Boston Building Earns LEED Gold

BOSTON — Boston commercial property owner Equity Office Properties announced that its building at 222 Berkeley was awarded LEED Gold certification for Existing Buildings by the U.S. Green Building Council.

The building, located in Boston’s Back Bay, contains 535,000 square feet of retail and office space. Tenants include Houghton Mifflin, Summit Partners, Liberty Mutual and Bank of New York Mellon.

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National Grid Nears Completion of Mass. Solar Farm

HAVERHILL, Mass. — National Grid, a power delivery company servicing New England and New York state, announced today that construction on its new, five-acre solar farm on Hilldale Avenue in Haverhill is nearly complete. The farm, which broke ground last August, will produce enough electricity to power 175 to 200 households every year.
 
The Haverhill farm is National Grid’s biggest solar farm in Massachusetts this year.

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Mass. Solar Power Projects Bring Power, Jobs to State

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Western Massachusetts Electric Co.’s new 6,500 panel solar-powered electric facility will begin producing enough electricity for 300 homes later this month.
 
The plant and a larger project slated to go online in Springfield next year are expected to bolster job growth in the solar industry and bring the high cost of solar power in line with oil-produced electricity in New England.

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Green Computer Center

HOLYOKE, Mass. — Gov. Deval Patrick has pledged $25 million toward the construction of a $100 million Green High Performance Computer Center slated for a site in Holyoke’s canal district.
 
The center will be powered largely by wind and hydroelectric power from the Connecticut River and will serve as a showcase of green energy use and green facilities design.Read more

Boarding School Addition Expected to Achieve Significant Savings

WESTON, Mass. — The new 21,000-square-foot addition to the Cambridge School of Weston campus is designed to significantly reduce its impact on the environment through several water- and energy-saving features and sustainable elements.

The new Garthwaite Center for Science and Arts will provide educational program space for the boarding school’s 320 9th-12th graders and is expected to use 60 percent less water than conventionally designed school buildings and only 10 gallons of water a day.

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Tax Credits Proposed for Efficient Buildings

BOSTON — A bill to give tax credits to public, private and commercial buildings that comply with energy-efficient standards is under consideration in the Massachusetts Legislature.

The legislation would require the state to adopt the International Energy Conservation Code for new construction and renovation projects. It sets heating standards and minimum energy provisions for residential and commercial buildings. Officials estimate that the standards would increase construction costs by 3 percent, but builders would see savings in energy costs and tax breaks.

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Former Office Building Converted to Elementary School Could Achieve LEED Silver Certification

BRIGHTON, Mass. — Officials are hoping a renovated office building that was converted to serve as the main component of the new home for the St. Patrick School will be awarded LEED silver certification.

In addition to the 36,000-square-foot former office building, the new $10 million campus for first through eighth graders includes a new 14,000-square-foot gymnasium and a 6,000-square-foot lab and studio.

Teachers at the school, which opened in September, will incorporate many of the building’s sustainable design components into course curriculum.

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