USGBC Involvement
7group has been a member of USGBC since 2000 and has been involved with developing LEED® since its entry into the marketplace as a pilot program in 1997. The project that generated the formation of 7group was one of the first 12 LEED certified projects worldwide, under version 1.0. Since then, 7group has led project teams on over 120 LEED certified projects, including the first LEED Gold (NCv2.0) certified building, the PA Department of Environmental Protection’s Cambria Office Building.
7group has been and continues to be deeply committed to promoting the future development of LEED and USGBC.
Volunteer Activities
LEED Steering Committee (LSC)
2003-2009, John Boecker; 2004-2009, Marcus Sheffer; and 2005-2009, Scot Horst, Chair
Three current/former partners in 7group are veterans on the LSC. Horst served as the Chair of this committee for four years prior to his appointment as USGBC’s Senior Vice President for LEED. For this work, Horst received a USGBC Leadership Award in 2008. Boecker served on the LSC for six years, first in his capacity as Chair of the Curriculum Committee and more recently as Chair of the International Task Force. Both Horst and Boecker also served on the Management Steering Committee. Sheffer served on the LSC for five years in his capacity as the Vice Chair and Chair of the Energy and Atmosphere Technical Advisory Group (EA TAG).
USGBC Central Pennsylvania Chapter (previously known as GBACPA)
1996-2008, Sheffer and Boecker, Founding Chair and Vice Chair, Board Members
2010-2012, Gerren Wagner, Board Member
2010-2011, Cam Fitzgerald; 2009-2011, Todd Reed; 2003-2009, Sheila Sagerer; 2009-2013, Tyler Thumma; 2009-2013, Gerren Wagner, Voluntary Committee Members
Sheffer was the founding Chair of the GBACPA during its formative first five years, prior to the existence of USGBC chapters, and he later served various roles on the Board of Directors for over ten years in total. Boecker was the founding Vice Chair of the organization and served as Chair following Sheffer for two years, then on the GBACPA Board for ten years total. Wagner served on the Board of Directors, and Sagerer, Reed, Thumma, Wagner and Fitzgerald serve or have served on GBACPA/USGBC CPA voluntary committees as part of their 7group affiliation.
USGBC Core Team
2011-2012, Sheffer
The Core Team is a group of 50 thought leaders representing a good balance of members from every important stakeholder group. The primary role of the Core Team is two-fold; first, to provide input to USGBC leaders on issues, questions, concerns, opportunities and threats you see; and second, to respond to questions from USGBC leaders (via survey and forum) – with a focus on the strategic level.
LEED Market Advisory Committee (MAC)
2011-2015, Sheffer
The LEED Market Advisory Committee is a LSC committee charged with advising staff and LSC on market-related issues. Its purpose is to advise on market transformation aspects of LEED in collaboration with USGBC staff to ensure that LEED maintains leadership and continues to respond to the markets.
LEED Energy & Atmosphere Technical Advisory Group (EA TAG)
2004-2010, Sheffer, Chair and Vice Chair; 2010-present, Sheffer, Working Group member
The EA TAG advises and makes recommendations to LEED Committees, working groups and the LSC on technical issues; reviews and assesses the consistency and technical rigor of credits and prerequisites; and develops and modifies credits to be incorporated into LEED in accordance with the direction of LEED improvements related to energy and atmosphere issues. Sheffer was the Vice Chair and past Chair of the EA TAG during the development of LEED v2.2, LEED 2009 and LEED v4. In this role he also served on the USGBC LEED Technical Committee. The LEED Technical Committee is a committee of the LSC charged with assessing and recommending solutions to the LSC for review and approval. Its purpose is to optimize LEED’s technical effectiveness and scientific validity across LEED credit categories. Sheffer continues to serve on EA TAG working groups developing and refining LEED.
LEED Indoor Environmental Quality Technical Advisory Group (IEQ TAG) Daylighting Working Group
2009-present, Reed
The Daylighting Working Group advises and makes recommendations to the IEQ TAG and LEED Committees on technical issues related to daylighting and views. They review and assess the technical rigor of credits and develop credit language, metrics and calculations to be incorporated into LEED improvements.
LEED Integrative Process (IP) Working Group
2014-present, Boecker
The IP Working Group is charged with improving the practical implementation of the IP credits in the LEED v4 BD+C and ID+C rating systems, suggesting improvements to these credits, and exploring the viability of IP credits for the LEED v4 O+M and ND rating systems.
LEED International Task Force
2007-2009, Horst; 2007-2010, Boecker, Co-Chair
This committee, Co-Chaired by Rick Fedrizzi (CEO of USGBC) develops procedures and protocols for organizations in other countries pursuing the creation of Green Building Councils and the adaptation of LEED to their unique context. Boecker continues to provide consulting services to USGBC on these issues.
