Boston chapter of IFMA named International Chapter of the Year

The Boston chapter of the International Facilities Management Association (IFMA), a non-profit association dedicated to serving the facility management profession, was named International Chapter of the Year. Additionally, on January 16th, IFMA Boston kicked off the new year with an all-day seminar, Sustaining Sustainability, on maintaining green buildings, presented in conjunction with Bentley College, and sponsored by Bentley, Environmental Health and Engineering, and Rentacrate LLC. "We are honored with our chapter of the year recognition," said Sean Murphy, president of IFMA Boston. "It's been six years since we've received this honor which doesn't seem that long until you consider that oil was hovering around $30 per barrel, the Toyota Prius was a concept car and Al Gore was known as a failed presidential candidate not an Oscar and Nobel Prize winner. So, with heightened emphasis on the environment and building "green," there is significant interest in managing existing buildings more efficiently. This will be a great way to get 2008 started." The IFMA Boston seminar took place from 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. at Bentley College, Waltham, Mass. Featured speakers included Gloria Larson, president, Bentley College; Alan Whitson, president of Corporate Realty, Design & Management Institute; and Ian Bowles, secretary, executive office of Energy and Environmental Affairs "You don't have to inhabit a newly designed green building to reduce energy consumption. There are a number of measures that can be taken to reduce operating expenses, cut down on CO2 emissions and reduce our dependence on foreign oil," said Richard Christiano, director of real estate, Harvard Business School Publishing, and co-chairperson of IFMA's sustainability taskforce. "Building green is a wonderful concept but the true effectiveness is how well it's managed over its lifespan. We discussed the strategies for maintaining buildings both old and new in the most energy efficient manner possible."