF NEW URBAN MECHANICS Shin-pei Tsay named Director of MONUM; Marcy Ostberg named Deputy Director of MONUM

BOSTON - Wednesday, April 24, 2024 - Mayor Michelle Wu today announced Shin-pei Tsay as the new Director and Marcy Ostberg as Deputy Director of the Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics (MONUM). Tsay and Ostberg bring experience in urban planning and city government, including in areas of sustainability, transportation, housing, and education. Tsay and Ostberg both started earlier this month and are filling previous vacancies in MONUM.   MONUM works across departments and communities to explore, experiment, and evaluate new approaches to government and civic life. The office was formed in 2010 as the Mayor's civic research and design team (one of the first in the nation). Since then, MONUM has been instrumental in seeding experiments that have become critical public services, such as Boston’s 311 app; truck side guards, which have spread to over a dozen cities in the US and is the model for state law and national research efforts; Boston Saves, which is now available to all BPS students to help them save for college; and zoning changes to allow homeowners to add Additional Dwelling Units (ADUs). Tsay and Ostberg are both eager to reimagine civic innovation at a time when the City and people of Boston have so much innovation underway. “I’m excited to welcome Shin-pei and Marcy to MONUM, an office at the center of innovation and research that collaborates with a wide variety of city departments and projects,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “Shin-pei brings an extensive expertise in urban mechanics, in crucial issue areas for Boston such as transportation and sustainability. Marcy has a firsthand knowledge of City Hall and how to solve problems for our residents, having worked previously in MONUM, the Mayor’s Office of Housing, and as a Boston Public Schools teacher.”

Shin-pei Tsay Tsay’s work experience converges on policy, design, and governance to shape inclusive and sustainable cities. She has spearheaded innovative approaches to systemic challenges across numerous urban issues, often with a focus on the public realm and transportation. Her intersectional work is infused with entrepreneurialism, building teams to co-create strategic research agendas, engagement, and tactics aimed at broad public impact and with multiple stakeholders.  Prior to joining the City of Boston, she was the global policy director for cities and sustainability at Uber, where she was named a Sustainability Star by AdWeek for her work on the company’s first global sustainability commitment. She founded Make Public, a social impact analysis firm, and was executive director of Gehl Institute, a non-profit that advocated for public life and public spaces, where her team created a framework that integrated factors in the public realm with social determinants of health and equity that is now used widely by philanthropies. Tsay also served as deputy executive director of TransitCenter, a national foundation focused on improving urban transportation where she played a pivotal role growing the transit civic ecosystem to lead policy reform. She created the Cities and Transportation program under the Energy and Climate Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace where she worked with Senator Bill Bradley, Secretary Tom Ridge, and Honorable Dave Walker on developing an innovative revenue mechanism to fund the federal transportation program.  Tsay served on the NYC Public Design Commission as well as numerous non-profit boards including Transportation Alternatives, ioby, and SPUR, and taught urban design at Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, Art, and Preservation and Parsons School of Design at the New School. She holds a BA in government from Cornell University and a MSc in geography from the London School of Economics and Political Science. She lives with her family in Jamaica Plain. “I’m honored to be joining the talented staff in Mayor Wu’s administration to execute on her vision,” said Shin-pei Tsay, Director of MONUM. “I look forward to collaborating on reimagining civic innovation for the City with stakeholders across all sectors while delivering concrete outcomes for the people of Boston.”

