Boston, MA Boston University’s (BU) Center for Professional Education Real Estate Studies program teamed up with CREW on September 4, for close-up at Frontiers in Sustainability! Rob Nahigian, SIOR is one of the real estate senior instructors for the last 30 years in the Real Estate Studies program and was invited to attend. 

Approximately 75 real estate professionals attended the program at the new Boston University’s Center for Computing and Data Sciences. The building was recently constructed on Commonwealth Ave. and is the largest net-zero building in the  city. It boasts to have the deepest geo-thermal wells ever drilled in perhaps the entire U.S. reaching deeper than 1,500 feet or more than the height of the John Hancock building. 

Dennis Carlberg, chief sustainability officer and associate VP for climate action at BU gave an overview of the construction of the building and its architectural marvels. Abigail Roberts, sustainability program manager at Turner Construction and chapter president of CREW gave some information and updates on new construction techniques. Jon Keefe, the BU Real Estate Studies director served as the moderator. Kelly Benkert, BU administrative director coordinated the entire event. 

After the discussion on new sustainability practices in real estate and construction, there were detailed tours of this 17-story building, its building systems and infrastructure. CREW members were well represented. 

CREW Boston is the region’s leading professional organization promoting the advancement of all women in all sectors of commercial real estate since its founding in 1982.