LEED Education Steering Committee
2006-2008, Boecker
This committee is charged with developing and coordinating all USGBC educational efforts, including LEED curricula, online training, professional development courses, higher education programs, sustainability curricula in public schools, and public education.
LEED Curriculum Committee
2002-2007, Boecker, Chair
Boecker served as the first Chair of this committee and designed its structure with USGBC staff. During his tenure, this committee was responsible for developing and delivering all LEED workshops, recruiting and training USGBC LEED FacultyTM, and creating and administering the LEED AP® exam.
LEED Technical & Scientific Advisory Committee (TSAC)
2002-2009, Horst, PVC Subcommittee Chair
Horst served on TSAC as chair of the PVC Subcommittee, which examined the highly controversial issues surrounding PVC in building materials. Additional information on this subcommittee’s process and results can be found at http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=153
Education and Publications
USGBC Education Partner
2014-present
7group has contracted with USGBC as an Education Partner and will be providing high-quality video training on the Education@USGBC platform. USGBC Education Partners are leaders, trusted voices and reputable providers of green building and sustainability education. 7group is producing trainings focused on the purpose of LEED, the integrative design process, and regenerative development. Specific trainings will focus on habitat, water, energy and materials systems in the context of integrative design, along with sessions on daylighting and storytelling. These sessions also serve as ‘invitations’ to delve deeper with 7group (via in-person experiential workshops) into how the integrative process and regenerative thinking can help building industry professionals become more effective as change agents leading transformation.
Natural Ventilation in LEED
Serving as a consultant to USGBC, 7group is working on the development of alternative protocols for treating natural ventilation in LEED projects. The purpose of this work is to simplify the methodologies used to include naturally ventilated and conditioned projects in LEED.
LEED for Existing HomesTM
Created a first draft of a LEED rating system for existing homes based on a dynamic, interactive, self-assessment questionnaire to be completed by the home’s occupants that addresses both building performance and occupant behavior for all single family homes, multi-family housing (including apartments), and all dwellings except for mobile homes and transient housing such as dormitories. The purpose is to educate and inform residential occupants about the environmental and human health implications of the operational decisions they make on a daily basis so that users can engage and achieve their ecological goals at home, and USGBC can continue to transform the market. The rating system is currently undergoing evaluation and implementation by USGBC staff and committee volunteers.
LEED v4 Reference Guide
7group collaborated with an experienced team of renowned green building professionals to develop the Integrative Process, Energy & Atmosphere and Indoor Environmental Quality sections of the v4 Reference Guides.
LEED v2012 Certification Process
As part of the development of the documentation requirements for LEED v4, 7group provided specific feedback to the USGBC development team related to project team experiences required for specific credit documentation. These comments were based on particular criteria the client developed for LEED v4 submittals (including BD+C, O+M and ND). In addition, the work included summary reviews of draft credit form content.
EAp2 Table 1.4 Update
7group was engaged by USGBC and Green Business Certification, Inc. (GBCI) to update and improve the documentation submitted for energy modeling results for LEED BD+C projects. The new summary table will provide clear guidance on the information required for the certification review of EA prerequisite 2: Minimum Energy Performance. The purpose is to improve and streamline the documentation process for this difficult to document prerequisite.
LEED Building Performance Partnership (BPP)
7group worked with USGBC staff to develop the direction and strategies associated with the development of their BPP program. USGBC’s BPP engages commercial and residential LEED building owners and managers in an effort to optimize the performance of buildings through data collection, analysis and action.
LEED Reference Guide Contributing Authors
7group partners and staff contributed to the writing and editing of the LEED Reference Guides over the past several years, including LEED for New ConstructionTM v2.2, LEED for Commercial InteriorsTM v2.0, LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations + MaintenanceTM v2.0, LEED 2009 Building Design + Construction, and LEED v4 Building Design + Construction.
LEED Core Concepts Guide
Boecker is a member of the USGBC Advisory Committee responsible for writing Green Building and LEED Core Concepts Guide, a resource for candidates pursuing the LEED Green AssociateTM credential.
LEED for Homes Mid-Rise
7group worked with USGBC to analyze the alignment of the LEED for HomesTM Mid-Rise rating system with other LEED rating systems for LEED 2009. 7group served as an EAc1 certification reviewer for LEED for Homes Mid-Rise.
LEED AP Exam and Training
Boecker served as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) in writing numerous questions for several versions of the LEED AP exam and the online training course for LEED APs, The Essentials of the LEED AP.
LEED v2009 Credit Forms
7group worked with USGBC both on-site in Washington DC and remotely to improve the functionality, technical content and quality of the LEED Online credit forms for LEED v2009 (including BD+C, O+M and ID+C) utilized by project teams pursuing LEED certification.