Marcy Ostberg Ostberg brings to her work an eclectic background in civic innovation, urban policy, and education. She utilizes a human-centered design approach to help teams connect and collaborate with people. She believes transformational change comes when these groups work side-by-side to uncover problems and design solutions.   Ostberg has significant experience putting this methodology into practice at the City of Boston beginning as a fellow in the Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics and later leading the Housing Innovation Lab. She became skilled at gathering community input, generating buy-in, and building cross-sector teams to move forward with complex projects aimed at making Boston housing more affordable, such as pioneering zoning changes to encourage ADUs and to encourage creative thinking about combining housing with public assets. Then as the Director of Operations for the Mayor’s Office of Housing, she advised leadership and improved operations, leading critical efforts such as coordinating the department’s COVID-19 response to ensure uninterrupted service delivery and expanded access to rental relief and other resources.   Prior to her civic leadership roles, Ostberg served as a teacher at the Boston Day & Evening Academy, a Boston Public School, where she crafted and delivered experiential, personalized learning modules. Marcy holds a MA in Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning from Tufts University, and an MEd from Franklin Pierce University.  "The opportunity to return to MONUM as Deputy Director is incredibly exciting. Having been part of this dynamic team before, I understand the power of its innovative approach to civic challenges,” said Marcy Ostberg, Deputy Director of MONUM. “I'm energized by the prospect of not only continuing that legacy but also scaling its successful model to empower other city departments, ensuring that its transformative impact reaches even more facets of city life.” Ostberg lives in Jamaica Plain with her husband and two kids. You're likely to spot them at the community garden, playing softball at Franklin Park, or biking up and down the Southwest Corridor. "The MONUM alumni, including its former Chair Kris Carter and former Chief of Staff Jaclyn Youngblood, and I are very excited for this new chapter at the Mayor's Office of New Urban Mechanics," said Michael Lawrence Evans, Director of Emerging Technology for the City of Boston and former Interim MONUM Director. "Bostonians will benefit greatly from Shin-pei and Marcy's nationally-recognized expertise, deep understanding of local issues, and collaborative spirit that will support the City of Boston's position at the cutting-edge of government service delivery."

波士頓夜生活經濟辦公室備25萬徵創意項目 最高撥款一萬元

MAYOR WU ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF WAKE UP THE NIGHT GRANT Office of Nightlife Economy’s new grant will use up to $250,000 to support residents and organizations in revitalizing Boston’s nighttime economy through unique activations and programming

BOSTON - Wednesday, April 24, 2024 - Mayor Michelle Wu and the Office of Nightlife Economy today announced the launch of the City’s Wake Up the Night Grant, which will award individuals and organizations up to $10,000 for nighttime activations. The application is now open and the deadline to apply is May 28.  The Wake Up the Night Grant Pilot Program will use up to $250,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to revitalize Boston’s nightlife economy and foster safe, inclusive social spaces. All activations will take place in July through December 2024 and be free and open to the public.   "Boston is a city of neighborhoods, and we are working to revitalize our nighttime economy and create opportunities for residents to enjoy safe, joyful spaces throughout the warmer months and into the fall,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “This year we’re trying to make it easier than ever to foster fun programming that showcases the beauty of our communities and support residents and businesses in their efforts to make this summer a safe, enjoyable one for all in Boston.” All funded events will align with one the following categories:  Accessible Programming: Social events specifically curated for persons with diverse  abilities (physical, cognitive, or emotional) Cultural Expression: Activations showcasing the many cultural interests and expressions of Bostonians. Intergenerational: Activations promoting multi-generational social interaction.  Spirit-Free Programming: Activations mindfully omitting the consumption and presence of alcohol. Weekday Activations: Events promoting social interaction Monday through Thursday, specifically in the Downtown and surrounding neighborhoods. Youth Programing: Activations aimed to serve persons 20 years old and younger. "There is a pressing demand for more innovative, inclusive, and accessible nighttime activities," said Corean Reynolds, Director of Nightlife Economy for the City of Boston. “Through the Wake Up the Night Grant Pilot Program, we are excited to directly invest in people and organizations that are reimagining Boston’s nightlife.”  The Grant is open to individuals, nonprofit organizations, or businesses working in partnership with community partners. Applicants must be Boston residents or demonstrate that their project is led by partners who are Boston residents. The Wake Up the Night Grant is an Office of Nightlife Economy initiative. The Office, launched in March 2023, works to create a more robust and equitable nightlife economy to enhance the overall quality of life for residents of Boston. For more information about the Office of Nightlife Economy, visit boston.gov/nightlife.

