Bringing LEED Platinum Projects to the Seaport

By USGBCMA Communications

Boston's Seaport District has experienced a burst of development in recent years, which has brought over 5,000 new jobs to the area and catalyzed over $1 billion in investment since 2010. One of the first major buildings to break ground and begin transforming the Seaport skyline was 101 Seaport, a $126 million, 440,000-square foot, 17-story glass office tower. On board for this massive construction project was RDK Engineers, a full-service engineering and design firm and USGBC MA Chapter Sponsor.

RDK provides a variety of engineering services in energy efficiency and sustainable design for almost every building type. The firm has helped shaped sustainable development in Boston's Seaport District by helping 101 Seaport achieve LEED Platinum, the highest LEED rating level possible. Over 20% of RDK staff members are LEED Accredited, and whether or not RDK's clients choose to pursue LEED Certification, the firm continually assesses projects to improve efficiency in project MEP/FP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing/fire protection) systems. 101 Seaport is the first completed office building in Seaport Square, a 23-acre master-planned area in the city’s fastest-growing neighborhood. 

101 Seaport Boulevard achieved LEED certification for implementing practical and measurable strategies and solutions aimed at achieving high performance in sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. Owner Union Investment Real Estate GmbH oversaw a range of strategies and solutions put in place, from heat island reduction and stormwater quantity control to water-efficient landscaping and a green cleaning policy. One of the major differentiators of energy efficiency at 101 Seaport Boulevard is the mechanical system designed to cool the building through use of an active chilled beam, a cutting-edge system that is the first of its kind in Boston.

For former Mayor Thomas Menino, 101 Seaport served as a significant step forward for the Seaport and for the City of Boston. At the groundbreaking, then-Mayor Menino celebrated the project announcing, “This project secures the neighborhood’s reputation as a hub for entrepreneurs and forward-thinking companies to expand, and for our residents to enjoy. 101 Seaport, and its anchor tenant in PwC, represents the leadership in innovation, sustainability, and business that have become synonymous with the City of Boston and our business community.”