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Expert Topic

Integrating Sustainability into the Structure of Corporations, Municipalities and Organizations

Adopting sustainability as an integral part of the structure of your company or organization will save you money. It will make your operations more efficient and effective.

The best way to make your organization more sustainable is to integrate sustainability into its structure. 

Simply hiring a sustainability manager and placing the responsibility on just one person is not enough. You'll get higher quality and more significant ideas by making each employee a part of your sustainability effort. Each of their unique perspectives is an untapped market for sustainable practices for your organization. 

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Meet the Expert

Ruthy Bennett

Consultant Ruthy Bennett
Regional Energy Manager, Towns of Arlington and Bedford, MA
Concord, MA
  • English
  • German: Deutsch
  • Spanish: Español
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About Ruthy

  • Combines expertise in sustainability and energy-efficient design with more than 20 years experience in project management, finance and real estate development.
  • As regional energy manager for Arlington and Bedford, MA., responsible for sustainable and energy-efficient design and operation of all municipal and school buildings.
  • Six years as senior VP of development and senior project manager for AF Evans Development Inc. in San Francisco.
  • Responsible for oversight of operations and finance for 15-person development department; implemented sustainability and energy usage criteria as an element of project feasibility analysis; instituted companywide sustainability plan for more than 300 employees.
  • Managed “Green Charrette” for 5.86 acre site project in San Francisco; facilitated more than 80 project meetings with stakeholders; created community education and outreach plan.

Experience

Regional Energy Manager • Towns of Arlington and Bedford, MA
Feb, 2013 — Present
  • Responsible for sustainable and energy-efficient operations and design for all municipal and school buildings in the Towns of Arlington and Bedford, MA.
  • Arlington and Bedford have earned state-designation as Green Communities, qualifying them for grants and committing them to lowering their carbon footprint and energy consumption.
  • The Regional Energy Manager works with town employees, utility companies and the commonwealth to lower carbon emissions, increase efficiency in HVA equipment, "green" the municipal fleet and increase energy consumption from renewable and sustainable energy sources.
Consultant • Taylor Quinn Development LLC
Mar, 2009 — Dec, 2012
  • Developed, designed and managed projects for residential new construction and renovations ranging in size from 500-sf additions to 3,500-sf new homes. 
  • Managed relationships between client, contractor, and municipalities to meet clients' goals of on-time and on-budget projects.
  • Focused on sustainable design, increasing energy efficiency and lowering overall energy costs.
Senior VP of Development • AF Evans Development Inc.
Mar, 2003 — Feb, 2009
  • Responsible for oversight of operations and finance for 15-person development department in San Francisco Bay Area.
  • Fostered relationships with community members, government officials, funders and interested stakeholders.
  • Implemented sustainable and energy usage criteria as an element of project feasibility analysis. 
  • Instituted new companywide sustainability plan for over 300 employees including recycling, public transit discounts and tenant communications plan.
  • As senior project manager (2003-2006), coordinated projects including affordable housing and mixed income buildings with project budgets ranging from $10M-$100M;  supervised architects, engineers, environmental consultants, contractors, sub-contractors and third party vendors from design through construction close-out; managed “Green Charrette” for 5.86-acre site project in San Francisco; facilitated over 80 project meetings with stakeholders and created community education and outreach plan for project. 
Senior Project Manager • Ecumenical Association for Housing, Inc.
Aug, 2001 — Feb, 2003
  • Created strategic 12-month growth plan to develop housing opportunities in Silicon Valley, CA. 
Project Manager • BRIDGE Housing Corporation
Mar, 1997 — Jun, 2001
  • Developed affordable housing and mixed use projects utilizing low income housing tax credits, public/private lenders and private corporate investors.
  • Oversaw design process, managed bidding and contractor selection, responsible for construction including review/approval of RFIs and change orders.

Education

Harvard School of Public Health
Certificate, Executive Education for Sustainability Leadership, 2014
Boston Architectural College
Certificate, Sustainable Design and Construction, 2012
University of Pennsylvania
MA, Architecture, 1991
Barnard College
BA, Architecture, 1987

Committees

Concord Sustainable Energy Committee

Academia

Instructor, "Greening Existing Buildings," Boston Architectural College, Aug. 2012-present.
  • Teaches online Master's-level course covering the techniques, costs and systems to renovate existing buildings using sustainable principles and renewable energy sources.
  • Utilizes LEED EBOM rating system as a guide to analyzing and programming sustainability projects for existing buildings.
Packages with Ruthy starting from $500

Your Expert Package Includes:

Best Practices

Access to ALL Best Practices authored by TrustedPeer Expert Ruthy Bennett on this topic.

Pre-Meeting Discovery Process
Review and analysis of your issue with pre-meeting discovery questions by Ruthy, followed by a 30- or 60-minute one-on-one call. Sample

One+-on-One Call

Your (+colleagues) meeting is directed and focused from the first minute.

Meeting Summary Report

After your call, Ruthy completes a Meeting Summary Report to provide you with the session’s discussion topics, analysis, assessment and recommendations for next steps. Sample

Post-Meeting Engagement

After your meeting, continue your relationship with Ruthy on your own, or with TrustedPeer’s support.
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