GBS '18 Sneak Peek #2 - Built Environment Plus

As we approach our Green Building Showcase on the 25th, we will be releasing a series of project spotlights that will be shown at the event! Check out three from Gensler, Elkus Manfredi, and HDR.

Don’t forget to buy a ticket or register your board for the event!

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Partners HealthCare: Submitted by Gensler

Energy consumption is expected to be 51% lower than comparable buildings in the region, and the campus is the first New England building certified as LEED Gold V4 BD+C.

Partners HealthCare approached its administrative campus as an opportunity to transform a brownfield site in an urban, mixed-use development into a healthy and environmentally-responsible campus that reflected its values as a healthcare industry leader. Each aspect of the design was carefully considered for its impact on employees, the community, and the environment. The resulting campus embodies Partners’ commitment to holistic wellness. Floor-to-ceiling windows deliver abundant natural light and offer views of a thoughtful landscape design that incorporates native planting and manages rainwater retention. Spacious staircases and sit-to-stand workstations encourage employee movement. Expansive roof terraces and accessible balconies provide easy access to fresh air, and the full-service cafeteria offers a wide variety of healthy choices.

The campus’ energy performance was also a priority for the project team. Energy consumption is expected to be 51% lower than comparable buildings in the region, and the campus is the first New England building certified as LEED Gold V4 BD+C. A 0.64-acre green roof absorbs water and lowers heat absorption. Atop the garage, an approximately 2-acre solar array offsets 40% of peak campus demand. To address long-term resiliency, the project team elevated the flood zone site by three feet and placed critical equipment on the roof.

In addition, this site was selected for its connectivity and access to public transportation. The campus entrance is less than 500 feet from an MBTA subway station, providing an easy link for employees and visitors. Bicycling is encouraged through on-site locker rooms and showers, parking for over 150 bicycles, and an easy connection to a nearby bike path network. The campus design also includes generous public outdoor spaces that further contribute to the community’s green space network.

Ink Block: Submitted by Elkus Manfredi

Siena’s exterior architecture is inspired by Italy’s famous Duomo di Siena – the cathedral of Siena

Siena joins Sepia as the next condominium project at Ink Block in the South End neighborhood of Boston. Siena is a collection of 76 new, luxury condominiums at the six-building, superbly located, urban mixed-use development. Siena combines high-style architecture and design with luxury amenities and access to a Whole Foods Market, restaurants, and shops.

Siena’s exterior architecture is inspired by Italy’s famous Duomo di Siena – the cathedral of Siena – which is marked by alternating horizontal white and green-black marble stripes. Interior common areas include a fitness center, library lounge, minibar, communal dining table, catering kitchen, lounge with fireplace, bike room, and sky lounge. The sky lounge includes an indoor area with a fireplace and a bar with a pass-through window to the exterior roof terrace, which in the warmer months offers additional seating, a firepit, and a grill station.

All six completed buildings at Ink Block have achieved LEED Gold status, and include more than 50 percent underground parking, bike racks for 15 percent of the residents, water-efficient landscaping, and low-flow fixtures. More than 75 percent of the construction waste was diverted from disposal and employed regionally sourced and green construction materials such as recycled structural steel, gypsum board, low-VOC paint, adhesives, and flooring.

HDR

Innovation Square [iSQ]: Submitted by HDR

The design intent for the two buildings is a contemporary interpretation of the established maritime “head-house and tail” vernacular.

Uniquely situated within Boston’s Marine Industrial Park, iSQ (Innovation Square) has emerged as the avant-garde micro life science cluster, a natural first choice to Cambridge’s saturated bio-pharmaceutical market. Combining contemporary design with planning to promote operational efficiencies, the project aims to attract global entrepreneurial companies with the goal of enhancing productivity, promoting collaboration and enabling transformational discoveries.

HDR helped develop the master plan for iSQ and is responsible for the shell and core design of both Phase 1 and Phase 2. The design intent for the two buildings is a contemporary interpretation of the established maritime “head-house and tail” vernacular. The new “head-house” has a chiseled glass expression where the C-suite resides, symbolizing the commitment to cultural transparency and the exchange of ideas. The “tail” has a highly articulated pre-cast concrete expression where lab research occurs.

In response to the vulnerability of the site to flooding due to increased rainfall events and storm surge, the ground floor elevation was raised 2’ above the current FEMA 100 year storm flood projections. The electric switchgear was raised an additional 1’ and the majority of mechanical and electrical systems were placed in the rooftop penthouse.

Phase 1 is designed to achieve a minimum of LEED Silver certification. It incorporates a number of strategies to reduce energy and water use, reduce transportation emissions in accessing the site, manage stormwater, and create an environmentally responsible and healthy environment through conscientious materials selection. Construction completion of the Core and Shell is anticipated in February 2019.