麻州參議會議長 Spika 談政策 提議社區學院免費上 (視頻)

教宗方濟各邀麻州長Healey，波士頓市長吳弭5月到梵諦岡參加氣候峰會

              (Boston Orange 綜合報導) 梵諦岡 (Vatican) 認為氣候危機已經來臨，而且情況似乎越來越糟，教宗方濟各 (Pope Francis) 決定5月中召開” 氣候高峰會” ，一舉邀請麻州的州長奚莉 (Maura Healey)，波士頓市長吳弭 (Michelle Wu)，麻州氣候長Melissa Hoffer，麻州大學波士頓分校校長Marcelo Suárez-Orozco等人參加。

              預定5月15到17日舉行的這為期三天會議，主題為「從氣候危機到氣候適應能力(From Climate Crisis to Climate Resilience)」據說是由宗座科學院和宗座社會科學院籌辦，教宗會親自主持會議，而麻州州長奚莉將討論「在氣候變遷年代中治理”，波士頓市長吳弭將討論「治理、健康及能源」。

              麻州州長奚莉辦公室列舉了奚莉州長上任以來，與環境有關的成就，包括成立綠銀行 (green bank)，聘任麻州有史以來的第一位氣候長Melissa Hoffer，在預算案中的經濟發展法中建議魏氣候科技斥資10億元。她在擔任麻州總檢察長期間，打贏了對抗Exxon Mobil石油公司的訴訟案等。

              吳弭市長指出，梵諦岡的這一會議，邀請兩種類型的城市與人士參加，一種是在環境議題上領先者，一種是面對環境最嚴峻考驗者，而波士頓兩者兼具，更代表了沿海社區，在處理洪水等方面，有不小進展。

              麻州州長奚莉和波士頓市長吳弭都對獲邀前往梵蒂岡參加氣候峰會，感到非常榮幸，也都同意教宗的看法，氣候問題必須由所有人攜手解決。

              梵諦岡宗座科學院在該機構官網上指出，在地球氣溫到2030年時，有升高到超過攝氏1.5度的趨勢之際，人們已無法奢侈的期待以減少二氧化碳排放來緩解情況。梵諦岡於2022年推出「氣候韌性 (Climate Resilience)」這新倡議，致力於把研究者，政策制定者，及信仰領袖聚集一堂，來了解氣候變遷對科學及社會的挑戰，並設法為人們找出解決方案。他們相信，氣候韌性必須建築在三根柱石上，包括減緩氣候變遷危機； 適應管理不可避免的風險； 社會轉型以實現緩和和適應。

麻州政府贏得1億5600萬元太陽能競賽聯邦經費

 Healey-Driscoll Administration Celebrates Winning $156 Million in EPA’s Solar for All Competition 

 Massachusetts’ Solar for All program could result in a 20% reduction in energy costs to 31,000 low-income and disadvantaged households, support 2,800 clean energy jobs, and decrease annual carbon emissions by 70,000 tons 

 

BOSTON – The Healey-Driscoll Administration today celebrated its selection by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to receive $156 million in funding under the Solar for All competition, a $7 billion program that is part of the Inflation Reduction Act’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. A coalition led by the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) and including the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC), MassHousing, and Boston Housing Authority, submitted the state’s application to the Solar for All competition. Massachusetts, qualifying as a Medium Program, received one of the largest state awards and the largest award in New England. 

 

"The Inflation Reduction Act is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to fund state climate action, and Massachusetts is leading the pack once again,” said Governor Maura Healey. “We’ve adopted a strategy that combines housing affordability and climate policy, supporting our residents in accessing the important cost and health benefits that come with solar energy. We’re grateful to the Biden-Harris Administration and our federal delegation for this investment in Massachusetts’ climate leadership.” 

 

“The Solar for All application is Team Massachusetts in action,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “Instead of dozens of small applications coming from our state competing against each other, we worked with over 80 stakeholders and communities to put forward a single strong application. That’s the power of partnership in a high-stakes federal competition.” 

