By Emily Kingston
This project brought together corporate offices, a warehouse and distribution center for vehicle parts, and a training center for mechanics under one roof in a new, state-of-the-art LEED Platinum facility. A commitment to sustainability is a key focus of the Subaru brand, one that factors in to every level of the company’s business model. For the client—the exclusive distributor of Subaru vehicles and parts for the six New England states—a LEED Platinum facility was the goal from project kick-off. As a result, the project team was able to utilize a holistic approach to sustainability, bringing LEED practices into planning, design, and construction processes from the start.
The program consisted of a new 165,000 SF corporate headquarters, employee training, warehouse, and distribution center in Norwood, MA. At 86 points, the project has been certified LEED Platinum, and is the highest rated NC v2009 LEED project over 100,000 SF in Massachusetts, and is one of highest-rated projects of its kind in the United States. Sustainable features include:
- Photovoltaic array providing 228,500 kWh/ year (20% of the building’s energy needs)
- Site utilizes rainwater collection and drought resistant landscaping
- Over 30% of the building materials used were sourced within 500 miles of the site
- Chilled beam HVAC system reduces the building’s energy use by 40%
- LED lighting throughout and skylights for daylighting significantly reduce electricity usage
- White roof assembly reduces the heat-island effect
- High-efficiency plumbing fixtures are projected to reduce the facility’s water usage by 41%
The design and construction team worked hard to ensure that the project met the client’s goals, while paying careful attention to the $30 million budget and completing construction within 15 months.
See more photos here: http://www.grlarchitects.com/subaru-of-new-england/
*for new construction, v2009
PE | Associate, LeMessurier
Vice President, AEW’s Architecture & Engineering group
Interior Designer, Jacobs, Boston
Senior Vice President, Market Transformation and Development U.S. Green Building Council
AIA LEED AP BD+C | Senior Associate, Gensler Boston 
LEED Fellow, WELL AP | Founder and Principal, Ecoworks Studio
LEED AP BD+C | Environmental Sustainability Manager, Armstrong World Industries
Sustainability Director, Steven Winter Associates
Assistant Professor of Exposure Science | Director of the Healthy Buildings program
Managing Director, Harvard University Office for Sustainability
Principal & Director of Certifications and Consulting, Epsten Group, Inc.
Vice President of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility, Jamestown
Founder and Principal, Linnean Solutions | LEED AP, O+M; EcoDistrict AP
Associate Principal, BuroHappold Engineering
Senior Vice President, Sustainability at Kilroy Realty Corporation
Co-Founder, Facilitator at The Laurentia Project | LEED AP BD+C, LFA
Founder and President, Board of the Healthy Building Network
Building Technology Director, Kingspan North America
LEED® AP ID+C, BD+C, USGBC Faculty, WELL® AP, WELL Faculty and Fitwel Ambassador
Workplace Strategy Expert and Researcher, EYP
Principal, Integrated Ecostrategy
Senior Vice President, International WELL Building Institute
AIA, LEED AP BD+C, WELL AP
Principal, Bruner/Cott
Architect, Associate, and Sustainability Design Leader, Stantec Architecture and Engineering
FAIA, LEED Fellow, Long Green Specs
Products & Materials Specialist, BuildingGreen
Director of Acquisitions and Development
Director of Restorative Enterprise, Interface
Vice President of Sustainable Development, Shaw
Sustainability Manager, Consigli Construction Company
Global Head of Sustainability, Superior Essex