LEED Training Development
7group partners have participated in the development of several USGBC training courses, including the LEED Advanced Workshop, the LEED for New Construction Technical Review, the LEED for SchoolsTM Workshop, LEED BD+C 251: Understanding the Building Design + Construction Rating Systems, and the USGBC Instructor Training Program. 7group also led the development of the Integrative Approach to LEED Projects and Energy Modeling for LEED Projects courses.
LEED Faculty™
2002-2008 and 2010-2014, Boecker and Sheffer
7group partners were among the first 12 LEED Faculty™ members nationwide appointed by USGBC to teach LEED workshops.
LEED Faculty™ Training
2010-2013, Boecker
Boecker helped develop and was selected as one of three co-facilitators selected nationwide in the U.S. by USGBC’s Education department to facilitate USGBC Instructor Training Program for LEED Faculty™, a 2-1/2 day course that is a requirement for qualifying to become a member of LEED Faculty™. Boecker also trained GBC Italia’s LEED Instructors and serves as USGBC’s appointed Mentor to the Italian LEED Instructors.
LEED International
7group partners provided consulting services to USGBC in identifying, prioritizing and writing alternative compliance path language for LEED BD+C and LEED for Existing Buildings: O+M that could be adapted by countries outside the U.S.
Green Building Video Production
7group partner Tom Keiter has created a number of videos for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania featuring 7group partners and projects. Lessons Learned, which tells the story of two PA DEP projects applying LEED and the integrative design process, was featured in the USGBC’s LEED Workshops from 2002 to 2008. Keiter also created a video featured at the second Greenbuild conference in Pittsburgh, titled This Remarkable Place. Also for USGBC, Keiter has produced videos to support the Building Performance Partnership, Green Schools and LEED v4. 7group collaborated with Rocky Mountain Institute to produce a two-video High Performance Building Series that includes Perspective and Practice and High Performance by Integrative Design.
LEED Certification Reviews
Certification and Appeal Reviewer
2003-present
7group was one of the first five firms in the U.S. hired to conduct technical reviews for LEED certifications, and has been involved in reviewing more than 2,100 projects pursuing LEED certification, focusing on LEED for New Construction v2, LEED for Schools 2007, LEED CS v2.0, and LEED BD+C v2009 including New Construction, Core and Shell, Schools, Retail and Healthcare projects.
Certification Reviewer Training
2008-2010
7group was one of only three review firms contracted by USGBC and GBCI to train Certification Bodies (CBs), which were instituted to significantly increase LEED certification review capacity. Working with GBCI, 7group developed and implemented direct on-site and continual training of new CB reviewers in LEED for New Construction v2.2 and LEED for Schools 2007. Training covered general and specific technical issues regarding all LEED credits, and EAc1 training in particular. As part of EAc1 training, 7group participated with a team of consultants in developing the LEED EAc1 Guidance Manual to help reviewers navigate the technical nuances of this complex credit. More recently, 7group has provided training to GBCI staff on LEED for Schools and SSc6.
Quality Control (QC) Reviewer
2009-2010
7group has performed QC reviews of CB and other Reviewers’ certification review work for LEED for New Construction v2.2 and LEED for Schools 2007. Most recently, 7group has performed this function for GBCI reviewers.
GBCI Applicant Review
2010
7group assisted GBCI by assessing the writing and technical skills of job applicants for the position of LEED Certification Reviewer for EAc1.
International Certification Reviewer Training
2013-present
As part of GBCI’s initiative to increase international LEED certification review capacity, 7group worked with GBCI to develop and implement a training workshop for Korea’s Green Building Council (GBC) in LEED v2009 BD+C rating systems. Training covered general and specific technical issues regarding all LEED credits, and Energy/HVAC training in particular. 7group will also provide quality control services for Korea GBC’s certification review work.
LEED Project Reviewers
2010-present
7group staff includes nine LEED Project Reviewers: Cris Argeles, John Boecker, Alvin Changco, Cam Fitzgerald, Sol Lothe, Sheila Sagerer, Marcus Sheffer, Tyler Thumma and Gerren Wagner.
LEED APs
7group staff includes 12 LEED APs with BD+C specialty credentials: Cris Argeles, John Boecker, Alvin Changco, Lura Faust, Cam Fitzgerald, Sol Lothe, Todd Reed, Sheila Sagerer, Marcus Sheffer, Tyler Thumma, Brian Toevs and Gerren Wagner.
7group staff includes one Legacy LEED AP: Tom Keiter.
LEED Fellows
2011
7group is one of two firms in the country with two Fellows designated in the inaugural class of 2011: John Boecker and Marcus Sheffer.