 

Massachusetts’ Solar for All program expects to deploy 125 megawatts of solar capacity, provide a 20 percent reduction in energy costs to more than 31,000 low-income and disadvantaged households, support 2,800 clean energy jobs, and decrease annual carbon emissions by 70,500 tons. Massachusetts anticipates this funding will mobilize an estimated $286 million in other private capital. The Solar for All program will be available to all Low-Income and Disadvantaged Communities across Massachusetts to maximize program participation and impact in historically underserved communities. 

 

"Climate change presents us with an opportunity to do things differently – with Solar for All, the people most deeply impacted by extreme weather and pollution will be at the front of the line for clean, affordable, locally-produced energy,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “Residents will be able to look around their communities and see tangible benefits of the clean energy transition thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act – solar panels on roofs, local workers with good-paying jobs, and cleaner air for us all to breathe.” 

 

"Our comprehensive approach to climate action helped us secure this grant and will help us implement it,” said Climate Chief Melissa Hoffer. “This application was a strategic collaboration between energy and housing agencies, and now our low-income residents will reap the benefits of affordable solar energy. Our Solar for All program will build on other initiatives like the Massachusetts Community Climate Bank to leverage public and private funds to promote housing affordability and clean energy.” 

 

"Our team is thrilled to receive $156 million to power the future of solar in Massachusetts,” said Energy Resources Commissioner Elizabeth Mahony, who will oversee the program. “Massachusetts has been a national leader in deploying solar, and this investment will take our programming to the next level. We are ready to put these funds to work, setting up solar on affordable homes and training up the workforce who will make it happen.” 

 

"This Solar for All award is an important part of our whole-of-government effort to bring home federal funding to Massachusetts that advances our climate goals, while addressing equity and creating good paying jobs for a clean energy future," said Director of Federal Funds and Infrastructure Quentin Palfrey. "Thank you to President Biden, Administrator Regan, and the Massachusetts congressional delegation for making possible this exciting award. We look forward to continuing partnerships across state agencies and with our local communities to secure these impactful federal dollars for Massachusetts." 

 

“This incredibly exciting win for the Commonwealth will bring solar power to low-income households, lowering energy costs for residents and supporting good-paying jobs across Massachusetts,” said Massachusetts Clean Energy Center CEO Dr. Emily Reichert. “The Biden-Harris Administration’s historic investments through the Inflation Reduction Act are accelerating our goals to expand access to affordable clean energy and build an equitable workforce to implement that transformation.” 

The Massachusetts Solar for All program will make solar PV more accessible for small residential and multifamily homes and expand access to community solar. Planned components of the program include a residential zero-interest loan initiative, a residential lease initiative, a public affordable housing procurement initiative, a private affordable housing financing initiative, and a low-income community shared solar initiative. Massachusetts’ Solar for All program will also include funding for technical assistance, education, outreach, quality assurance, and workforce training. 

 

Massachusetts’ Solar for All program initiatives are designed to meet the needs of LIDC stakeholders. Each initiative will be supported by existing financial incentives, innovative financial products, a solar-friendly regulatory environment, technical assistance, workforce development, and community engagement activities. 

 

“Today we’re delivering on President Biden’s promise that no community is left behind by investing $7 billion in solar energy projects for over 900,000 households in low-income and disadvantaged communities,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan.“The selectees will advance solar energy initiatives across the country, creating hundreds of thousands of good-paying jobs, saving $8 billion in energy costs for families, delivering cleaner air, and combating climate change.”  

 

“Solar is the cheapest form of electricity—and one of the best ways to lower energy costs for American families,” said John Podesta, Senior Advisor to the President for International Climate Policy. “Today’s announcement of EPA’s Solar for All awards will mean that low-income communities, and not just well-off communities, will feel the cost-saving benefits of solar thanks to this investment.” 

 

The state’s application was a collaboration between energy and housing agencies, highlighting the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s whole-of-government approach to address climate change. The Solar for All will combine the state’s solar energy and building decarbonization expertise at DOER and MassCEC with the housing finance and development expertise of MassHousing and Boston Housing Authority. In addition, the collaboration leverages the state’s creation of the Massachusetts Community Climate Bank in June 2023.   

