In this second of three articles about our 2021 Napa Climate Champion award winners, we salute John Glaser, recognized in the Community Activist category, and Bob Massaro, founder, and CEO of the Healthy Buildings Companies, honored in the business category.
John Glaser, 1949-2021
John Glaser
With John Glaser’s passing last July, Napa lost a remarkable community leader in creative problem-solving. Thanks in large part to his efforts on the city of Napa’s General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC), which provided community input to the 2040 General Plan, the updated plan is now likely to include a Climate Change and Sustainability Element. The draft plan is currently being reviewed by city staff.
Glaser grew up in Denver, Colorado. A gifted educator, his teaching career brought him to Napa in 1977 where he and his wife, Carol, helped found Sunrise Montessori. He also served as coordinator of Project Concerned throughout Napa County and was subsequently named principal of Temescal High School (now Valley Oak).
In 1985, his life took a pivotal turn when he was hired as the director of employer-employee relations for the Napa Valley Unified School District. “He was thrown into a very adversarial situation and realized that it had to be approached in an entirely different way,” Carol said. “Eventually he worked with both labor and management colleagues to craft a collaborative bargaining process still in use today.”
John and Carol used this “interest-based problem solving” approach in their work as consultants for school districts and public agencies. “This was the basis of his community work: to create the conditions for effective outcomes we need to include all sides, to draw the circle around everyone and work together,” said Carol.
Glaser served as the superintendent of the Napa Valley Unified School District from 2003 to 2010. During his tenure, American Canyon High School was constructed with environmentally-friendly features such as a geothermal exchange system to reduce heating and cooling costs and a one-megawatt solar panel system that provides 80 percent of the electricity needed on campus.
After retirement, Glaser served as a member of the Napa Housing Coalition. Coalition Co-Chair Joelle Gallagher recalled, “John had a true gift for collaboration. He was always looking for ways to bring everyone together to listen, brainstorm and create solutions. John always saw the possibilities.”
Glaser was named a Climate Champion for his work on the Climate Change and Sustainability Element of the city of Napa’s General Plan update. At the December 7, 2020 meeting he stated, “(The Plan should) develop concrete action steps, goals, and a timeline for reaching net-zero climate pollution by 2030 or as soon as possible. That summarizes my values.”
GPAC Chair Chuck Shinnamon noted, “John was the leading advocate of having the City move forward quickly on climate change and sustainability. His ability to bridge different groups and bring them together to craft an agreement was just genius.”
Bob Massaro
Bob Massaro
Bob Massaro has been in construction for over forty years. Educated in biology and public health, he began using environmentally-friendly building practices in 1983, but the “healthy” aspect of his work developed from a life-changing experience in 1999.
“My 10-year-old son had a very serious asthma attack that caused him to be hospitalized. When I got home from the emergency room, I realized that our house contained many asthma triggers such as carpets, drapes and toxic cleaning supplies. I decided to turn our home into a healthy home.”
Massaro wanted to incorporate these changes into his construction practice and in 1999 decided to focus only on healthy buildings. Today, Massaro’s Healthy Buildings Companies (HBC) design and construct homes and commercial buildings that are “Healthy for People and Healthy for the Planet.”
HBC projects incorporate building practices described in the company’s “Periodic Table of Sustainable Elements,” which Massaro refers to as “our DNA.” Its fifty practices are organized into five categories: Natural Elements, such as collecting rainwater for landscaping and using insulation and window glazing to maximize comfort and energy efficiency), Health and Wellness (using non-toxic surface materials to prevent off-gassing; avoiding natural gas-powered appliances to reduce indoor air pollution), Materials and Resources (using recycled and durable building materials), Community (incorporating courtyards and gardens into multifamily developments; using local labor), and Energy (minimizing energy use and using renewable energy technologies to achieve a net-zero electricity building).
“All homes should be net zero,” said Massaro. “If a building consumes more electricity than it produces, then it’s contributing greenhouse gas emissions and adding to climate change.”
Massaro is concerned that many builders don’t understand the advantages of building green. “We are able to build this way because it makes financial sense. If you put more money into building a green building, you will get more savings in operating costs. In the end, ultra-green, net-zero energy building ends up making money for the homeowner.”
In 2021 Massaro was appointed to the City of Napa’s Planning Commission. As a builder, he had appeared before the Commission many times.
“I love this community and know that sustainable features such as bike paths, green space, and high-quality, low-cost housing benefit everyone. Serving on the Planning Commission is an opportunity to take my hands-on knowledge of sustainable construction to benefit the community.” As he points out, “Climate change is the biggest threat to our economy; a close second is the shortage of housing that’s affordable.”
We recognize Bob Massaro and the Healthy Buildings Companies for “walking the talk” and working to provide homes and buildings that are truly sustainable.
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The author, Chris Benz, is a retired winemaker and founding member of Napa Climate NOW!
Napa Climate NOW! is a local non-profit citizens’ group advocating for smart climate solutions based on the latest climate science, part of 350 Bay Area. Like, comment, and share the daily Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter posts @napaclimatenow or visit napa.350bayarea.org
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