Post on 14-May-2015
46 GREEN ENERGY Greentech Boston
GREENTECH B
47APRIL/MAY 2011 The American Business Journal
ECH BOSTON 046
STATE FOCUS: MASSACHUSETTS
48 GREEN ENERGY Greentech Boston
49APRIL/MAY 2011 The American Business Journal
50 GREEN ENERGY Greentech Boston
BOSTON IS CONSISTENTLY voted one of the clean-
est and greenest cities in the U.S. and America
is a global leader of the cleantech industry, so
it comes as little surprise that Boston is at the
forefront of green policy initiatives. This ‘hub of
innovation’, as the district is commonly referred to
in the press, is intended to combine the resources
available in the region and attract business from
the booming U.S. cleantech (or greentech) sector.
Galen Nelson is the Greentech Business
Manager with the Boston Redevelopment Au-
thority, an economic development agency pro-
moting business in different areas of the city.
As the go-to for all things clean, green, and
energy, he is able to provide us with some valu-
able information about the Innovation District.
“We are promoting a couple of behaviors that
are attractive to cleantech companies and one
of them is this idea of a living lab”. The idea
is that cleantech companies often need a test
market for prototypes of new innovations, and
the New England area provides a great test
environment, highly supportive to the cause
through its green policies.
“By focusing on policy that creates market
conditions that are favorable to clean energy
companies it gives us a leg up when it comes to
attracting and retaining companies that have a
cleantech focus.” These include such things as
at the city level, or the stringent green building
requirements for both public buildings and the
private sector. There are also requirements that
housing must be built with roofs that have the
ability to easily incorporate solar power and solar
thermal systems in the future.
51APRIL/MAY 2011 The American Business Journal
Boston is clearly on to something, as the
cleantech industry has somehow resisted reces-
sion during a sharp downturn. “I’ve seen jobs
created and I’ve seen companies land here. So
I am very positive and very encouraged by what
we have seen over the last couple of years.”
Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino has frequent-
ly spoken about the cleantech sector being the key
to drive the economy out of recession. Touted as
one of the greenest municipal leaders across the
U.S., many of Boston’s innovative policies are attrib-
uted to the mayor’s true belief in green policy. “We
also have leadership in the White House that is very
supportive of clean energy,” says Nelson, attribut-
ing the support from all levels of government to the
continual stability of cleantech.
The cleantech (or greentech) sector in Bos-
ton covers a wide range of green business. From
green energy and renewable energy system
component manufacturers, to climate change
adaptation consulting groups, to green product
designers and green building design and engi-
neering shops, the variety of business continues
to grow. There is also an array of cleantech ven-
Keep an eye out for a future issue of ABJ
where we highlight some of the major players in
the U.S. cleantech industry. AB
WWW.GREENTECHBOSTON.ORG
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EXCLUSIVE AB
53
XCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
STATE FOCUS: MASSACHUSETTS
54
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56 EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW Jim Hunt
ABJ: CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR DUTIES
AS CHIEF OF ENVIRONMENT?
JIM HUNT: My role is to serve as the mayor’s
lead advisor on all environmental issues, sustain-
ability issues, and issues facing the city. I have
direct oversight of several agencies facing the City
of Boston from parks planning to building permits.
ABJ: WHAT IS THE INNOVATION DISTRICT?
JH: The city under Mayor Menino’s leadership
and development on the South Boston water-
front area. This is an area that was previously all
brown and junkyards that was cleaned up when
the project was being developed in the 1990s.
In the last year basically a new vision for this
area, which continues to grow, is in creating and
rebranding an Innovation District—an area that
builds on Boston’s innovation and clean energy
leadership and many of the assets down the
south Boston waterfront. The vision of this Inno-
vation District is to build on Boston’s leadership
in the innovation economy.
ABJ: WHY IS BOSTON AN IDEAL PLACE FOR A
CLEANTECH COMPANY?
JH: We are locating entrepreneurs and start-
up companies with some existing leaders in their
and the entire biotech and cleantech sector.
We have a strong university presence, as well as
world. Boston is recognized as the hub for these
things. We want to catch those innovations that
are being developed at Harvard and MIT and the
University of Massachusetts and help support
those entrepreneurs and grow their companies
so that we can have a shared innovation. We
want to help those companies grow and stay
here in Boston to help economic development
and present opportunities for all Bostonians.
ABJ: WHAT INITIATIVES ARE IN PLACE TO BUILD
ON THIS?
JH: It is not just about companies investing in
this area, it is about the City of Boston support-
ing these companies, by supporting innovation
and by helping these companies grow and bring
their products to market. This innovation district
is not only home to these companies, but we
want these companies to test out their products
here. Whether it is new rooftop technology or
buildings, the vision is that this is an area for
shared innovation. Shared innovation for the pri-
vate sector, as well as this shared innovation with
the city and hopefully a shared innovation that will
touch all Bostonians by making our community
greener, healthier, and more prosperous as well.
57APRIL/MAY 2011 The American Business Journal
ABJ: WHAT OTHER FACTORS CONTRIBUTE TO
BOSTON BEING RATED ONE OF THE GREENEST
CITIES IN AMERICA?
JH:
had a vision of creating a cleaner, healthier Bos-
ton. Being recognized as one of the greenest cit-
ies in the U.S. has to do with our policies. Boston
the U.S. LEED building councils standards into
our zoning. Now you see other cities following
suit. We just adopted a new stretch energy code.
In addition to our green building code, that keeps
Boston on the leading edge of clean develop-
ABJ: WHAT OTHER POLICIES CONTRIBUTE TO
BOSTON BEING GREEN?
JH: We are one of the inaugural solar cities
of America named in 2007 and since that time
we’ve seen the installed capacity of solar increase
over 500 percent in the last three years. We are
pushing this agenda even further because, being
recognized as one of the greenest cities, we all
know that we have to address broader issues such
as climate change.
ABJ: WHAT ARE THE GOALS FOR THE FUTURE
FOR BOSTON IN REGARD TO ITS SUSTAINABILITY
POLICIES?
JH: This year the city adopted a new goal in
regard to greenhouse gas emissions. We com-
mitted to a 25 percent reduction over the next
10 years by 2020. So for all of those reasons,
Boston continues to be recognized as one of the
greenest cities in the United States. So what is
important to us, there is obviously a moral com-
mitment to do our part and to address issues
such as climate change, protecting our city for
future generations. One of Boston’s hallmarks
is that we connect our cutting-edge energy poli-
cies to job creation and economic development.
We are helping Boston grow as a greener and
more prosperous place. Green the next frontier
of Boston‘s future. AB
WWW.CITYOFBOSTON.GOV