 

The program was developed through extensive consultation with communities, including dozens of meetings with key stakeholders from solar industry, environmental justice, labor, and community development groups. More than 80 stakeholder organizations provided letters of support for Massachusetts’ Program, including the Massachusetts Building Trades Union and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

BPDA releases Mass Timber Accelerator Final Report

BOSTON - April 22, 2024 - In recognition of Earth Day 2024, the Boston Planning & Development Agency (BPDA) released the final report on the Mass Timber Accelerator program which began in the fall of 2021, in partnership with the Boston Society for Architecture (BSA). The program is one of many initiatives the City of Boston is using in its mission to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and make Boston a green and growing city for all. Currently, building construction and materials account for 23 percent of global emissions. In a new building, the carbon emissions embodied in the building materials and products themselves can equal ten to 20 years of carbon emissions from building energy use. Finding new solutions to reduce building material embodied carbon will be a critical step in reducing carbon emissions. Building more projects with mass timber, or more simply, wood from renewable sources, has emerged as a high impact, low effort solution with a multitude of benefits. “This is a cutting edge program focused on the next tier of sustainable development practices and I’m proud of the work that has come out of it. The work of the participating teams and the program findings will guide us moving forward to ensure we are meeting our goals for reduced carbon emissions as a city,” said Chief of Planning Arthur Jemison. “We need every tool available that will help Boston become more resilient and sustainable, and I hope more projects will embrace mass timber as a building material in the future.” The program, which was run in partnership with the BPDA and BSA, was funded by the USDA Forest Service, the ClimateWorks Foundation, and the Softwood Lumber Board, and given technical assistance from WoodWorks. Ten project teams were selected over two rounds and awarded financial and technical assistance to explore mass timber practices for their building project. Individual project teams investigated a range of strategies and technical details to using mass timber to build their projects including: carbon reduction, building height, supply chain, and cost feasibility. The key takeaways from this program are that mass timber construction can significantly reduce embodied carbon, lower the building’s structural weight resulting in smaller foundations, reduce floor to floor height requirements, and accelerate construction time. The initial findings show that multi-family residential buildings are best suited to leverage the benefits of mass timber, but that mass timber could be applied to other uses as well. "As a pivotal partner in this ‘first of its kind’ program, the BSA took immense pride in convening and collaborating with the City of Boston and our esteemed partners. Together, we made significant strides in advancing the knowledge and acceptance of mass timber as a critical strategy for reducing carbon emissions; a commitment we take very seriously,” said Miranda D'Oleo, BSA's Program Manager for Policy & Advocacy. “Now, we are looking forward to furthering that commitment by supporting architects, peers, and fellow cities beyond Massachusetts, to advance this impactful carbon-reducing architectural solution”. “The Boston Mass Timber Accelerator has proven to be a highly successful model for reducing the carbon impact of buildings in the area—not only because they pair funding incentives with technical project assistance, but because of how they prioritize communication and knowledge sharing among the teams participating,” said WoodWorks President and CEO, Jennifer Cover. “We were excited to share our technical expertise with building designers who were in many cases new to mass timber, and look forward to seeing how they apply their experience to projects going forward.” The goal of the program is to accelerate the use of low carbon mass timber; already the BPDA is seeing the demand for mass timber grow in Boston and the Northeast region. Currently the agency is tracking eight active projects, three of which are currently in construction, totaling more than 1.3 million square feet that will be constructed with mass timber materials. Six of the eight projects are participants from the Mass Timber Accelerator Program. Boston’s future projects with mass timber commitments amount to 22 buildings totaling over 4.3 million square feet. In addition to focusing on a range of best practices to lower carbon emissions from building materials and products, embodied carbon, the BPDA’s Net Zero Carbon Zoning Initiative is proposed to update Article 37 of the Boston Zoning Code to include a net zero carbon standard. There will be a public meeting regarding this initiative on Monday, April 29. Learn more here.