By Celis Brisbin, Programs Manager
Yesterday, Boston Properties announced that they will commit to the “Waterkeeper's Pledge”, a 2% reduction in water usage every year going forward. Boston Properties has a longstanding reputation of sustainability with their LEED building portfolio and 2% energy reduction goals.
The real estate leader announced the water usage goal at their “Boston Properties University” celebration. At the USGBC MA Chapter we are support all that Boston Properties is doing to lead the way and to set the standard for the property management sector.
If you missed the event and would like to see more, click below:
2015 BPU Speakers:
Roy Hirshland – CEO, Co-Founder, T3 Advisors
Hasier Larrea – Project Manager, Architectural Robotics, MIT Media Lab
Dr. Joseph Coughlin – Director of MIT’s AgeLab
Marc Yaggi – Executive Director, Waterkeepers Alliance
2015 BPU Award Winners:
Innovation in Design, Game Changer Award
Presented to: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Innovation in Design, Space Hack Award
Presented to: Bit9 + Carbon Black
Innovation in Design, People’s Choice Award
Presented to: Care.com
Here is some of what they are doing for water efficiency, from their website:
Water Conservation
Boston Properties continues to find innovative ways to minimize its environmental footprint through reducing water use in its buildings and operations. For example, advanced landscaping irrigation systems are being piloted at several properties that incorporate rain gauges to measure water levels, communicate information and adjust the amount of water used to maintain the plantings on a daily basis. These systems result in the use of approximately 50% less water. In addition, all of our regions have water conservation programs in place that range from water efficient devices installed on toilets and sinks to managing the frequency of exterior window washing programs.
We use ENERGY STAR® Portfolio Manager to monitor and benchmark water usage in buildings where we have access to water meter data. In 2013 the portfolio had an average water use of 13.5 gallons per square foot. This compares to the 2012 average of 15.4 gallons per square foot, representing a 14% reduction in gallons per square foot. It should be noted that these metrics are not adjusted to reflect variations caused by different weather conditions.