Wednesday, April 28, 2004
The Green buildings of Boston
The New York Times is carrying a story on the emergence of energy efficient buildings in Boston. At RISC, we have been keeping track of these energy efficient projects while thinking of the design of our buildings. This piece also mentions the famed new Gehry building at MIT.
The green inclination is driven by an economic rationale, said Robert M. Dickey, managing director of Spaulding & Slye Colliers, the developer of Biosquare, which has leased 50 percent of its space so far. "Green building is a new market phenomenon, and our interest is to capture the value it creates," he said. "From the outset of a project," Mr. Dickey said, "building green changes the cost-benefit analysis," adding that it "requires assembling a team of the owner, designers, engineers, contractors, brokers who are educated, experienced and make green building a top priority.'' "They need to understand that some decisions can take longer and cost more," he added.
The aims of green building are to minimize the use of energy, water and open space; to use sustainably produced materials; recycle waste; and have access to public transportation or car pools. As the buildings consume less energy and resources, they also strive to maximize the advantages of nature: fresh air, sunlight, views and outdoor access.
To qualify as "green," a building registers with the U.S. Green Building Council, a nonprofit advocacy group, which issues Leeds ratings (leadership in energy and environmental design) at various levels. The top award has been given so far to only five projects in the United States and one in India. Since 2000, about 100 buildings have been certified and 1,200 more are going through the process. California, with 13 green buildings and 200 in the pipeline to certification, ranks first among American states. Massachusetts is sixth, with 3 certified and 53 in the pipeline.
Green buildings may cost 1 percent to 16 percent more to design and build, but advocates say that their bottom line can be better than those of conventional buildings. "Their value can be enhanced," said Thomas J. Hamill, a vice president at Spaulding & Slye, "because they lease better, have less expensive mechanical systems that cost 20 to 40 percent less to operate and, therefore, a higher effective rent over time."
Integrating green performance with site selection, how a building sits on a site, design and construction are part of the process, said Christopher G. Leary, vice president of Stubbins Associates, which designed Biosquare. For the architect, "the aesthetic is tied to function," he said. "Windows in a traditional building are designed for appearance, but in a green one they may differ on each side depending on what they need to accomplish as the sun moves through the sky."Sometimes, Mr. O'Neill said, the green building payoff goes beyond environmental gains. "How can you estimate the benefits Genzyme will reap in advertising and recruiting," he asked, "when everyone in Cambridge is trying to hire engineers?"
The green inclination is driven by an economic rationale, said Robert M. Dickey, managing director of Spaulding & Slye Colliers, the developer of Biosquare, which has leased 50 percent of its space so far. "Green building is a new market phenomenon, and our interest is to capture the value it creates," he said. "From the outset of a project," Mr. Dickey said, "building green changes the cost-benefit analysis," adding that it "requires assembling a team of the owner, designers, engineers, contractors, brokers who are educated, experienced and make green building a top priority.'' "They need to understand that some decisions can take longer and cost more," he added.
The aims of green building are to minimize the use of energy, water and open space; to use sustainably produced materials; recycle waste; and have access to public transportation or car pools. As the buildings consume less energy and resources, they also strive to maximize the advantages of nature: fresh air, sunlight, views and outdoor access.
To qualify as "green," a building registers with the U.S. Green Building Council, a nonprofit advocacy group, which issues Leeds ratings (leadership in energy and environmental design) at various levels. The top award has been given so far to only five projects in the United States and one in India. Since 2000, about 100 buildings have been certified and 1,200 more are going through the process. California, with 13 green buildings and 200 in the pipeline to certification, ranks first among American states. Massachusetts is sixth, with 3 certified and 53 in the pipeline.
Green buildings may cost 1 percent to 16 percent more to design and build, but advocates say that their bottom line can be better than those of conventional buildings. "Their value can be enhanced," said Thomas J. Hamill, a vice president at Spaulding & Slye, "because they lease better, have less expensive mechanical systems that cost 20 to 40 percent less to operate and, therefore, a higher effective rent over time."
Integrating green performance with site selection, how a building sits on a site, design and construction are part of the process, said Christopher G. Leary, vice president of Stubbins Associates, which designed Biosquare. For the architect, "the aesthetic is tied to function," he said. "Windows in a traditional building are designed for appearance, but in a green one they may differ on each side depending on what they need to accomplish as the sun moves through the sky."Sometimes, Mr. O'Neill said, the green building payoff goes beyond environmental gains. "How can you estimate the benefits Genzyme will reap in advertising and recruiting," he asked, "when everyone in Cambridge is trying to hire engineers?"
